NBCC 20th Anniversary: "Our Mission Is In Our Hearts"

Northern Berkshire Heroes Alex and Sue Daugherty View Slide Show

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Northern Berkshire Community Coalition Executive Director Alan Bashevkin described the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition with precision during a June 9 celebration of the non-profit organization's 20th year of action and service to the Northern Berkshire region. "Our mission is in our hearts and is most clearly spelled out in our actions," Bashevkin said while speaking to about 300 people gathered at the Williams Inn. "We're about the people of Northern Berkshire County and providing the forums for people to address the issues that challenge us."

A Bit Of An Understatement

<L2>For those that have been part of the NBCC from the beginning, Bashevkin's words may seem an understatement; the NBCC has launched numerous initiatives that returned blighted portions of communities to safer, cleaner neighborhoods, provided public stage and published page for young writers and music performers, encouraged athleticism, family inclusion and sportsmanship through neighborhood group baseball games, and joined a partnership that erected new playgrounds in North Adams.

"I think they are awesome," said Spencer Moser, director of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Center of Services."They are a group of motivated folks who have the passion to make a difference."

United Neighboring Interdependent Trusted Youth, better known as UNITY, the local youth talent showcase known as the GROOOVE, the Northern Berkshire Neighbors, and the Coalition Core are all components of the NBCC. And the success is based in the commitment of the NBCC membership; when the organization launched, newsletter subscribers numbered 200, Bashevkin said. In 2006, over 1,500 people receive the monthly newsletter.

Still Standing

While describing a playground initiative, Bashevkin may have defined the "yes, we can" attitude of the group. During the 1990s, several Public Health Incentive Grants were allocated by the NBCC that targeted some funding for playground renovations. The Northern Berkshire Community Partnership and the City of North Adams added revenues to the funds, and the project was poised to begin.

"The Coalition way is to build it with others," Bashevkin said. "It may take a bit longer,it may be a bit more difficult, but it's better for people to build it themselves than have it built for them." Numerous teams of folks joined forces and worked during weekends to erect the play areas. "More play spaces have been added to our original groupings but those we built are still standing."

Prepare The Workforce

Bashevkin noted the region's shift from a "center for the shoe and textile manufacturing and then a world leader in the manufacture of transistors and capacitors" to a new economy that seems focused on the arts, cultural endeavors, and some high-tech development.

"We're looking at some wonderful plans for the economic future of Berkshire County," he said. "These ideas make a lot of sense. They build on our history, our environment, and existing structures."

Bashevkin urged those present to tackle the challenges that stand between the ideas and the goals.

"Let's work as hard in preparing our indigenous workforce to take the new jobs that will be coming to this region as we are in preparing the region for the new economy," he said. "That's easy to say but real hard to do. But 'real hard' didn't stop people here before. So, as hard as we are working at crafting the economic future for the region, let's build our workforce for the region and let's understand the challenges that our workforce faces in order to overcome their own barriers to successful work lives."

During his introduction of North Adams Mayor John Barrett III, Bashevkin noted that Barrett has been mayor throughout the NBCC's history. "Actually, that helped," Bashevkin said, and drew audience applause and chuckles. Barrett, who is presently serving his 12th elected term, earned some chuckles when he quickly replied "thank God for term limits."

'Smart Work'

Barrett recalled the city in 1986, a time when the Sprague Electric Co. was leaving the city and unemployment was gaining on the population.

"Then in comes this funny guy, bubbling into everything," Barrett said of his initial encounters with Bashevkin. Barrett said that he knew from the start that Bashevkin had the drive and the passion to dig into the community.<R3>

"And [the NBCC] is still reaching into the community," Barrett said.

Keynote speaker H. Mark Smith, who is the program director for Youth Reach, a project of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, spoke about the spirit of the NBCC. The group "has a communal spirit based on a humility that no one of us has the best answer," Smith said. "The best answer is had by all of us," he said. "It's smart work." The "smart work" includes looking ahead for that "next generation of leaders" and "a need to look to the next solution," he said.

"There is a sense of hope that is palpable in Berkshire County," Smith said. "That's not a given, that's a rarity these days. Without that hope, everything else is for naught." "Whether it's in the water or in the mountains, whatever it is you're doing, keep doing it," Smith said, and noted the growing arts community and the excitement surrounding the Northern Berkshires. "I think creativity is humanity-building stuff."

Northern Berkshire Heroes: Alex And Sue Daugherty

Alex and Sue Daugherty received a very enthusiastic standing ovation after being named Northern Berkshire Heroes for 2006.

The award was presented by state Rep. Daniel E. Bosley D-North Adams and Berkshire County Juvenile Court Judge Paul Perachi. Alex Daugherty is probation officer with the Northern Berkshire Juvenile Court and is active as a community volunteer. He is a youth basketball coach, serves on the Mayor's Human Services Commission and is chairman of the Martin Luther King Day Celebration Committee.

Sue Daugherty has been described as a "behind-the-scenes person" who is most often found organizing clothing drives, book projects, and fund raisers that benefit a wide range of community agencies and initiatives. <L4>Bosley said that he was very pleased to be honoring the couple.

"This is about passion, and [Sue] believes in caring for people, for giving to the community," Bosley said. "And Alex, I have known him nearly all of our lives. He's just a wonderful human being filled with passion."

Bosley presented the couple with an additional honor, a citation issued by the state House of Representatives. Alex Daugherty accepted the honors on behalf of himself and his wife.

His wife "stole the Nike logo of 'just do it,'" he said, and then added that the day had arrived when "two meddling, Type A multi-taskers can stand before you and get an award like this; what's the world coming to?" Daugherty said that the work he and his wife accomplish are labors of love, and he offered thanks to his mother, Lois Nelson Daugherty, "for allowing me to be the son I hope she wanted."

Daugherty said that the couple plan to continue with community service. "We're continuing to do what we do because we have the passion to do it," he said, and ended his remarks with a quote from baseball legend Jackie Robinson.<R5> "A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives."

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