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The PHS baseball players spent Friday's practice cooking dinner for the veterans at Soldier On.
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The food was leftover from last Saturday's alumni game.
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The team cooked the food on a grill at Soldier On.

PHS Baseball Team Throws Cookout For Soldier On Veterans

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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The veterans were served hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Many young men have found themselves in the midst of battle at the age of 18.
 
They returned from overseas with limited support, post-traumatic stress and chronic illness, and often ended up living on the streets. But some found their way to Soldier On, which cares and helps pick homeless veterans back up and onto their feet.
 
Many of the 17- or 18-year-old young men on the Pittsfield High School baseball team aren't eyeing battlefields but rather college dorm rooms. But on Friday, they spent their practice time off the field and up at Soldier On, meeting, talking, and serving food to the veterans living there.
 
"It's a great lesson to learn for kids this age. Some of these guys at the same age, at some point in time, may have been fighting for their country at 18, 19 years old. While these kids are mostly looking at going to college and not thinking about anything like that," coach Seamus Morrison said. "It's great for them to understand, or try to understand, the magnitude of what these guys have gone through."
 
Last Saturday, Taconic and PHS junior varsity, varsity and alumni teams battled it out at Wahconah Park. PHS's booster club collected donations from a number of local restaurants to sell hot dogs and hamburgers at the games. But, there was plenty left over and instead of wasting the food, it was turned into a team building and community service opportunity.
 
"We had leftover food we just didn't want to go to waste or to freeze for another event. We thought we'd donate it back to the community," Michele Matthews, of the booster club, said. "Soldier On is a neighbor of our field — Buddy Pellerin Field — and we thought we'd share and give back these guys."
 
The team hopped on a bus Friday and instead of going to the practice field, went to a back yard at Soldier On, fired up the grill and handed out the food to the dozens of soldiers. The veterans chatted with the players about positions or the team's record.
 
"We just had three games in a row and this would be our only practice before our game tomorrow. But, we can forego a day of practice to come out and do a community service," Morrison said, adding that it is important for the players to give back to the community.
 
Matthews said there were at least 100 hot dogs and 100 hamburgers ready to go, enough to feed some 50 veterans expected. After the veterans received their meals - and seconds if they wanted - the team ate the rest. 
 
"These veterans gave a lot for us," Matthews said.
 
Meanwhile on the field, the Generals take on Drury High School on Saturday in North Adams. A win will qualify them for Western Mass. The team is current 9-6, an often asked question by the veterans, and looking to finish strong.

Tags: baseball,   community service,   PHS,   Soldier On,   veterans,   

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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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