Berkshire Taconic Adds Board Member

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SHEFFIELD, Mass. — Ellen Kennedy, dean of Administration and Finance and chief financial officer of Berkshire Community College, has joined Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation's board of directors. 

Kennedy, who resides in Williamstown with her husband, Mark Gold, joins 18 other community residents on Berkshire Taconic’s board. Prior to working at BCC, she was director of development at WFCR – Public Radio for Western New England, chief advancement officer for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and president of MCLA Foundation, Inc. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration from MCLA, an MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University. Her community involvements include the board of directors of Northern Berkshire United Way and chair of its Campaign and Allocations committees, co-chair of Williamstown Elementary School Endowment Fund, and member of North Adams Zoning Board of Appeals.

"It is an honor to be associated with Berkshire Taconic," said Kennedy, "I look forward to supporting their leading role in strengthening the array of wonderful organizations serving our community."
 
Kennedy joins Bill Dunlaevy, Edward Hoe, David McCarthy, Virginia Stanton Smith and John Hoyt Stookey as Berkshire Taconic board members from Berkshire County. Board members also include Sally Berg, Eileen Halloran,  Andrew Vickery, Vera Weintraub and M. Scott Wood Jr. of Columbia County, NY; Sia Arnason, Gloria Callen, Christopher Kennan, Holly Nelson and Nancy Stahl of northeast Dutchess County, NY; and Ann Goodbody, David Rich and Catherine Tatge of northwest Litchfield County, Conn.


"We welcome Ellen to our board and are grateful to be able to have access to her extensive experience in community leadership," said Virginia Stanton Smith, Berkshire Taconic’s board chair. "She knows our communities, she knows education and she knows about charitable giving. She will be a terrific partner to the foundation."

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation aims to build stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of northwest Litchfield County, Conn., Berkshire County, and Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, N.Y., acting as an agent for positive change in the region. Since 1987, Berkshire Taconic has managed a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses. Each year, the foundation distributes more than $7 million through grants and scholarships for programs in the arts and education, health and human services and environmental protection, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goals and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work. Berkshire Taconic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.
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Dalton Day Returns This Saturday

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The town's popular Dalton Day festival is returning this weekend after a year's hiatus.
 
The event will kick off this Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. in the field in front of the Senior Center. 
 
The community celebration was established in 2023 by the Cultural Council in an effort to increase resident participation at town meetings while also showcasing the area's welcoming, diverse, artistic and sporty atmosphere. In 2024, the event brought together 300 residents. 
 
"The primary mission of Dalton Day is to foster a strong sense of community, build civic pride, and bring residents together through a shared celebration of local culture, music, and food," said Jeannie Ingram, Select Board member and cultural council chair, and Lori Venezia, executive assistant to the town manager. 
 
The event provides an accessible and free platform for "civic education, community bonding, and supporting local businesses, artisans, makers, and culture more broadly," they said.
 
The festival strengthens the fabric of the town both civically and economically by connecting grassroots organizations with residents, fostering a shared sense of belonging, and providing free, family-friendly entertainment.
 
It also serves as an opportunity for community members to meet with local officials and a couple of state officials. State Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Leigh Davis will be coming from Beacon Hill to speak at the event. 
 
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