Getting Ready to Give Thanks

Dear Hawley Friends and Neighbors:

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. I hope the cooking doesn’t get too frantic in your households. (I make no promises about mine!) The main point of this holiday is to express gratitude for all that we have. The recent election may have left our country a bit divided. Remember that Thanksgiving became a holiday during the Civil War. If Americans could find ways to emphasize commonality and give thanks then, we can certainly do as much today.

As usual, I seem to have a little too much news to share with you.

CONNECT Coming to Charlemont

CONNECT, an arm of our local Opioid Task Force, will send a van to the Charlemont Federated Church this coming Tuesday, November 19, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in coordination with the Good Neighbors Thanksgiving Food Distribution.

If you suffer from substance-use disorder or are without a home, consider a visit to this van. Here is what the folks from CONNECT have to say:

Our goal is to provide harm reduction and personal use items like Naloxone, first-aid kits, socks, water, basic prevention items, and winter survival kits to those effected by substance use disorder, and/or unhoused individuals, and their families. We will also provide an opportunity to speak with our recovery coach team if desired.

Speaking of Good Neighbors, if you could use a little help feeding your family at this important time of year, check out this page on our website.

Looking for Vintage Recipes

As some of you may know, teachers and students at Mohawk Trail Regional School and I are working with the Smithsonian and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities to bring “Museum on Main Street: Voices and Votes” to the school from April 19 to May 31, 2025. This traveling Smithsonian exhibit is coming to only six towns in Massachusetts. We are honored to have been chosen.

The teachers, the students, and I are responsible for hosting the exhibit … but also for creating and arranging local programs that will reflect and augment its themes of voting and elections. One of these programs will involve cooking. We know that many municipalities host bake sales on Election Day. (Hawley certainly does!) We’re looking for vintage recipes for goodies that might have graced bake sales in days of yore. The culinary students at Mohawk will make and share some of these with the public.

Do you have a recipe that would work for this from your parents, grandparents, or other relatives … or from a beloved elderly cookbook in your home? If so, please get in touch with me, Tinky Weisblat, by emailing puddinghollow@gmail.com.

We hope you’ll share a story about the recipe’s significance for you as well. Happy baking!

Masks and COVID Tests

Thanks to the generosity of the Adams Ambulance Service, Hawley is awash in masks and COVID tests. If you could use any of these, please contact me at 413-339-5518 or talk to Hussain Hamdan or Brandon Root. (I can give you their phone numbers and emails if you ask!)

Thanksgiving Week

My family is coming to visit me for Thanksgiving so I won’t be holding my regular office hours on Tuesday, November 26. If you need something, however, I can arrange to meet you at the Town Office at your convenience. Call me at home (413-339-4747, not too early in the morning), and we’ll figure something out.

Looking for Help with Housecleaning

An older resident of East Hawley recently told me that she would like to hire someone to clean her house. If you or someone you know might be interested in helping out (I promise you, she’s a lovely person!), please let me know, and I’ll give her the appropriate contact information.

Holidays and Health

Finally, our public-health colleagues at the Franklin Regional Council of Governments offer these words about maximizing healthful behavior during the upcoming holidays:

For many, the winter holiday season has a complicated relationship with the word “healthy”—either because we think we are not doing enough to maintain our health, or because we avoid thinking about health until January.

Instead, it may be easier to ask oneself, “What steps can I take to manage my health during the holidays?” Each of our answers may look different, and that is the point: We can each add our own ways to manage stress, incorporate exercise, and eat healthfully. Each day is an opportunity to practice healthy options.

Healthy Eating

There are many, many resources that focus on nutrition around the holidays. Most offer this basic advice: act in small steps and remove the guilt. The Mayo Clinic’s holiday nutrition tips suggests adding an extra serving of veggies, drinking more water, limiting soda and alcohol, and to “choosing your splurges” to eat portions of seasonal food for maximum enjoyment.

Exercise

Incorporating exercise can be easier when thinking of “increasing movement” over “improving fitness.” Add to your day: a walk, a stretch break, or dancing to your favorite song. Create active TV time by using hand weights, doing calisthenics, or simply marching in place during commercial breaks.

For others, setting timers to limit screen time (TV, computer, and/or phone) can be an easy way to make time for other things—like adding in a self-care activity or getting to bed on time.

Managing Stress

Low-cost ways to manage stress during the holidays are effective. Consider taking a walk or bath, calling a family member or friend, and writing in a journal. During the short daylight hours, simply getting outside for 10 minutes can be helpful. Starting or ending your day with a few minutes focused on breathing can feel grounding.

Although we often let go of some routines and expectations, prioritizing ongoing support groups and meaningful connections can help us manage, relax, and enjoy the season.

My personal tip for managing stress is … sing as often as you can!

That’s it for now. Enjoy the sunshine.

Warmly,

Tinky Weisblat
Gal Friday
Town of Hawley