Prescott Community Center

Looking to reduce your energy bills and make your home more sustainable? This workshop will cover everything you need to know about heat pumps, including how they work, why they’re a superior alternative to oil and gas heating, and how new technology has improved efficiency, even in New England winters. We'll also dive into real-life case studies and common misconceptions about heat pumps. Whether you're a homeowner considering an upgrade or just curious about energy efficiency, this session will provide practical, expert-backed insights and an open Q&A to address your concerns. Dan and Chris plan to donate their portion of the program fee to support the Groton Sustainability Committee.

Back by popular demand: the How to Make the Perfect Margarita class! In addition to the art and history of the refreshing Margarita cocktail, Miguel will do a deep dive into the components that make a Margarita so good and so popular: Tequila, Triple Sec, Lime, and Agaves. And, then experiment with using a salt rim, sugar rim, purees, or sweeteners to bring uniqueness to each drink. Then create your own perfect margarita! Class $50 | Material fee $8 NOTE!!: Attendees should have food before arriving and drink responsibly. We will provide some snacks and water. **You must be 21 years or older to attend this event.**

Golf is a very complicated yet exciting game and anyone who plays it knows just how much effort goes into performing at the top of your game. This workshop is meant to teach you mobility and strength drills to improve your golf performance and help prevent some common golf-related injuries.

Pickleball has been sweeping the nation in recent years, and for good reason, it’s loads of fun for individuals of all ages. Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, but there are many common pickleball injuries that we aim to discuss. You will leave this workshop with a better understanding of the physical demands of the sport, how to prepare your body for high level performance and how to prevent injury.

Dr. Jen Imperillo, the lead physical therapist for Neuro Critical Care at Lahey Hospital, will give an overview of the common injuries for runners including strains, exercises, and how to get better! Dr. Jen is an avid runner and holds a certification in Dry Needling. She will share her extended experience in injury prevention and discuss the benefits of dry needling to treat pain and muscle tightness.

The class is exclusively for those who attended Steve Brunelle's class on Introduction to Fly Fishing for Beginners. Due to popular demand, there is now hands-on fly fishing on the water! Take what you learned in the prior two classes and put it all together on a local river. Steve will guide you on the water as you learn to actually fly fish and hopefully catch a beautiful trout. The goal is to get you confident and comfortable so you can start fly fishing on your own. Dates to be coordinated between participant and instructor and available in May and June. This On the River class will run approximately 2 hours. Register online and Steve will contact your to coordinate a date in May or June. Equipment will be provided. Participants are required to bring fishing waders and wading boots. We will cover the following topics: Rod and reel set up Fly selection Reading the water Wading safety Casting Presentation Handling fish Catch & release consideration Prerequisite: You must have taken the Introduction to Fly Fishing for Beginners class.

Join this two-part class for beginners to learn the basic Fly Fishing fundamentals and techniques, to foster a lifelong appreciation for nature and angling. Whether you currently spin fish or have never fished, this course is designed to take the mystery out of fly fishing and provide you with the confidence and knowledge to start fly fishing. The first class will be an indoor presentation session to cover all the basics of getting started; including rod and reel selection, flies, show and tell, and some basic entomology with a focus on trout. The second class will be an outdoor session, where you’ll learn the basics of fly casting with some hands-on demonstration and practice. The goal of this program is to get you comfortable and excited about venturing into this popular sport, in hopes of creating a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and wonder. Day 1 - Thursday, April 24, 7:00-9:00 PM - Prescott Classroom Day 2 - Saturday, April 26, 1:00-2:30 PM - Outside/Back Lawn The instructor will provide basic Fly Fishing equipment to participants. Participants may also bring their own rod and reel to the casting session There will be a special drawing at the end of the 2nd class, for a chance to win a box of assorted fishing flies hand picked from the instructor's personal collection! Next Class: Intro to Fly Fishing Part II: On the River where you will get to take what you learned and fly fish on a river! Here is what they are saying about Steve's Intro to Fly Fishing Class: "Excellent class. Very informative. Steve is so passionate about fly fishing that it is infectious. I think everyone in the class can’t wait to get out there and start fishing!" "The instructor, Steve was patient and above all extremely knowledgeable."

Do you love Japanese language and culture? Are you ready to hold conversations, read manga, watch anime, and even travel to Japan, all in Japanese? Together, we’ll develop your confidence in reading and writing both hiragana and katakana, as well as some simple Kanji. You’ll also practice the common expressions and introductions you need to hold basic conversations and discuss your interests. 行きましょう!

With Spring's florals and botanicals it can only mean one thing, it's GIN Season! Mixologist Miguel Salguero gave us a tour of how gin has developed its own deserved place in the liquor industry with the addition of juniper berries and an endless array of other botanicals like spices or herbs last spring. Gins are becoming very trendy in bars, especially Western-style drinks! Miquel is back to discuss other cocktails we can mix up with gin. Here is what the class will be making: Negroni Cocktail: Gin, vermouth rosso (red, semi-sweet), and Campari Aviation Gin Cocktail:Gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and lemon juice Bee’s Knees Cocktail: Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey NOTE!!: Attendees should have food before arriving and drink responsibly. We will provide some snacks and water. **You must be 21 years or older to attend this event.**

What better way to welcome Spring than making your spring-flavored ice cream and sauce? Join us at Prescott to make tasty homemade ice cream and decorate it with your favorite spring theme! We will make vanilla, chocolate, and black raspberry ice cream using the Johnson's Restaurant and Dairy Bar's famous cream. While ice cream makers are churning along, we will prepare the hot fudge and berry sauces. Soon, you will scoop the ice cream and decorate it with your favorite spring toppings. YUM! Laura Santiano has been making ice cream at her father's restaurant, Johnson's Restaurant and Dairy Bar, Groton, MA, since she was 14 years old. She will share the "secrets" of how Johnson's makes their yummy ice cream, fun historical facts, and sample their ice cream! Laura will also demonstrate how to make the cream from scratch so you can do it from home. Class $20 | Material fee $10 Please bring your favorite reusable ice cream bowl/dish and utensil to enjoy this amazing ice cream while supporting the environment. We will help to clean afterward. Lastly, don't forget to a food container with lid to bring home any extras.

Kids will enjoy some fun games and activities and get to work on a service craft project to help others, all while parents take a moment to themselves. The games and activities will be played indoors or out. The service projects may include making birthday cards for Make-a-Wish kids with a critical illness, no-sew blankets, or greeting cards for Golden Age neighbors. Snacks and water will be provided for a fun evening of play.

Participants in this 4-day adventure will enjoy the wholesome fun of sensory exploration. Youngsters and their caregivers will have the opportunity to get their hands messy with various materials. Participants may want to bring a change of clothes. 1st Child - $70 2nd Child - $40 Material fee per child $10 **Parent/Guardian is required to stay for the class.** Here is what they are saying about Messy Makers: "My child loved it, it was lots of fun"

Mindfulness Pilates is an introductory course covering the essential level of Stott Pilates. The class will focus on learning the principles of Pilates, the mat work, and creating mind-body awareness. You can take Mindfulness Pilates as many times as you need to build strength, improve posture, and relieve stress. Props such as stretch bands may be used in class and are provided by the instructor. You may bring a thick towel or workout blanket for additional support. If you have an issue the instructor needs to be sensitive about (such as recent surgery, health conditions, etc.), please let Courtney know before class. Please consult your doctor before attending class if you have any health conditions. Please bring a mat, towel, water bottle, and stretch band (optional). Here is what they are saying about Courtney's Pilates Class: "Courtney is knowledgeable and very talented at teaching multiple levels at once. She is excellent at taking challenging things and making them approachable."

This is the perfect workshop for those who want to improve their performance and prevent injuries while doing what they love this summer. The mobility screening will include balance, squatting, lunging, shoulder mobility, posture, etc. to see how your body is moving and check for potential sources of injury, as well as general health information and guidance. The attendees will learn information about their bodies and ways to improve.

Are you or someone you know facing the challenge of juggling work and family obligations while also caring for a family member, a new child, or managing your own serious medical condition? The Commonwealth’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program provides temporary income replacement and job protections to eligible workers when they need it most. PFML is available to those who are welcoming a new child into their family, are struck by a serious illness or injury, need to take care of an ill or ailing relative, and for certain military considerations. We'll talk about how you or your family member can take paid family leave for up to 26 weeks in a benefit year and how that can be structured to best meet your individual needs. In addition, we'll look at the benefits of taking leave and the positive impact it can have for you and your family. Please join us to learn more about this important program, including eligibility, benefits, and how to apply. Prescott Community Center is delighted to co-host this FREE program with the Council of Aging and Groton Neighbors.

We will be walking with unique Nordic poles on our beautiful local trails. This creative walking technique originated in Norway and is now very popular across Europe. It boosts your cardio walking, plus the benefit of providing an upper-body resistance-strength workout, now using 85 to 90% of all body muscles you activate. The special poles are adjustable, shorter than ski or trekking poles, and they are secured with tightly attached hand straps that allow you to propel yourself forward. The poles and hand straps are helpful for stability, so anyone can do this! The unique walking technique requires a small learning curve that I will spend the time teaching to everyone. At the beginning of the first class, we will do some basic training. After the first class and we’ll quickly refresh our previous classwork and add some new suggestions for good results! Below are the trails for each week where we will meet. Apr 9: Fitch's Bridge Ice Line Trail - Meet at Fitch’s Bridge Parking lot near Pepperell Rd Apr 16: J Harry Rich Oxbow Loop - Meet at off-street parking near the intersection of Nod Rd and Common St. Apr 30: Groton Town Forest - Meet at Town Forrest Road Parking May 7: J Harry Rich Nashua River Trail - Meet at Sand Hill Road Nashua river Rail Trail Parking May 14: The Throne Hill - Meet at the end of Castle Drive May 21: TBD - We will repeat everyone's favorite trail! ** CLASS REQUIREMENT: You must purchase a set of Nordic Walking poles. I suggest poles that are adjustable for height as this is key for optimal setup. Some adjust in three parts and I don't recommend them. Just a simple adjustment in the middle is good. I bought mine on Amazon and did NOT spend top dollar on them! The brand I have is FIZAN, but any that you can find that suit your budget is fine. Our first class will require you to have them in hand so we can get adjusted and learn how to use them before a trail trip. Ski or trekking poles do not work for the resistance control that this requires. **All proceeds benefit Prescott Community Center.** Here is what they are saying about Nordic Walking: "I liked the small group and being active outdoors on unfamiliar trails." "The instructor was very helpful and patient in teaching the use of poles. Each walk was different and enjoyable."

In the classroom, we will create oil paintings from your favorite still life and landscape photos. We will explore composition, underpainting, perspectives, color mixing, color harmony, and paint application. The instructor will provide a demonstration at the beginning of every class and instruction throughout. This class emphasizes creativity, exploration, and experimentation rather than technique. While composition, color mixing, perspective, and mark-making will all be considered, learning technique is a by-product of the joyful creation of art. All participants will enjoy the freedom of experimenting with mixed media and surfaces and approaching the edge of abstraction in a friendly, supportive environment. This class is for all levels, including beginners. Student is required to bring materials. A list will be sent upon registration.

Acrylic paint is the most forgiving paint available. Water-mixable, without the danger of oils or the unpredictability of watercolor, acrylic is the perfect medium for practicing fundamentals. We'll learn to compose an image, mix colors confidently, and paint boldly. We will also experiment with texture, acrylic mediums, and palette knives to find the painting process that fits your style best. Ultimately, you will develop the skillset you need to paint whenever and however you like. Though designed for beginners, intermediate and advanced students will also benefit from the emphasis on speed, clear decision-making, and acrylic medium usage. Students are required to bring materials. A material list will be sent in your class confirmation email.