Health, Hope and Healing Around the Holidays Health Programs at Fairview Hospital

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Fairview Hospital and Berkshire Health Systems will offer "Health, Hope and Healing Around the Holidays," a series of free health programs to support our community during the holiday season. 
 
The program is offered as part of the Berkshire Health Systems role as healthcare partner and community advocate for improving the region's overall quality of life.
 
Programs include:
 
Approaching the Holidays with Better Health in Mind: Nov. 28  4:00 -5:00 p.m.   The holidays can be a slippery slope when it comes to staying healthy and avoiding the overindulgence that accompanies the season.  Emotions, stress and even exhaustion can lead us to let down our guard.  Join Fairview nutritionist Meg McGonagle,RD,  for a discussion about common challenges and smart strategies for approaching holiday eating and drinking events, common triggers, and getting back on track when you slip, in order to enter the new year on a healthy note.
 
Finding Joy - Nov. 30 10:30-11:30 a.m.  There really is both physical and mental health benefits associated with laughter, fun and joyful activities. During the holidays, it is especially important to find joy, even if there are moments of loneliness or sadness. BHS Director of Wellness, Maureen Daniels, M.Ed, will lead a discussion over a morning cup of tea. Together, we will explore what brings you joy and create a plan for adding more joy into your life by recognizing the power of simple, small moments that bring joy if we see them.
 
Coping with the Holidays: Dec. 5   2:00-3:00 p.m.  Traditions and celebrations can spark feelings of loss or sadness for many people during the holiday season.  Tricia Lewis, LICSW, a health counselor with BMC Healthworks, a member of BHS' Employee Assistance Program, will discuss the importance of recognizing and accepting these feelings and explore ways to navigate this sometimes very difficult time of year. 
 
Resolutions: A NEW You or a BETTER You? Dec. 7, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.  It's the time of year we often commit to new goals only to find ourselves with a sense of failure just a few weeks into the new year.  To prepare for successful resolutions in the coming year, join Rich Berry, RN, Coordinator of Fairview Hospital's Life Enhancement Program, to learn how to set goals and helpful tips and strategies, and how to restart if you get off track.
 
Trees of Light, Dec. 12   4:00 - 4:30 p.m.  It's the season of light, and no matter what your tradition is or is not, lights are everywhere. We welcome the community as we light a new installation of year-round lighting at Fairview Hospital.   Charles Redd, Officer of DEI and author of Berkshire Health Systems' Dignity Posts, hosts this celebration of the lighting and shares his reflection on dignity and light as we turn on the lights of care at Fairview Hospital.
 
Coping with Cancer During the Holidays:  Thursday, Dec. 14, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to facing cancer during the holidays.  Join Sue Budz, LICSW, OSW-C, and Shannon Wellauer, RN, OCN of the Phelps Cancer Center for a conversation about how to cope with having cancer or how to care for a loved one with cancer, during the holidays.  Learn tips and strategies for planning, prioritizing, and taking care of yourself and others during this holiday season.  Most importantly, understand that you are not alone on this journey with the region's trusted cancer caregivers.
 
Reservations are accepted but not required.  For more information, call Fairview Hospital Community Relations at (413) 854-9609.

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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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