Assisting After Tornadoes, Senior Center Activities, and a Coffeehouse Presentation

1. According to Weather.com, the forecast for Ellington and Somers calls for sunny skies with a high of 74 degrees. The overnight hours will be mostly clear with a low of 51 degrees.

2. The people in Massachusetts are in need of assistance and there are ways you can help out. To donate to the Red Cross, log on to www.RedCross.org or call 800-Red-Cross and be sure to designate payments "MA Tornado." You can also text “Red Cross” to 90999. To volunteer with the Red Cross, you can go to 506 Cottage St. in East Springfield. A local animal shelter was also damaged and is in need of some assistance. Some people are offering their services already.

• Plotkin Furniture has office space to lend to any businesses that have been displaced. Located at 1 Financial Plaza, Springfield. Call Elizabeth Barnes at 413-781-8000
• Dave Collier of Westfield … offering to cover people's roofs with tarps in the Westfield area at no charge – 214-2145
• Friendly’s Restaurants in the Springfield market are open and ready to serve our neighbors. East Longmeadow and Springfield, Allen & Cooley St. restaurants were temporarily closed so call for their availability. Friendly’s Restaurants offered free bottled water and ice cream sundae cups at Friendly’s Restaurants in: Agawam, Palmer, Springfield Kent Road, Sumner Avenue, and Wilbraham  Road (16 Acres), Westfield’s Westfield Shops, and West Springfield’s Riverdale Street. This offer was while supplies lasted to call for availability.
• Massachusetts State Police have activated Emergency Response.
• MassMutual Center is set up for a shelter/information center.
• Mercy Hospital and Baystate Medical Center have gone into Disaster Mode.

3. There are a couple of events taking place at the today. Join experienced and beginner artists from 9 a.m. until noon. No experience or registration is necessary. The Lost Needle Quilters are also inviting new members to join them. If you are interested in joining this group of talented quilters, please come down between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Feel free to call 860-763-4379 for more information or to make sure the activities are taking place.

4. The karaoke competition at will continue at 9 p.m. tonight. There are only a couple more weeks to qualify so don’t wait! First place for a solo performance is $600 and is $300 for the duet competition. Second place for solo is $275 and is $150 for the duet competition. For the solo competition, third place is $175 and is $100 for the duet competition.

5. Jacob’s Well Christian Coffeehouse at the in Rockville will be having a presentation by Undue Favor (contemporary praise and worship). Parking, admission, snacks and beverages at Jacob's Well Christian Coffeehouse are free, and the facility is handicapped accessible. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the music starting around 7:30pm. For more information, call 860-872-3190 or visit www.JacobsWellCoffeehouse.com.