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Saturday November 21, 2009
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What's Playing


The Drury Drama Team presents "Dracula" on Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 19-21.

If you don't know who these guys are, just stay home.


'Pirate Radio': Good Movie Ahoy, Mateys
Movie schedules and times

Bazaars

Nov. 21

St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.

Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.

First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.

Nov. 28

Becket Federated Church
, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.


Dec. 5

Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.


Dec. 12-13

North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.

Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.

Sales Fliers

 
 

Daily Digest

Hooray for Vermont's Sanders and his battle against credit card companies.
How Much is Heating Oil this Week?
It's breaking $2.50 but still cheaper than gas.
Clarksburg Crime Watch Signs



We're trying out blogs to offer shorter, easy-to-find news. Let us know what you think.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.
Mammography Dispute
The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.

iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.

Obituaries

Paul Sandler, 64
Robert J. Heideman, 73
Carol V. Vallieres, 75
More obituaries

Sports

Williams College Men's Basketball Season Outlook
2009 MIAA Girls Soccer - State Division 2

Final: Wahconah vs Cardinal Spellman
Date / Time: 11/21/2009; 3:30pm
Location: Foley Stadium, Worcester
MCLA Picked Last in Men's Preseason Coaches Poll

Media Partners

Berkshire News Network (WNAW;WUPE)
WJJW Charlie in the Morning

Election


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Plunkett School Gets Kids Excited About Reading

By Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
02:09PM / Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Jeremiah Fudge likes dinosaurs.
ADAMS, Mass. — Jeremiah Fudge didn't have to think twice about what to grab off the book-laden tables in the C.T. Plunkett Elementary School library on Friday.

His book featured a leafy green cover with a fearsome looking dinosaur on the rampage.

"I always like to read about them, how they were excavated," said the second-grader. "Dinosaurs lived a long time ago and they ruled the world."

Not everyone made up their minds quite so easily; one youngster hemmed about a Nancy Drew mystery before he settled on a story about boxing. But each second- and fifth-grader walked away with a good book thanks to Reading Is Fundamental.

The school participates in the RIF program three times a year, said librarian Judy Bender, each time using a different theme. Some 530 pupils at the Commercial Street school were to receive a new book.

Friday's theme was trains and "each child created a 'train car' as a way of generating excitement," said Bender.

The little paper cars were joined in a line that rolled along tracks across the walls of the library. Each color cluster was a grade level.

It worked, said Bender, "because the kids couldn't wait for RIF day."

RIF, which hands out 16 million free books a year to more than 4 million children, is just one of the programs at the school designed to encourage a love of reading, said Ellen Smachetti, the school's Title 1 director.

One project had parents cleaning out their bookshelves and donating outgrown books to Plunkett youngsters and another, "Curl Up With A Good Book," brought storytellers in for readings, cider, goodies and, of course, more books.

Up next is a fundraiser sponsored by Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Berkshire Crossings in Pittsfield. Make a purchase on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and mention Plunkett School — the school will receive a portion of the sale.

"We're very excited abut this," said Smachetti. "We hope to raise money for books and equipment for the library."

Meanwhile, the kids had completed their browsing, helped by their teachers and Title 1 teacher Deb Langner, who was appropriately sporting a train engineer's cap and scarf.

Seven-year-old Selena Domingez settled on tale of mustangs because she loves horses; classmate Abigail Mullaney was eager to read the story of a first grade that puts on play.

As the children posed with their new books, more waited impatiently in the hallway, keen to find their perfect book to curl up with.
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