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Debbie Storie, owner of Baker's Golf Center, poses with a plaque presented to her by the Select Board.
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Baker's Golf Center is marking its 80th year.

80 Years of Baker's Golf Commemorated by Lanesborough Officials

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Debbie Storie is congratulated by the Select Board on Monday. 

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Baker's Golf Center has been recognized for its long history of providing recreational fun to the town and beyond.

The Select Board presented owner Debbie Storie with a plaque on Monday to commemorate the golf center's 80-year anniversary.

"You do so much for our community," Chairman Michael Murphy said.

"Baker's Golf, staff, you yourself personally. So much for our community. This is just a small token of our appreciation in the hopes that you will continue to do this for another 80 years."

Baker's Golf offers 18 holes of miniature golf with whimsical obstacles and a driving range. It is the county's only facility with both range and mini golf.

Storie has spent the greater part of her life at the golf center, working there since 1983. She has owned it now for three years and kicked off its 2022 season with new amenities, including a dinosaur that now guards the fourth hole.

The golf center's founder Ernie Volin originally had a driving range on Putnam Road. The Baker property on South Main Street was formerly a farm and when its barn burned down in 1941, Volin asked to rent the land for his business and opened in 1943. The rest is history.



Volin ran the golf center until 1968 when it was taken over by the Bakers.

Storie felt that it was very thoughtful and generous for the Select Board to commemorate her business's legacy.

"It was a legacy long before me and I am just going to continue it for as long as I can," she said.

With such a long history, Baker's Golf is undoubtedly part of many residents' childhood memories.  Storie said she appreciates the community's support, as she wouldn't be able to continue without it.

She wishes that former owner Malcolm Baker could have seen the plaque, explaining that it is his legacy that she will try to continue. Baker passed away in 2020.

"He left something good to continue in the community," Storie said.


Tags: minigolf,   recognition event,   

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Soccer Hall of Fame Adds Members, Awards Scholarships

Community submission
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The 2026 CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place at Berkshire Hills Country Club on Thursday.
 
The Hall of Fame's mission is to preserve the sport's history in Berkshire County, to honor excellence within the game and to make a connection between the generations that bring communities together. With players who last played on a soccer field in Berkshire County in the 1960s to the scholarship winners at the banquet on May 14th who played their last high school game in the fall of last year, we are achieving our goal. 
 
It is worth noting that this class of inductees is stellar. We have four County MVP selections, 14 All-Berkshire selections, eight All-Western Mass selections and, and nine captain honors, five four-year varsity starters and one five-year varsity starter. 
 
The players were introduced by committee chairmen Al Belanger and Patrick West. The scholarship winners were introduced by Chris Dumas, a member of the CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame committee. The photographer for the evening was Ricco Fruscio. Over the past 21 years, the scholarships awarded to high school seniors in Berkshire County have topped $250,000.  
 
The 2026 Inductees:
Katie Dumas Sturm (Wahconah 2015) was a hard-nosed, and relentless four-year starter for Wahconah. She was a two-year captain in the middle of the field, scoring and assisting on clutch goals in big games. She was rewarded with being named All Berkshire, and All Western Mass in her senior year. She is married to Brent Sturm (who is also being inducted into the hall of fame this year) and has a son Banks and a 7-week-old Everett Michael. She works at General Dynamics. 
 
Brent Sturm (Wahconah 2009) was named to the All Berkshire Team in both his junior and senior years and won a Western Mass championship during his time at Wahconah. He also went on to have a stellar career at Wentworth Institute. He and his wife, Katie, are the first husband and wife inductees into the CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame in the same year.  After college, he helped coach the Wahconah Soccer and basketball teams. He works at General Dynamics.
   
Nicole Gamberoni (Lenox 2019) was an impact player on her team for five years while at Lenox making All-Berkshire teams four times. She was captain twice, finished with 107 points, and was the league MVP two times. She also went on to play soccer at AIC. She is working at Lenox High School while she is getting her master’s degree. 
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