North Adams First-Grader Named Heart Association Ambassador

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Six-year-old Meghan Schrade was recognize by the School Committee for her activities with the American Heart Association. Meghan was named this year's Art for the Heart Ambassador for Western Mass.

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.



She's also a top fundraiser for the annual Jump Rope for Heart event organized by teacher Karen Daigle at Brayton. This year's event takes place on Monday.

"From what I hear she's probably going to be the top fundraiser again this year," said Mayor Richard Alcombright in introducing her to the School Committee on Tuesday. "I want to wish you continued good health and I want to wish you continued good work in all you do for the American Heart Association."

First-grader was at little shy despite a contingent of friends and family backing her up. She presented the mayor with a red ribbon lapel pin and answered a few questions.

"Are you looking forward to the jumping rope?" asked committee member Heather Boulger. "What's the best part about it?"

Meghan responded, "I get to jump rope with my class."

She will present the awards for the art competition on March 1 at the annual Go Red For Women Luncheon in Holyoke. The luncheon was set for Friday but postponed because of the Nor'easter bearing done on the state.

Bassette said it was difficult to determine what had Meghan more excited — the luncheon or getting a day out of school. With Friday's snowstorm, Meghan might end up with an extra day off.


Tags: American Heart Association,   fundraiser,   North Adams School Committee,   

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Armed North Adams Man Arrested Following Domestic Standoff

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Matthew Parker, a 44-year-old North Adams man, is set to face multiple counts of attempted murder and weapons charges in Northern Berkshire District Court on Friday morning following an hours-long, armed standoff at a Houghton Street home.

The defendant is being arraigned for:

  • Domestic Assault and Battery
  • Assault with the Intent to Murder (3 counts)
  • Carrying a Firearm While Under the Influence of Alcohol (3 counts)
  • Possession of a hi-capacity firearm (4 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a hi-capacity firearm (2 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a firearm (6 counts)

According to a report, on June 10, at approximately 8:42 p.m., officers responded to 365 Houghton St. following a report of a domestic assault and battery. The caller said she and her husband had been involved in a physical altercation.

She said her husband was intoxicated, making suicidal statements about shooting himself, and had access to both a shotgun and a pistol.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with both the caller and Parker. During the encounter, Parker threatened to shoot officers before retreating into the home and refusing to exit.

Officers believed that Parker was armed.

To ensure public safety, police established a perimeter around the home and requested assistance from the Berkshire County Special Response Team (SRT) and North Adams Police crisis negotiators. The Brien Center was also contacted and promptly provided an emergency mental health clinician to assist with the incident.

Special Response Team personnel deployed drones to monitor the residence and provide aerial illumination. During the operation, officers saw Parker exit the house carrying a rifle. He pointed it at the drones, stated a report. Parker subsequently pointed the rifle toward several officers positioned behind their cruisers. After officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, Parker returned inside the residence.

Trained crisis negotiators maintained communication with Parker for several hours in an effort to peacefully resolve the situation. At approximately 2 a.m., Parker ceased communication with negotiators.

Drone operators later observed Parker unconscious in a recliner on the first floor of the residence, with a rifle and shotgun on the floor nearby.

Members of the Berkshire County SRT then executed a coordinated operation. Diversionary devices were deployed through a window while an entry team simultaneously entered the home, secured the firearms, and took the defendant into custody.

A search warrant was executed after Parker was in custody. North Adams Police seized four shotguns, six rifles, two handguns, and thousands or rounds of ammunition from the home.

During the operation, one SRT member sustained a minor injury related to a less-lethal bean bag deployment. Parker also sustained non-life threatening injuries during the arrest and was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for medical evaluation.

"We thank the community for its patience and cooperation throughout this incident, particularly residents in the affected area who complied with temporary shelter-in-place requests," Police Chief Mark Bailey said.  "The North Adams Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the agencies that provided mutual aid and assisted by handling calls for service during this incident. We are especially grateful to the Berkshire County Special Response Team for its professional and decisive response, the Brien Center for the rapid deployment of a mental health clinician, and our crisis negotiators whose efforts helped maintain dialogue and contributed significantly to the safe resolution of this incident."

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