Four-Wheelers Drive Donations for BCAC North
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They love the rough terrain and the welcome they've received from the community. So when they were looking for someplace to donate their annual food drive, North Berkshire seemed the obvious choice.
"We spend enough time four-wheeling around this area and this is just our way of supporting a community that doesn't give us a hard time of using their roads," said Michael Chapline of West Springfield, a founder of Berkshire4Wheelers and organizer of the drive.
The East Coast 4-Wheel Drive Association, Northeast Region, has been donating hundreds of pounds of food along cash donations to the Berkshire Community Action Council North for five years now.
Marie Harpin, head of BCAC North, said the group has been wonderful in providing resources for needy families in the area.
"They want to give something back to this community ... they love this area," said Harpin, pointing to the bags and boxes of food piled in the corner of the North Adams Armory basement. This year, the group of 30 to 40 donated more than $500 in cash and supermarket gift cards along with the food that had yet to be weighed. Last year, the drive rounded up more than 600 pounds of food and $400 in gift cards.
Most Berkshire4Wheelers aren't from Berkshire County. Many of the members hail from the Springfield area; Saturday's group also included members from other East Coast chapters.
"We go on the old town roads, we like them pretty rocky," said Chapline. The group's run into complaints in other places but the North Berkshire has offered up both rocky roads and friendly neighbors.
"The trails, the variety, the scenery," said Robert LaCoste, president of the Berkshire4Wheelers, explaining the attraction.
So, the first Saturday in November has become the group's season-ending run, with a food donation as the price to join in one of the several rides, based on conditions.
After coffee and doughnuts, the four-wheelers were ready to hit the trail, an archaic road from Adams to Florida Mountain. The day was bright and the temperatures mild, but bad conditions would have been OK, too.
"We've been up here in the mud, in the snow," said Chapline. "I think there's snow on the mountain now."
The National Association of Letter Carriers, Local 286, was also rounding up food for its annual drive on Saturday. The mail trucks were being unloaded and boxed up at the Armory. The drive usually brings in thousands of pounds of nonperishable food.
Harpin said 90 households will be helped by the donations received from the Berkshire4Wheelers.
"They're making the Thanksgiving for the people in North County this year," she said.
