Berkshire Bank Conducting Company-Wide Care Package Drive

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In support of American troops fighting overseas, Berkshire Bank is conducting a company-wide care package drive through its Employee Volunteer Program. The goal of the program is to raise community awareness of the needs of soldiers while showing them the support they have throughout Berkshire County, the Pioneer Valley, Eastern New York, and Southern Vermont.

The drive will run from Monday, March 29 through Friday, April 9, and donated items will be collected in all bank branches and insurance offices. The bank is partnering with local service-connected organizations to distribute the care packages to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
       
Collection boxes are set up at all bank branches and Berkshire Insurance Group offices throughout the Berkshire Bank system in Massachusetts, New York and Vermont. Customers and the public are invited and encouraged to participate in the care package drive by donating non-perishable foods, toiletries, games, DVDs, and certain clothing items. Recommended items include granola bars, microwave foods, coffee, hearty soups, cereals, socks, sunscreen, phone cards and body wash. A complete list of items can be found at any Berkshire Bank or  www.berkshirebank.com.

Organizations partnering on the project with the bank are: Berkshire County Red Cross and Soldier On (Berkshire County & Vermont); the USO of the Pioneer Valley (Pioneer Valley); and Blue Star Mothers (New York). Representatives from these organizations and bank employees will package and ship the care packages overseas.

In addition, bank employees and students from local Berkshire County schools will write letters to the troops that will be included in the care packages as a way of saying "thank you" for the work they are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This project is another in a series of being undertaken by the bank’s Employee Volunteer Program that was established to help the bank and employees give back to the communities in which they do business in. This fall, the bank conducted a company wide food drive which raised over 6,642 pounds of food for local pantries and food banks. In addition, the Volunteer Program will hold a company-wide volunteer work day on May 26 to carry out a variety of projects throughout all the bank’s market areas.

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.