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Daily Digest
Steve Decker cleans up in front of BankNorth on Wednesday.
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More Snow
The Berkshires received several inches of snow this morning, but not enough to close schools, unlike yesterday's sleety mess. Temperatures will drop into the 20s this afternoon. A few more snow showers are expected through the weekend. |
Duff'em If You've Got'em
 North Adams Regional Hospital went smoke-free Monday — so did all its sister sites, from Sweet Brook to Northern Berkshire Family Practice to the Women's Exchange. No ashtrays, no smoking: No butts about it. |
Wanted: Eagle Eyes
MassWildlife's annual eagle count runs Dec. 31 to Jan. 14. Anyone sighting one of the regal birds in Massachusetts is asked to participate.
Send date, time, location and town of eagle sightings, number of birds, whether juvenile or adult and observer's contact information to Mass.wildlife@state.ma.us. |
| Need to contact iBerkshires? Here's how. |
Like to Write?
 iBerkshires accepts submissions about local events, news and opinion pieces. There are openings for freelance work, too, for qualified candidates. E-mail tdaniels@iberkshires.com to find out more. |
ObituariesRegionWhat's PlayingSales FliersColumnists | Independent Investor
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Other StuffMars Rovers Mark 5 Years
 Spirit and Opportunity have been trekking the red planet for half a decade. Spirit hit the 5-year mark on Sunday; Opportunity will on Jan. 24. |
Obama TransitionRelated Stories |
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Resolve to Offer a Helping HandBy Jen Thomas - December 31, 2007
With the arrival of the New Year, why not make 2008 the year to truly make a difference?
Whether it's helping the needy or lending a hand to a local arts organization, the Berkshires have plenty of places where the altruistic can use their talents for good. In fact, some nonprofits, like the American Red Cross and the Berkshire Humane Society, rely heavily on volunteers to continue running their operations and are constantly seeking fresh faces to contribute their time to making an impact.
This year, a resolution to actively engage in helping the community may actually become a commitment that changes the lives of others for the better and area organizations are desperately in need of the assistance.
According to Kathleen Phillips, the executive director of the Berkshire Chapter of the Red Cross, the majority of the organization's work force is unpaid, which means nearly 700 jobs are filled by volunteers.
"We depend on volunteers and there's just never enough," said Phillips, noting that there are only 24 people employed by the Red Cross.
Volunteers help run the chapter's daily operations by donating their time to drive patients to doctor's appointments, to work in the donor center or to be a disaster action team member. Phillips also said there is a need for drivers, especially in the winter when many of the regular volunteers are unavailable.
"It's one thing to write a check but it's another to really be here. It's just time and we can work around a busy schedule," said Phillips.
Sandra Thomas, the executive director of Images Cinema in Williamstown, said volunteers are the key to the movie theater's success.
"Volunteers are what keeps us alive," she said.
Images depends on a small staff of volunteers to man the concession stand, distribute the newsletter, collect items from vendors, clean the theater, fix the database, organize events and perform other administrative tasks.
"A lot of organizations in our community do good work and helping out, even if it's only once a week, helps these organizations function and makes the community a better place," said Thomas, who first became involved in the cinema as a Friday night cleaning volunteer.
For Louison House's Executive Director Michael Boland, getting volunteers isn't a problem - it's keeping them that is a concern.
"Sometimes New Year's resolutions go on the back burner. We see an outpouring of volunteers and people interested in helping out around the holidays. I'd like to see that resolve sustained in the other 11 months," Boland said.
Volunteers at the homeless shelter are always willing to take on the dirty tasks, like organizing the donated clothing in the attic or keeping the grounds maintained, but Boland said 2008 will bring a need for more specialized help to take on monitoring the shelter's new play space. Organized through the state's Horizons for Homeless Children program, volunteers will receive the training they need to work with the children who visit Louison House.
"We're really trying to develop a more coordinated effort that makes the best of volunteer time," said Boland. "Volunteering is inspiring because you can immediately see that your efforts produce results. The time you're investing is actually working."
With a waiting list for volunteering at the Berkshire Food Project, Executive Director Valerie Schwarz said she's grateful so many have offered to help prepare and serve meals to their needy Berkshire neighbors.
"It's not only about helping someone else. A lot of times it's fulfilling the need of a volunteer," said Schwarz.
Find Out More
To find out what kind of volunteer work will best suit your time and talents, check out www.BerkshireNonprofits.com. Under "Volunteer Now!" interested parties can browse dozens of Berkshire County organizations that need volunteers to keep their services going.
With categories like "Arts and Culture" and "Sports and Recreation," there's something for everyone. Complete with contact information and requirements, Berkshire Nonprofits is a one-stop shop for prospective volunteers.
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