Adults and All Ages

Programs - Classes - Committees/Clubs

Programs

• Libby Fireside Concert Series
  The purpose of the Libby Fireside Concert Series is to create a welcoming and accessible environment that encompasses all genres of music while building cultural awareness through an interdisciplinary approach. Scott Libby was an exceptional musician and community servant. He was an integral part of the musical life of Hamilton and Wenham; therefore, this program has been named in his honor. Stay tuned for our 2010-2011 concert schedule.
  
  Crisp ‘N Cool A Cappella
  Saturday, November 20, 2010 7:00 pm
  Advance tickets - $12 Tickets at the door - $15

• Retirees & Wannabees of All Ages
  Print the complete Fall schedule and reservation form here.
  
  Essex Steam Train & Riverboat Foliage Tour
  Friday, October 15 - Board the luxury motorcoach for a Connecticut River foliage trip. Our first stop will be for lunch at the Dock and Dine Restaurant in Old Saybrook, Ct. for a choice of Stuffed Chicken Breast or Baked New England Schrod. After a hearty meal we'll travel to Essex Ct. and board the Valley Railroad Steam Train for a one hour trip along the Connecticut River. You'll pass old New England houses and miles of beautiful countryside. Upon arrival at Deep River Landing we'll trade the steam train for a Steam Boat for a 1 hour cruise. We'll see sights such as "Gillette Castle," "Goodspeed Opera House'" and other landmarks from the steamboat age. After our return to the dock we will again board the train for the return trip to Essex.
  Leave the Community House at 8:00 am, Return at 7:15 pm
  $90 supporters - $95 others
  
  Mohegan Sun Casino and the Cornerstone Playhouse
  Tuesday, November 30 - We'll travel by luxury motorcoach to Mohegan Sun Casino with over 150,000 square feet of non-stop excitement! Try your luck at nearly 3,000 state-of-the-art slot machines!!! Perhaps you will feel the thrill of winning at 1 of 171 table games like Blackjack, Poker, Baccarat, Bo, Caribbean Stud or Pai Gow Poker!. A free $15 bet coupon is included plus a free buffet luncheon or you can use your meal voucher as a $10 credit in any other food establishment at Mohegan Sun. Casino time will be 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. After counting all your winnings we'll depart to the Cornerstone Playhouse in Olde Mystick Village for their annul Christmas performance of "Cratchit's Christmas - one of the most anticipated and treasured performances of the year! Upon departing the theater we'll even get a snack for our bus ride home.
  Leave the Community House at 7:00 am, Return by 7:30 pm
  $70 supporters - $75 others
  
  Boston Pops Christmas Show
  Please call Ann at 978-468-4818, Ex. 10 if you are interested in a weeknight trip into a Christmas Pops show in December 2010. We can accommodate 15 people in a comfortable mini-bus. Date and price will be determined if there is enough interest.
  
  Tai Chi for Good Health
  Tuesdays at 6:30 pm Wednesdays at 9:15 am. Discounts for seniors. For more information or to register contact: Paul Mahoney at 978-388-1322 or www.greatbaytaichi.com
  
  Ignite Your Spirit Yoga
  For more information and class schedule contact: Laurence King at 978-526-8025 or laurence2@comcast.net
  
  Sundays in Patton Park
  FREE outdoor musical concerts from 5:00 - 7:00 pm

• Strictly Swing - East Coast Swing
  The Community House Swing dances are attracting many of the most seasoned dancers on the North Shore and beyond. Experience our 1920s ballroom with wood dance floor. All levels and abilities welcome.
  
  Thursday, October 14
  Thursday, December 19
  Live Music: The Shawn Hershey Quarter (of the Fried Bananas) Complimentary lesson at 6:15 pm
  Open Dance 7:00-9:30 pm
  $12 per person

• Volunteer Recognition Awards - April 2011
  "The ultimate expression of generosity is not in giving of what you have, but in giving of who you are." ~ Johnnettta B. Cole

• Special Friends - Special Friends has been a program of Community Service of Hamilton and Wenham for over 25 years. Adults with special needs meet about 10 times each year for social and cultural programs and activities including dances, art workshops, and more. An annual Picnic and Swim Party is hosted by Joanne Patton each summer at Green Meadows Farm. To be included on the mailing list, please contact the Community House office.
  
  September 30 - Pasta and Karaoke Night
  October 28 - Halloween Dance
  November 18 - Arts and Crafts

• Opera Harvest - a gala concert and silent auction event to raise funds for Boston Singers Resource and The Boston Singers' Relief Fund.
  Hamilton-Wenham Community House
  Sunday, September 26, 2010
  3:00 PM Reception and Silent Auction; 4:30 PM Concert
  Tickets $45 - advanced reservations, only
  Invest in the power of singing! Help support our regional vocal artists!
  
  The concert will feature arias and duets performed by Ethan Bremner, Christina English, Margaret Felice, Dan Kamalic, Valerie Kraft, Michelle Vachon and John Whittlesey accompanied by members of the Hillyer Festival Orchestra, with special guest, Robert Honeysucker, baritone. The singers will be accompanied by North Shore favorite, the Hillyer Festival Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Dirk Hillyer.
  
  For more information, purchase tickets, become a sponsor or donate an auction item please visit their website or call 978-352-5058

• Pumpkinfest - Saturday, October, 23, 2010.
  Stay tuned for more information.

• Harvest Dinner - An evening of dining and dancing to support the Community House
  Saturday, November 6, 2010 $75 per person

• Community Carol Sing - This event is a great way to ring in the holiday season. We’ll have a wonderful concert of local talent and caroling. After the program, enjoy the traditional gazebo and tree lighting ceremony and return to the Community House for cocoa and cookies.
  Sunday, November 28, 2010 3:30pm – FREE TO THE PUBLIC

• Two Town Fourth of July - Stay tuned for 2011 information.
  

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Classes

• Korean Karate - Certified instruction in the classical Korean martial art of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan. Youth students aged 5-13 years old will experience the many benefits martial arts training has to offer including improved discipline, concentration and self esteem while learning an effective self-defense system which will heighten their awareness and confidence. Classes are offered Monday-Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. For more information, call Jim Harwood - 978.927.6671 www.thekaratecenter.com

• Tai Chi for Health
  People practicing this ancient martial art reputed the healing benefits of Tai Chi for hundreds of years. Practitioners have described curing themselves of many different ailments and improving overall health. Tai Chi for Health is a very gentle and relaxing class designed to reduce stress, improves balance and concentration while promoting a feeling of well being.

Shifu Paul Mahoney is the owner and chief instructor of the Great Bay Tai Chi & Yoga Center in Amesbury, MA. He will be offering classes in the Yang style short form (24 form) also known as the simplified form and complimentary healing Qigong (Chi Kung) exercises. This class is excellent for beginners but is also suitable for experienced Tai Chi practitioners. The classes are currently held at the Community House of Hamilton & Wenham on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm and a new class will be added on Wednesdays at 9:15 am.

To learn more about the Great Bay Tai Chi & Yoga Center visit us on our website: www.greatbaytaichi.com

• Ballroom Dancing Classes
  Learn the basics of Latin and traditional ballroom from experienced instructor and ballroom champion, Greg Warwick.
  Grades 7 through adults (partners are advised)
  $120 per person for 8 weeks.
  Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 pm - Starting October 6
  Thursdays 7:45-8:45 pm - Starting October 7

For more information and to register, contact Greg Warwick at 508-932-5989 or gcwarwick@comcast.net.

• Street Latin Dance for Beginners
  Saturdays 8:30 - 9:30 am
  Mondays 6:30 - 7:30 pm beginning August 9, 2010
  
  Class Details: Beginner Level Footwork Class, Instruction on footwork, turns, tempo, energy, counting, body placement, position and attitude for bachata, samba, cha cha cha, salsa (three forms), Cuban rumba and African. Some hip-hop shown as it directly ties to African movement.
  Clothing: Wear comfortable, light weight, absorbing material. Dance and/or exercise clothes may be preferable. You will sweat. Shoes should be leather or suede-soled with heels (for ladies) for both comfort and balance. Avoid rubber soles or sneakers as we turn and slide.
  Cost: Prepaid: $120 for ten (10) classes Drop-In: $15 per class Drop-ins are welcome!
  Partnering: No partner needed. Line dancing only.
  Results: Lots of fun and a great aerobic workout learning historically accurate and culturally based Street Latin Dance styles that have West African roots. Focus is on the authentic West African and Latin Dance styles born in Mali, Senegal and Guinea, West Africa and offspring Latin Dance styles that developed out of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Colombia and Puerto Rico.
  
  For more information or to register, contact Greg Coles at 617-620-3022, gregorycoles@aol.com
  Full Schedule at: www.gregcolesdanceanddrum.com

• Simple Partnering
  Tuesdays 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm running through September 7
  
  Come join us for a series of Latin partnering classes designed for those with little or no experience partner dancing. Gals bring your guys along and quickly learn some simple partnering moves designed to get you out on the dance floor. Guys, if you don't have a partner, we'll set you up with a partner who will dance the series with you.
  Cost: Drop-ins welcome $15 per person per lesson
  Clothing: Wear comfortable, light weight, absorbing material. Dance and/or exercise clothes may be preferable. Shoes should be leather or suede-soled with heels (for ladies) for both comfort and balance. Avoid rubber soles or sneakers as we turn and slide.
  Results: You'll have the basic dances to get your out there and feeling confident on the dance floor!
  Contact Greg Coles at 617-620-3022, gregorycoles@aol.com
  Full Schedule at: www.gregcolesdanceanddrum.com

• Ignite Your Spirit Studio - Offering classes for all ages and levels of ability. Whether you are looking to better your health, reduce stress, gain greater flexibility or reach a more peaceful state of mind, we have the class that will nourish your body and soul.
  Cost: $15/class; class passes available
  $10 for Community House Members
  Contact Laurence King at 978-526-8025 or laurence2@comcast.net.
  
  Class Schedule:
  Sunday - 5:30 pm - Flow
  Monday - 7:00 pm - Slow Flow
  Wednesday - 9:00 am - Slow Flow
  Friday - 7:30 am - Slow Flow
  Friday - 8:30 am - Slow Flow
  Friday - 5:30 pm - Yin Yoga
  Fridays 10:30 - 11:30 am Senior Yoga

• Line Dancing
  Get in shape while having fun with Line Dancing, a unique style of dance! Join us for contemporary line dances to all types of music. No partner required. All ages welcome. Please wear comfortable clothing. Bring a friend and join us for some great, low impact exercise for mind and body.
  
  10 Week Session begins Monday, October 4 and ends Monday, December 13, 2010. There will be no class on Monday, November 22.
  
  Fee: $80 for 10 weeks $10 for drop in classes Contact: Instructor Chrissy Loiacano (508) 523-3911 Email: loiacano123@gmail.com
  

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Committees & Clubs

• Rotary Club - The Hamilton Wenham Rotary Club meets every Friday during the year at 7:30 AM for breakfast at the Community House. There are approximately 50 men and women who belong to our club. Worldwide there are more than 1.2 million Rotarians in 32,000 clubs in over 200 countries. Our fund raising efforts support both community and international projects. Anyone with a possible interest in joining Rotary is welcome to join us for a free breakfast at the Community House. For our schedule of speakers and for more information on Rotary International and our local Rotary Club, please go to our website: www.hwrotaryclub.org or call Ken Walsh at 978-468-2320. 

• BIRKA - Are you Scandinavian? Are you interested in your heritage? Come check out Birka Lodge #732 at the Community House. Birka Lodge #732 is a member of the VASA ORDER OF AMERICA a Swedish-American Fraternal Organization. It is one of several hundred VOA lodges in the US, Canada, and Sweden. Birka Lodge #732 was founded in 1984 in Hamilton, MA and currently has approximately 120 members. The majority of our members are from Boston’s North Shore area, New Hampshire, and Maine. Members are of Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Finnish ancestry. We share our Scandinavian culture and heritage through our meeting, cultural events, holiday celebrations and bimonthly newsletters. We welcome families, couples, singles, and every one of all ages.
  
  During the year, Birka Lodge sponsors the following: A July Fair with St. Lucia Pageant, The Knut’s Ball Dinner/Dance, A Children’s Tree Plundering Party, Midsummer Celebration and more cultural events. Our meetings are held on the fourth Friday of each month (except July, August and December) at the Community House at 7:30 unless otherwise announced. Come visit a meeting to see what we are all about or check out our website for more information at: www.birka732.com

• The National Bonsai Association - The Northeast Bonsai Association is a diverse group of individuals who share an appreciation for the fascinating art of bonsai. We generally meet monthly at the Community House, although we occasionally meet at other locations such as one of the bonsai nurseries in the area. Programs include workshops and demonstrations by noted bonsai experts as well as some of our more experienced members. Sometimes we simply bring our own trees to work on and share advice and expertise with each other. Twice a year we hold an auction where members donate bonsai and other material to be auctioned as a club fund raiser. We also sponsor an exhibit at the Topsfield Fair. We have members of all ages, occupations, and levels of bonsai expertise, and newcomers are always welcome. Contacts: Charlie Paraskevas, 978-921-0286; Bill Childress, 781-944-0012; Jerry Chaklos, 978-745-7730.

• Walking Club - Contact Mary Saratoga at 978-777-0148

• WITH (Wenham, Ipswich, Topsfield, Hamilton) Domestic Violence Roundtable
  Established in 1996, the mission of the WITH Roundtable is to develop, implement, and sustain a partnership among law enforcement, courts, victim advocates, service providers, and citizens, all working towards eliminating domestic abuse and sexual assault and developing a community attitude of zero tolerance.
  
  Domestic violence is a system of behaviors that includes physical, emotional, verbal, sexual and economic abuse, and is used to establish and maintain power and control over intimate partners or family members. It involves social, political, economic, personal, spiritual and public health concerns. In order to pursue the safety and welfare of every family within our community, we must all share the responsibility. For more information or to join, please contact Clara Gaudette of HAWC (Healing Abuse, Working for Change) at 978-283-8642.

• The North Shore Rock and Mineral Club
  The North Shore Rock & Mineral Club (NSRMC) was formed in 1958 to stimulate interest in the collection of minerals and to disseminate knowledge of mineralogy, collecting and classification of materials and their application to the arts so that greater pleasure may be derived from these hobbies.
  
  Membership: Annual dues are $10 for an individual and $15 for a family or couple. Potential new members must attend a regular meeting to join the club. Members receive a monthly club newletter (September thru June) and are invited to attend many "club only" field trips during the rock-hunting season. For more membership information, please email donna@nahant.com.
  
  Monthly Meeting: The members of the Club meet at 8:00 pm, the first meeting is Friday September 10 (2nd Friday of the month), Meetings from October-June are on the 3rd Friday of the month at the Community House of Hamilton and Wenham. During inclement weather, please call Club President Ed Weiner (781-272-0488), for meeting information.