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NBCC Focus On KatrinaBy Susan Bush
12:00AM / Thursday, September 08, 2005
North Adams – The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition’s Sept. 9 meeting will be devoted to Hurricane Katrina and the storm’s massive impacts.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Community Church in North Adams.
Agency Executive Director Alan Bashevkin said that he hopes to focus on three discussion points. The Northern Berkshire humanitarian response, issues surrounding what Bashevkin termed “wounds that were opened†as a result of the storm and the rescue efforts, and a review of local, state, and federal resources coupled with the impacts of predicted heating fuel price hikes are likely to be discussed during the meeting.
“Folks have talked to me about different things and churches are sponsoring some families,†he said. “We have to talk about what resources we have.â€
“We have to talk about what America means to all of us,†he added.
Several Sept. 7 television news reports predicted natural gas price hikes that could skyrocket by 71 percent and heating oil hikes that could approach 31 percent. Price hikes of that magnitude would likely place great stress on local families during the winter months, Bashevkin agreed.
The people of the Gulf Coast are in immediate and dire need of much assistance and the country must find ways to provide that help, Bashevkin said.
Looking Out For All of Us
“We are the richest nation in the world,†he said. “After Sept. 11 [2001], resources were found and resources were found for Iraq. We have to find resources for [hurricane relief]. We need to find ways to fund this.â€
The storm brought issues surrounding race, poverty, and economic class to the nation’s forefront, Bashevkin said.
“This opened wounds and will have us facing issues that we really haven’t wanted to face,†Bashevkin said. “Do we have a class system in this country? Of course we do.â€
Bashevkin acknowledged that Northern Berkshire families, as well as families nation-wide, will be affected by the storm because of expected price hikes impacting goods and services other than heating fuel.
“We need to look out for all of us,†Bashevkin said.
The September meeting was initially scheduled as a public forum focused on developing the agency’s agenda for the next 12 months. The community hearing/public forum meeting has been rescheduled to Oct. 14.
Information about the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition is available by calling 413-663-7588 or by visiting a www.nbccoalition.org Internet web site.
Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush123@adelphia.net or at 802-823-9367.
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