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The goal is to sponsor wreaths for approximately 2,500 veterans gravestones in four cemeteries in North Adams.

Volunteers Raising Funds for Wreaths on North Adams Veterans Graves

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Kris Maloney explains the concept to the City Council. The group is looking for support in use of facilities and participation. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The local volunteers in coordination with the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America are hoping to raise $25,000 to place a wreath of remembrance on the gravestone of every city veteran on Dec. 15. 
 
Kris Maloney told the City Council on Tuesday that "through the Wreaths Across America program we are ensuring that the lives of our men and women in uniform are remembered, not their deaths. It is our responsibility as Americans to be their witness and to share their stories of service and sacrifice with the next generation."
 
City Councilor Rebbecca Cohen had requested that Maloney be able to speak on the topic, saying Congress had chosen a Saturday each December since 2008 to honor those who served. Since then, municipalities have participated with annual wreath-laying ceremonies. 
 
Maloney said the mission was to place a wreath on the graves of approximately 2,500 veterans in the city cemeteries of Hill Side, Southview and Blackinton, and in St. Joseph's Cemetery. 
 
"In order to accomplish this, we plan to raise monies through individual wreath sponsorships, fundraising activities, corporate donations and grant money from various community organizations," she said.
 
Each wreath sponsorship is $15; for every two purchased, Wreaths Across America provides a third. There will be a booth at this Saturday's farmers' market with more information.
 
The group is requesting the support of the city and the use of the Veterans Memorial for the day of the wreath laying and City Yard as a delivery point for the wreaths before the event. Maloney said it was hoped that police and firefighters will be involved and that the Department of Public Works would also help with the wreaths' removal in January.
 
"We believe this to be a benefit to our community to remember and honor our veterans and to give people of all ages the opportunity to be involved in the preparation leading up to wreath day," she said.  
 
Donna Engel and Donna Whitcomb are the location and fundraising coordinators for both the North Adams and Stamford, Vt., cemeteries. Facebook pages have been set up to raise awareness of efforts for wreath sponsorships at Stamford's Houghton and Millard cemeteries and at the North Adams cemeteries.
 
Wreaths Across America coordinates some 1,400 wreath-laying activities, including at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Tags: cemetery,   memorial,   veterans,   wreaths,   

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Myotherapy Practice Opens in North Adams

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Holistic Myotherapy in Greylock Works offers a calming area for clients to discuss their treatment and problems.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A new mind and body therapist has opened for business in Greylock Works.

Owner of Holistic Myotherapy, Georgette Yannetti, started her muscle therapy practice in her native Brooklyn, N.Y., to help those with spinal problems like herself.

"I started my practice in Brooklyn in 2015 specifically to help teenagers with spinal deformities, scoliosis, because I myself struggle with that since I was an adolescent, I had four spinal surgeries and was disabled," she said. 

Yannetti worked as a massage therapist at the Greenwich Hotel and started doing myotherapy as a side project until it took off and she could focus on it full time. 

Myotherapy is a deep-tissue massage and stretching treatment that focuses on muscle and joint pain.

"The practice just took off, and it wasn't just for scoliosis," she said. "It branched out to other spinal deformities and just other kind of people suffering with other kind of disabilities, and not even just physical disabilities, but psychological, you know, anxiety, depression, anything that people really needed space to be held for."

She explained her process as building a connection with clients and being able to talk with her about their problems before they get on the table.

"It needs to be more than just like, well, you're gonna get undressed and now I'm gonna touch you for like 60 minutes. To go from I don't know you to now get on the table — you can't, there needs to be more," Yannetti said. "So I provided this seating area and tea and like a little bit of connection. So even though I'm not a psychotherapist, I mean, I am very clear with people, like I'm not your therapist ... but I provide the space for people to also share more about themselves, what's happening."

She said she couldn't find the type of service she is now giving and wanted for herself.

"I basically started my practice, and I was like, when I receive body work, this is what this is the kind of work that I would want because this is what I need when I'm receiving body work because of my trauma, and I can't find that," she said. 

Yannetti moved to Berkshire County earlier this year because she had always enjoyed visiting the area, saying this was her preferred vacation spot and even came here for her honeymoon.

"I've been visiting consistently for the past 10 years, specifically to Berkshire County, just because I love it here. It's been a safe space for me. I never wanted to leave," she said. "Every time I came, I was always like, I don't want to leave, and that said something to me. Whenever I had the opportunity to travel, if it wasn't internationally, I was like, I want to go to the Berkshires." 

She was looking online one day and found a house, and her husband agreed it was their perfect place. On a whim they decided to buy it and move out here. While she was not initially planning to restart her practice, she decided to do a free class with Greylock Yoga and fell in love with the renovated mill building. She immediately asked about a space for rent and signed the lease in early June.

She held her soft opening on July 1.

She hopes her clients know this is a safe space where she will support them.

"That I'm here to support them in whatever their process is. That this is a safe space. A lot of people release emotionally in here, because the body stores emotion. A lot of people are still learning that."

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