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July/August 2016
A Place to Grow, for Families with Infants and Young Children
Living in Palmer, Monson and Surrounding Communities.
4 Springfield Street, PO Box 5, Three Rivers, MA 01080
413-283-6246
Find us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/palmermonsonfamilynetwork
www.facebook.com/collaborative.earlychildhood
Message from the outgoing PAC president: My name is Sarah Luongo and as a long time visitor to the Palmer
Monson Family Network, it was such an honor to be this year’s Parent Advisory Committee president. I am so grateful to have been invited into this group and to help plan the programming for this amazing community resource. This year the PAC organized trips such as West View Farms pumpkin picking, the Fire Department truck wash, the Police Department tour, Holyoke Children’s Museum, The Tanglewood Marionette show and Zoo on the Go. There were music classes, messy art, the end-of-the-year Teddy Bear picnic and fun fundraisers. This year’s PAC made amazing contributions to the fundraisers, field trips and events, and I would like to thank them all for their dedication. The PAC shared camaraderie and many giggles. I invite everyone to share in the reward-ing experience of becoming a PAC member—you will be warmly welcomed.
We would like to extend our thanks to our officers and
all who served on the PAC this year for all their time and
effort! We would also like to congratulate and welcome
our new officers for 2016-2017!
2015-2016 PAC Officers President: Sarah Luongo
Vice President: Melissa Taylor Treasurer: Kathy Drzewianowski
Secretary: Cassie Strom
Summertime Fun with PMFN!
PMFN is a Collaborative for Educational Services program funded by the MA Dept of Early
Education & Care. We are open to ALL families living in Palmer, Monson and surrounding
communities with children birth through age 8. ALL of our playgroups and programs are
free - there are no income or developmental requirements.
Summertime Play & Learn Drop-In
June 28—August 16
Tuesdays: 10-11:30
Come join us in our air-conditioned playroom for creative art projects, blocks, dramatic play, music and more! FREE and
open to families with young children! (For safety’s sake, please make sure your children continue to wear shoes and/
or socks throughout the summer months!)
Playground Meetup at Eager Park
July 1—August 19
Fridays: 10:00
Join PMFN friends at Eager Park for some outdoor fun together! Meet friends and pack a picnic to enjoy. Eager Park is in Palmer, at the corners of
Walnut and French Streets, near Converse Middle School.
Summer Fun for Families with Young Children!
Palmer Public Library and Monson Free Library, along with many other area libraries, will be hosting a variety of programs in conjunction with their Summer Reading Programs. Stop in or check out their websites for more info, and be sure to take a peek at their selection of Museum Passes as well! Don’t have a library card? Drop in and sign up for FREE!
Palmer: http://www.palmer.lib.ma.us/
Monson: https://monsonlibrary.com/
Not sure how to find your closest library? Try http://www.publiclibraries.com/massachusetts.htm
Book Club!!!
Our monthly book club has begun and is in full swing! We’ll be meeting at the center on the second Friday of
every month from 6:30-8. Coffee and snacks will be provided, just be sure to let us know by the Wednesday beforehand, so that we can make sure we have enough for everyone! The summer book schedule is as follows:
July 8: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
August 12: Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
We’ll talk about future choices at our meetings! Hope to see you there!
We will be reopening for our regularly-scheduled play-groups in the fall on Tuesday, September 13, 2016!
Tuesdays: 10-11:30 Drop-in Playgroup
Wednesdays: 9-10:30 Drop-in Infant/Toddler Time (Ages 0-24 months only, please!
Thursdays: 10-11:30 Drop-in Playgroup
Fridays: 10-11:30 Drop-in Playgroup
*All are welcome to attend our PAC meeting on Sep-
tember 7, 6-7:30, at the center. Childcare and pizza
provided*
Free Fun Fridays are back! Highland Street Foundations is once again partnering with cultural institutions across the state to offer FREE admission on Fridays throughout the sum-mer! With 80 institutions participating this year—8 venues to choose from each week—it will be their biggest and best sum-mer yet! The list of events is posted at the center, and is avail-able at: http://highlandstreet.org/freefunfridays.html
Buttery Brook Park in South Hadley is a great hang-out spot for families, and has a variety of family-friendly events scheduled, including a Chil-dren’s Summer Concert Series in July, a Big Rig Day in August, and Friday Cruise nights! http://butterybrookpark.org/programsactivities/ for more info!
Children’s concerts are as follows:
July 13, 2016: Maggie Shar/Little Roots July 20, 2016: Roger Tincknell July 27, 2016: Donna Lee 10:00 to 11:00am
Free Lunches for Children
Did you know? Through the United States Department of Agri-culture, nutritious free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout the na-tion throughout the summer while school is out of session. Check out http://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks to find out if there is a site near you! (More locations are added as the school year ends, so check back frequently for the most updated list!)
Fourth of July Parade!! Once again, families from the Palmer/Monson Family Network have decided to march in the Monson
Summerfest July 4th Parade! All who wish to participate are welcome—we will be meeting to line up at Monson Medical Center,
2 Main St. in Monson, no later than 9:45 am. If you have any questions, or to let us know that you’re planning to attend, please
call the center at 413-283-6246 or email [email protected]. Be sure to wear your red, white, and blue!!
MA Department of Conservation and Recreation has a web-site full of information on places to swim, camp, hike, or just get outdoors with your kids!
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/places-to-go/
Park passes are also available at many area libraries—all you need is your library card to check them out!
