Mount Everett Names Top Students for 2013

SHEFFIELD, Mass. — Mount Everett Regional School has named its top students for the class of 2013.

Catherine Twing is valedictorian and Erik Derwitsch is salutatorian. Both will speak at graduation exercises at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, at Tanglewood in Lenox.

Twing is the daughter of Belinda and Robert Twing of New Marlborough. In addition to being president of the National Honor Society, she is vice president of the Mount Everett Future Farmers of America Chapter.  

She has been an active member of the school choir, band and tennis team. She has also participated in Shakespeare & Company's Fall Festival of Shakespeare. She will attend Castleton State College in Vermont to pursue a degree in social work and participate in the honors program.

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.