Longtime Pittsfield Umpire, Coach Honored With Hebert Award
The award was presented by the event chair and Ward 1 City Councilor Lisa Tully.
"We started out in our life as stewards of Springside Park mainly because we lived right next to it," Mitchell said.
He and his brothers would spend hours exploring the woods and holding pickup baseball games, during which he earned the nickname "Commissioner" because the rulebook was never far away.
Years later he would be back at Springside Park as a coach for girls softball — leading Quality Printing for 20 years including four championships and six round robin wins. He served 15 years on the Berkshire Softball board. He also was at the park as an umpire and member of the Berkshire County Softball Umpires Association for 22 years.
On Friday, Mitchell became the first recipient ever of the Vincent J. Hebert Award presented by the Springside Park Conservancy.
The award was created to honor those who have made positive impacts to the city's open spaces and recreation. Hebert was a long-time Parks and Recreation director and volunteer. Mitchell's efforts in taking care of the park on a volunteer basis, keeping an eye out, and his role and longtime dedication to recreation earned him the honor.
Mitchell called on those in attendance to embrace stewardship and take care of the city's park.
"Springside Park has been attacked by a lot of stuff and we need stewardship to stop the crap. In other words, you have to get out and you have to look at what the hell is going on around your property if you are right on the park," Mitchell said.
Members of the Hebert family and the Mitchell family gathered under one of several tents erected on the park Friday night for the first-ever gala to raise funds for the Springside Conservancy's efforts to revitalize the park, which began with the crafting of a new master plan.
"It is going to be a new level of public/private partnership," Conservancy President Joe Durwin said.
The new master plan calls for a variety of uses at the park as well as the restoration of the historic Springside House. The gala was intended to be a fundraiser to help implement the multitude of plans for the park.
"Its been a long time since something like this," Durwin said, referring to the years between when the park and mansion were used to hold large parties and dancing outdoors.
Event Chairwoman Lisa Tully said some 230 tickets were sold ahead of time and others paid at the door. A downpour, however, came right as the event kicked off, which may have kept more from attending.
"We started with the hopes of getting 150 people. It surpassed that and if the weather wasn't bad, we'd have had more," Tully said.
After the short downpour, the weather help off and the hundreds dressed in nice clothes feasted on food catered by the local companies Ponchos, Crown Plaza, Patrick's Pub, Brenda's Catering and the Dessert Bar, and drank beers from Wandering Star or wines from Spirited. All while listening to a live jazz band.
"I think people are really happen," Tully said while looking over those in attendance.
The organizers haven't tallied up the expenses and the income in total yet but whatever is made will go to the conservancy. The group hopes the gala will become an annual event.
Tags: Springside Park,
