Berkshire Medical Center honors five employees for excellence in healthcare

12:00AM / Monday, June 05, 2006Print Story | Email Story

Berkshire Medical Center has bestowed awards on five employees, recognizing their dedication to excellence in the provision of healthcare services to the community. Recipients of the 2006 awards are: Edward Bertoldi, Susan Flynn, RN, Roberta Gale, RN, Gail Krebs, RN and Amy Nordin. Edward Bertoldi, Weekend Lead Guard, Evening Shift in the BMC Department of Safety and Security received the Service Excellence Award. Bertoldi has worked at BMC since 2001. He was praised for performing duties above and beyond the requirements of his position. Susan Flynn, a Registered Nurse who works on 5 West at BMC received the Clinical Excellence Award. She joined BMC in 1983 and became an RN in 1986, working on medical surgical units throughout her career. She was recently appointed to the position of Clinical Leader on 5 West. Flynn was honored for her exceptional care for patients and their family members. Roberta Gale, a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department was honored with the Leadership in Healthcare Award. Gale joined BMC in 1995 and for many years served as the Emergency Department Educator. She was recently appointed the Clinical Leader in the Emergency Department. Gale, among other achievements, developed an Emergency Department pathways course for new staff, worked consistently to reinforce the use of e-learning initiatives and helped to organize several continuing education programs at BMC. Gail Krebs, a Registered Nurse in the BMC Intensive Care Unit is the recipient of the Robert J. Diskin Spirit of Caring Award. Krebs was honored for her professional competency, pride in the nursing profession, genuine sense of caring for patients and her co-workers, supporting a positive and congenial work environment and compassionate care. Amy Nordin, an Occupational Therapist and the Therapy Manager for BMCâ€™s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit received the Management Excellence Award. Nordin has worked at BMC for ten years, following her graduation from the University of New Hampshire. She completed her clinical affiliation in occupational therapy at BMC and later was offered a position at the Medical Center. She was praised for her attentiveness to staff as individuals and for fostering a creative and professional work environment.

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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