Moments House To Open Development Office

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The board of directors of Moments House have announced the opening of a development office in the downtown next month.

The location of the new office will be 194 Fenn St., by the post office, in a shared building along with Twin Hearts Yarn Shop and Berkshire Travel Agency.

Moments House was established in January 2011 by Alice and Danielle Trumbull. It has been operating out of donated space, holding events, meetings and group activities throughout the Berkshires to bring together those effected by a cancer diagnosis. The group has been fundraising and creating awareness over the past 16 months and hopes to vamp up its presence in the community by opening up an office location.

"We are very excited to have our own space," said Alice Trumbull. "It gives us the physical location to make us visible to the community with the opportunities to better connect our local friends with the information to help them deal with hearing the word 'cancer.' "

Although this is a large step for the non-profit, it will not be a permanent home. It will provide office space for board meetings, information display, for volunteers to assist visitors in connecting them to people facing similar situations. The monthly art program with children, Art with Heart, will also be hosted in the office space. When funding becomes plentiful enough, the group will further look into purchasing a house to open a homelike setting along with the help of its Realtors Joe and Diane Ziemlak from Re/Max.

The office is scheduled to open Monday, June 4, and will be open to the community daily from 10 to 6. Anyone effected by a cancer diagnosis is welcome to visit the office for information, comfort or support, from the patients themselves to spouses, siblings, co-workers, friends, etc. The office space will be set up to have the feel of a comfortable, homelike atmosphere with coffee, ice water and fresh pastries every day.

Fundraising efforts will continue and will operate out of the office location. Events such as the annual Slice of Life Pizza Competition help fund projects of Moments House and the ultimate goal of finding a permanent home. Services and programs include art therapies, mind and body therapies, dance and music, yoga, touch, workshops, support groups, social activities, and bereavement services.

Those interested in volunteering can stop into the office during regular hours and any donations can be mailed to the new address after June 4. Berkshire County companies looking to become corporate partners of Moments House can contact Alice Trumbull at alice@momentshouse.org or at 413-822-3286. Community support is vital to the success of an organization like Moments House and it is always looking for community partners to support its efforts.

Visit www.momentshouse.org and www.facebook.com/momentshouse for more information.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Taconic High Names Top Students of the Class of 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Taconic High School Principal Matthew Bishop has announced the valedictorian and salutatorian of the class of 2026. 
 
They will speak during the graduation ceremony on Friday, June 12, at 4 p.m at Tanglewood in Lenox. 
 
Gavin O'Donnell, son of Kevin and Colleen O'Donnell of Pittsfield, has been named valedictorian with a grade average of 103. Hunter Bentz, son of Heidi Bentz of Pittsfield, has been named salutatorian with a grade average of 102.4.
 
Throughout his high school career, O'Donnell has exemplified the values of leadership, commitment, and excellence that define the Taconic community. He achieved high honors all four years and made significant contributions to both the school and the wider community. He was an active member of the Link Crew, Green and Gold, and Class Council, just to name a few of his activities. 
 
A dedicated athlete, O'Donnell played soccer and baseball all four years and was named captain of the varsity soccer and baseball teams both junior and senior years. His commitment to service extended beyond athletics, as he volunteered with Unified Games and was a math tutor at Taconic. He has also been an active part of Pittsfield Soccer Club, where he has helped
referee youth soccer games and assisted in getting the fields ready for game days.
 
He has earned several awards, including being a member of the National Honor Society,  the John and Abigail Adams Award, and being an AP Scholar and an AP Capstone Graduate. 
 
O'Donnell plans to pursue a degree in finance at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where he will continue to play baseball and hopes to excel as a student. 
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