CHURCHES

Four Chaplains Service: The public is invited to the annual Four Chaplains Service on Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Groveland Congregational Church United Church of Christ, 4 King St., Groveland. This service is hosted by Groveland Post 248, the American Legion. This non-sectarian service commemorates the valiant actions of four Army Chaplains who during World War II gave their lives to save the lives of others. During the early morning hours of Feb. 3, 1943, their Army Troop Transport Dorchester was torpedoed by a German submarine and sunk in the icy North Atlantic with the loss of 672 lives. The Four Chaplains, one Catholic, one Jewish and two Protestants will be memorialized by four corresponding clergy. The Rev. Lance Dallaire will portray Methodist Chaplain Lt. George L. Fox; The Rev. Richard Driscoll will portray Catholic Chaplain Lt. John P. Washington; The Rev. David Forsythe will portray Dutch Reformed Chaplain Lt. Clark V. Poling and Rabbi Mark Golub will portray Jewish Chaplain Lt. Alexander D. Goode. Each Clergyman will give a brief biography of the Chaplain he represents. Boy Scouts from Groveland Troop 87 will also participate. There will be memories, stories and prayers shared by veterans about actual events that historic night. A collation will follow the service.

FAMILIES AND KIDS

Kindergarten Information Night: Haverhill's Public Schools will host free kindergarten information sessions for children in the Class of 2025. The sessions are open to parents and guardians of children at all schools and will be held Jan. 17 at Tilton Elementary School, 70 Grove St., and March 20 at Pentucket Lake Elementary School, 252 Concord St. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Sessions are from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Your child must be 5 years old by Aug. 31 in order to be eligible for Kindergarten in September. Free baby-sitting will be available for children accompanying their parents to these sessions. Informational packets will be given to those in attendance. For more information call 978-420-1951 or 978-374-3484.

Fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club: The Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and Staples Inc. are teaming up to support Boys & Girls Clubs across Massachusetts by offering a special-edition flash drive to benefit 41 Boys & Girls Clubs statewide, including the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill. For every flash drive purchased in a Staples Massachusetts store this month, Staples will donate $1 to the Massachusetts Alliance Boys & Girls Clubs. Staples will donate a minimum of $5,000 to the Alliance. For more information about the program visit www.bgcmass.org/Staples.aspx.

Library Programs: The public library is offering a variety of craft activities and book talks this month. Please register in advance at haverhillpl.org. Here is a schedule of events:

Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. She & Me Book Club discusses "Between Shades of Gray." For girls in grades five through eight and an important woman in their life.

Jan. 27 at 3:30 p.m.: Kids Book Club (ages 7 to 12) discusses "The Westing Game." Contact the library to reserve your copy or place a hold request online. Please bring a snack.

Jan. 31 at 3 p.m.: Board game program for ages 12 to 18. Bring your friends and see who can build the tallest Jenga tower, eat the most brains in Zombie Dice or build the biggest empire in Monopoly.

Jan. 31 at 3:30 p.m. Backward Day activities and reverse fun. Wear your clothes backwards.

For more information call 978-373-1586, ext. 630.

Open House: Sacred Hearts School in Bradford will hold an open house Feb. 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sacred Hearts offers a Pre-Kindergarten to grade eight program characterized by faith and values, caring community, proven academic excellence, curriculum aligned with Massachusetts frameworks and Archdiocesan guidelines, extensive extra curricular programs, extended day program and more. Tour the school's new Kindergarten featuring interactive White Boards. The Early Childhood Center is at 48 South Chestnut St. The Elementary School is at 31 South Main St. For more information visit online at sacredheartsbradford.org or call 978-374-7161 or 978-372-5451.

Sign language: Northern Essex Community College provides sign language instruction for families with a deaf or hard-of-hearing child. Information, contact Glenys Crane-Emerson, Family Sign Language Program coordinator, at fslp@necc.mass.edu, 978-556-3701 (voice/tty), 978-556-3703 (fax), and 978-241-7057 (VP/VRS).

YMCA preschool program: The YMCA Children's Learning Center is enrolling for the Preschool Program. Curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning in a classroom setting, along with self directed activities that promote decision making and overall preparedness for Kindergarten. Contact Julie Grundy at 978-912-7422 or grundyj@northshoreymca.org for more information.

LOCAL ACTIVITIES

Jewelry show: Shining Tiara will hold a jewelry show Jan. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the first floor lobby at Merrimack Valley Hospital, 140 Lincoln Ave. The show is open to the public and is sponsored by the hospital Employee Activities Committee. Proceeds benefit the EAC, which plans and implements hospital events for employees, helps facilitate the Employee of the Month awards and supports local charities. More information is available by contacting Jude at 978-374-2000

Art Display: Artist Bob Eastman will display his award-winning paintings at the Haverhill Public Library in the second floor gallery through January 2012. Paintings include fantasy artworks as well as scenes from local locations in Haverhill and Southern New Hampshire. Paintings are available for viewing all hours that the Library is open to the public: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The library is located at 99 Main Street. Please note the Library is closed in observance of New Year's Day on January 2, and Martin Luther King Day on January 16. Giclé©e prints are available for order through the artist directly; contact Bob at 603-382-4407.

Seeds of Success: The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce will host "Seeds for Success," a presentation for business women to look their best. The event will take place at the Haverhill Gold & Country Club, 58 Brickett Lane, Haverhill on Feb. 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $29 and include complimentary appetizers and desserts. There will be a cash bar and vendors. Email jen@haverhillchamber.com for more information.

Design your dream kitchen/bath: Turn your kitchen into a culinary oasis and the bath into a spa with the help of a new four-week, noncredit interior design course titled "Kitchen and Bath Planning Basics" offered through Northern Essex Community College's Division of Workforce Development and Community Education. This course will be held at NECC Riverwalk, 360 Merrimack St., Lawrence and is taught by veteran designer Donna Arasi-Gudinas. Class meet Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 8. The cost is $189 per person. To register call 978-556-3700.

NECC home business course: "Making Money in Your Online Home Business," a new, one-night, noncredit class offered by Northern Essex Community College's Division of Workforce Development and Community Education could help you, start a home-based online business, invest in one of the myriad internet business opportunities available today, or earn more if you are already involved. The class will meet Monday, February 27, at NECC's Riverwalk campus, 360 Merrimack St., Lawrence. The cost is $39 per person. To register, call 978-556-3700. For the most current information and complete course descriptions visit www.necc.mass.edu/noncredit.

eReader Workshops: The public library will host free monthly workshops on eBooks and eReaders on Mondays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Computer Lab on the second floor. Bring your Kindle, Nook or Sony eReader, or just watch the demonstration. Additional sessions are Feb. 6 Participants will learn how to search for eBooks, how to reserve and borrow eBooks and how to download eBooks to an eReader. Classes are limited to six people. For more information or to sign-up call 978-373-1586, ext. 608. The library is at 99 Main St. Visit the librarys' redesigned website at haverhillpl.org.

Awards Breakfast: The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce will host its 22nd annual Business Awards Breakfast on Feb. 10 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Renaissance Golf Club, 377 Kenoza St., in Haverhill. The Membership Services Committee holds this event to recognize member businesses that have been active in the Chamber and the community throughout the year. The breakfast will honor the eleven businesses that received the "Business of the Month" awards for 2011. Tickets are $30 per person or $275 for a table of 10. Email jen@haverhillchamber.com for more information.

Valentine's Day Dance: St. Joseph School's PTO will host a Valentine's Day dance for ages 21 and over Feb. 11 from 7 to 11 p.m. in the school's gymnasium at 56 Oak Terrace. This event is open to the public. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Music is by DJ Greg. Coffee and dessert will be provided by the PTO, but you are welcome to bring your own bottle and snacks. The school has a liquor license for one day. There will be a 50/50 raffle as well as raffle baskets. All proceeds will benefit HOPE (Help Our Playground Evolve), a PTO project to build a new playground for the students of St. Joseph School. For more information contact Christine Wilson at 978-869-9261 or visit sjshav.com.

Senior Lunch and Dance: The Council on Aging will host a Valentine luncheon and dance Feb. 14 at 12:30 p.m. at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St. Lunch will be provided by Broadway Caterers and music is by George Whitehouse of A Goodtime DJs. Tickets are $7 and must be purchased in advance by contacting Kathy Bresnahan (ext. 11) or Rita LaBella (ext. 16) at 978-374-2390.

Spotlight Playhouse: Spotlight Playhouse will present the uproarious farce, "Drop Dead!" by William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore, Feb. 10, 11, 18 at 8 p.m., and Feb. 18 and 19 at 2 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 26 White St. In "Drop Dead!" a cast of has been actors plan to revive their careers in this potboiler murder mystery directed by the character Victor Le Pewe, a psychotic eye twitching megalomaniac. During the dress rehearsal the set falls, props break and the producer and an actor are murdered. During the opening night performance, the murders continue. The remaining thespians must save the show and their careers, solve the mystery and stay alive for curtain calls. Tickets are $15, and $13 for seniors. To order tickets or for more information visit spotlightplayhouse.org or call 978-380-8509.

Winning Opportunities for Women: Save the date for the Annual WOW Conference with keynote speaker Mary Richardson for Friday, March 16. This event will be held at the Atkinson Resort and Country Club from 8:00 a.m. to3:00 p.m. Registration is open. Cost is $59 for early birds with a deadline of Feb. 16. Afterwards, standard registration rates of $79 for Chamber members or $89 for non-members applies. Program includes breakfast, lunch, speakers, interactive sessions, giftsand more. To register, visit www.haverhillchamber.com or contact Jen Cantwell at 978-373-5663 or jen@haverhillchamber.com. Sponsorship packages are available, and vendor inquiries are welcome.

New Moon Coffeehouse concert series: The New Moon Coffeehouse will host monthly concerts through May 21. The coffeehouse is located in the Unitarian Universalist Church, 16 Ashland St, Haverhill MA. Admission to the show is $20; $10 for those ages 18 and under. For more information check out newmooncoffeehouse.org.

Business assistance: Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free, confidential help to individuals starting a business or already in business. Sessions are Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce in the Landmark Building, 80 Merrimack St., second floor. Appointments can be booked by calling the Chamber at 978-373-5663.

Vegas Entertainment: The Haverhill Cultural Council will present Las Vegas entertainer Brian Evans in a benefit concert Feb. 10 (2012) at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Haverhill High School, 137 Monument St. A special VIP event begins at 6:15 p.m. All of the concert's net proceeds will be donated to Haverhill High School and Haverhill Cultural performing arts programs. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at HaverhillCulturalCouncil.com and in the mayor's office in city hall. Advance tickets are $25 or $15 for seniors and students.

10 Free Kick Cancer Celebration: The Ryan family invites the public to join in celebrating ten years on being cancer free with their annual charity fundraiser at The Little River Ale House, 27 Lafayette Square, on Feb. 23, 2012, from 6 p.m. until midnight. Expect food, raffles and a cash bar. Tickets to the event are $10 and all proceeds go towards The Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. To order tickets, email ryankickcancer@yahoo.com.

GIVE, GET HELP

Seeking donations: The Buttonwoods Museum is seeking Civil War artifacts and stories pertaining to Haverhill's women both from local families and famous icons. The museum wants to hear your stories and possisbly borrow your artifacts for an exhibit planned for this summer focusing on the role of Haverhill's women during the Civil War. More information is available by sending email to info@haverhillhistory.org or by mail to: The Buttonwoods Museum, 240 Water St., Haverhill, MA 01830. Visit online at haverhillhistory.org or call 978-374-4626.

Donations sought: Ruth's House, a non-profit thrift store located at 111 Lafayette Square is in need of all sizes of warm winter clothing, all sizes. All donations are tax deductible and donors will be issued receipts for their gifts. We are also looking for volunteers - donate as little or as much time as you are able. For more information call 978-521-5575 or visit online at www.ruthshouse.org. Donations may be dropped off during store hours on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Tax prep volunteers: Community Action Inc., which serves the Haverhill, Amesbury and Newburyport areas is seeking volunteers to provide low-income taxpayers with free tax return preparation services. Initial training can be done online at home this month and next, followed by additional in-house training in January at Community Action, 145 Essex St. in Haverhill. This is an IRS sponsored program and volunteers will need to be certified. Tax preparation begins at the end of January and extends through mid-April. Interested parties should contact Marilyn Luther at 978-373-1971, ext. 340 or Marge Hooper at 978-373-1971, ext. 227 or mluther@communityactioninc.org.

Help homeless children: Horizons for Homeless Children seeks energetic and enthusiastic volunteers to play with children living in family homeless shelters in Northeastern Massachusetts, including Haverhill. Those with two hours a week to spare and a desire to make a difference in the lives children are encouraged to fill out an application. Attendance at a training session and six-month commitment are required. Contact Brittany Pyle at 978-557-2182 or northeast@horizonsforhomelesschildren.org.

Collections: Several local agencies and organizations are collecting new and used videos, books, CDs, DVDs and audio books using "Got Books?" containers, including: The First Church of Christ Bradford, 10 Church St., Bradford; Haverhill High School, 137 Monument St., Haverhill; Hill View Montessori School, 75 Foundation Ave. (in the Ward Hill Industrial Park); Haverhill YMCA, 81 Winter St.

Salvation Army offers youth programs: The Salvation Army in Haverhill is accepting applications for youth programs that are open to children ages 4 to 18. A Monday music program, for ages 7 to 18, includes free lessons in music theory, brass music instruction, drums, guitar, piano, sacred dance, puppetry, drama, children's choir and timbrels. Tuesday is youth programs night and this fall the focus will be on character building skills, sketching, bicycle safety and going green. Dinner will be served to each participant of this free program. Friday night youth basketball is recruiting players for a travel team. The cost is $15. The Salvation Army is looking for eight sponsors at $200 each to help pay for team shirts and travel expenses. Limited transportation is available for those in need. Parents and interested sponsors are asked to stop by the Salvation Army at 395 Main St., or call 978-374-7571.

Haverhill Salvation Army seeks volunteers: The Salvation Army in Haverhill is looking for few volunteers in the following areas: Writer/Correspondent: in writing and covering stories of happenings at The Haverhill Salvation Army in Haverhill; Piano: player for Monday and Tuesday and Sunday one hour each day. Chef: to cook and serve meals on Tuesday night for children; Driver: to transport youth to and from activities on Monday, Tuesday and Friday must know how to drive a 12-passenger van; Grant writer/ Fund raiser: for Youth programs to raise money for the purpose to keep programs free to the community. We are looking for people who have a passion to serve others and use their talent to teach others! Will you help put a smile on a child's face? Will you help build, teach our future children of Haverhill? For more information contact The Salvation Army at 978-374-7571 or stop by 395 Main St., Haverhill, MA 01830.

Volunteer tutors needed: The Salvation Army in Haverhill is looking for volunteers to help children develop their talents in various areas, including sacred dance, piano, drums, guitar, brass instruments, drawing, acting and puppetry. Volunteers are also needed for an after school program. Last year, As man as 200 children are expected to sign up for programs offered this fall. If you can spare one hour of you time a week to help a child learn please contact the Salvation Army at 978-374-7571.

Library seeks museum pass sponsors: The public library is seeking sponsors for passes to the Children's Museum-Boston ($700), the Museum of Science ($600), and Imajine That! ($275). All gifts marked "museums" — no matter how small — will go toward these memberships, which are renewed annually. Museum passes may be checked out on your library card. Current memberships include: the Museum of Fine Arts, Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo, John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, Currier Museum of Art (NH), the Children's Museum, the Discovery Museums, Children's Museum of N.H., the Institute of Contemporary Art, Massachusetts Parks, USS Constitution Museum, and the New England Aquarium (September to June). Your support of this program is very important to your community, providing a low-cost entertaining and educational outing. Checks may be made payable to the Haverhill Public Library, a nonprofit organization. For more information contact Jennifer Lyons at 978-373-1586, ext. 617.

Tag days: The officers and members of the Amvets Ladies Auxiliary say the generosity of people in Haverhill helped make their recent Tag Days fundraiser a success. Proceeds will help support a variety of projects, including the Auxiliary's "Adopt a Platoon" program, which provides active members of the military with personal items, the Auxiliary's Bingo and refreshment parties at local nursing homes, veterans hospitals and coffee hours at the Bedford VA and donations to two annual scholarships at Haverhill High School. The Auxiliary meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Post Quarters, 576 Primrose St.

PLACES TO VISIT

Haverhill Public Library, 99 Main St.: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays. For more information, call 978-373-1586 or visit haverhillpl.org.

Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave.: Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Weekday and group visits are available by appointment. For more information, call 978-372-4061.

John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace, 305 Whittier Road: Open Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.; Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m.; Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Closed major holidays. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for students under 18 and a $10 maximum for a family. For more information, call 978-373-3979.

Buttonwoods Museum/Haverhill Historical Society, John Ward Avenue: Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Tours by appointment only. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for ages 7 to 17 and free for children 7 and under. For details, call 978-374-4626.