School Committee member Pamela Farron volunteered her time Saturday to help with the construction.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Vera St. John will soon move into a completely renovated new home thanks to some strong women.
In just a few months, St. John will be handed the keys to the Central Berkshire Habitat For Humanities 28th home. The six-bedroom home spanning more than 2,000 square feet is being partially renovated by women as part of the fourth annual Women Build.
"The goal is to educate and inspire women," said Nicole Eigbrett, an Americore Vista working with Habitat and organizer of the nine-day women build.
The national program is sponsored by Lowes and rallies women from the communities to learn how to built homes through Habitat for Humanity. In the Berkshires, more than 100 women participate from the business and social world.
"A lot of the women leave with a sense of confidence that they can do things themselves," said Executive Director Carolyn Valli. "Corporations see this as great team building for their staff."
Companies like General Dynamics, Greylock Federal Credit Union and Guardian Life all send teams to participate in different days. On Saturday, a "women in government" group got their hands dirty including state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, City Councilors Kathleen Amuso and Lisa Tully, School Committee member Pamela Farron, and City Clerk Linda Tyer.
The response in the Berkshires to the women build has been so great the event has grown from one day in its first year to now being the longest in the country, Valli said.
This project on Francis Avenue entails the complete rehabilitation of a large home for St. John, her mother, and four children. The home dates back to 1910 and Habitat purchased it for $16,000.
"It was in rough shape. We bought the house and within three days somebody broke in and stole all of the copper," Valli said.
The home is one of the largest the organization has worked on, which is fitting for the needs of St. John's family. She currently lives in Riverview Homes in a small, cramped, apartment and her mother lives in a different unit, making it difficult for St. John to care for her. Now, each child will have their own room on the second floor and the family will all be in the same home.
But, St. John isn't just being given a home. She earned it. St. John has not only put in more than 500 hours of "sweat equity" and took an array of courses Habitat for Humanity requires. On Saturday, she had a big smile as showed her friends and family around the construction site.
The rehab work is expected to take two to three months.
Also on Saturday, a second group of Habitat for Humanity workers were building a shed at Coolidge Park to house the irrigation system. That will help to expand the community garden.
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Dalton Town Hall Lift Solutions in Development
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Solutions are being sought for the lift in Town Hall that has been out of service since December because of safety concerns.
Building Grounds Superintendent Jeff Burch told the Americans with Disabilities Act Committee meeting on Tuesday night that Hill Engineering has been contracted to come up with a potential option.
The lift is in the police station and the only other lift for the town hall is in the library, which is not accessible after library hours.
Previous attempts by Garaventa Lift to repair it have been unsuccessful.
Replacing it in the same location is not an option because the new weight limit requirement went from 400 pounds to 650 pounds. Determining whether the current railings can hold 650 pounds is outside the scope of Garaventa's services to the town.
The first option Hill has proposed is to install a vertical lift in a storage closet to the left of the police entrance, which would go up into the town account's office.
A member of the committee expressed concern that the current office location may not be suitable as it could hinder access to the police station during construction.
Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.
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Between disagreements about site design and a formal funding process not yet established, more time is needed before a decision can be made.
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The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee on Monday unanimously supported a pay raise for election workers, free downtown parking for veterans, and safeguards to better protect wetlands.
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A parking study of North Street will be presented at Tuesday's City Council meeting. The design maintains parallel parking while expanding pedestrian zones and adding protected bike lanes. click for more