Pickleball Kingdom to open at Holyoke Mall
HOLYOKE — Pickleball Kingdom, an indoor pickleball facility, will hold its grand opening at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, 50 Holyoke St., on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13-14.
The festivities will kick off with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 13 at 12:30 p.m. Immediately following the ceremony, attendees are invited to stay for free open play. Participants can reserve their open play spots by signing up on the Pickleball Kingdom app, making it easy for everyone to join in the fun and experience this new facility.
The grand opening will showcase the full suite of offerings available at Pickleball Kingdom. Attendees can participate in Pickleball 101 sessions — ideal for those new to the sport — experience open play, and explore membership options including access to specialty clubs and exclusive news updates. Guests will also have the opportunity to book private events, reserve a court, sign up for professional coaching, and inquire about tournaments and franchise opportunities.
This new venue meets the increasing local demand for indoor pickleball courts, offering a professional, climate-controlled environment for players of all ages and skill levels. The addition of Pickleball Kingdom to the Holyoke Mall repurposes retail space to create a dynamic community and recreational hub, enhancing the region’s health and wellness offerings and fostering social connections year-round.
Rossacci named chief nursing officer at MiraVista
HOLYOKE — MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke and TaraVista Behavioral Health Center in Devens — together known as The Vistas — announce the appointment of Karyn Rossacci as chief nursing officer.
Rossacci brings more than 20 years of clinical, operational, and academic nursing leadership to this role, spanning inpatient psychiatry, critical care, emergency services, employee health and wellness programming, and large-scale public health response efforts.
Most recently serving as chief nursing officer and associate administrator at the Hospital for Behavioral Medicine, Rossacci led clinical operations for five inpatient psychiatric units, supporting more than 180 nursing staff and guiding organizational accreditation and quality improvement initiatives.
Rossacci’s background includes leadership roles in behavioral health, urgent and emergency care, public health operations, and academic instruction in nursing education programs. She holds a doctor of nursing practice degree with a focus in nursing leadership from Regis College and is currently completing her Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration.
As chief nursing officer, Rossacci will oversee nursing practice across MiraVista and TaraVista, advancing clinical quality, professional development, patient safety, and staff engagement initiatives.
Orthodontist joins Treehouse practice
NORTHAMPTON — Doctors Aaron DeMaio and Sean Willcutts welcome Dr. Daniel Chen as the newest associate orthodontist at Treehouse Orthodontics.
He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. After working as general dentist, Dr. Chen decided to pursue his passion for orthodontics and completed his specialty training at the Georgia School ofOrthodontics in Atlanta.
Chen will see patients across all eight of Treehouse’s orthodontic locations and is accepting new patients.
HCC hires first director of restorative practices
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Linda Chavers as the inaugural director of its new office of Restorative Practices and Mediation.
A published writer, educator and consultant, Chavers has spent her career examining structures of institutional inequality and reimagining what justice can look like in the field of education. She brings to HCC a specialization in restorative practices in the workplace, including crisis management, curriculum design, diversity support, and organizational development.
Most recently, she has been working as a nonprofit leadership consultant and a national executive search consultant.
Prior to that, she spent 15 years in higher education, serving as co-director and English professor at The Clemente Course in the Humanities in Dorchester; resident dean, assistant dean, and lecturer at Harvard College; and assistant professor of instruction at Temple University in Philadelphia. She also was an instructor of English at Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire.
Chavers holds a Ph.D. in African and African American Studies from Harvard University, a master’s degree in English from Harvard, and a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies from New York University.
The Office of Restorative Practices and Mediation is part of HCC’s division of People, Culture and Equity. In her position, Chavers works closely with the office of People and Talent (human resources) and the college’s chief impact officer (affirmative action and Title IX) to ensure HCC approaches its work with care, accountability, and a commitment to equity.
Aroma-Therapy program for women in need
AMHERST — A local spa in Amherst has launched a new initiative aimed at expanding access to wellness services for women facing financial or personal hardship. Located at 190 University Drive, the spa has long been a source of healing and support for those in need, and its latest program — called “Share the Care” — continues that mission.
Through this initiative, the spa invites its more affluent clients and members to purchase spa services on behalf of underserved women in the community. The goal is to make self-care more accessible to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience it.
The spa hopes this “Share the Care” initiative will inspire others to contribute and help spread the message that wellness should be available to everyone.
For more information, contact Moniquia Hopkins at 413-457-8607,or email aromatherapymanagement@gmail.com