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Students at Richmond School collected boxes of food for families in the community.
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Packing up donations for delivery last week.
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In addition to the food drive, the school also collected more than 300 pairs of shoes for a community in Africa and money for libraries in Louisiana.

Richmond Students Donate to Those In Need

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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RICHMOND, Mass. — Giving is not a seasonal thing at Richmond School — the school community makes a point to help those in need all year round.
 
But the holiday season is a special time and this year the school community participated in two holiday drives among its other charitable initiatives. 
 
"I think it is the most important outcome for our kids is to give back and I think the kids enjoy doing it," Principal Monica Zanin said last week. "They see how grateful the community members are and that it is why we do it."
 
This year, the Student Council selected families in the community and collected boxes of food for them.
 
But it didn't stop there.
 
Students and faculty also donated items to the Elizabeth Freeman Center.
 
"It's items that they say they need that aren't food related," fourth-grade teacher Julia Sabourin said. "So each grade collected some of the things, and it's pretty awesome."
 
Reading specialist Jill Pompi said the community's giving goes beyond the holidays and that the school also hosted a "Loose Change for Louisiana" drive.
 
She said many libraries were hit by Hurricane Katrina, destroying books. Pompi said instead of sending over books, the school decided to raise money for the libraries so they could buy the books they wanted and needed.
 
She said a bucket was left in the school to collect.
 
"There were $10 bills in there, there were dollar bills in there, there were quarters, there were dimes," Pompi said. "The kids have a lot of coins to roll." 
 
She added that the Richmond community also participated in a shoe drive for a community in Africa. They were able to donate more than 600 shoes.
 
"I asked if anyone had gently worn shoes they were willing to donate and I ended up with over 300 pairs of shoes," she said. "Some are gently used some are brand new … my office was overtaken with shoes."
 
Pompi said she thinks it's important that students not only see the importance of helping their own community but the world.
 
Pompi, who is new to the Richmond School community, said she was blown away by the its kindness.
 
"I am amazed by the community and their willingness they have to help and support," she said.
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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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