Community Comes Together to Improve Russell Field

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Local companies and community members spent the day of sprucing up buildings at Russell Field.
ADAMS, Mass. — Community members and local businesses came together for a community service day Thursday to scrape and repaint the softball building and shelter at Russell Field.
 
Corey Bishop, co-owner of Bishop West Real Estate, said after Atlantis Equipment donated and installed a backdrop fence on the softball field, he thought there was more to be done.
 
"They bought the backdrop and I was standing out there while they were installing it," Bishop said. "I looked around and we had lights and a lit scoreboard but our buildings were deplorable. It was embarrassing." 
 
Bishop, whose daughter plays softball, took the first step and visited Home Depot in Pittsfield to see if it could help. He said he explained some of the field’s needs and management offered to send in the Home Depot Community Team.
 
"Not only did they bring all of the supplies, but they brought five people with them to get the project done," Bishop said. 
 
Bishop said from there he only wanted to make the project bigger so asked Adams Community Bank for help. He said the bank sent five employees and he brought in a few employees to help out from Bishop West Real Estate. 
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He added that coaches, players, parents and even the Youth Center got involved.
 
The team started at 9 a.m. and spent the day scraping and painting the facilities.
 
"We went down and in one day with about 20 of us we turned the whole thing out," he said. "It was great, and it was just amazing."
 
Bishop wanted to feed the workforce and that community businesses came through again. He said Dunkin' Donuts, Walmart, Big Y, Dollar General and McDonalds all kicked in some food to keep the workers fed. 
 
"We were able to tap the local people for the smaller stuff and have Home Depot as a large sponsor," he said. "Bishop West Real Estate kind of spearheaded it and everyone else just wanted to be part of it and help out."
 
Bishop said the real estate company owns a lot of property in Adams and saw the project as a way to give back to the community that has helped it.
 
"For me, it is all about the kids, and I know a lot of kids in town between softball and basketball," Bishop said. "It’s our way of giving back to the community that has really given a lot to us."  
 
Peter West, co-owner of Bishop West Real Estate agreed.
 
"This is a basic community effort to improve a public part of town," said West. "It’s a way of giving back."

Tags: ballfield,   community service,   sports fields,   

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Adams Sees No Races So Far

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — With less than a week left before nomination papers are due, there are currently no contested seats.
 
Only selectman incumbent John Duval has returned papers. Selectman Howard Rosenberg has decided not to seek re-election. 
 
Rosenberg, who was elected in 2021, said he has chosen not to run again to make room for younger candidates.
 
"I feel strongly, we need younger people running for public office,  as the future of our town lies within the younger  generation. The world is so fundamentally different today and rapidly changing to become even more so. I believe we need people who are less interested in trying to bring back the past, then in paving the way for a promising future. The younger generation can know that they can stay here and have a voice without having to leave for opportunities elsewhere," he said.
 
The only person to return papers so far is former member the board Donald Sommer. Sommer served as a selectman from 2007 to 2010 and before that was a member of the School Committee and the Redevelopment Authority. He ran unsuccessfully for selectman in 2019 and again in 2021 but dropped out of before the election.
 
Incumbent Moderator Myra Wilk and Town Clerk Haley Meczywor have returned papers for their respective positions.
 
Assessor Paula Wheeler has returned papers and incumbents James Loughman and Eugene Michalenko have returned papers for library trustees.
 
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