PITTSFIELD - Elder Services held its 33rd annual meeting on Oct. 24 at the Wahconah Country Club, with more than 180 people in attendance.
The organization welcomed four new board members, Elaine Christopher, Karen Gold, Terrence Hanlon and Joseph Tirrell, who were elected to serve two-year terms. Officers elected to one-year terms for 2007-2008, are President Barbara I. Kie, Vice President Sully Garofano, Treasurer Christopher King and Clerk Carole Siegel.
Richard J. Matthews, who retired from his position as board president, was named board member of the year.
Elder Services has more than 120 full and part-time staff, 13 of whom were honored with longevity awards, ranging from 5 to 20 years.
Executive Director Robert P. Dean gave his annual report, part of which is excerpted here:
"Here at Elder Services, we recognize the overwhelming preference of Berkshire County seniors to continue to live independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible ... and, if or when they need long-term care services, to receive those services at home. At the heart of Elder Services is a commitment to honor this preference with all the resources available to us.
During the past year, we served more seniors than ever before, supporting them in their desire to continue to live in their own homes and communities, with dignity and independence, and to achieve the highest quality of life. Elder Services staff worked tirelessly to ensure that each senior received the services they needed.
Many thanks to our staff and volunteers, who together are the heart and soul of this great agency. Although we serve more than 10,000 seniors, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities a year, we serve one person at a time, with care and compassion, thanks to your dedication and commitment. You are truly outstanding. You are without equal."
Matthews, the event's main speaker, spoke on "Two Very Different Worlds," in which he contrasted his for-profit and non-profit work experiences.
"I have enjoyed two careers over the past 50 years. First, I spent almost 40 years working in the 'for-profit' world, where the 'bottom line' drove the daily operations," he said. "In 1996, I retired from that world and, soon after, I joined Elder Services as a volunteer shopper, later volunteering as a nursing home ombudsman. I was then hired as an Elder Services case manager, and since retiring from that position in 2001, I have served as a member of the board of directors. I feel very fortunate and proud to have been a part of such an outstanding organization, and I wish them continued success in future years."
Established in 1974, the nonprofit agency, serves more than 10,000 seniors, individuals with disabilities, and caregivers a year, offering Meals on Wheels, information and referral, in-home supports, housing programs, protective services and elder intervention, money management, volunteer services, caregiver supports, Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE), monthly Berkshire Senior newspaper, and the Berkshire Senior cable TV show.
For more information on volunteering or services, contact Louisa Weeden or Robert Dean at 413-499-0524.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
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For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
