image description — John Jacobbe, standing, helps run the poker tournament held in honor of his son, Caleb.

Caleb Jacobbe's Memory Honored with Annual Poker Tourney

By Stephen Dravis11:28AM / Monday, February 26, 2018Print Story | Email Story

A photo of Caleb Jacobbe, 8, next to the bracelet awarded to the winner of the annual poker tournament held in his honor.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Caleb Jacobbe was remembered Saturday by the people he loved with the game he loved.

"He loved cards," John Jacobbe said as the 10th annual Caleb Jacobbe Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament progressed at the Elks Club. "He started playing cribbage when he was 5. We played backgammon and cribbage and poker in his hospital room.

"The family held a hold 'em tournament with him two days before he passed."

Caleb, 8, died in May 2006 after a long battle with cancer.

"We told him we would do this for him in his memory when it looked like the time was coming," his father said.

John and Tammy, Caleb's parents, kept their promise a couple of years later and have brought the tournament back each year since.

On Saturday, a record 61 players participated in the event, which also features a raffle and 50/50 to help raise money for the Caleb Jacobbe Foundation.

John said the tournament, the foundation's only fund-raiser, generally brings in a couple of thousand dollars, which the family has used for donations to the Jimmy Fund, Boston Children's Hospital, where Caleb received treatment, and local families in need.

"A lot of people stepped up and helped us when we were in need," he said. "When we hear of a story, we write a check.

"Our lives will never be the same [without Caleb], and we try to give to families who are in the same kind of situation."

The family first ran the tournament in early February to roughly coincide with Caleb's Feb. 4 birthday. The first couple of years, it was timed to coincide with the off week between the NFL conference championship games and Super Bowl.

These days, in a nod to John's role as head girls basketball coach at Mount Greylock, the tournament is held on "seeding day" for the Western Massachusetts basketball sectionals when there's a lull in the local sports scene.

One thing that hasn't changed since the tournament's early days: the way others have rallied to Caleb's cause.

"The Elks have been great hosting us, and local businesses have been outstanding in donating prizes," John said, adding that volunteer Dennis Dunn has been key in helping to organize the tournament and attract more players.

"This is a great community when you're in a crisis."

Tags: benefit, tournament,

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Nor'easter Set to Drop Foot of Snow Over Berkshires

03:00PM / Sunday, February 22, 2026

Update on the powerful Nor'easter set to drop up to a foot of snow over the region. This come right on the tail Friday's storm that dropped up to 6 inches in some areas.

The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has shifted the winter storm warning issued from Saturday a few hours later; it now begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday but still runs through 7 p.m. on Monday for the Berkshires, eastern New York, Southern Vermont and northern Connecticut.

Heavy snow expected with total accumulations between 8 and 14 inches with some locally higher totals possible over the high peaks of the Catskills AND the Berkshires. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph.

The forecasted "bomb cyclone" is lining up to hit New York City with its first blizzard in a decade, but Western Mass will feel some of its effects.

The Berkshires will see flurries during the day but the Nor'easter will make its entrance later in the evening, first in South County between 5 and 8 and then moving north.

Vermont schoolchildren will be starting their winter vacation Monday but Berkshire kids will be headed back to school. But they might be getting an extra vacation day — Greylock Snow Day still has an 80 percent probability for of delays, but upgraded the chance of a snow to 90 percent for South County and 75 percent for north.

With the storm sweeping in by Sunday afternoon, we'll be on the lookout for any cancellations. This post will also be updated if new information becomes available.

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