New Year's Resolutions: A North County SamplingBy Melanie Rancourt
Special to iBerkshires
11:40AM / Friday, January 02, 2009
 | | A Roman coin featuring the two-faced god Janus. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Go on a diet, stop smoking, do better in school, quit drinking, spend more time with the family.
These are only a few of the traditional New Year's resolutions people make. Some will stick to their resolutions, others will stumble. Even if your lifestyle changes only for a short time, at least you tried.
The tradition of making a New Year's resolution dates back to at least 153 BC, to a Roman god named Janus.
Janus had two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. He could look back on past events as well as look into the future. Janus became the symbol of resolutions and many Romans looked to him for forgiveness from their enemies. It is said the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and toward the new.
These days, Janus is mostly forgotten (the month of January is named for him) but the tradition of making New Year's resolutions is alive and well. Many well-known community members are participating in the age-old tradition, making both personal and professional resolutions.
James Canavan, executive director of the Northern Berkshire United Way (pictured in top photo), would like to see a year of peace locally, nationally and globally.
"Locally I would like to see a return to prosperity for all of our neighbors in the Berkshire County area," Canavan said. "I would like to be a part of the most successful campaign that the Northern Berkshire United way has ever run."
The nonprofit agency's aspiration is for citizens in and around the area to take pride in the fact that Berkshire County is a community where everyone can live, work, learn and thrive.
Personally, Canavan has made the resolution to finish writing a novel.
"I would like to eventually complete three that I have in mind," Canavan said. "One is a crime story and one is a coming-of-age story about the Cape Cod baseball league, both of which I can have fun writing. The other novel, which has a more serious topic, is also a coming-of-age story about the war in Vietnam. Hopefully, I will find the time.”
Another community member resolving to better the community is North Adams Public Schools Superintendent James E. Montepare.
"The resolutions I have for the North Adams Public Schools are actually goals that I have for the district, but isn't that what a resolution is?" Montepare said.
Among Montepare's goals for the coming year are improving attendance so that all students are in school at least 95 percent of the time. He would like to find new ways for students to be successful with technology, expand virtual courses to the middle school and expand the one-on-one laptop initiative to the high school.
Mary K. Grant
|
Finally, Montepare said he would like to expand programs that improve students' wellness, such as better eating habits and more directed physical activity, and programs that promote emotional well-being for students and their families. He'd also like to expand to the districtwide fine arts program.
Mary K. Grant, president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Canavan's wife, prefers to think about the possibilities that lie ahead and the opportunities yet to be uncovered, rather than resolutions.
"It's a time to reflect, to renew, to count blessings, and to look forward," Grant said.
"I am deeply thankful for good health, family, and friends. I am grateful to do the work that I do, with such dedicated, talented, and hard-working colleagues and friends and within such a strong, caring and supportive community," Grant said. "The students who pass through our classrooms at MCLA and enrich our lives are filled with possibility; they are essential to a brighter, successful future for us all. It is my hope for the New Year that we will continue to support and invest in this brighter future. These are investments that pay great dividends!"
Photo by Melanie Rancourt
Marie Harpin of Berkshire Community Action North. |
Marie Harpin, area director of Berkshire Community Action North and a North Adams City councilor for 12 years, said a year of peace, happiness and good health is what she would like to see for everyone.
"My personal goal is to live a happier, healthier, thinner life," Harpin said. "Professionally, I am also hoping that the economy is better this year. I am hoping the budgets are better this year, not only for the school department but for the city of North Adams as a whole. I would like to see new employers come into the area and people in our community get new jobs. I know this is a lot on my plate, however, I do have high expectations."
Laura Baran, community executive for income development in Berkshire County for the American Cancer Society, would like to professionally increase awareness in Northern Berkshire about the Relay for Life event that is taking place May 29 to 30 at Noel Field in North Adams.
Laura Baran
and son Ryan.
|
"I would like to personally invite the entire community to join us in celebrating 25 years of hope," Baran said. "Personally, I would like to like to try and live a healthier lifestyle and make the most of every day."
Last but not least, North Adams Mayor John Barrett III echoed the sentiments of his peers by making both professional and personal resolutions for 2009.
"Professionally, I would like to keep my patience in 2009," Barrett said. "I would like to keep my patience when pleading the case of North Adams to our state officials. This is going to be one of our toughest years. State officials do not understand that we (local officials) are going to have to make some tough decisions at the community level due to the impact that budget cuts are going to have. These state officials do not have to deal with the personal problems that people are going to face because of the cut in state revenue, which is quite unfortunate."
Personally, he would like to spend more time with the younger people in the community and talk with them the about the many changes the city has done to make this a fun community to live in.
Photo by Melanie Rancourt
Mayor John Barrett III is going to try to be more patient. |
"I have not been able to enjoy the successes of the programs that we have developed in our community," said the mayor. "We have expanded the drama, music and band programs in our schools, we have taken over the Vietnam Veterans (Memorial) Skating Rink on South Church Street, and we have developed the Alcombright Athletic Field Complex on Protection Avenue. I would like to go and talk with the kids and see what they think. I will definitely not skate, but I would like to see the kids having fun."
Information from www.goalsguy.com was used in the writing of this article. |
