Hundreds Participate in Annual King Day Event
 Photos by Kathy Keeser
Mayor Richard Alcombright serves lunch to the MCLA men's basketball. |
At Louison House, the homeless shelter of Family Life Support Center, a crew helped organize the furniture storage area, painted a cellar floor, built two shelves, and moved around office furniture.
Tim Cha came all the way from Mount Washington to carry on his six-year tradition to participate in a day of service.
"When I did a [computer] search , this day of service came out top on the list," said Cha.
Cha might be from South County but Monday was about doing community service the Northern Berkshire way, as more than 200 people attended the "Day of Service and Community" celebration at St. John's Episcopal Church in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
This was the 16th annual event sponsored by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and the Martin Luther King Committee marking the holiday for the slain civil-rights leader but the first to include community service time. The day also included the annual luncheon and the presentation of awards, including the Peacemaker Award to the Haiti Plunge Project.
State Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, encouraged the large crowd to follow Martin's teachings by "doing by example, give service to the community." As he sent the volunteers on their way, he referenced a quote from singer Harry Chapin: "I don't care what you do, but do something.
"Well, today we are going to do something!"
 Marion Grillon and Cindy Brown, MCLA vice president of academic affairs, put shelving together at the Louison House. Below, Al Bashevkin of NBCC takes a moment. |
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Joan Carney, a who moved to North Adams two months ago, heard about the event and came because "I want to give back."
Teams collected cans and bottles door to door and brought them to 107 Main St., where the COTY Youth Center was gathering the recyclables to benefit its Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. Residents in need could also pick up coats, shoes and other items there that were donated by North Adams office of the Berkshire Community Action Council. Members of the Northern Berkshire Juvenile Court's community service program set up the special store, which was run three days last week by volunteers Jill Daugherty and John Caesar. Daugherty
"About seven or 10 people came each day and several adults picked out a coat and left wearing it," said Daugherty. "Showing they needed them immediately."
At the Salvation Army on River Street, about 25 people, including women's basketball team from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, sorted recent donations and reorganized pantry shelves and a large shed of supplies. Aldona Adams brought seven girls with her for service at the Salvation Army.
"When Samantha (her daughter) asked to have a sleepover with the girls, I said she could if the girls were willing to get up early and do a day of service," said Adams. "They were up late, but they were ready to go by 8 a.m. They are enjoying this."
To benefit women and children in transition at the Elizabeth Freeman Center, some members of the MCLA men's basketball team handed out fliers listing the items needed and asked people to purchase them at a local store. The shoppers dropped off the items on the way out.
The annual event began with a "Dreamer's Brunch" in January 1994 and some in attendance, including Richard Dassatti and Natalie Cain, have been attending regularly.
 Darlene and Natalie Ellis drop off cans they collected door to door in the Houghton Street area for the Haiti Earthquake Relief fund. They brought in two carloads. |
Cain added, "Seeing today, with all the people here from all walks of life, some who were here at the first event, is a fulfillment of so many people's dreams to have people come together, help each other and share socially with each other."
"Wow, I was blown away with the participation today. Maybe the earthquake (in Haiti) brought out more people, but there are more people than we normally have," said Alex Daugherty, chairman of the Martin Luther King Committee. Al Bashevkin, NBCC executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition added, "It is wonderful that so many people turned out to provide service and if they are needed in the future, I hope we can call on them again."
The event ended with a luncheon at St. John's. Mayor Richard Alcombright said the combination of service and celebration seemed to bring out a larger crowd than usual.
 Evan Sanders offered some elbow grease to Louison House. |
Lindsey Keating was presented with the SAY It Proud Award by Kate Merrigan on behalf of the Northern Berkshire Youth Collaborative. The Supporting and Acknowledging Youth awards were developed by the collaborative a couple of years ago to recognize youth; after a year's hiatus, the awards will now be given four times annually at a community event.
Keating was honored for her work in helping to create a new peer mediation group at Drury High School, created in response to the closing of Conte Middle School and the moving of eighth-grade students to the high school. The new program provides high school mentors for the new middle school students.
