Radio star making waves for county

By Bill SamplePrint Story | Email Story
Award winning travel radio show host Stefanie Abrams and WUPE Radio operations manager, David Isby work the sound board in preparation for Sunday's live two hour show broadcast from Pittsfield. (Photo By Bill Sample)
PITTSFIELD — Travel expert Stephanie Abrams’ nationally syndicated radio show, “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” broadcasts from Pittsfield and is heard live every Sunday, all across America on the Business Talk Radio Network and on the Internet at www.businesstalkradio.net . From 7 to 9 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, the show heavily promotes the scenic beauty and cultural offerings of Berkshire County, but ironically, is not carried by any local stations. Abrams, who has been producing the weekly two-hour show from the WUPE production facilities for the past two years, reports travel news and feature stories from around the globe, but has her heart firmly anchored in the Berkshires. “I look for every opportunity to weave Berkshire County into every show I do,” she said Monday. “The Berkshires are a fairy tale kind of place, a treasure trove of wonderful travel opportunities. Every show has its own theme, and in a show where we are leapfrogging around the world, the Berkshires will have a segment on that theme.” For example, a recent show on golf travel included segments from Scotland, Ireland, Mexico, Bermuda, and of course, Berkshire County. Abrams is also the sponsor of one of the Merino sheep on display as part of Sheeptacular Pittsfield. Her March 7, 2004 show was almost entirely devoted to Berkshire county, with an on-air guest list that included the heads of venerable Berkshire institutions such as the Berkshire Visitor’s Bureau, Hancock Shaker Village, Tanglewood and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Berkshire Opera Company and Sheeptacular Pittsfield Event Chairwoman Mary Rentz. Abrams is aided by her “on air companion” [and WUPE operations manager] Dave Isby of Pittsfield, who keeps the conversations going while serving as the show’s sound engineer and routing phone calls at the same time. The travel show is not a production of WUPE Radio; Abrams merely leases the production facilities on East Street, and she is the producer of the nationally syndicated, award-winning show. Abrams, who has won awards for marketing, public relations and advertising campaigns, has also been listed as “one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the travel industry” by Travel Agent Magazine. So infectious and charismatic is her passion for travel and her love of this area that Berkshire Community College has consulted with her on a new course being offered this fall through the Lifelong Learning Center. The course, “The Tourism Marketing Magnet,” will debut as a non-credit course held every Tuesday in November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. “There is no question that a restful, uplifting, enriching travel experience is a great prescription for a healthful life,” Abrams said. “We present valuable information and interview key executives at tourism boards, hotels and inns, cruise lines, spa and golf resorts, tour operators, airlines and car rental companies who share up-to-date information about travel opportunities. Our listeners can call in with compelling questions and to win a never-ending assortment of travel prizes.” Prizes have included a Delta Queen cruise, an Amtrak Vacations trip to New Orleans (complete with a stay at the Holiday Inn French Quarter), a cruise with American West Steamboat, a Caribbean cruise with MSC Italian Cruises, stays at SuperClubs Resorts in the Caribbean and Avalon Resorts in Mexico, plane tickets with Hawaiian Airlines and a stay at the deluxe Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows. When is the perfect time to travel? “When you have the time, the money and the health!” Abrams said. “Don’t wait for some perfect mythical time because it doesn’t exist and life manages to get in the way.” She said she believes safe travel is still the norm despite the increased threat of terrorism here and abroad. “My attitude is to avoid any places that have been placed on the U.S. Government travel advisory lists, which you can easily find linked at my Web site, www.sabrams.com, but I can’t tell you the last time I wanted to go to Afghanistan!” she said. :Using your good common horse-sense, you can travel, have wonderful experiences and return to talk about it! You can’t out-guess the Lord! When He wants you, He’ll find you. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to live!” "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" airs nationally on Sundays from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Business Talk Radio Network. The program is simulcast on the radio network's Web site at www.businesstalkradio.net – Berkshire County residents can tune in to WVKZ 1240 AM in Albany, N.Y., to hear the show. Or, if they have a really powerful radio, they can tune in to stations on the West Coast or all the way to Guam, where the show is carried on radio station WGNR. They can register to win travel packages either by calling in to the live radio show or by registering at the Web site.
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Senior Golf Series Returns in September

Community submission
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Berkshire County Fall Senior Golf series returns in September with events on five consecutive Wednesdays starting Sept. 18.
 
It is the 22nd year of the series, which is a fund-raiser for junior golf in the county, and it is open to players aged 50 and up.
 
The series will feature two divisions for each event based on the combined ages of the playing partners.
 
Golfers play from the white tees (or equivalent) with participants 70 and over or who have a handicap of more than 9 able to play from the forward tees.
 
Gross and net prices will be available in each division.
 
The cost is $55 per event and includes a round of golf, food and prizes. Carts are available for an additional fee.
 
Golfers should call the pro shop at the course for that week's event no sooner than two weeks before the event to register.
 
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