Magic for Maddie gets $10K donation
SOUTHAMPTON — Magic for Maddie has received a $5,000 grant from the Liberty Bank Foundation to support its Helping Families in the Fight initiative.
The grant is in addition to Liberty Bank’s $5,000 commitment as a Big Top Sponsor of Magic for Maddie’s 2026 5K Family Fun Walk and Carnival for the second consecutive year. Together, the sponsorship and grant bring Liberty Bank’s total 2026 commitment to Magic for Maddie to $10,000.
Through its Helping Families in the Fight initiative, Magic for Maddie provides direct support to families facing the financial and emotional burdens that often accompany a child’s cancer diagnosis and treatment. Since 2022, Magic for Maddie has stood beside more than 300 families battling childhood cancer, providing over $500,000 in direct financial support to help ease the overwhelming costs of treatment and related expenses.
Magic for Maddie was founded in memory of Madeline “Maddie” Schmidt, who died from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, on Dec. 31, 2022, following a courageous 10-month battle with the disease. The organization raises funds to support pediatric cancer research and assist children and families affected by cancer.
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art announces new chief curator and director of education
AMHERST — The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in Amherst, has announced two new senior staff who will help lead the Museum: Rebecca Klassen as chief curator, and Craig Langlois as director of education.
“As we advance our strategic plan, Rebecca’s deep curatorial experience and commitment to research and scholarship will help to continue establishing The Carle as the leading voice in picture book art, while Craig’s innovative approach to education and community engagement is expanding opportunities for visitors of all ages to connect with the art, artists and stories that inspire us,” said Jennifer Schantz, executive director of The Carle. “Together, they will strengthen The Carle’s leadership in exhibitions, scholarship and educational excellence.”
Klassen joins The Carle this month after 13 years at The New York Historical, where she served as curator of material culture and decorative arts. She previously oversaw significant collections of material culture and decorative arts, including textiles, Tiffany Studios objects, political memorabilia and board games, among other holdings, managing their development and stewardship. A former magazine writer and editor, Klassen spearheaded the revitalization of the museum’s responsive collecting program.
Langlois spent more than 15 years at the Berkshire Museum, serving as director of education and public programs, chief experience officer and co-interim executive director. At the Berkshire Museum, he led interdisciplinary education and public programs, supported curatorial and exhibition development, oversaw visitor experience and museum operations and helped guide institutional planning and building management initiatives.
Prior to joining The Carle, Langlois served Pittsfield Public Schools as district data and assessment coordinator and assistant principal of teaching and learning, supporting curriculum implementation, educator professional development, instructional coaching and applied learning initiatives. Langlois began as The Carle’s director of education in January 2026.
HCC hires Granby resident as VP of advancement
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College has hired Melissa Mills-Dick as vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the Holyoke Community College Foundation.
Mills-Dick, of Granby, brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in nonprofit and higher education fundraising, advancement, communications and community engagement. She joins HCC from Hampshire College, where she most recently served as chief advancement officer and previously held leadership roles in advancement, campaign strategy, alumni relations and communications.
During her tenure at Hampshire College, she served as a member of the executive team and strategic advisor to two college presidents while leading a 15-person advancement team. She spearheaded the institution’s largest-ever fundraising campaign, which raised $55 million in unrestricted operating support over six years, including securing several of the largest gifts in Hampshire history.
Her experience also includes cultivating major philanthropic partnerships, engaging alumni and community stakeholders, strengthening board relationships, and developing innovative fundraising and communications strategies.
Before joining Hampshire College in 2014, she held advancement and communications leadership roles with Planned Parenthood.
At HCC, Mills-Dick will lead Institutional Advancement, a 19-member division that includes the college’s development, alumni, grants, and marketing and communications teams. As executive director of the HCC Foundation, she will oversee day-to-day operations of the college’s nonprofit fundraising corporation.
She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing and literature from Bennington College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampshire College. She has also participated in leadership development programs through the Massachusetts Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and Planned Parenthood Federation.
ReApparel in Amherst turns one
AMHERST — ReApparel, a secondhand fashion store located at 48 North Pleasant St. in downtown Amherst, celebrated its one-year anniversary with a weeklong celebration during the final week of August.
Since its opening in August of 2025, ReApparel has offered an array of secondhand clothes for all genders, styles and occasions. Shoppers can find jewelry, handbags, seasonal wear and even Halloween costumes to add to their wardrobes.
Additionally, ReApparel provides community members with an opportunity to give their clothing a second life. Depending on inventory levels, the store has periods where they purchase clean, undamaged items, allowing people to earn cash for clothes they no longer want, rather than throwing them away.
Previously known as X-Change, the store was operated by former UMass Amherst business students. The lease was taken over by one of the store’s consigners, Geordie Morse. At the time, Morse was importing secondhand Japanese fashion and finding outlets to sell them in the United States. When the opportunity arose to take over the space, Morse saw it as a great chance to continue his passion of secondhand fashion, while carrying the spirit of X-Change.
