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Friendship Center volunteer Erik Wobus, left, Doppelgangers President Robert Donnelly, Director of Food Distribution Mark Lincourt, Doppelgangers Vice President Chip Beckwith and volunteer Fran Morandi were at the center on Eagle Street.

North Adams Motorcycle Club Aids Friendship Center

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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Mark Lincourt helped carry the donations into the Eagle Street center.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Doppelgangers motorcycle club surprised the Friendship Center with a pickup truck full of donations Wednesday evening after collecting them from the area over the past two weeks.

According to club President Robert Donnelly, the group put boxes and posters in various local businesses and its clubhouse on Oct. 12  to collect food and clothing.

On Wednesday, Donnelly and Vice President Claude "Chip" Beckwith dropped off three boxes of food and multiple bags of clothing, enough to fill the truck bed.

In total, 182 pounds of clothing and blankets and 123 pounds of food.

"We want to be good neighbors," Beckwith said. He said the group had been looking for ways to help the community.

The Friendship Center has picked up where the Northern Berkshire Food Pantry left off when it closed two years ago. Entering its second holiday season, Director of Food Distribution Mark Lincourt said it now serves more than 1,100 families throughout North Berkshire.

The new pantry was started on Eagle Street by the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative and received its first donation in February 2011. Lincourt said the center's operations have grown tremendously in the last two years.

The volunteer group distributes food to families in need. The Doppelgangers' clubhouse is in the Crystal Hard Hat's former location on Union Street. The club is private — with about 15-members — for owners of Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles.

Tags: donations,   food pantry,   motorcycle club,   

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McCann Recognizes Superintendent Award Recipient

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Landon LeClair and Superintendent James Brosnan with Landon's parents Eric and Susan LeClair, who is a teacher at McCann. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Superintendent's Award has been presented to Landon LeClair, a senior in McCann Technical School's advanced manufacturing course. 
 
The presentation was made last Thursday by Superintendent Jame Brosnan after Principal Justin Kratz read from teachers' letters extolling LeClair's school work, leadership and dedication. 
 
"He's become somewhat legendary at the Fall State Leadership Conference for trying to be a leader at his dinner table, getting an entire plate of cookies for him and all his friends," read Kratz to chuckles from the School Committee. "Landon was always a dedicated student and a quiet leader who cared about mastering the content."
 
LeClair was also recognized for his participation on the school's golf team and for mentoring younger teammates. 
 
"Landon jumped in tutoring the student so thoroughly that the freshman was able to demonstrate proficiency on an assessment despite the missed class time for golf matches," read Kratz.
 
The principal noted that the school also received feedback from LeClair's co-op employer, who rated him with all fours.
 
"This week, we sent Landon to our other machine shop to help load and run parts in the CNC mill," his employer wrote to the school. LeClair was so competent the supervisor advised the central shop might not get him back. 
 
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