'Ice Bucket Challenge' Soaks Berkshire County

The Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS is pouring into the Berkshires.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The "Ice Bucket Challenge," is a new phenomenon that has hit across social media networks and gone viral; all to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

And Berkshire County is part of the trend.

ALS, also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, causing patients to slowly lose control of all motor skills.

Former Division I, Boston College baseball player, Pete Frates started the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness for this disease that he was diagnosed with in 2012.

Since Frates started the challenge, which has gone viral across the country, the ALS organization has raised $168,000 online this week, according to CBS Boston.

And on Monday, 86-year-old Ethel Kennedy challenged President Obama.

Over the past couple of days the Ice Bucket Challenge made its way to Berkshire County, filling Facebook and Instagram newsfeeds with videos all weekend long, Aug. 9-10.

Participants of the challenge must fill a bucket of water, pour a bag of ice into it, and then proceed to pour the bucket over their head. These videos are then posted to social media networks such as, Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #icebucketchallenge and #strikeoutALS.

Some may ask exactly how is dumping a bucket of ice cold water over your head helping the cause. What Frates and his family want is to raise awareness, and that’s exactly what this challenge has begun to do. In the past week it has raised 12 times the amount of money than it did last year at this time according to the ALS organization.

"I think it's brought a lot of awareness to what ALS is," said Taylor DeSanty of North Adams. "I have heard of the disease, but this challenge made me what to find out more."

DeSanty participated in the challenge herself and then nominated others to take part; an ongoing trend that is now making its way through Berkshire County.

To find out more about the cause or to donate, visit alsa.org. 

Williamstown Fire Committee Talks Station Project Cuts, Truck Replacement

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Friday, April 26, 2024

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Prudential Committee on Wednesday signed off on more than $1 million in cost cutting measures for the planned Main Street fire station.

 

Some of the "value engineering" changes are cosmetic, while at least one pushes off a planned expense into the future.

 

The committee, which oversees the Fire District, also made plans to hold meetings over the next two Wednesdays to finalize its fiscal year 2025 budget request and other warrant articles for the May 28 annual district meeting. One of those warrant articles could include a request for a new mini rescue truck.

 

The value engineering changes to the building project originated with the district's Building Committee, which asked the Prudential Committee to review and sign off.

 

In all, the cuts approved on Wednesday are estimated to trim $1.135 million off the project's price tag.

 

The biggest ticket items included $250,000 to simplify the exterior masonry, $200,000 to eliminate a side yard shed, $150,000 to switch from a metal roof to asphalt shingles and $75,000 to "white box" certain areas on the second floor of the planned building.

 

The white boxing means the interior spaces will be built but not finished. So instead of dividing a large space into six bunk rooms and installing two restrooms on the second floor, that space will be left empty and unframed for now.