American Legion Post 125: "Be Our Guest"

By Susan BushPrint Story | Email Story
Dennis Labonte shows just a few of the turkeys that will be roasted for the Frank R. Stiles American Legion Post 125 Dec. 25 "Be Our Guest" dinner.
North Adams - For Dennis Labonte, it's all about the meals. Beginning today, Labonte and a volunteer crew including Lou Morin, Bob McConnell, Ernest "Babe" Lussier, William Schrade, Dennis St. Pierre and dozens of others plan to initiate the preparation, cooking, delivery and serving of the 51st Frank R. Stiles American Legion Post 125 "Be Our Guest" dinner. "We'd Like To Keep It That Way" This year marks Labonte's 24th as a dinner chef, and he is interested in hearing from individuals who are willing to keep the holiday dinner tradition going. Labonte said he believes he will continue to spend his holiday preparing the dinner for the next few years -"I wouldn't do anything else" - but once he retires from his culinary position at Williams College, "things may be different." "I do wish that there was somebody younger interested in this that I could train," he said. "This is the 'Be Our Guest" dinner and we'd like to keep it that way." Learned From The Best Labonte learned the finer points of the meal preparation under the tutelage of George Heisler, he said. After Heisler's death, Labonte worked with other volunteers, including Joseph Cariddi. "And Barbara Shea, she was unbelievable," Labonte said. "She [roasted] all the turkeys at her house for years." The free meal is served on Christmas Day at the legion hall on American Legion Drive. The dinner is open to the public and seating begins at 11 a.m.; earlier in the day, volunteers are expected to deliver about 300 meals. Recipients include on-duty police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and those who are unable to leave their homes. There is limit to meal delivery, Labonte said. "We do not deliver to drinking establishments." Community Contributions Add To The Day On Dec. 22, students of Drury High School art teacher Patrick Boulger decorated the dining area. Tables were draped with red and green coverings, windows were adorned with clear or multi-colored light swags, and an array of painted, wooden ornaments surrounded a brightly-lit tree or graced dining tables as centerpieces. Labonte estimated that about 600 meals will be served at the legion and about 300 will be delivered. Williams College donated all the turkeys to be used for the meal, Labonte said. About 20 25-pound birds and another 10 that range between 14 and 20 pounds are expected to be cooked, he said. The legion meal includes a first course of soup, a turkey dinner with potatoes and vegetables, and a dessert. The dessert pies were baked by Gabriel Abbott elementary school students. The school is in Florida, Mass.. Labonte encouraged people to make the trip to the legion for the meal. Each diner is sent home with a brown-bag-style sandwich meal and the festivities include musical entertainment provided by a locally-popular band, "The Aladdins." A meal tradition is that the Post 125 commander acts as host; this year, Post 125 Commander Thomas Lussier has the honor, Labonte said. The event cost was covered by Post 125 for many years, Labonte said. "As the cost of things went up, we had to solicit, we had to," he said. But as costs have increased, so has the volunteer commitment of many Northern Berkshire residents, Labonte said. Happy To Do Anything At All "The people of Northern Berkshire are wonderful, really wonderful," he said. "People volunteer to make deliveries, people come here and serve, people come down on Christmas Day and they are happy to do anything, anything at all. This is why I say the people of Northern Berkshire are wonderful." "I have a good crew in the kitchen and what I like is that we can mingle with people," he continued. "And this isn't just for people who have no place else to go, people come here because they love it, they see people they haven't seen in a long time. We've had friendships form because people got together here." The best way to understand the impact of the "Be Our Guest" event is through experience, Labonte said. "People who've never been here, who've never had the meal, well, they just don't know how much fun, how special, it is." Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 413-663-3384 ext. 29.
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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

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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