Soup For Sudan Community Dinner

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A Soup for Sudan event at Williams College will raise money to benefit primary schools in Northern Darfur.[Photo courtesy of the Women's Commission]
Williamstown - Darius Jonathan, former advisor to the Vice-President of Sudan, will speak at Soup for Sudan, a benefit dinner to raise funds for primary schools in Northern Darfur. Open to the public, the event will feature an authentic Sudanese meal on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. in Mission Park Dining Hall on the Williams College campus. The event intends to raise awareness of the value of education in war-torn Darfur, declared an area of genocide in 2004 by former Secretary of State Colin Powell. All Soup for Sudan funds will directly benefit the Darfur Schools Project, an education initiative of the Darfur Peace and Development Organization. As a grassroots non-profit, the organization's volunteers can reach schools of displaced and orphaned children, even in remote, war-torn regions. Money goes toward providing textbooks, supplies, tent "classrooms" and teachers' salaries, and $36 can sponsor one student for one year. Soup for Sudan is sponsored by the Darfur Action Force and Williams College dining services. The Darfur Action Force is a college and community group, consisting of Williams College's Students for Social Justice organization and STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) chapter, Mount Greylock Regional High School's HelpDarfurNow chapter, members of the Williamstown First Congregational Church's Sudan Task Relief Force, as well as other students and community members. This event is in collaboration with Williams College dining services, as organized by Assistant Director of Student Dining Chris Abayasinghe; Mission Park Head Chef, David Berger; and Mission Park Manager Michele O'Brien. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (12 & under), and may be purchased at Wild Oats Natural Market on Main Street or Where'd You Get That!? on Spring Street. For more information, or to reserve a ticket, contact Darfur.Action.Force@gmail.com
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Williamstown Board Opts to Negotiate with College on Water St. Lot

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff

Newly elected board member Nate Budington, far left, participates in his first in-person meeting along with, from left, Matt Neely, Stephanie Boyd, Peter Beck, Shana Dixon and Town Manager Robert Menicocci.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday decided to enter into negotiations with Williams College on the sale of the vacant town-owned lot at 59 Water St.
 
But the board members made it clear that the college's proposal to acquire the lot is a starting point, not a final deal that the elected officials would accept.
 
"For the sake of continued conversation, I'm in favor of [awarding Williams the site], but if this process wasn't continued with the opportunity for further negotiation, I wouldn't vote to continue this," Peter Beck said. "I think that next step is necessary for us to get to a yes on this."
 
"I think there's wide agreement on that," Matthew Neely said just before the 5-0 vote to enter talks with the college.
 
Williams was the sole respondent to a town-issued request for proposals to develop the former town garage site, currently a dirt lot.
 
The college's stated intent is to build a new Facilities office and create up to 170 parking spaces at 59 Water Street. That use will allow the college to redevelop the current Facilities building site and parking lot as part of a reconception of the school's indoor athletic and recreation facilities.
 
Under the terms of the RFP, the college's proposal was subjected to review by an ad hoc advisory committee to the town manager, who brought the question to the Select Board. That board will have the final say on any purchase and sales agreement.
 
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