Biz Briefs: Lowe's, Central Berkshire Habitat Team Up for Women Build Month
Building a future: Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity and Lowe's invite women to build alongside future homeowners during the 10th annual National Women Build Month. Central Berkshire is one of 300 Habitat organizations nationwide hosting Women Build projects during the month of May with support from Lowe’s, a longtime partner in the event.
On April 30, local volunteers will start Women Build Month by attending a half day construction training that will give them the necessary tools to build the new construction home. Groups and individuals can register to participate in the Women Build dates in May. National Women Build Week brings together women to devote at least one day to building decent and affordable housing in their local communities. Nearly 100,000 women from all 50 states have volunteered in previous years.
No construction skills are necessary to participate in this year’s project. To volunteer or donate, call Daniel Parkins or Dawn Giftos at 413-442-3181 or email dparkins@berkshirehabitat.org or dgiftos@berkshirehabitat.org.
Real expansion: Barnbrook Realty, one of the most experienced Berkshire real estate agencies, will open a new office at 27 Housatonic Street in Lenox. The office, in high-traffic downtown Lenox, will offer the same acclaimed service of Barnbrook's original office on Main Street in Great Barrington, in a location convenient to the north and central Berkshires.
Barnbrook will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 3, at 4 p.m.; local residents and visitors are invited to attend and meet Barnbrook’s team members. Visit barnbrookrealty.com or call 413-637-9897 for more information.
Established in 1976, Barnbrook is owned by Mary White and her daughter Maureen White Kirkby, who offer nearly 50 years worth of personalized, responsive service in buying and selling residential and commercial properties. Barnbrook has grown to include a team of 20 brokers and sales associates, who have been hand-picked for their knowledge of homes and the community, their tech-savviness, and their local and international connections, as well as their ability to coach and empower clients to make informed buying and selling decisions. Barnbrook real estate agents work collaboratively with buyers and sellers, listening to their needs, preferences, and budget, and identifying the best opportunities for buying or selling their homes.
Barnbrook is also a proud affiliate of Christie's International Real Estate, which provides luxury-home sellers with unprecedented access to a global market of cultured buyers. In 2014, Barnbrook was named the Best Full Service Real Estate Company in the Berkshires by the Berkshire Record Magazine.
Financial planning: Apella Capital, LLC, an investment advisory firm dedicated to helping clients with financial planning, Social Security and Medicare timing, and retirement planning, has announced its service to western Massachusetts. Previously serving clients under the name of ARC Investment Planning & Management, Inc. ("ARC"), the expansion into a Lenox location also means growth for the community as well, with educational opportunities and financial planning services.
The partnership between ARC and Apella formed naturally, as they share a longstanding commitment to investor education and financial literacy. Empowering the community and gaining the ability to provide enhanced financial planning and wealth management resources was what Harvey Siegel, CPA, a senior financial adviser in Lenox, cited as the primary reason he and the other advisors at ARC decided to enter into a relationship with Apella.
One of the resources the Lenox area will enjoy is "Apella Academy," a program dedicated to spreading financial literacy in its communities. Financial advisers deliver presentations at local libraries, online and in person, on a range of topics that may impact investors at different points in their lives, from college planning to Social Security.
In three short years, Apella Capital has expanded from its original location in Glastonbury, Conn., to include two locations in Massachusetts with more growth opportunities on the horizon.
