2026 – 2027 Programs
Regular monthly meetings are held at the Holy Family Church Community Center at 29 Sugarloaf Street in South Deerfield
September 23, 2026 – Welcome Back Potluck Dinner
6:00 pm, Holy Family Church Community Center
Welcome new members and returning members. The Sunderland Women’s Club is invited to attend and bring their culinary creations. We’ll catch up on all we did this summer, meet new friends and enjoy a delicious potluck supper. Please bring a dish to share and your own place setting for an easy cleanup. Beverages will be provided, Bussiness meeting will follow.
October 3, 2026 – Fall Fundraiser (Rain Date: October 4)
9:00 am – 12:00pm, South Deerfield Town Common
This event is the fall fundraiser for the club. We are asking members to bake pies, quick/yeast/sweet breads, quiches, and a limited number of muffins, cookies and brownies. Members are also needed for that day to help set-up, and clean up. Baked goods can be dropped off to Starr Waryas the day before or between 8 and 9am on October 3rd.
October 28, 2026 – An Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation
Time ______, Holy Family Church Community Center
Guest: Jennie Donohue, Director of Public Relations Concentration, UMass Journalism Department
Consider this session an invitation to slow down, find calm and balance, as well as enhance personal well-being. Members will learn mindfulness basics, be guided through mini-mindfulness practices, as well as learn tips for incorporating moments of mindfulness into their daily routines.
November 18, 2026 – Inspiring Women
Time ______, Location ______________
Guest: Sara Pirtle – Author, interfaith minister, and Women’s Leadership Activist
Through song and story Sara Pirtle brings us the lives of inspiring women who are not well known and shows how she catches courage from the women around her.
December 9, 2026 – Holiday Party
5:30 pm, Location TBD
We will celebrate the season and the New Year at our annual holiday party.
December 22, 2026 – Community Meal
1:30 pm – 6:00 pm, Second Congregational Church in Greenfield
In partnership with the FCCMP
We will once again help FCCMP with their weekly meal. This will be a Holiday Theme meal. They also ask us to continue our tradition of donating hats, socks, gloves, mittens, scarves, small blankets and toiletries. We need about 8-10 people to help prep, serve and distribute clothing.
January 27, 2027 – Local Author Presentation
6:30 pm, Holy Family Church Community Center
Guest: Shari Strahan, Local Author and Genealogist
Meet local author Shari Strahan who, with Sara Campbell, co-wrote Did Grandma Have a Filling Station?, the result of their research into married women’s business certificates in Greenfield in the 19th and early 20th centuries. What laws governed a married women’s ability to earn an income? What sources can we find to detail their experiences? Have you ever thought about publishing your own story?
February 7, 2027 – Pillowcase Workshop
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Private Home
Our annual Pillowcase Project event, making pillowcases for ill children. All are welcome! This event takes place at a private home, address is available to members upon joining.
February 24, 2027 – Studying Sleep
6:30 pm, Holy Family Church Community Center
Guest: Dr Rebecca Spencer, Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences at UMass
Sleep is important for physical, mental, and cognitive health. But we often struggle to get the sleep we need. Dr. Spencer will briefly discuss why sleep is so important and how you can sleep better. Along the way, she will dispel some popular myths about sleep.
March, 2027 – Community Meal
1:30 – 6:30 pm, Second Congregational Church in Greenfield
In partnership with the FCCMP
We will once again help FCCMP with their weekly meal. Exact date will be announced when available.
March 24, 2027 – Budget Meeting & Local Author Reading
6:30 pm, Holy Family Church Community Center
Guest: Stephen Billias
The evening begins with a (quick?) review of next year’s proposed budget, then Stephen Billias will read from his book, The Zen Time Traveler, a Publisher’s Weekly Editor’s Pick. In this novel, a haiku magically transports Zen student Stephen Maine to 13th century China where he experiences koans (Zen stories) firsthand and begins a romance with the sword maker Yabaku that threatens to upend his present day marriage and keep him in the 13th century. The story has been called a “resonant tale about mindfulness, commitment and the illusion of time.” Q&A follows the reading.
April 28, 2027 – Annual Banquet & Business Meeting
5:30 pm Social Hour, 6:00 pm Dinner, Location TBD
We will celebrate our new members and conduct our monthly and annual meetings. Location and meal choice will be determined by a previous vote of the membership. Options will be provided.
May 26, 2027 – Social Gathering
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Tree House Brewery Company
No business, just visiting! Please note: if weather appears inclement on day of meeting, check for email from Board of Directors for notice of postponement.
