Area Briefs: Fundraiser for Sudanese Civil War victims in Hadley; benefit for 11-year-old boy in Holyoke; Northampton public forum on ending war in Ukraine

A police forensic expert inspects fragments of a Shahed drone after a Russian strike on residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, last week. AP/KATERYNA KLOCHKO
Published: 12-02-2024 5:50 PM |
Hopkins Academy is hosting a community fundraiser to support those impacted in Sudan and South Sudan by the Sudanese Civil War who are in need of humanitarian aid, which is over 25 million people across the region.
The “Supper for Sudan” event will be held Thursday, Dec. 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at Hopkins Academy in Hadley. It will include a variety of free food dishes that are traditionally served in the region along with music and a buffet dinner experience. The goal of the event is to help provide those in need with necessary supplies, including water, food, medical supplies, and shelter to meet the immediate needs of victims of the violence and widespread hunger/famine taking place in Sudan and South Sudan.
This year, all proceeds will be given to the International Rescue Committee, a charity focused on helping those impacted by violence and providing necessary life-saving aid to displaced residents. The International Rescue Committee and its partners provide a variety of services, including shelter, food, medicine, mental health support, etc. The event invites people to come together to try food from Sudan and South Sudan, educate the Hopkins Academy student body and surrounding community members about the long-standing Sudanese Civil War, as well as provide monetary support to the International Rescue Committee. The goal is to reach $2,000. Attendees are encouraged to make donations of any amount. The event is free and open to the public.
William J. Dean Technical High School and Headlocks For Humanity are sponsoring a pro wrestling fundraiser for the Dean Tech CTE Shops and for 11 year-old Andrew Wilson. Hosted by John Cena Sr., the Brave in the Heart event will be held at William J. Dean Technical High School.
Andrew suffers from a life-threatening illness known as HLH (Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis), an immune deficiency disorder, a condition that prevents his immune system from functioning properly, leaving him vulnerable to severe infections. In March 2023, Andrew faced a critical health crisis that required his transfer to Boston Children’s Hospital due to multi-organ failure and pneumonia. He spent over 20 days in the ICU, undergoing multiple blood and platelet transfusions, daily dialysis, and numerous tests. In addition to HLH, he also battles Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS), a subtype that causes hyper-inflammation.
Despite these challenges, Andrew loves building Legos and attending pro-wrestling events, according to organizers. One hundred percent of the proceeds of this event will go to Andrew’s family and the CTE Shops at Dean Tech. Organizers are are still looking for sponsors, donors and vendors who would like to attend and help make the event as big a success as possible.
Tickets are available online at https://tinyurl.com/5uxxw89r. Tickets also will be available at Dean Technical High School.
Food and drinks will be available along with many raffles and prizes donated by businesses in the Pioneer Valley. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and in ring action starts at 6:30 p.m.
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A public forum titled “Ending the Ukraine War — What should U.S. policy be in 2025?” will be held Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 6:30 pm.-8pm in the Coolidge Room at Forbes Library, 20 West St., in Northampton.
The forum also will be livestreamed on the library’s YouTube channel for home viewing.
Speakers with differing views on the war will be John Feffer of Amherst, author and director, Foreign Policy in Focus program of Institute for Policy Studies, Washington D.C.; John Berkowitz, of Northampton, and member of Massachusetts Peace Action’s Peace in Ukraine Campaign; and Benjamin Abelow, of Great Barrington, author of “How The West Brought War to Ukraine: Understanding How U.S. and NATO Policies Led To Crisis, War, and The Risk of Nuclear Catastrophe.”
A question-and-answer session with the audience will follow. The event is sponsored by Forbes Library and Massachusetts Peace Action’s Peace in Ukraine Campaign.
More information is available online at ForbesLibrary.org/events and masspeaceaction.org.