AGAWAM—Amber Ladley, a lifelong crafter, will offer the last program in Glenmeadow Retirement’s fall education series with her workshop “Inviting Creativity: A Crafty Workshop on the Benefits of Upcycling.” It will be held Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 10 a.m. at the Agawam Public Library.

Ladley is a creative reuse leader, educator and crafter extraordinaire. She co-founded Knack: The Art of Clever Reuse, an arts and crafts thrift store and DIY studio space in Easthampton, in 2012 and launched Happily Upcycled in 2016.

Ladley will discuss the benefits that creativity can bring to one’s life. The founder of happilyupcycled.com, Ladley will help participants find potential in reusing materials and will also lead them in creating a gratitude jar to hold thoughts and memories. Attendees are invited to select from the papers, fabric scraps and embellishments Ladley will provide or bring their own.

Agawam Public Library is located at 750 Cooper St.

The program is free, but seating is limited, and registration is required; call (413) 567-7800 or email learning@glenmeadow.org. Visit glenmeadow.org/learning for more information.

Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is a nonprofit, accredited continuing care retirement community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.

To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org.

About Glenmeadow

In the 1800s, elderly individuals without family or means were sent to live at what was called “the poor farm.”  In 1884, a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s south end. Quickly outgrowing that house, land was purchased on the corner of Chestnut and Carew streets, where a new home was constructed and opened in 1900.  In 1960, the name was changed to Chestnut Knoll, and in 1992, it began to admit men.

In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent living and assisted living in one building with various common areas.  This was a new concept known as a continuing care retirement community.  Existing residents from the old Chestnut Knoll property were moved to the new campus in 1997.  Shortly after the move, the board voted to change its legal name to Glenmeadow to coincide with the name being used by the developer of the property.

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Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Durocher has found a passion in creating art. She first began painting for her family and then expanded her market. “She was able to take this passion to create an important milestone in her young life by selling her paintings at fairs, conferences and other community outings,” said Barbara Pilarcik, executive director of The Association for Community Living in Springfield, a nonprofit that provides an array of services to people living with disabilities, including Durocher.

“Through this experience, Lina is learning money management, customer service and socially appropriate behavior as she deals with those who are looking through her artwork,” Pilarcik added. “These efforts have assisted Lina with creating greater independence in her life and allows growth for personal development. She has also learned that hard work pays off.”

Pilarcik’s comments were offered on June 16 during The Association’s Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, where Durocher received an achievement award for acting on her passion and producing and selling her artwork.

In addition to presenting 11 achievement awards to individuals served in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties, Pilarcik also honored staff with awards and discussed milestones the organization accomplished over the past year.

Pilarcik highlighted that the agency:

• Held its first-ever Leadership Institute, providing high-quality management training to 20 emerging leaders at the agency.
• Partnered with Baystate Health to present “Crash Reel” to over 200 community members.  “Crash Reel” is a documentary that tells the story of a New England family and their son, an Olympic ski boarder who is recovering from a horrific head injury.
• Produced an original play, “Once Upon a Bog,” involving more than 30 teens and adults from the Whole Children and Milestones programs to a sold-out audience.
• Opened a new, fully accessible Residential Services home on Meadow Street in Agawam.

“These are just some of the highlights we have experienced,” Pilarcik said. “They don’t begin to capture the many acts of kindness that occur daily at The Association for Community Living.”

For more information about the services and programs of The Association for Community Living, visit www.theassociationinc.org.

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