CAMERA CLUB VISIONS - “Rowes Wharf’’ by Ripesh Gosalia (above) and “Five Little Boats’’ by Peggy Erb, both of Andover, are among the works in the exhibit “Through Our Eyes’’ at the Essex Art Center in Lawrence. The exhibit by the Merrimack Valley Camera Club is in the Chester F. Sidell Gallery and runs through Feb. 24. Visit www.essexartcenter.com.
Cronin Memorial Rink in Revere welcomes people with disabilities
CAMERA CLUB VISIONS - “Rowes Wharf’’ by Ripesh Gosalia (above) and “Five Little Boats’’ by Peggy Erb, both of Andover, are among the works in the exhibit “Through Our Eyes’’ at the Essex Art Center in Lawrence. The exhibit by the Merrimack Valley Camera Club is in the Chester F. Sidell Gallery and runs through Feb. 24. Visit www.essexartcenter.com.
ALL-ACCESS SKATING: People with disabilities can try their wheelchair, an ice sled, or conventional skates at Cronin Memorial Rink in Revere on several dates, thanks to the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s universal access program.
Skaters can spin, slide, race, slalom, socialize, and play gently competitive games. Ice sleds are available for sled hockey and agility games.
Conventional skate rentals also are available. Power wheelchair users also are welcome on the ice.
The goal of the universal access program is to increase the participation of people with disabilities in indoor and outdoor recreation activities in integrated settings at a number of state and urban park facilities. The program offers ice skating, sit-skating, cross-country skiing, sit cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, kick sledding, snowmobiling, and other winter activities. Accessible cycling, boating, hiking, birding, and horseback riding are offered in summer and fall.
The Cronin rink is open for accessible skating from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 and March 20. Participants should preregister by calling Heidi Marie-Peterson at 413-577-3840.
Call 413-577-3840 (voice) or 413-577-2200 (TTY) to receive a taped message confirming program status in the event of bad weather, as well as more information on the universal access program. Or visit www.mass.gov/dcr.
PEACEFUL POETRY: Paul G. Saint-Amand, an English professor and Vietnam era veteran committed to peace, is founder of the annual peace poetry contest and reading at North Shore Community College in Haverhill, now in its fourth year.
“As an educator, I want to fuel children’s imaginations toward peace,’’ said Saint-Amand. “A lot more has been written about war than about peace.’’
Students in kindergarten through grade 12 from both public and private area schools are invited to participate in the contest by submitting original poems and artwork on the subject of peace. Deadline for submission is March 15.
About 80 poems and accompanying artwork will be selected for inclusion in a small book of poetry to be published this spring.
Selected students also will be invited to take part in a poetry reading from 6 to 8:30 p.m. May 4 in the David Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus. They will receive prizes and awards.
The annual contest, which draws entries from students in more than 40 area schools, is Northern Essex’s first college-wide service learning initiative. Students are collaborating on the project by developing a website, designing posters and award certificates, judging poetry submissions, and hosting a public reading.
Entries can be submitted to peacepoetry@necc.mass.edu or NECC Peace Poetry Contest, 100 Elliot St., Spurk 317H, Haverhill, MA 01830-2399.
WHO’S WHAT WHERE: Denise Devoe of Lynnfield has been named chief financial officer of The Herb Chambers Companies, an automotive group based in Somerville. She will oversee the financial activity of 50 dealerships in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Devoe began her career with the company 25 years ago as an accounting clerk. She has since served in a variety of positions including controller, internal auditor, and corporate controller. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Salem State University.
Wendy Killeen can be reached at wdkilleen@gmail.com. 
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