Berkshire United Way Names Annual Donor Car Winner

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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United Way CEO Kristine Hazzard, winner Darlene Pshenishny, Gary Johnson, owner of The Johnson Dealership, and Greylock Federal Credit Union CEO Marilyn Sperling on Monday morning.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two city businesses teamed up to give away a car (or cash) to a Berkshire United Way donor.

Darlene Pshenishny, employed at Berkshire Health Systems, opted to take $10,000 instead of a new car to put toward bills on the new house she and her husband recently built.

 Pshenishny was one of thousands across the county to donate to the United Way and was the lucky winner of the drawing. She was presented her winnings Monday morning.

The annual giveaway — now in its 13th year — is intended to help encourage donations for the service organization. Greylock Federal Credit Union and The Johnson Dealership teamed up to provide in the winnings.

The car has driven more than 1,300 miles across the county to events and workplaces since July.



"Anyone who fills out a pledge card has a chance," Berkshire United Way CEO Kristine Hazzard said.

This year, the organization has raised about $2 million of its $2.7 million goal with five months to go. An important part of its annual fundraising is through employee donations made directly from their paychecks through their employers.

United Way provides funding to nearly 50 agencies and programs throughout the county, from the Lee Youth Association to the Railroad Street Youth Project to Barrington Stage Company to the Berkshire Immigrant Center to United Cerebral Palsy of the Berkshires.

Hazzard joined Greylock President Marilyn Sperling and Johnson Dealership owner Gary Johnson to award Pshenishny her winnings.


Tags: Berkshire United Way,   fundraiser,   giveaway,   

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Dion Brown Announces Transfer to Boston College

iBerkshires.com Sports
It will be a shorter trip for Berkshire County basketball fans who want to see former Monument Mountain basketball star Dion Brown play home games next winter.
 
On Wednesday afternoon, Brown announced via the social media platform “X” that he is transferring to Boston College.
 
“I am proud to announce my decision to further my academic and athletic career at Boston College,” Brown tweeted. “I am hopeful for the future! Go Eagles.”
 
In 2023-24, Brown, then a sophomore at Boston College, was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Division I All-District Second team.
 
Brown was a first-team all-America East performer for the Retrievers last winter, breaking the school’s sophomore record for points with 607. He was third in the America East with 19 points per game and sixth in rebounding with 7.8 rebounds per game for UMBC, which went 11-21, losing to UMass-Lowell in the first round of the conference tournament. 
 
B.C. went 20-16 last winter, falling to the University of Virginia in the quarter-finals of the ACC tournament and advancing to the first round of the National Invitational Tournament.
 
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