AMHERST — A memorial concert at Wildwood Cemetery recently recognized what would have been the 95th birthday of Fred Tillis, a composer, poet and educator who led the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts for almost 20 years.

The June 22 event,  the inaugural Wildwood Honors, brought together former students and colleagues in the Jazz and African American Music program at UMass to honor Tillis for his 50 years of cultural contributions to the Amherst area and beyond.

Those who performed included drummer Royal Hartigan, saxophonist Charles Langford, bassist Wes Brown and pianist Alexis Marcelo, all playing a range of jazz compositions and other works by Tillis.

In an email, Pam Tillis said the concert was a fitting tribute at her father’s final resting place.

“The musicians were truly swinging, his spirit was absolutely felt in the house, and the audience was definitely uplifted by remembrances of him and his music,” Tillis said.

Tillis noted that her father, who died in 2020, has since seen the performance hall at the Fine Arts Center named in his memory in 2021, with a first memorial concert in his honor held there a year later.

The concert was organized by the Friends of Wildwood Cemetery, which is aiming to annually honor an important and influential person buried at the 70 Strong St. site.

Rebecca Fricke, general manager for the cemetery, said another event is set for Aug. 6 at 5:30 p.m., when a new public art sculpture carved by artist Matt Mitchell will be unveiled. This memorial sculpture is to be installed near the front entrance.

Book sale coming

Donations for the annual Giant Book Sale, put on by the League of Women Voters of Amherst, will be accepted starting Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Fort River School gym, 70 South East St.

Through July 15, people can drop gently used books, compact disc and DVDs daily until 2 p.m. The event will be held the weekends of July 25 to July 27 and Aug. 2 and Aug. 3.

No vinyl records, cassette tapes and magazines, or reference or textbooks, will be accepted. Volunteers are welcome to sort the donations each day during drop-off times.

Go to lwvamherst.org for more information.

Summit Academy principal

Diane Chamberlain, former principal at Fort River School and most recently assistant principal at Wildwood School, will become Summit Academy's principal Aug. 1.

Chamberlain, with more than 30 years of educational experience, takes over for Dave Slovin, who is retiring.

From 2005 to 2008, she served as the program coordinator for Summit Academy, which provides targeted, supportive instruction for middle and high schoolers.

Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman is calling Chamberlain’s return “a full-circle moment, rich with purpose and possibility.”

“Her commitment to inclusive, student-centered education is evident in both her words and actions,” Herman said..

Floral Affairs

A Greenfield business is taking over Knowles Flower Shop at 172 North Pleasant St.

FA2 is the name for the store that will be run by Floral Affairs owner Becky Guyer, who told the Design Review Board at a meeting to get approval for a sign that she is excited to come to Amherst and operate a place that will serve the public at weddings, funerals, birthdays and other occasions.

"You name it, we do it," Guyer said.

FA2, or “FA Squared,” will be more than just a flower shop, she said, with gifts and plants, and Guyer hopes people will drop in who might otherwise walk or drive past.

The small building has been a flower shop since 1936 and has been known as Knowles since 1956, when it was taken over by Frederick G. Knowles of Pelham.

Water quality report

Amherst has issued its annual water quality report available to all users, as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

All billed water customers were expected to receive the report by July 1, and it is also available on the town website at www.amherstma.gov/179/water or by calling the Department of Public Works at 259-3050.

Meeting

THURSDAY: Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m.