image description — Pat Masoero, financial director of the Christian Center, shows some of the children's games and activities at the annual Community Day on Saturday.

Christian Center Holds Community Day, Celebrates 130 Years

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:02AM / Tuesday, July 26, 2022Print Story | Email Story

The Civitan Club has been providing picnic food for the event for a number of years.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A portion of Robbins Avenue was filled with a celebration on Saturday as the Christian Center held its annual Community Day and marked 130 years as an organization.

"To be honest, for the last 130 years, the Christian Center has done essentially the same thing," Executive Director Betsy Sherman said, explaining that the center offers food, clothing, paths to jobs, and referrals to housing with the goal of helping people have a more secure life.

It was founded in 1892 as the Epworth Mission by the Methodist Church and has been at its current location since 1906. Sherman explained that in the late 1800s, many immigrants came to the West Side looking for a better life.

They were in need of basic necessities, which led to the first iteration of the Christian Center.

"All of these people needed housing, they needed food, they needed clothing, they needed a place to live," Sherman said. "And that's what we've been doing."

The free celebration included kids' games and prizes, arts and crafts, a bouncy house, and food provided by the Civitan Club of the Berkshires. Community agencies including Berkshire United Way were also present at the event to offer information about their services.

The Civitan Club is an all-volunteer, non-profit, service organization and has been providing food at the event for a number of years. The menu included hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, chips, and dessert all free of charge.

"Our mission is to analyze the community's needs and provide service volunteers to help organize and do whatever needs to be done," President Janet Smargie said.

At the end of the day, any leftovers is donated to the Christian Center or another similar organization.

Sherman said the center got a small grant to address safety issues in the house for women and children and is looking to do that work in the near future.

"We're thinking of combining that with the fire safety week in October to make a big push for fire safety in the fall and winter and around Halloween," she explained. "So these are some things we've been talking about and they'll firm up."

The Christian Center offers a food pantry Monday through Thursday from 10 to 1 and on Friday from 8 to noon; a clothing and housewares boutique on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 to 1; a hot lunch Monday through Thursday from noon to 1 and a cold lunch on Friday from noon to 12:30 p.m.

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Friday Front Porch Feature: Luxury on Pontoosuc Lake

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:25PM / Friday, August 21, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Are you looking for a private estate right on the lake? Then this might be the home for you.

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 140 Hancock Road.

This house was built in 2015 and has eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms. It is 7,494 square feet on a little over an acre.

The house sits on Pontoosuc Lake and includes private lake access and a heated pool with an expansive deck.

The kitchen is equipped with Wolf and SubZero appliances and there is a full outdoor kitchen as well. The property has three additional separated living quarters, each with a kitchen and its own living room.

The house also includes a big garage for multiple cars or more. Included in the garage is your very own elevator that leads to the in-law apartment.

It is on the market for $3,900,000.

We spoke with listing agent Katie Soules and Jeff Astore from William Raveis

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

What truly makes this property stand out is that you simply don't find this combination very often in the Berkshires. It's an extraordinary lakefront setting, incredible scale, and a lifestyle that's hard to replicate. You have the lake, the mountain views, the pool, the dock, amazing entertaining spaces, and the flexibility to accommodate family, friends, and guests. It feels less like simply owning a beautiful home and more like owning your own private Berkshire retreat.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

I'd tell them to stop thinking of it as just a house and imagine what life here could actually feel like. Mornings on the lake, afternoons on the water or by the pool, evenings entertaining friends and family with the mountains as your backdrop. This is a place where everyday life can feel like a vacation and where you can create the kind of memories that stay with you for years.

How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of the home?

The home has a really special feel, elegant and impressive, but at the same time warm, relaxed, and incredibly inviting. There's a natural connection to the lake and the outdoors throughout the home, so it never feels like luxury for the sake of luxury. It feels like a place designed to be lived in, enjoyed, and shared with family, friends, and plenty of unforgettable moments.

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