Northern Berkshire Santa Fund Kicks Off 2016 Campaign

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire Santa Fund is kicking off its annual campaign drive to ensure no child in the region goes without a toy this Christmas.

Last year, generous donors provided more than $12,000, ensuring more than 300 local children had a toy or book for Christmas.

It's easier than ever to support this time-honored tradition that has again set a goal of $12,000: Click here to donate via PayPal. Check donations also can be sent by mail to P.O. Box 1724, North Adams, MA 01247.

The fund drive provides eligible families in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, North Adams, Savoy and Williamstown with a gift certificate to buy toys for children ages 12 and under or receive a gift bag for infants and toddlers.

Applications will be available within the next week or so. Announcements will be made on iBerkshires and on the Northern Berkshire Santa Fund Facebook page.

The fund was established by Sprague Electric employees more than 50 years ago and later was sponsored by the former North Adams Transcript for some years.

iBerkshires has taken over sponsorship of the annual campaign and Walmart stepped in the last two years to provide the toys and will continue to do so again this year. Landmark Credit Union, formerly the Sprague Electric Credit Union, has continued its support for the toy drive and donations may also be dropped off at the credit union.

"We are pleased that we can help continue a tradition that has been serving the community for more than 50 years," Tammy Daniels, editor of iBerkshires.com and president of the fund's board of directors, said. "Every child should have a present to open on Christmas morning, and the Northern Berkshire Santa Fund plays an important role in ensuring that happens."

The Northern Berkshire Santa Fund page will also list the donors and show the progress of the fund drive. For more information, email northernberkshiresantafund@gmail.com.

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Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.