We are heading back to Salem!  Join us for a fun filled weekend of exploring Salem and all of its history.

Saturday October 12, 2024 – No Guide Today (Boston)

4:00 pm QUINCY MARKET. For over 250 years the marketplace has played an integral role in the life of Boston’s residents. You will feel the cobblestones beneath your feet, see roaming performers and be able to taste the wonderfully diverse ethnic foods available to you. There are 100 shops, carts and artisans to offer treasures for you to take home with you!

5:30 pm Travel to dinner.

6:00 pm DINNER at MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY RESTAURANT. Maggiano’s Italian Restaurant 

7:15 pm Travel to Blue Man Group.  “Blue Man Group will rock your world, blow your mind, and unleash your spirit. Leave your expectations at the door and let three bald and blue men take you on a spectacular journey bursting with music, laughter and surprises. 35 million people of all ages, languages and cultures know what Blue Man Group is really about. Now it’s your turn. Hard to Describe. Easy to Love.” Quote excerpted from internet site. Berkshire Tour Company 2 (Based on availability)

10:00 pm Travel to your hotel.

10:45 pm Arrive for CHECK IN at your hotel. 

Sunday October 13, 2024 – Guide Today (Salem) 

7:30 am BREAKFAST included at the hotel.

9:00 am Meet your LOCAL GUIDE at the hotel and travel to Salem for a day of touring. Your guide will give you commentary about Salem as you travel into town and as you travel from place to place today.

10:30 am REAL PIRATES ~ PIRATE AND WITCH EXPERIENCE. “Immerse yourself in the stories of Real Pirates! The family-friendly pirate experience features the true tale of ‘Black Sam’ Bellamy – the richest and one of the youngest pirates of all time – and Maria Hallett, the love of his life and so-called ‘Witch of Wellfleet.’ During the early 1700s, Bellamy captured the infamous slave ship Whydah, as well as more than 50 other ships, earning him the nickname the ‘Prince of Pirates.’ Meet the crew and follow their journey as they seek fortune on the high seas, amass the greatest pirate treasure of all times, and ultimately meet their untimely fate when the Whydah sinks in a violent Nor’easter off the coast of Cape Cod. ... See Real Pirate Treasure! See the world’s only fully authenticated pirate treasure ever discovered – including coins, jewelry, and weapons – retrieved from the wreck, and last touched by the hands of pirates more than 300 years ago.” Quote excerpted from internet site.

12:00 pm FREE TIME and LUNCH on your own. Your guide will make suggestions.

3:00 pm Visit SALEM WITCH MUSEUM. “You are there. Witness the testimony of the hysterical girls, the suffering of the blameless victims, and the decisions of the fanatical judges who sent innocent people to their deaths. When the witch hunt began no one was safe from being accused. This presentation is based on actual trial documents. With 13 stage sets, you’ll enter the web of lies and intrigue of the Salem Witch Hunt, one of the most enduring true stories in American History.” Excerpt taken from Salem Witch Museum brochure. 

4:30 pm Depart from Salem for DINNER on own. Choose from various restaurants at the North Shore Mall. 

9:00 pm Approximate arrival at your hotel.

Monday October 15, 2024 – No Guide Today (Salem)7:30 am BREAKFAST included at the hotel.

10:00 am Travel home.  Will stop for lunch.

Single: $1000.00

Double: $735.00

Triple: $700.00

Quad: $675.00

COURTYARD PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Overnight room for 2 nights

2 breakfasts at the hotel

1 dinnerQuincy Market and Faneuil Hall

Blue Man Group Performance (Based on availability)

Real Pirates of SalemSalem Witch Museum

Round Trip Baggage Handling

All applicable taxes and gratuities (except customary guide and housekeeping gratuities)

To secure your spot please register as soon as possible.  You will receive an email with a link that goes with which room you choose.  Whether it be single, double, triple or quad.  You will need to make an $80 deposit to secure your spot.

**CANCELLATIONS**  If you choose to cancel before August 1st, all your fund minus the $80 deposit will be given back.  If you choose to cancel after August 1st there will be no refund.

Wouldn't it be nice to spend a week in Italy?  Here is your chance! We are going to Italy April 19 to 26, 2025!  Below is a quick summary of what we will be doing.  We will be hosting an informational meeting soon but if you want to know more click on the link at the bottom and check out this amazing adventure!

Day 1 Start tour

Day 2 Ciao Milan

Meet your tour director, travel to Bologna & check into hotel

Bologna city walk, Piazza Maggiore, Le due Torri, Basilica di San Petronio

Day 3  Bologna

Parmigiano & Prosciutto di Parma factory guided visit - Discover the long history and unique production process of Parmigiano-Reggiano, one of the most famous cheeses in the world. See first-hand how wheels are made and stored, and sample the delicious cheese in a unique tasting. Following your Parmigiano tour head to a Prosciutto factory and learn the secrets to producing the cured meat.

Modena balsamic vinegar tasting

Day 4 Bologna--Florence

Travel to Florence

Florence guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets -Immerse yourself in the charms of old-world Firenze. The birthplace and focal point of the Italian Renaissance, Florence still has the masterpieces to prove it. Brunelleschi’s monumental cuploa (dome) atop the city's renowned Duomo dominates the skyline. Your local licensed guide will take you to Giotto's Bell Tower and the aptly named Gates of Paradise, the bronze east doors of the Baptistery that spurred the burgeoning Renaissance. Don’t overlook the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli at the Chiesa di Santa Croce, or Florence’s amazing leather goods. You can check them out when you visit one of the area’s famed workshops!

Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Chiesa di Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, Duomo visit, Leather Workshop, Gates of Paradise, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Dante's House

Traditional Florentine dinner

Day 5 Florence

Truffle & olive oil grove visit

Local market guided visit

Chianti winery visit and tasting

Dinner on your own

Day 6 Florence--Rome

Travel to Rome

Ancient Rome guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets - The ultimate symbol of Ancient Rome, the Colosseum still dominates the modern city. Tour the amphitheater with your local licensed guide. Built by the emperor Vespasian in A.D. 72, the structure held almost 50,000 spectators but was so well organized that the entire place could be emptied within 15 minutes. Inside, the spectacles varied from gladiator battles to immense naval contests to wild beast shows, in which thousands of exotic animals like giraffes and ostriches were popped into the stadium through trap doors and left to fight Roman hunters. See the system beneath the floor that operated the trap doors and housed the animals, then continue on to the relative calm of the Forum. Ancient Rome’s commercial, religious and political center, the Forum held markets, temples and the Senate House. Near the Rostra, or speaker’s platform, you can still see game boards scratched into the marble by bored politicians--anyone up for a game of tic tac toe?

Colosseum visit, Forum Romanum visit, Piazza Venezia

Dinner on your own

Day 7 RomeVatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel visit, St. Peter’s Basilica visitRome city walk

Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona

Pizza-making class & dinner

Day 8 Flight home from Rome

Total Fee: $4,461.00*OR 12 monthly payments of $367.58, after initial payment of $50.00

To register for this amazing trip and to find out the specifics of what is included go to:  http://www.explorica.com/Hallett-1785

Tour Includes:

Round-trip airfare

6 overnight stays (8 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms

Full European breakfast dailyDinner daily

Full-time services of a professional tour director

Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary

Visits to select attractions as per itinerary

Guided sightseeing tours with high-tech headset as per itinerary

Tour Diary™Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips

Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided

Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.

Are you ready to continue your journey into the world of grants? You will learn how to create a fundraising plan for all types of grantmakers. In addition, you will explore websites for finding and reviewing corporate, foundation, and government grant funding opportunities and grant application guidelines.

You will go through every aspect of strategic funding research, preparing a fundraising plan, writing an award-winning plan of operation, and creating a project budget without red flags. Then you will journey into the world of grants available for your projects. The excitement will build when you discover just how many funding opportunities are available.

You will see grants for arts and humanities, education, medical, science and agriculture, human services, and corporate foundation grants. You will also explore new grant-writing trends and what to do when you're notified of a grant award or a grant rejection. Don't worry, there's a plan to implement for future grant seeking success if you don't get your project funded.

By the end of the course, you will be prepared to continue tracking future grant-writing and funding trends, bounce back successfully from rejection notices, and manage all of your grant awards proficiently. In addition, you will gain confidence in all areas of grant seeking, grant writing, and grants management (post-award reporting requirements).

For more information please click the link.

Discover how time management, accounting, business law, organizational behavior, and management affect administrative assistant responsibilities and activities. Learn the basics of accounting, including the general ledger and key accounting terms, and see how financial statements and controls help keep your organization moving in a positive direction. Understand the fundamentals of business law, contracts, and the principal-agency relationship; discover ethics and organizational politics; and understand the basics of human resources management.

Also, discover key management functions such as planning, control, motivation, and organization, discover how to increase creativity. Plus, find out how marketing differs from sales and learn the basics of operations management. This course may help you prepare for the internationally-recognized Certified Administrative Professional® (CAP®) exam offered by the International Association of Administrative Professionals® (IAAP®).

Note: This course is not affiliated with, nor has it been endorsed by, the International Association of Administrative Professionals® (IAAP®).

For more information please click on the link.

The AEM®/CEM® Prep Course was designed in partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). This course is designed for emergency management professionals seeking the AEM or CEM credential. The course walks learners through submitting an application and offers essay writing tips. Primarily, the course reviews key terms and concepts that may appear on the AEM/CEM exam. Learners can check their understanding throughout the course with interactive games, review checkpoints, and exams. Certified Emergency Managers provide expert commentary, using their knowledge and experience to guide learners through the course. Plus, learners can gauge their exam readiness with two full-length practice exams, which mirror the real AEM/CEM exam.

Please note that this course cannot be used to meet the AEM/CEM emergency management or general management training requirements at this time.

For more information click on this link.

If you have ever considered a career as a veterinary assistant, you might have quite a few questions about what it is they do: What vaccinations do cats and dogs? What is the best way to control fleas? What do you do if your dog has a cut? What is the best way to deal with an emergency situation involving a pet? This course answers these questions and more.

You will learn about pet nutrition and a variety of health and safety issues. You will understand how to treat and prevent parasites, including roundworms and heartworms. You will even learn the facts of life, as it pertains to dogs and cats. You will explore current thoughts on spaying and neutering, how to deal with the very emotional issues of euthanasia, pet loss, and how best to assist clients in a time of need.

For more information please click the link.

Food and nutrition have a profound impact on our health and well-being, yet many of us are not aware of what foods to eat, which diets are healthy, and where our food originates. We eat toxic, irradiated, or genetically altered foods and we eat more than we need. How can we change our eating habits and become more conscious of what we eat, why we eat it, how it is prepared, and what consequences our food choices have on our health as well as the health of our planet? This certificate provides an overview of the role of food and nutrition choices on our bodies, our immune systems, our overall well-being, and the health of all sentient beings on an increasingly populated planet.

The outcome of this certificate is for the learner to describe a holistic overview of current food and nutrition issues and their impact on physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and planetary health.

For more information on this course click the link.

Owning or managing a small business has a lot of benefits. Small business owners may have the freedom to control their schedules, be able to focus on work that they find fulfilling, and find opportunities to positively impact their communities. But in addition to benefits like these, small business management brings with it some unique challenges. Owners of small businesses often play many roles and must have a wide body of knowledge. In a single day, a small business owner may be required to do any number of varied tasks, like approve a project plan budget, train a new employee, and develop a marketing campaign. This certificate will provide students with a fundamental understanding of the most critical areas in small business management.

For more information click on the link.