North Adams First-Grader Named Heart Association Ambassador

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Meghan Schrade has spent much of her short life undergoing painful procedures for a heart condition.

Now the cheerful 6-year-old is a poster girl for the American Heart Association of Western Massachusetts and its Art For The Heart Ambassador.

Meghan, daughter of Tracy Bassette and William G. Schrade Jr., was also recognized by the School Committee for her efforts on behalf of the association in sharing her story.

Bassette said she had submitted Meghan's story to the Heart Association, which was seeking "Go Red Leading Ladies" with positive attitudes to help raise awareness among women about being heart healthy.

Meghan didn't make leading lady, but was instead selected as the 2013 Ambassador for Art for the Heart, a healthy heart educational and arts program for children. She's featured on a poster for the activity in a new red dress and professionally photographed in East Longmeadow like the Leading Ladies were.

She was chosen because "she has a passion, even at such an early age, to get the word out about heart disease and shares her story with all that listen," according to the assocation.

Meghan's been very open about the procedures she's gone through. She went through open heart surgery at 6 days old and is on her third pacemaker. She's talked to her classmates at Brayton Elementary and others about her heart issues and pacemaker.

"It helps her explain what it is that happened to her heart," said Bassette.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.