Leeds Pumpkin Party will be held on Saturday, October 29th.

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Volunteers are needed before, during and after the party. The 1st planning meeting was held on September 30th. A second planning meeting date to be determined.

The Pumpkin Party has become a Leeds tradition. Given that the party will fall just two days before Halloween, there should be no excuses for arriving empty handed without a pumpkin to add to the display. Imagine seeing 100 pumpkins glowing on October 29th?!!

If you would like to help out in some way please call Jason Johnson at 413-320-3386 or email cookjohnson@comcast.net.

Saratoga Racetrack and Casino Trips – 2014

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1 AND FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
$35.00 per person or $60.00 per person if you sign up for both dates–but hurry–this trip sells out every year! Price includes KingWard Charter bus with bathroom, raffles on the way up, entry fee to racetrack and tip to driver. Things to bring: coolers, food and drinks (no glass) and lawn chairs. We usually stay as a group in the parklike setting, but you will have plenty of time to explore the Civil War era racetrack.
7:00am. – Bus departs from Leeds Elementary School
9:30am – Arrive at Casino for a two hour stop
11:30 – Bus heads to racetrack (1 mile away)
12:30 – Post time!
6:00pm – Bus departs Saratoga
8:30pm – Back home in Leeds
For more info call Jim Mias at 584-1623 or wave him down if you’re out and about, or maybe catch him at Leeds Mart.

Fourth Annual Hotel Bridge Bike Ride

For the fourth year in a row riders came out and enjoyed a scenic bike ride through Western MA towns which began in Leeds and ended in Leeds.  All routes traveled over the historic Hotel Bridge where riders saw a freshly painted thank you sign.  We thanked them for taking part in the fundraising efforts and riding a 10, 25, or 50 mile route on their bikes.  In return they went home with an awesome Tshirt with our Leeds Hotel Bridge graphic designed by Heidi Stevens. About 55 riders, age 8 through 72 took part in the event.  The weather was perfect for biking, cool and no rain!  At the top of a long climb about 13 miles into the ride, cyclists laughed and chatted as they were greeted by Bob Riddle who had snacks and drinks ready.  Back at Chartpack more volunteers worked registration tables checking in and out riders. Thank you Stephy Cho, Deb Jacobs, Alisa Klein, Amy Stamm, and Sue Carbin. Registration was well organized by the set up crew of Joel Emrick, David Rondina, and Tom Silliman. Photographing the smiles all day was Joel Emerick with a camera ready at every turn!

Riders who braved the hilly 50 mile route were greeted by George Merriam at the Conway covered bridge with much needed snacks. A big thank you to Alisa Klein for her expertise in advertising our ride, although we had many returning riders, she got the word out and new faces were riding too!  Justin O’Connor made online pre-registration available so sign ups were quick and easy the morning of the ride. All in all, the event was successful, riders had fun, there were no injuries, and a profit was made toward restoring the Leeds Hotel bridge.  Our next step will be to meet with DPW to get an update on the progress of restoration plans.  Thank you to all who came out and to sponsors…Stop & Shop, River Valley Market, Walmart, Staples, B.J.s, and Joe’s Garage.

Carving up a Storm…The Great Leeds Pumpkin Contest

A woman walked up to her stoop cradling in her arms some new purchase. She was overheard saying to her neighbor, “Look at this gourd. Doesn’t it look just like a RAT?” A boy walking home from Leeds School was overheard saying to his buddy, “This is the first year I get to carve!” The anticipation was building for the Great Leeds Pumpkin Contest which was held on the clear moonlit night of October 27th.

The new venue at Upland and Chestnut was ideal for the large gathering of Leeds folk who really know how to get into the spirit of Halloween. Cheering kids followed their pumpkins down the hill to see if theirs crossed the finish line first. Neighbors young and old criss-crossed the roadside pumpkin gallery to take in the creativity on display by our community and vote for their favorites. They saw four pumpkins transformed into a punk rock band, a space alien, a discoteque, a Las Vegas Elvis Presley, a gorilla face, a Good Night Moon Mouse House that offered a view through the window to a fully furnished room with a happy mouse family munching on
gummy bears and enjoying the glow of a working fireplace! One pumpkin was turned into a gorgeous full lipped lady with an autumn leaf hairdo, another an upside down pig face, five carved pumpkins stacked became a totem pole while eight in a row spelled out “Frankenstorm.” Pumpkin party revellers enjoyed homemade soups, baked potatoes with the fixins’ and other treats while listening to Shawn Gundersen’s line up of spooky tunes and comic banter.

Jim Montgomery of Grove Avenue won first prize for his delightful mousehouse and went home with the coveted rosemary apple pie baked by Ananda Lennox. The adorable trick-or-treating ghost with glowing eyes and mouth, and carrying a tiny pumpkin filled with candy corn was made by Anna Rosen and won first prize in the youth contest. Each and every pumpkin carved, decorated and displayed was ooohed and ahhhed over…including the RAT!

Thanks to the many helping hands and pumpkin carvers for making this event so fun!

A complete list of pumpkin winners and photographs can be viewed here.

Photo galleries of this event can be found here.

Beautiful Skies Over Fun Block Party

Music wafted over the Main Street Green while over 100 neighbors munched on burgers, hotdogs, and side dishes at the

September 9th Block Party. Badminton, ping pong, hula hooping and limbo kept the young at heart entertained. New neighbors made new friends, kids had their faces painted, and people caught up on neighborhood news.

See the event photo gallery here.

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A Day at the Races – Saratoga, NY

On a hot Friday, August 3rd, when most people should be at work, fifty one folks from Leeds, the VA, Northampton Country Club, and as far away as Burgy, Bay State, and Florence headed up in a cool air-conditioned bus to Saratoga Springs’ Civil War era horse racing track. With high hopes of winning cash, the 2 1/2 hour bus trip zipped by as riders chatted through the miles.

A quick side trip to a casino near the race track took just an hour and was a hit for most. The group arrived at the race track at noon for a 1:30 post time (10 races in all). You might have thought you were at Look Park with the natural and casual setting, beach chairs, picnic ta

bles, coolers all allowed. Red and white striped tents, umbrellas and petunias prevailed and then of course there were the horses – the best of the best! Their beauty, strength and grace something to note, not to mention the pageantry of it all: fancily dressed owners, jockeys in their silks, and the excitement as the horses galloped to the finish line.

The bus headed back to Leeds after the final 6:00 race. We didn’t hear  about a lot of winners, but most wanted to reserve a seat for next year. Saratoga day trips have a lot of charm. Next year the LCA hopes to have a trip in late July and late August.

See the photo gallery here.

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Pumpkin Contest Planning Open to All

Come and share your ideas! September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.

The fun event will continue, but at a new location. The previous 18 years were hosted by Robin Forsyth and Jim Mias and held at the end of Grove Avenue. Many neighbors offered helping hands with set up, clean up, snacks and baked goods. The pre-Halloween event has been so popular that some years close to 100 carved pumpkins were entered. A big thank you to

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Jim and Robin for beginning this incredibly fun Halloween tradition. Stay tuned for upcoming details about the 2012 Pumpkin Carving Contest. Posters will be tacked up and details will be posted on the LCA website, www.LeedsCivic.org. We look forward to seeing this year’s frightful, hilarious, and clever pumpkin entries glowing in the late October darkness. What will you carve?

September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.

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See you at the Leeds Block Party

Invite your Leeds neighbors and friends and join us on the Village Green for a fun filled late afternoon barbeque. There will be free burgers and hotdogs, music an

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d games! If you can, bring a side dish or dessert to share, and a chair for relaxing. Soak up the neighborhood vibe while eating, gossiping, limboing, and laughing.

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Movies Under the Stars

Come watch a movie on a 12 foot screen with theater sound under the stars after 8:00 pm in the back yard of 32 Upland Road on July 7th!

Bring your blankets, chairs, snacks, drinks, and pj’s.  We provide the popcorn!

Posters with the movie for all ages can be seen around the village.

Saratoga Bus Trip

Bus Trip to Saratoga, N.Y.
Jim Mias of Grove Ave will be coordinating a bus trip trip to beautiful Saratoga, N.Y. on FridayAugust 3
(postponed from the original date of July 24). The group will leave Leeds Grammar
school at 8:00 am, arriving at Saratoga about 10:30 am. The first stop will be at the Casino
for about an hour and then on to the spacious park in plenty of time for the first race at 1:00 pm.
Picnicking is encouraged as coolers, lawn chairs and food are allowed into park (no glass). The
bus will depart immediately after the last race and should arrive back to Leeds by 9:00 pm. The
full price of $35.00 includes the bus trip (a/c and bathroom – King Ward), tip to driver, raffles on
the bus and admission to the park. For more information on Saratoga and the famous Race Course
visit http://www.saratoga.com/
Call Jim Mias at 584-1623 for more details.  Saratoga trips have a tendency to sell out fast.