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Pittsfield YMCA swimmers, from left; Mary Dixon, Michael Carter, Joanna Florio-Jefferys, Suzanne Towne, Steve Kolis,and Duncan Ryan Mann.

Pittsfield's Crawford Win World Masters Swimming Title

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Pittsfield Family YMCA’s Masters Swim Club member Craig Crawford won a World Title in last week's Montreal World Masters Swimming Championships.
 
The Championships began last Monday and concluded yesterday.
 
Accompanied by seven swimmers from the Y’s Masters Swim Club, Crawford, 44 of Pittsfield, won the Word Title in the 200 individual medley in 2 minutes, 19.35 seconds.
 
Crawford also swam the 50 breast stroke, placing fifth, and placed second in the 200 breast.
 
Both breast events were national age group records for Canada.
 
Also swimming for Pittsfield were Duncan Ryan Mann 61, Michael Carter 47, Steve Kolis 59, Cynthia Gardner 63, Mary Dickson 62, Joanna Florio-Jefferys 56 and Suzanne Towne 49.
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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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