Community Calendar

People of all skill levels, including beginners are invited to play.

Free Event.

Sponsored by Alden District Library and held at Helena Township Community Center, 8751 Helena Rd, Alden, 231-331-4318.

People of all skill levels, including beginners, are welcome! For more info, contact Sue Archer at 231-944-0013.

Sponsored by Alden District Library and held at Helena Township Community Center & Library, 8751 Helena Rd, Alden, 231-331-4318.

Join us for part three of a five-part conversation series hosted by Derenda Lefevre of Open Your Eyes To Access (OYETA). These conversations will focus on centering disability stories, the history of disability in our communities, and provide opportunities for non-disabled people to learn about disability, ableism, and what it means to embrace accessibility and equity in our community spaces. Refreshments will be served and documentation for continuing education will be available upon request.

#3 Activism, Resistance, and Resilience: In conversation three we’ll explore major events in the Disability Rights Movement, celebrate the disabled leaders that led the way, challenged the societal view of people with disabilities, and pushed the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Free, peer-led mental health support groups: NAMI Family Support and NAMI Connection Group.

Both held Wednesdays, 12pm at Christ Church, 430 Fair St. (See website for zoom link)

Free, peer-led mental health support: NAMI Connection Group. Held Wednesdays, 5pm Online (see website for zoom link) and at Child & Family Services, 3785 Veterans Dr.

Fundraising veteran Beth Stoner Wiegand will facilitate a detailed, hands-on workshop regarding the art of writing donor appeal letters.

What are the ingredients for a compelling Appeal Letter?

Fundraising veteran Beth Stoner Wiegand will facilitate a detailed, hands-on workshop regarding the art of writing donor appeal letters. In this three-hour session, we’ll look closely at what makes a letter purposeful, compelling, and how thoughtful practices, like audience segmentation and handwritten touches, can deepen prospect connections resulting in favorable results. Participants will have time to work on their own letters and leave with a solid draft or an improved version ready for use.

Facilitator: Beth Stoner-Weigand
A graduate of Indiana University with a BS in Music Performance, Beth’s first job was working for a US Senator before moving to a federal agency, the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington, D.C., followed by 22 years serving in a variety of roles in the Advancement Department at Interlochen Center for the Arts. When she isn’t golfing, sailing, gardening or on a travel adventure, she will be consulting, coaching or conducting annual teaching seminars in fundraising for Extended Education Services at Northwestern Michigan College, underwritten in part by Rotary Charities of Traverse City. She lives on Old Mission Peninsula with husband Bruce.

Audience: Who is this for?
This session is designed for: Organizations

WATERCOLOR ABSTRACT - 2-day Workshop

APRIL 10 & 11 , 2026
Friday & Saturday
9:30am - 4:30pm

REGISTER BY: April 5th
CLASS FEE: $200, or $180 for members​
FORMAT: in-person

Creating Spontaneous Watercolor with Abstract Elements and Techniques Workshop with exhibiting artist Rocco Pisto! For beginners & dabblers to experienced.

In this two-day workshop students will learn how to free up their paintings with abstract elements and various techniques used by professionals around the country. Learn about art history and how it translates to today’s artists. Discuss and work on a color therapy project. Learn about color value, hue and gradation. Discuss the elements of art and how it relates to both representational and abstract painting. Push your painting beyond your comfort zone and explore the freedom of working with a mop brush on quality watercolor paper both white and black. Bring at least six sheets of paper and have your paint already dried on a palette.

SUPPLY LIST: Click HERE to download & print.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Email roccopistoart@gmail.com

Date: Friday, April 10, 2026
Time: 10:00 am–4:00 pm
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Location: Glen Arbor Arts Center Classroom
Skill Level: All

In this hands-on class, students will design and carve original stamps from soft carving blocks, then print their designs on fabric. The session begins with a brief history of tea towels and their role in everyday life, followed by demonstrations of image transfer, carving with linocut tools, and inking techniques. Students will proof their stamps on paper and scrap fabric before printing final designs on tea towels provided in class. They are also welcome to bring items from home, such as T-shirts, jeans, or other fabric, to personalize with their prints. The subject matter is entirely student-driven—drawings, photos, or sketches can all serve as starting points for stamp designs. With the flexibility to create multiple stamps and layer colors, participants will discover how easily patterns and motifs can evolve into bold, repeatable fabric prints. No prior experience is required.

Objective: Skill Development, Creativity Enhancement

Outcome: Inspiration and Creativity, Better Comprehension of Tools and Materials

WATERCOLOR ABSTRACT - 2-day Workshop

APRIL 10 & 11 , 2026
Friday & Saturday
9:30am - 4:30pm

REGISTER BY: April 5th
CLASS FEE: $200, or $180 for members​
FORMAT: in-person

Creating Spontaneous Watercolor with Abstract Elements and Techniques Workshop with exhibiting artist Rocco Pisto! For beginners & dabblers to experienced.

In this two-day workshop students will learn how to free up their paintings with abstract elements and various techniques used by professionals around the country. Learn about art history and how it translates to today’s artists. Discuss and work on a color therapy project. Learn about color value, hue and gradation. Discuss the elements of art and how it relates to both representational and abstract painting. Push your painting beyond your comfort zone and explore the freedom of working with a mop brush on quality watercolor paper both white and black. Bring at least six sheets of paper and have your paint already dried on a palette.

SUPPLY LIST: Click HERE to download & print.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Email roccopistoart@gmail.com

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Location: Glen Arbor Arts Center
Skill: All Skill Levels

Celebrate April is Poetry Month!

Color isn’t just for painters—poets use it to create vivid, memorable imagery and powerful metaphors. In this workshop, we’ll read poems that showcase the art of description through color, inspiring you to see the world with fresh eyes. You’ll write to focused prompts, share your work, and receive supportive feedback. By the end, you’ll leave with one or more original poems and strategies to infuse your writing with imagination, insight, and deeper emotional resonance. This class is perfect for poets of all levels seeking to enrich their craft and spark creativity.

Objective: Skill Development, Creativity Enhancement
Outcome: Creation of Artwork, Inspiration and Creativity