With the arrival of the New Year, why not make 2008 the year to truly make a difference?
Whether it's helping the needy or lending a hand to a local arts organization, the Berkshires have plenty of places where the altruistic can use their talents for good. In fact, some nonprofits, like the American Red Cross and the Berkshire Humane Society, rely heavily on volunteers to continue running their operations and are constantly seeking fresh faces to contribute their time to making an impact.
This year, a resolution to actively engage in helping the community may actually become a commitment that changes the lives of others for the better and area organizations are desperately in need of the assistance.
According to Kathleen Phillips, the executive director of the Berkshire Chapter of the Red Cross, the majority of the organization's work force is unpaid, which means nearly 700 jobs are filled by volunteers.
"We depend on volunteers and there's just never enough," said Phillips, noting that there are only 24 people employed by the Red Cross.
Volunteers help run the chapter's daily operations by donating their time to drive patients to doctor's appointments, to work in the donor center or to be a disaster action team member. Phillips also said there is a need for drivers, especially in the winter when many of the regular volunteers are unavailable.
"It's one thing to write a check but it's another to really be here. It's just time and we can work around a busy schedule," said Phillips.
Sandra Thomas, the executive director of Images Cinema in Williamstown, said volunteers are the key to the movie theater's success.
"Volunteers are what keeps us alive," she said.
Images depends on a small staff of volunteers to man the concession stand, distribute the newsletter, collect items from vendors, clean the theater, fix the database, organize events and perform other administrative tasks.
"A lot of organizations in our community do good work and helping out, even if it's only once a week, helps these organizations function and makes the community a better place," said Thomas, who first became involved in the cinema as a Friday night cleaning volunteer.
For Louison House's Executive Director Michael Boland, getting volunteers isn't a problem - it's keeping them that is a concern.
"Sometimes New Year's resolutions go on the back burner. We see an outpouring of volunteers and people interested in helping out around the holidays. I'd like to see that resolve sustained in the other 11 months," Boland said.
Volunteers at the homeless shelter are always willing to take on the dirty tasks, like organizing the donated clothing in the attic or keeping the grounds maintained, but Boland said 2008 will bring a need for more specialized help to take on monitoring the shelter's new play space. Organized through the state's Horizons for Homeless Children program, volunteers will receive the training they need to work with the children who visit Louison House.
"We're really trying to develop a more coordinated effort that makes the best of volunteer time," said Boland. "Volunteering is inspiring because you can immediately see that your efforts produce results. The time you're investing is actually working."
With a waiting list for volunteering at the Berkshire Food Project, Executive Director Valerie Schwarz said she's grateful so many have offered to help prepare and serve meals to their needy Berkshire neighbors.
"It's not only about helping someone else. A lot of times it's fulfilling the need of a volunteer," said Schwarz.
Find Out More
To find out what kind of volunteer work will best suit your time and talents, check out www.BerkshireNonprofits.com. Under "Volunteer Now!" interested parties can browse dozens of Berkshire County organizations that need volunteers to keep their services going.
With categories like "Arts and Culture" and "Sports and Recreation," there's something for everyone. Complete with contact information and requirements, Berkshire Nonprofits is a one-stop shop for prospective volunteers.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
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Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
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For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
