AMHERST — A woman who has spent more than 30 years advocating for Stavros Center for Independent Living, a Hadley business owner who has focused on addressing food insecurity, and the United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region are among those being honored with Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce 2022 A+ Awards.
The chamber recently announced this year’s winners, who will be recognized at the University of Massachusetts Student Ballroom on the evening of Nov. 17. Selected are individuals and organizations,whose work enriches the life of the region.
Chamber Executive Director Claudia Pazmany said each winner has made contributions to improve the quality of life on a daily basis.
“Our 2022 A+ Awardees make us a better community and a better chamber,” Pazmany said.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will honor Angelina Ramirez for her significant contributions to Stavros Center for Independent Living. Ramirez has led Stavros as its CEO since 2019, and been an advocate for those Stavros serves for three decades.
Sean Barry of Four Seasons Wines & Liquors of Hadley is earning the Community Service Award for his significant contributions to the community around food insecurity, supporting Monte’s March that benefits the Food Bank for Western Massachusetts, and the Amherst Survival Center’s Empty Bowls event.
The Legacy Award is honoring United Way Franklin & Hampshire Region for a century of giving of an estimated $50 million through the Great Depression, World War II and the COVID pandemic.
Chamber MVP recognizes Kyle Dumas of Greenfield Savings Bank for his significant contributions to the chamber, being a member of the Margarita Madness Committee and supporting the community and volunteers.
The Leader in Innovation Award is going to Joshua Rousseau as founder of Amherst Intelligent Security in Amherst, while the Young Professional Award is being presented to Taylor Robbins of the UMassFive College Credit Union..
Tickets are $90 per person and $700 for a table of eight. Registration is open at amherstarea.com.
The Amherst Education Foundation’s annual Trivia Bee, in its 28th year, returns to an in-person format at the middle school auditorium on the evening of Oct. 27.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., four-member teams will compete in the contest, which encourages participants to come in costume and spectators to watch the competition.
A raffle will coincide with the bee that will include gift certificates, including $100 to Johnny’s Tavern, $100 to Arizona Pizza, $50 to Atkins, $50 to Iya, $80 to Alina’s Restaurant, $25 to Big Y, $30 to Texas Roadhouse, as well as one-hour massage at Healing Zone and one month of a class at Pineapple Dance.
The trivia bee, held virtually the past two years, is the foundation’s biggest annual fundraiser, supporting programs and projects in the Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury schools.
To pre-register to play on a team, go to bit.ly/trivia-bee22.
The African Heritage Reparation Assembly is holding a listening session at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West St., on Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m.
The evening will feature information about the reparative justice initiative underway in town for those of African heritage, and is part of an ongoing effort that has included direct outreach in Amherst neighborhoods.
The event is open to all community members, but will center on hearing from Black and African heritage voices. The PVTA will have a temporary bus stop for the event and refreshments will be available.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman and Amherst Regional Public Schools Superintendent Michael Morris will answer questions from the public on Oct. 28 beginning at 8 a.m. at the Bangs Community Center.
The Cuppa Joe event, which runs for 90 minutes, is open to anyone in the community to talk about town affairs or public school-related topics.
Sonia Aldrich, Amherst’s comptroller and a former interim co-finance director, will be retiring from municipal work sometime in 2023.
Bockelman announced to the Town Council on Monday that Aldrich will be departing from a career that began on Jan. 20, 1987, when she assumed a role as a town parking clerk.
MONDAY: Public Art Commission, 6 p.m., and Community Resources Committee, 7 p.m.