A Fitchburg State Community Read Panel discussion addressing the status of our present food system, what local leaders and organizations are doing to improve it, and what individuals can do too.

Featuring: Ayn Yeagle, Executive Director of Growing Places; Meghan Maceiko, Director of Grants & Impact at Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts; Judy Tomlinson, Director of Community Impact at United Way of North Central Massachusetts; Beth Walsh, Fitchburg City Councilor-at-Large; Paul Gove, Owner/Operator of Gove Farm; Brandon Robbins, Executive Director of Ginny’s Helping Hand Food Pantry & Thrift Store.

FSU Parking Passes for the event are available for download here.

A livestream of the event will also be available at http://tiny.cc/CRFoodSystemsPanel

Join us for a screening of Food Inc. 2, followed by a discussion led by Chris Picone. The screening will be held at FSU’s Ellis White Lecture Hall.

Join us for a book discussion of Food, Inc. 2 with light brunch refreshments at the Lunenburg Adult Activity Center. Please register by calling the LAAC: (978) 582-4166 after February 1, 2026. This is an in-person event.

We will be listening to "Hot Farm, Part 1: Change is Hard," and then discussing it. Refreshments will be provided. This is an in-person event.

Drawing on archival research conducted at the Museum of Liberation in Rome, the Antonio Gramsci Foundation, and other historical sites across Italy, this presentation explores how WWII-era Italian anti-fascist movements employed rhetoric to mobilize resistance against fascism. Through strategies such as emotional appeals, delegitimization of the enemy, simplified moral dichotomies, and the reframing of national identity, anti-fascist communicators crafted messages that galvanized collective action. By analyzing these historical rhetorical approaches, this research offers insights into how contemporary social media platforms can be designed to resist authoritarian ideologies and foster democratic, inclusive communities.

To join this virtual event, please go to: http://meet.google.com/emr-qgia-rhw

Join us on Tuesday, March 25. 2025 from 3:30pm- 4:30pm to hear bestselling author and journalist Sonia Purnell discuss her book A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II..

The presentation will last about 60 minutes, with time for questions.

This event is free and open to all to virtually attend. Join us at: https://meet.google.com/nzv-uocm-iez

You are invited to join us for the very first Alumni "Book Club Discussion." We are participating in

the Community Read, an annual endeavor that includes students, faculty, and local community

members. This event precedes the feature event with the author on March 25th.

Join us online via Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/bbd-uwzd-kgd

Join our collaborative book club for a special book discussion on this year’s Community Read title: A Woman of No Importance by Sophia Purnell. Brunch snacks and refreshments will be served during our book discussion, open to all. Please register by calling the Lunenburg Adult Activity Center (LAAC) at 978-582-4166.

Join us for a film showing at the Fitchburg Art Museum, sponsored by the Fitchburg Public Library. We will be watching a feature film based on the life of Virginia Hall & other women working for the British Intelligence Service. Run time: 123 minutes. If you would like to know the title of the film, please call the library at 978-829-1780 or visit our website.

At the age of 27, Virginia Hall, the American spy featured in A Woman of No Importance, had her leg amputated after a hunting accident and had it replaced with a wooden prosthesis, which she nicknamed "Cuthbert." Later, during her career as a secret agent, she was known to the Germans as "The Limping Lady." Undeniably a significant part of gender and military history, Hall is also a part of a long heritage of people with disabilities, including the development of prosthetics. From ancient Egyptians to medieval knights to modern Paralympic athletes, humans have been innovating ways to manage disabilities for centuries. Through archaeological, literary, and medical evidence, both local and global, learn about the epic story of prosthetics!

The event will start at 3:30pm with Hanger Clinic's Interactive Demonstrations of Prosthetic Technology.  Hanger Clinic is a local leading provider of Orthotic and Prosthetic Care.  Then at 4:00pm Dr. Kisha G. Tracy, professor of English Studies and medieval disability expert, will give a presentation and lead a discussion.

This talk will be hybrid (in-person and virtual). To join the meeting virtually click here.

Join us to talk about A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell! Discussion will be facilitated by Diane Sanabria, our Local History and Genealogy Librarian. We look forward to a lively conversation! This event is free and open to the public. No registration required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Leominster Public Library.

Join us for ‘Fitchburg Speaks,’ a special storytelling event where students, faculty, and community members share their true, inspiring stories of overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Experience an afternoon filled with authentic, heartfelt narratives showcasing resilience and determination. The program will be followed by an open-mic.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired by the diverse experiences that unite us.

Location: FalconHub in Hammond Building, Fitchburg State University

Join us on Thursday, March 21 from 5-7:30pm to hear author Keith Gentili talk about his book White Mountains State. Keith, who is an alumnus of Fitchburg State will be joined by other alumni that are included in the book.

At 5pm there will be a social meet-n-greet followed by Keith's presentation at 6pm that will last about 90 minutes, with time for questions.

This event is free and open to all to attend. The event will be an in-person event held on the Fitchburg State University campus in the Falcon Hub in the Hammond Building.

This year's book is White Mountains State: a Four-year Journey Hiking and Summiting New Hampshire's Highest Peaks by Keith Gentili.  Copies of the book are available at FPL and other area libraries.

Light refreshments.

Contact: Marcia Ladd,  978-829-1780, mladd@cwmars.org

Location: Program Room

1st Floor, Leominster Public Library30 West Street , LEOMINSTER, MA, 01453

Join us for the screening of a short film and clips ideal for hiking enthusiasts! These materials celebrate the joys, challenges, and life-changing perspectives afforded by hiking in the mountains. After the viewing, Fitchburg State University Professor Kevin McCarthy will moderate a discussion on these themes.

This program is free and open to the public. No registration required. 

This event is part of the 2023-2024 Community Read of White Mountains State by Keith Gentili. If you would like a copy of the book, please contact the Information Desk at 978-534-7522 x3.

Generously sponsored by the Eliane and Maurice Tonkin Memorial Fund