Community briefs 4/28

EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES, Health Fair/Open Enrollment
The city's Health Fair/Open Enrollment is Thursday, May 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Government Center, 119 School St. All employees, spouses, dependents, and retirees are invited to get information to change their coverage. There will be free testing, prizes and refreshments.
For more information, call 781-314-3271.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Card Exchange
Waltham West Suburban Chamber of Commerce presents a Multi-Chamber Business Card Exchange on Thursday, May 1, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, 550 Winter St. Cost is $10, $20 for non-members. Diane Darling, founder and CEO- Effective Networking, Inc. and author of ``The Networking Survival Guide and Networking for Career Success,'' will speak at 4:30 p.m.
For more information, call 781-894-4700.

IRENA SALINA, Earth's water supply
Brandeis University will present Irena Salina, and the Boston debut of her film ``FLOW: For Love Of Water,'' on Thursday, May 1, 7:30 p.m., in the Sachar International Center, Wasserman Cinematheque, 415 South St. The film focuses on the politics, pollution and human rights that are associated with the challenges facing the earth's water supply. The film will be followed by a question and answer session. Admission is free.
For more information, contact Dona DeLorenzo at delorenz@brandeis.edu.

HOVEY PLAYERS, `A Shayna Maidel'
Hovey Players presents ``A Shayna Maidel,'' running May 2-17, at the Abbott Memorial Theater, Joel's Way, 9 Spring St. ``A Shayna Maidel'' (a beautiful girl) is a story set in the late 1940s about a young polish girl, Rose, in her 20s, who came to the United States with her father is now completely ``Americanized.'' The plan had been for Rose's mother and sister to join the others, but the rise of the Nazis cut off their escape. Tickets are $15, seniors/students, $13.
Those attending the opening night performance is invited to the opening night party, at Baan Thai Restaurant, 659 Main St., for complimentary refreshments, cash bar, and meet the cast and crew.
For reservations, call 781-893-9171. For more information, visit www.hoveyplayers.com.

SPROUT, Benefit for Community Farm, Sprout: A Benefit for Waltham Fields Community Farm is Friday, May 2, 7 to 10 p.m., at The Paine Estate, 100 Robert Treat Paine Drive. This festive spring event will feature a live blues band, food and drink, and a silent auction. Proceeds will support the hunger relief and education programs of the farm.
Each year, Waltham Fields provides over $30,000 worth of fresh vegetables to local emergency food programs, and runs educational programs on the farm for local children at very low cost. Waltham Fields Community Farm is the last working farm in the city of Waltham. Tickets are $35 for members of Waltham Fields Community Farm, and $45 for non-members.
For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit www.communityfarms.org.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
Gala/Auction, The Waltham Boys & Girls Club will host its 18th annual Gala/Auction on Friday, May 2, 6:30 p.m., at Westin Waltham Hotel, 70 Third Ave. The evening will begin with the silent/premium auction from 6:30 p.m , followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. and the live auction at 8:30 p.m. The Soft Touch Dance Band will once again provide the music. Tickets to concerts and sporting events, signed sports memorabilia and trips are a few examples of the many items that will be available. Entry is $100 per raffle ticket and you do not have to be present to win. Tickets to the auction are $75.
Call the Club at 781-893-6620 if you are interested in being a sponsor, donating prizes or purchasing raffle tickets.

HEALTHY LAWNS, LANDSCAPES
Two workshops, Free Healthy Lawns and Landscapes workshops, led by Ann McGovern of the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection, will be presented April 29, 7 to 9 p.m., at Cary Memorial Library, 1874 Mass. Ave., Lexington, and May 6, 6 to 8 p.m., at Charles River Watershed Association, 190 Park Road, Weston. The purpose of the workshops is to teach residents, landscapers and municipal staff how to maintain landscapes without using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Attendees will receive a chance to win a compost bin. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, visit www.mass.gov/dep/recycle or call Eileen Entin at 781-979-4440.

CEDARWOOD
Annual meeting, The Cedarwood Neighborhood Association will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 7:30 p.m. (social time at 7:00 p.m.) on the second floor of Woodside's Sunoco Station, 305 Weston St. All Cedarwood residents (members and non-members) are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.
For more information contact Tomjanetf@aol.com

VESCONE
Class on April 29, Continuing Education Presented by VESCONE, 180 Bear Hill Road, presents, Cruciate Disease: Diagnosis, Treatments, And What You Can Expect From Them, on Tuesday April 29, 7 p.m.
RSVP to Kelly Parkinson at kparkinson@vescone.com or 781-684-8387.

BOWEN NURSERY SCHOOL
Yard sale, Bowen Cooperative Nursery School annual fundraising yard sale is Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. John's Episcopal Church, 86 Otis St. There will be plenty of baby and children items.
For more information, call 617-332-3923.

`SECRET COURAGE'
Showing at Temple Reyim , To commemorate Yom Ha' Shoah, Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington St., will be showing the film ``Secret Courage,'' on Wednesday, April 30, 7 p.m. It will be introduced by survivor Ries Vanderpol, who has worked very hard to bring the story of Walter Suskind to the widest audience. Suskind was a German Jew living in Amsterdam who was forced by the Nazis to serve as the Jewish head of deportation at the Hollandsche Schouwburg (the Jewish Theater in Amsterdam), the main deportation site in Holland. He and an intrepid group of resistance workers orchestrated the escape of close to 1,000 Dutch children who were marked for transport to the death camps.
For more information, call 617-527-2410.

BRITISH REPORTER
Lecture on Kurds, British reporter Quil Lawrence will speak on the current history of the Kurds, Tuesday, April 29, 7:30 p.m., at the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. Lawrence's book, ``Invisible Nation: How the Kurds' Quest for Statehood is Shaping Iraq and the Middle East,'' gives a current history of the Kurds and their quest for statehood.
For information on this free event, call 617-796-1360.

WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE INITIATIVE
Business Plan Forum, The Women's Enterprise Initiative will present, Business Plan Forum, on Thursday, May 1, 6:15 to 9 p.m., at Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. Roz Garber, president and CEO of Garber/FCM Travel Solutions in Chestnut Hill, is the forum moderator. Barbara Marcus, president and founder of Parents in a Pinch Inc., Brookline, is the presenter. Panelists include Nancy Michaels, president and founder of Impression Impact and Grow Your Business Network, Concord; Jean Hammond, co-leader of Boston Forum, JPH Associates/Golden Seeds, Wellesley; and Celia Couture, president of CC Consulting, LLC, Tewksbury.
The event is free and reservations are not required. Visit www.ci.newton.ma.us/wei or call 617-566-3013 for information, registration and directions.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
Donations sought, The Newton Veterans' Council is seeking donations for this year's Memorial Day parade Sunday, May 18, 2 p.m. To continue with last year's program of having the renowned Shriners, an additional $7,500 must be raised.
Make checks payable to the Newton Veterans' Council and mail to: Newton City Hall, Attn: Veterans' Agent, 1000 Commonwealth Ave., Newton Centre 02459 or call 617-796-1090. All contributors are invited for collation after the parade at Post 440, 295 California St.

NEWTON FREE LIBRARY
Book and Author Luncheon, The 24th Annual Book and Author Luncheon will take place Friday, May 2, noon, at the Newton Marriott, 2345 Commonwealth Ave. The Friends of the Newton Free Library will present Anne Easter Smith, author of ``Daughter of York,'' and Stephen Puleo, author of ``The Boston Italians: A Story of Pride, Perseverance and Paesani from the Years of the Great Immigration to the Present Day.'' A book signing will follow the presentations.
To attend, send a check for $35 per person payable to Friends of the Newton Free Library, to Book and Author Luncheon, P.O. Box 600533, Newtonville, MA 02460. Specify the names of those who will attend and include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Indicate your preference for chicken, fish or vegetarian entree for lunch. Tickets and table assignments will be mailed two weeks before the event.
For information, call 617-997-7942 or e-mail bookandauthor@gmail.com.

ARTS IN THE PARK
Children classes, Arts in the Parks, Newton Parks and Recreation Department is accepting registrations for the Summer Swing classes for 3-6 year olds without an adult, and Time for Partners classes for children 18 months to early 3s with an adult. Summer Swing is an art, music and creative movement program structured thematically to help children develop pre-literacy and mathematical skills. Outdoor playground time and snack make for a fun-filled enriching morning. The six-week program runs June 30-Aug. 7, 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Newton Cultural Center, 225 Nevada St.
For further information and registration form, call 617-796-1540.