We will be walking with unique Nordic poles on our beautiful local trails. This creative walking technique originated in Norway and is now very popular across Europe. It boosts your cardio walking, plus the benefit of providing an upper-body resistance-strength workout, now using 85 to 90% of all body muscles you activate. The special poles are adjustable, shorter than ski or trekking poles, and they are secured with tightly attached hand straps that allow you to propel yourself forward. The poles and hand straps are helpful for stability, so anyone can do this! The unique walking technique requires a small learning curve that I will spend the time teaching to everyone. At the beginning of the first class, we will do some basic training. After the first class and we’ll quickly refresh our previous classwork and add some new suggestions for good results! Below are the trails where we will meet for each week. Sep 14: Fitch's Bridge Ice Line Trail - Meet at Fitch’s Bridge Parking lot near Pepperell Rd (Groton, MA) Sep 21: J Harry Rich Oxbow Loop - Meet at off-street parking at the intersection of Nod Rd and Common St. (Groton, MA) Sep 28: Groton Town Forest - Meet at Town Forrest Road Parking (Groton, MA) Oct 5: J Harry Rich Eagle Loop - Meet at off-street parking at the intersection of Nod Rd and Common St. (Groton, MA) Oct 19: Mines Fall Park - Meet at the Mines Fall Park Parking next to Stellos Stadium and David W. Deane Skateboard Par (Nashua, NH) Oct 26: TBD- We will repeat everyone's favorite trail! ** We strongly recommend registering for the first class to acquire the basic training together.** ** CLASS REQUIREMENT: You must purchase a set of Nordic Walking poles. I suggest poles that are adjustable for height as this is key for optimal setup. Some adjust in three parts and I don't recommend them. Just a simple adjustment in the middle is good. I bought mine on Amazon and did NOT spend top dollar on them! The brand I have is FIZAN, but any that you can find that suit your budget is fine. Our first class will require you to have them in hand so we can get adjusted and learn how to use them before a trail trip. Ski or trekking poles do not work for the resistance control that this requires. **All proceeds benefit Prescott Community Center.** Here is what they are saying about Nordic Walking: "I liked the small group and being active outdoors on unfamiliar trails." "The instructor was very helpful and patient in teaching the use of poles. Each walk was different and enjoyable."

Join the artists who love to paint outside! Whether you are a watercolor artist, pastelist, oil painter, or just want to work in your sketchbook, these plein air painting workshops are for you. Prescott teacher, Heather Barros, will be on hand to demonstrate and guide. Group interaction is encouraged! You may paint for as long or as short a time as you want. Plein Air Locations: Monday, May 4, 3:00-5:30 PM - Groton Place, Groton, MA Monday, Jun 1, 3:00-5:30 PM - General Field, Groton, MA Monday, Jul 6, 3:00-5:30 PM - Gibbet Hill, Groton, MA Monday, Aug 10, 3:00-5:30 PM - Old Burying Grounds (between Hollis & School Street), Groton, MA Monday, Sep 14, 3:00-5:30 PM - John Tinker Accessible Trails, Groton, MA Monday, Oct 5, 3:00-5:30 PM - Fruitland Museum, Harvard, MA Monday, Nov 2, 1:00-3:30 PM - Farandnear Reservation, Shirley, MA Please bring whatever art materials that you would like to work with. Standing easels are nice to have, but you are welcome to sit with a sketchbook or board on your lap. A folding chair can be useful, and wet wipes can be handy, along with a plastic bag to carry out trash. Here's what they are saying about Heather's Plein Air program: "Welcoming, helpful and encouraging. A very nice painting experience." "Excellent teacher (Heather Barros). Attentive, but not invasive towards students. Fabulous local locations for plein air work." "Everything. The instructor and her assistant were so friendly and helpful. . I was nervous because I am just a beginner, but they made me feel comfortable and welcome. I enjoyed the location because it had beautiful views and easy access." "The various locations in and around Groton that were perfect for plein air painting and the thoughtful direction from Heather Barros, the instructor." "Great location and group of artists.""I enjoyed the setting of the class, as well as the teacher's friendly attitude and meeting other artists who wereusing a variety of media. I liked how the class was very open ended and the student could decide how toapproach their piece.""The instructors delicate approach and excellent advice. I also appreciate the variety of interesting paintinglocations."

Want to free your inner dancer? Not a dancer but you love to dance? Shake Your Soul® will allow you to move, groove and get creative in a fun, open and supportive environment with different types of music to inspire you. Get a workout at your own pace and rediscover how fun it can be to move your body to great music! Here is what they are saying about Deb Busser's class: "The instructor...Deb Busser...make the class great fun. Wonderful attitude." "Deb Busser is a treasure." "What did I like most about the class? Everything!" "Everything about Deb's class is wonderful. She is an intuitive teacher. I want it to continue forever!" "Deb Busser is a wonderful teacher! She runs the class with joy & optimism. She's kind, friendly, and understands how to run a great class. She has cultivated a good group of students."

Writing personal statements is a daunting challenge: part memoir, part self-marketing. But it is also a meaningful opportunity for self-discovery. In this workshop, we will demystify the myth of the “perfect essay” and excavate some of the powerful stories you already possess. The workshop will explore these topics: The Admissions Lens: the purpose of the personal statement and how admissions officers read essays. The Landscape of Prompts: a guided tour through Common App prompts and a range of supplemental questions. The AI Frontier: navigating the ethical and practical use of AI in the college essay process. Avoiding Pitfalls: steering clear of topics and tones that fall flat. Identity and Inquiry: writing and visual art exercises designed to uncover core values, generate unexpected ideas, and explore what matters most. “Show and Tell” and the Hook: strategies for balancing vivid detail with meaningful reflection while drawing readers into your story. The Feedback Loop: learning how to filter outside opinions while keeping your own voice at the center of the essay. This is a no-tech workshop. Please bring a pencil/pen and notebook.

Ready to start your Tai Chi journey? This new class is designed for complete beginners and welcomes anyone curious about this gentle, meditative practice. You'll build a solid foundation through foundational principles of posture and movement, basic warm-up and qigong exercises, and an introduction to mirror form. Qigong, an ancient practice combining slow, deliberate movement with focused breathing, serves as a natural companion to Tai Chi and helps cultivate energy flow throughout the body. Each session emphasizes patience and proper alignment, helping you develop balance, flexibility, and calm focus: no prior experience or special equipment needed-just comfortable clothing and an open mind. Whether you're seeking stress relief, better mobility, or a new mindful practice, this class offers the perfect starting point. Join us and discover the art of Tai Chi!All proceeds benefit the Prescott Community Center.

"What is the best style of Tai Chi to practice?" My immediate thought is, "Like any exercise, the best one is the one you will do!" I have studied several Tai Chi and Qigong forms over the last 25 years, which I share in this two-hour weekly practice. The first hour is devoted to warm-up Qigong exercises, followed by instruction and practice of a form called WuJi Tai Chi, or Tai Chi for Liberation. It is quick to learn and designed to gather energy internally for health. The second hour is devoted to a more traditional Yang-style Tai Chi form: Cheng Man-ching's 37-step short form. Warm-down Qigongs follow this. Throughout these lessons, I weave in Taoist and Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophies, which link external forms to internal health benefits. Students of all ages and levels of experience are welcome to come, learn, and engage in community. You are welcome to come for any portion of the class that interests you, or stay for the whole session, which provides a great workout! I dynamically adjust the curriculum to the needs and desires of you, the participants. My wife Joni is a skilled instructor and often teaches and coaches with me. Here is what they are saying about Pat's Tai Chi class: "It was at a level that a novice like me could feel comfortable at." "It was a very good introduction to Tai Chi, I knew nothing about the discipline." "Pat was very knowledgeable and patient." "I particularly liked in the beginning when he worked with everyone in the class individually to make sure we were doing key foundational moves correctly." "The class was very relaxed, with gentle instruction, and no pressure to conform to rigid guidelines of the Tai Chi forms. It was more of a do what you can and what works for you environment. Pat is a wonderful teacher, patiently explaining and demonstrating the forms, all the while interjecting some of the philosophy, science, traditions and energy movements of Tai Chi."