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.
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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.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. - Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Central Berkshire Fund announced a challenge grant of $100,000+ to support the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program in central Berkshire County. The fund will match $7 for every $1 raised by the 14,550 residents of Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington and Windsor. Each town must raise $1 per resident up to its population size with a minimum of 10 gifts per town by December 21, 2009.
All of the donations will be dedicated to Berkshire Taconic’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor program for that specific town, providing emergency aid to residents in need. Every town’s donation will be matched individually so long as the full challenge amount is raised. If any town raises less than the challenge amount, its donations will go the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program, but will not be matched.
“We have an extraordinary opportunity with this challenge to truly make a difference in the lives of our neighbors who may be in financial distress,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. “Donations of any amount are welcome and will have a huge impact as the winter approaches.”
Neighbor-to-Neighbor provides emergency assistance for local residents who are in economic distress. The program makes small grants (generally around $500) to help those with overdue utilities, medical bills, short-term housing costs, and transportation problems. Checks are written to the vendor (landlord, utility company, pharmacy or mechanic) on behalf of the community member in need. The funds are not intended for long-term or ongoing assistance, but for strategic intervention to help achieve a measure of stability and avert further crises. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has recently launched Neighbor-to-Neighbor throughout the tri-state Berkshire Taconic region, with programs in Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT.
Neighbor-to-Neighbor is an expansion of Berkshire Taconic’s Emergency Relief Fund, which for more than 15 years worked with social service organizations and churches to help those in desperate need. Neighbor-to-Neighbor now gives everyone in our region the opportunity to offer help to their neighbors.
How the Neighbor-to-Neighbor Challenge Grant Works:
Town
Partner
Agency Accepting Donations
Population*
Total $ Needed
From No Fewer
Than 10 Donors
Central Berkshire
Fund Match $
Total $
Becket
Town of Becket
557 Main St.
Becket, MA 01223
413.623.8934
2,000
2,000
$14,000
$16,000
Cummington
Hilltown Family Center
33 Main St.
Cummington MA 01026
413.634.5362
1,000
1,000
$7,000
$8,000
Dalton
Dalton CRA
400 Main St.
Dalton, MA 01226
413.684.0260
7,000
7,000
$49,000
$56,000
Hinsdale
Town of Hinsdale
39 South St.
Hinsdale, MA 01235
413.655.2245
2,000
2,000
$14,000
$16,000
Peru
Town of Peru
c/o Berkshire Taconic Community
Foundation
271 Main St., Suite 3
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413.528.8039
1,000
1,000
$7,000
$8,000
Washington
Town of Washington
8 Summit Hill Rd.
Washington, MA 01223
413.623.5059
$550
$550
$3,850
$4,400
Windsor
Friends of Windsor
PO Box 21
Windsor, MA 01270
$1,000
$1,000
$7,000
$8,000
TOTAL
$14,550
$14,550
$101,850
$116,400
*Population figures based on rounded 2000 census numbers.
Neighbor-to-Neighbor is partnering with Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC), a countywide social service agency, to administer this program for the Central Berkshire Fund. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact BCAC’s Wayne Cronnell at 413.445.4503 or wcronnell@bcainc.org.
About Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Central Berkshire Fund
The Central Berkshire Fund seeks to improve the quality of life for the residents of Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington and Windsor. This Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation endowed fund makes grants annually to nonprofits serving the hilltowns. Grants have supported food pantries, enrichment programs for schools, community recreational trails and youth empowerment programs.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Thanks to its generous donors, in 2008 Berkshire Taconic distributed nearly $9 million in scholarships and grants for programs in the arts and education, health and human services, and environmental protection. Berkshire Taconic is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.
