BerkshireWorks Plans Events in Honor of Veterans

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — BerkshireWorks Career Center will be offering a number of special events in honor of Veterans during the month of November.

All workshops, classes and events are free of charge and held at the Career Center, unless otherwise noted. The schedule is as follows:

* Monday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m.: Resume Writing Workshop   

* Friday, Nov. 7, 8:30 a.m.: NAMI Veterans Expo (at the Crowne Plaza)

* Monday, Nov. 10, 10 a.m.: Interviewing Workshop  

* Friday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.: On-the-Job Training Workshop


* Monday, Nov. 17, 10 a.m.: Dress for Success Workshop

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Job Fair for Vets

BerkshireWorks partners with a number of community organizations including Soldier On and veteran agencies such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Vietnam Veterans Chapter 165, as well as the various Veteran Service Officers (VSO) throughout Western Massachusetts.

David Nash, who served in the United States Army from 1976 to 1990, is now the head of the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program at BerkshireWorks.

This position is probably one of the most important I have ever held," he said. "Being able to provide a variety of assistance to veterans looking for work or to those who find themselves in dire need. It is being part of the brotherhood of veterans and being able to lend a hand when a brother/sister needs it most.”

For more information about the Veterans Assistance program at BerkshireWorks or to register for any of the workshops offered, please call David Nash at 413-499-2220 ext. 211, email him at dnash@detma.org or visit www.berkshireworks.org.

 

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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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