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The group worked on the new home during the Martin Luther King Day of Service.
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BCC President Ellen Kennedy.
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Dean Todd.
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State Sen. Adam Hinds.
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Chris Newhard and Alex Agliliga
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Benjamin Gips.

Dozens Help Central Berkshire Habitat For Humanity On MLK Day of Service

By Dawn GiftosCentral Berkshire Habitat For Humanity
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The volunteers handled an array of duties while working at 5 Hall Place.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — More than 25 volunteers came out in the early morning hours Monday to help Habitat for Humanity get a new home ready for a local family.
 
Ellen Kennedy, president of Berkshire Community College, arrived at the 5 Hall Place home with more than a dozen students and area residents to help clean and prep walls, floors and ceilings for painting and move building materials in the back yard to make way for Spring cleanup.
 
Later in the morning, the newest state Sen. Adam Hinds joined the effort and took on cleaning duty, simultaneously answering questions on the minds of volunteers.
 
Three Williams College students who are interning at Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity during the month of January with a program through the career center, gave up their day off to volunteer and painted closets and cleaned. Benjamin Gips, who grew up volunteering, was wearing his "Day on, not a day off" Day of Service t-shirt, wanted to do something productive and make a positive impact.  
 
Alejandra Patlan, is studying psychology and interested in a career in a nonprofit, while Chrisleine Temple is concentrating on public interest law are both dedicated to serving others. 
 
Chris Newhard and Alex Agliliga came from the Albany area to volunteer with Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity because of lack of hands-on community service opportunities in New York State.
 
Roslyn Broch, Interim Coordinator of Service-Learning at Berkshire Community College brought high energy enthusiasm to the day's project indicating the group would be interested in coming back to the building site which will continue construction in the coming months. CBHFH is also now accepting applications for another family to become homeowners.
 
The efforts were part of the Martin Luther King Day of Service, in which dozens of residents throughout the county volunteered to help the community.
 
Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program is looking for people who have the desire and commitment to becoming homeowners. For more information, call Libby Boissy, AmeriCorps National Family Services Coordinator at (413) 442-3181 or stop by the office at 314 Columbus Avenue.
 
Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization that builds strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Founded in 1992, Central Berkshire Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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