Two Berkshire County Women Named Unsung Heroines
BOSTON, Mass. — Two women from Berkshire County were named 2017 Unsung Heroines by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women during a State House ceremony on June 21.
According to the Commission, Unsung Heroines are women who don't make the news, but who make a difference. They are women who use their time, talent and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others and make a difference in their neighborhoods, cities and towns. They are mentors, volunteers and innovators who do what needs to be done without expectations of recognition or gratitude. These women are the glue that keeps a community together and the commonwealth is better because of their contribution.
The honorees are nominated by state legislators and chosen by the Commission. After soliciting recommendations from his constituents on social media, state Sen. Adam Hinds nominated Cherri Sanes of Sheffield and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier nominated Shavelle Boire of Pittsfield.
Sanes is the founder and executive director of ExtraSpecial Teas in Great Barrington, and works every day to enrich the lives of the special needs community in the Berkshires. ExtraSpecial Teas opened in April 2016 as the first ever nonprofit tea house operated by special needs adults. Her son, Jache, challenged with autism, aged out of public school when he turned 22 in May 2014 and inspired this project. She wanted Jache and young adults with similar challenges to be included, not excluded, from the community. With her mantra that "the future belongs to everyone belonging," she put all of her passion and energy into creating a tea house filled with spirituality and joy as a haven for special needs young adults to work and interact with the community.
Boire is the volunteer creative genius of the Varsity Cheerleading Squad at Pittsfield High School. She inspires those she coaches through her high expectations of her students both as cheerleaders and in their academics. As a result, they learn hard work, professionalism, teamwork and determination. Boire doesn’t allow those she coaches to give up, but instead pushes them to do their best in all aspects of their lives. Her relationship with those she coaches goes far beyond the time she spends with them coaching. She keeps in contact with the students as they maneuver through college, encouraging them to excel academically and offering a listening ear. The cheerleaders learn values and skills that they carry throughout their life.
Hinds presented an official Senate Citation to Sanes and Boire in recognition of their community service and leadership.
The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women is an independent state agency that was legislatively created in 1998 to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. The MCSW provides a permanent, effective voice for the women of Massachusetts.
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