BCC Students Veterans Alliance Hosts Soldiers for Santa

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Community College Students Veterans Alliance has organized "Soldiers for Santa," a community outreach program working in conjunction with Dreams of Joy, a program that helps families, the elderly and veterans struggling around the holiday season. SVA has volunteered to help Dreams of Joy by collecting items for the veterans in their care. Often, these veterans have no family and, due to their service to our country, have been left unable to fully care for themselves.

SVA asks the community, both on and off campus, for help in bringing joy to veterans this holiday season. Simply choose an ornament from the stocking on the SVA bulletin board, located in the rear of the SBA Lounge across from the Office of Student Life, and purchase the gift on the ornament you choose. Each ornament clearly states the request for a local veteran in need. Return the gift to the Office of Student Life or Financial Aid no later than Monday, Dec. 13.

For more information on the Soldiers for Santa program, contact Beth Wallace at 413-236-1662 or bwallace@berkshirecc.edu.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Colombian Artist Celebrates Immigrant Stories in New Pittsfield Mural

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Artist Laura Barrios explains the  inspiration of the mural, of immigrants building new lives in the Berkshires.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The walls along the Intermodal Center's train platform are a little more colorful following the unveiling of Let It Shine's third mural at that location, transforming a space once surrounded by bare concrete into a vibrant display of public art.
 
The unveiling on Thursday, marks the close of Let It Shine's 2026 outdoor public art season and the third year of its emerging artist program, said Mill Town Foundation Program Director Andy Wrba. 
 
Let It Shine's Emerging Artists Mentorship program was established in 2024 to support aspiring artists in the community by providing guidance, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to create large-scale public art.
 
"This mural, along with all the murals, as part of this emerging artist program, and even more broadly, all the murals that you see downtown throughout Pittsfield shows that we care about the cultural scene and we care about the creative people that live and work in our city," Wrba said.
 
The new mural, painted by Colombian artist Laura Barrios, celebrates immigrants who have built lives and found a sense of home in Berkshire County.
 
Barrios has been working on the piece for the last two months alongside mentor artist, Jesse Tobin McCauley. 
 
"It's a homage to the immigrants who work and make a home in the Berkshires … this is a very personal experience too because I am an immigrant," Barrios said in her speech.
 
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