Northern Berkshire Community Coalition February 2002 Newsletter

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NEWS Huge Northern Berkshire Crowd Celebrates MLK Day One thing about this business is that one gets a clear view of who is seeking to get things done and who is seeking headlines. The MLK Committee at the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Jan. 21st honored a man who has served his community without fanfare for many decades, Al Nelson. Nelson, a former local radio broadcaster and journalist, former executive director of the Northern Berkshire United Way, stalwart member of the First Baptist Church, and volunteer for other good causes, received the Peacemaker Award. “Al is a man of deeds,” said Al Bashevkin, director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and MLK Committee member. “I think by example we can all learn by what he does.” Bashevkin nominated Nelson for the award. “I know this is a very uncomfortable moment for Al,” Bashevkin said. “Al is not someone who grabs headlines or one often hears about, but Al is someone who in my work — and I know in many work[s] in this community — is someone who’s really been out quietly, behind the scenes making things happen.” “In my experience, Al is a peacemaker,” Bashevkin said. “I know there have been times in all of our work when we might disagree with someone. And Al’s the one who will raise his hand, and he’ll say, ‘I’ll talk to him, I’ll try to make it better.’ “And does that and it works, because there’s something about the presence that Al brings to a situation that makes things work,” he said. Said North Adams Mayor John Barrett III, “Let me say something about Al Nelson: he epitomizes all that is good about our community.” Barrett said he meant community in the sense of the entire Northern Berkshire area. Nelson lives in Clarksburg. “All the good that he has done [is] without fanfare. These are the heroes to me, people who go about helping people without any recognition, without any limelight, rarely seeing their name in the paper,” Barrett said. “I’ll tell you, I’ll stand with these people any day of the week, and Al Nelson is one of those individuals.” After making a few humorous remarks, Nelson said it was an honor for him to join the list of previous Peacemaker Award winners. “Over the years I have come to know many people that come into this area and discover the spirit that we have here in Northern Berkshire,” he said. “And they say, ‘My gracious, you guys really know how to communicate. And that is business, that’s government, that’s education, that’s human service agencies, that’s neighborhoods. You really know how to care for each other and you do it day in and day out.’ “As you know, and as the mayor knows, we’ve had some bumps in the road along the way in the past few decades — economic bumps in the road — that have caused some real problems for people,” Nelson said. “But we come together as a Northern Berkshire community tremendously. And I don’t think we’ll ever lose that, because we’re too strong.” Also at the celebration, Professor Herman Hemingway gave a fine address on Martin Luther King Jr. A professor of criminal justice and public safety at UMass-Boston, Hemingway is older brother of Brenda Thomas of Adams, Martin Luther King Planning Committee co-chair this year. The day’s events also included performances by the 21st Century After School Program of Greylock School, the Youth Alive Step and Drum Team, speeches by Senator Andrea Nuciforo and Representative Dan Bosley, presentation of library books to the Florida Public Library, and a wonderful job as the Master of Ceremony by Alex Daugherty. The crowd at the celebration seemed to be the largest of the past several years. In fact, I think the celebration is outgrowing the First Baptist Church, as many people had to stand and it was difficult to move around. An upside of the location is the beautiful church worship space, where the opening interfaith worship service was held.- Our thanks to Mark Rondeau of the Berkshire Advocate for making this article available FEBRUARY Coalition Meeting “WELCOMING OUR NEWCOMERS : A CHALLENGE FOR THE REGION “ First Baptist Church of North Adams 131 Main Street, (Eagle Street entrance) Friday February 8th 10:00 a.m. to Noon The monthly meetings of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition are open to the public, and offer a wonderful opportunity for networking and sharing information. The meetings open with introductions and announcements, followed by discussion of important topics to the community. • NEW!! Men’s Health Partnership at NARH offers FREE health screenings for uninsured and underinsured men, age 18 and over. Screening for heart disease, diabetes, and prostate cancer. No charge for clients. Call 664-5240 for information. • North Adams Regional Hospital Tobacco Treatment Services are in the process of developing a Youth Tobacco Education and Treatment Program with Conte Middle School. Call 664-5522 for further information. Darlene Whitney. • The Healthy Homes Program of Child Care of the Berkshires is available to provide FREE home assessments to families with children under 6 to identify safety hazards that could lead to injury or illness. Please call 663-9242. • The Family Tobacco Education Project of Child Care of the Berkshires is available to provide tobacco treatment services to parents with young children who would like help quitting smoking. Services can be provided in the home. Please call 663-9242. • “WINTERFEST” is February 23rd. If anyone would like to donate time, talent, or treasure, please contact “Winterfest” Coordinator Rod Bunt at 663-9204. • Grandparents Raising Grandchildren - A support group at the Mary Spitzer Center in North Adams is seeking referrals. For more information and to make referrals contact: Susan Dawdy at 413-499-3556 or Sandra Lamb at 413-662-3125. • Free Family Movies through March 16th at the Visitors Center in Western Gateway Heritage State Park. Movies begin at 2:30 p.m. Each week features a different entertaining and educational movie. For further information call the Visitors Center at 413-663-6312. • The music department at Drury High School in cooperation with Williamstown Chamber Concert Series will sponsor a young clarinetist at the shcool on Friday, March 22nd. This is part of the Discovering Young Artists Program. For more information contact the Director of Music at 413-662-3240 ext. 23. • Universal Access Program of the Department of Environmental Management - has many outdoor winter activities available to the public. Snowmobiling at the Pittsfield State Forest, Winter Recreation Programs on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, DAR State Forest, and Pittsfield State Forest. Programs are free of charge, weather/conditions permitting. Call 413-545-5758 to register. • Western Heritage Gateway State Park has many indoor and outdoor winter programs that are Free and open to the public. For more information call 413-663-6312. • Women’s Sports Foundation Community Action Program invites you to their Celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. “Take a Kid To A Game Night” will be 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 14th in the MCLA Amsler Campus Center Gym in N. Adams. For more information contact Dot Houston at 413-662-5437. NBCCoalition INFORMATION The mission statement of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition is “organizing people and resources dedicated to improving the quality of life in Northern Berkshire.” The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition is supported by the Northern Berkshire community, with funding from a variety of public sources from Massachusetts including the Department of Social Services, the Cultural Council, the Berkshire County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, the NA Public Schools’ 21st Century Grant, the NEA, OJJDP, and the Department of Public Health. The Coalition is a member agency of the Northern Berkshire United Way and the Williamstown Community Chest. Foundation Supporters include the Campaign for Human Development and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. The Coalition is also supported through grants from the City of North Adams, theTown of Adams and through the generous contributions from its many supporters. The Coalition NEWSletter is supported by the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. To Submit to NBCCoalition News: The Newsletter is a publication of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. To submit articles for the March newsletter, SEND BY FEBRUARY 26th TO : E-Mail : cfleab@bcn.net albash@bcn.net Fax : 413 663-9877 Harvard Pilgrim Foundation Supports Local Work to Increase Awareness of Services for New Immigrants For the past seven months, the Coalition has been working with local agencies and area residents to assess the capacity for our community to welcome newcomers. There is a new wave of immigration coming to our region. Many of us (including myself) are descended from European grandparents or great grandparents who came here during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and knew little English or knew little about what they needed to be successful in America. We are seeing new immigrants coming to Berkshire County who face those same challenges today. Thanks to some early work by Angela Thomas (of Columbian heritage), we have a better understanding of the nature of the new immigrants. With support from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, we have been able to work with Angela and our friends from the Jewish Federation New Immigrant Services (Marilyn Fontana / Doris Orellana) to better understand what can be done. The North Adams Public Schools with the help of Jim Montepare and Viola Moriarity, the Elizabeth Freeman Center, and MCLA have also worked with us in determining what to do to help new immigrants and our residing cultures to best appreciate each other and work together. With the leadership of Kathy Keeser on the Coalition staff, a survey instrument has been created that we plan to get out to local agencies as a first step in creating a resource directory that can be used by our new residents for whom English may not be a primary language. We will also be using the February 8th monthly Coalition meeting as a means to engage the broader community in a conversation about cultural awareness. We hope to engage broader resources (local hospital / Berkshire AHEC) in training and utilizing a local medical interpretation staff. Join us on February 8th from 10 AM to noon at the Baptist Church in North Adams for a discussion of our changing community. – Al Bashevkin NEWS FROM AROUND THE COALITION Coalition Hires New Prevention Staff : Elena Traister As the new Unity Program Associate and Drug Free Communities Program (DFCP) Coordinator for the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself and explain what my role here will be in the months ahead. I am a Los Angeles native and a recent graduate of Williams College. In the last few years, the Berkshires have come to feel like home to me. I’ve been involved with local music, directing public access television at NBCTC in North Adams, and meeting with citizen and community groups in the area. Most recently, I had been working with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council in Pittsfield, where I was involved with projects helping local farmers preserve their farms and concerned citizens protect their land. In the past, I have worked with children, teens, and adults in communities across Los Angeles, the Berkshires, and in Mexico on a variety of projects and programs. I am excited to have this opportunity to work with teens and parents in the Northern Berkshires on Social Norms Marketing and on developing a Safe Homes Program. I think these programs have great potential, and I feel lucky to have been chosen to be a part of this effort. There are two main components of my work as the DFCSP Coordinator with the Coalition. The first is to coordinate Social Norms Marketing Campaigns with the UNITY Middle and High School students. “Social norms marketing” is a new drug and alcohol prevention techique founded on a strong science-based methodology. The idea is that people tend to act in ways that they believe are “normal.” As it turns out, many teens drastically overestimate how many of their peers drink, smoke, and use drugs. By making young people aware of the real norms, we can greatly correct this misconception, which has the effect of reducing drug and alcohol use among these youth. I will be meeting regularly with UNITY students and their advisors to help develop their campaigns, and I will also help to plan a final event at the end of the year where the UNITY groups can present information about their campaigns to the public. My other main role as the DFCSP coordinator is to develop and implement a Safe Homes program in Northern Berkshire County. The goal of this project is to recruit parents of teens in the community to draft a pledge stating that they will maintain a “safe home.” This means that parents pledge to be present at all parties on their property and to ensure that these parties remains free of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Directories listing parents who have signed the pledge and their contact information will be compiled and distributed to parents in North Berkshire. Safe Homes programs have proven to be very successful in uniting parents and youth in a healthy and safe environment in many communities across the United States, and we are hoping to add our community to that list. If you have any questions about either the Social Norms Marketing Campaigns or the Safe Homes Program, or if you would like to be involved, please don’t hesitate to visit me in the Coalition office! I can be reached by phone (663-7588) or by email (etraiste@wso.williams.edu. –Elena Traister Becky Krysiak New Director of Passages Becky Krysiak has taken over the position of Program Coordinator of the Passages Healthy Families Program at Child Care of the Berkshires. Becky will be assuming this position as of February 4, 2002. Becky is presently directing the Family Tobacco Education Program and the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at Child Care of the Berkshires. Nurit Berman, will be leaving her job as the Director of the Passages Program to become part of the practice of Tony Siracusa and Associates. Nurit is a Board member of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. Erica Cruz Joins Coalition The Coalition welcomes its newest student Intern, Erica Cruz. Erica is a near graduate of MCLA and we hope to have her around as an intern through the Fall of 2002. Erica is a resident of North Adams and the parent of a young toddler. Prior to working with us, Erica was a Preschool Lead Teacher and Site Coordinator for five years with Child Care of the Berkshires where she learned a lot about the resources and need in our community. As an intern with the Coalition, Erica is supported by our Drug Free Communities Support Program grant. Erica is a student of Myles Whitney at MCLA. We thank Erica, Myles, MCLA, and the OJJDP grant staff who have made this paid internship possible. Northern Berkshire Youth Collaborative Receives Training from Western Mass Prevention Center The January 29th meeting of the Northern Berkshire Youth Collaborative packed the Coalition Conference room for a discussions of the Search Institute Model for Healthy Communities Healthy Youth. Twenty youth service providers representing youth employment, recreation, education, and others first began the meeting with announcements of what’s doing for youth. It’s encouraging to hear the attempts to work together to bring together a forum for parents (4-H and Girl Scouts) and the ways the Adams Youth Center is creatively working with others to provide positive programming for Adams youth. Lauri Turkovsky engaged the group in a discussion of what is needed to grow healthy youth. Youth need both internal assets (ones that they grow themselves) and external assets (ones that the community provides). The number of the forty available assets that youth can count for themselves will have a bearing in what kind of risk these young people might be in. For a listing of the forty assets, go to the Coalition website. As youth service providers we heard many ways that we can build assets in our youth. Next Youth Collaborative Meeting will be Feb 26th from noon to 1 PM at the Coalition office. Northern Berkshire Collaborative for Non-Violence The January 15th meeting of the Collaborative was held and a round table discussion about teen and adolescent violence was conducted. The consensus was that the issue is bigger than Teen Dating Violence and reaches from the elementary school level up through the high school years. It seems as though that issue is only one of the violence related issues that school personnel are facing. “Inter-relational issues” has become a high priority problem for schools in this area. We talked about how broad the focus of the Collaborative should be. We agreed to focus on inter-relational violence among children. This will include all grade levels and types of violence between children and teens. What’s being done: • Drury is in its third year of a three year DoE grant to address the issues of violence in high schools. They have adopted policy, put services in place, added healthy relationship and teen dating violence curricula and facilitated a teacher training with McCann and Hoosac Valley. • Mt. Greylock is in the first year of the three year DoE grant cycle. They have done peer resource training and are setting up an after school group with MHSAB. “Kids’ Talk”, a community television show for teens to discuss issues that affect them, is being taped there on Thursday, January 17th. This show is produced in collaboration with the Elizabeth Freeman Center’s Berkshire Violence Prevention Center. • Adams Memorial Middle School received a grant from the Taconic Foundation last year and did extensive after school programming. About half the school population participated. • NAPD’s community police Officer Mike Cozzagio is in Drury on a regular basis. He has developed a good rapport with many students and Drury sees him as a great resource. • In North Adams, the COTY Youth Center offers programming as well as drop in activities and the 21st Century After School Program is under way this year in elementary and middle schools. When we talked about what needs to happen to address these issues, we are looking for more programming about violence especially at the middle school level. We saw a lack of transportation as a barrier for after school programs, and we hope to support those who are working with our kids the most….the teachers and trainings. The next meeting will be Tuesday, February 26th at 9 a.m. in the third floor conference room at 85 Main Street, North Adams. Job Available at LatinAmerican Council Berkshire LatinAmerican Council is seeking to fill a position with someone who has a commitment to the advancement of the Latin American population in Berkshire County; knowledge of and sensitivity to the County’s diverse Latin American cultures; knowledge of services and its providers in the Berkshires. Must speak and read Spanish and English; ability to organize and problem solve; good interpersonal and phone skills. Applicant should be a self-starter and highly motivated; possess excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills; have the ability to perform routine office duties. Currently the position is 18 hours per week and offers $10.00 per hour. Emergency Relief Fund The Emergency Relief Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation offers one-time assistance to individuals and families in crisis. Applications are accepted on behalf of clients by social service agents and may be submitted by fax, email, or mail. Decisions are generally given within ten working days. The fund is supported by donations from the foundation’s donor-advisors and has a limited amount of funding available. Because there are many more requests to the fund than can be supported, an agency may as of this date only apply to the fund once a month. The Emergency Relief Fund supports individuals who are in dire straits. Funds range from $50 to $500 and very occasionally more. In the past, the ERF has paid for medications and other health-related emergencies, car repair, security deposits, utility payments to prevent shutoff, food, legal services, etc. Applications are only considered for residents of Berkshire County, Northwest Litchfield, and Northeast Dutchess Counties. For more information plese call Maeve O’Dea, Program Officer at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation at 413-528-8039, by fax at 413-528-8158 or email at info@berkshiretaconic.org. Teen Pregancy Coalition Hires The Berkshire Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is pleased to announce that Lisa Fletcher-Udel as been hired as Coordinator. Fletcher-Udel comes to the Berkshire Coalition after 16 years at Elder Services, most recently as Planning and Development Specialist. Fletcher-Udel will work closely with the Coalition’s Steering Committee to unite youth, families and community leaders to develop local prevention strategies that promote healthy behavior, responsible decision-making and increased economic, social and educational opportunities for young people between 10 and 19 years of age. Fletcher-Udel is excited about joining the staff of the Coalition, noting that she is impressed with the dedication of the staff and steering committee in serving the youth of Berkshire County. In addition to hiring Fletcher-Udel, new members were recently added to the Coalition’s Steering Committee. They are: Cate Irvin, a student at Pittsfield High School, Berkshire Community College and a member of the Berkshire Teen Network; Marya Kozik, Adams Selectwoman and aide to Rep. Peter Larkin; Janet Tremblay, a faculty member at Conte Middle School in North Adams and Coordinator of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention and After School Programs; and Debbie Phillips, Health Educator and Nutritionist working extensively with teenagers at the Community Health Center of the Berkshires in Great Barrington. The Steering Committee is responsible for the overall policy and direction of the Coalition. Other Steering Committee members include Carole Seigel & Peter Utrera, Pittsfield Public Schools; Susan Hornyak, UMASS Extension; Diane Ryczek & Marcia Sarrouf, Conte Middle School, TPPP; Maryanne Santelli, Parent; & Shawn Robinson, a student at St. Joseph High School. The Coalition is interested in expanding membership on the Steering Committee to include additional youth and parents of youth as well as community leaders from the business, religious, media, educational and social service sector. The Berkshire Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy began in 1995 through the efforts of Representative Peter Larkin, area school officials, health and human service providers, and youth serving organizations in response to the growing problem of teenage pregnancy among Berkshire County youth. The Coalition operates under a grant from the Department of Public Health Challenge Fund, a statewide alliance of 17 community- based coalitions committed to decreasing adolescent pregnancies. Anyone interested in learning more about the Berkshire Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy may contact Lisa Fletcher-Udel at (413) 448-2279. Jean Frazier to Speak National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Berkshire County (NAMI-BC) is conducting a free seminar on February 6th at the Berkshire Medical Center auditorium. Dr. Jean Frazier, Director of Psychotic Disorders Clinic and Child and Adolescent Outpatient Services at McLean Hospital will present Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Phenomenology, Neuroimaging and Treatment. This seminar, for medical and mental health professionals, will be held from 3 - 6 p.m. Continuing Education Units will be available. In addition, Dr. Frazier will be speaking the same evening (February 6th) at NAMI’s monthly educational meeting. This will be a 1 1/2 hour presentation, beginning at 7:15 p.m. and is open to the public. This meeting will also be held at the BMC auditorium and is open to all family members, consumers, and the general public. For more information contact Mary Rowland at 413-443-1666. New Baby Enters 21st Century Good news ! On January 25, Elayne Murphy, Site Supervisor of the North Adams 21st Century Community Services Learning program at Conte Middle School had a baby girl. Reports are that mom and her baby girl are doing fine. We'll miss the two page supplement that Elayne writes for the newsletter this month and look forward to seeing it again by March or April. Neighborhood EXPO on Channel 15 Playback Schedule of the 2001 Neighborhood Expo on Channel 15 Northern Berkshire Community Corporation. All shows are on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. showings started on December 15th, 2001 and will continue to run weekly through March 2, 2002. On March 9, 2002 they will be run from the beginning again and continue weekly every Saturday at 5:30 pm until May 25, 2002. CWAB Meeting February 7th We would like to invite you to the third meeting of the Community Wellness Advisory Board for Northern Berkshire in 2001-02, Thursday, February 7th at 9:00 at the First Baptist Church in North Adams. We should be able to complete our work for this meeting by 10:30 AM . The CWAB meets four times during the school year. During our last meeting in December, we : • Talked about the School health Survey data and in particular information about how we can better nurture our children. • Made plans for a retreat (March 14th.. hopefully at MCLA) to create a Comprehensive Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Plan for Northern Berkshire. There was lots of interest in this process. For the February 7th meeting, we would like to talk more about the results of the school health surveys and see if this data can offer us some ideas about how to proceed, what’s working and what’s not. In addition, we will talk in greater depth about the Comprehensive Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Plan and how this will work during our retreat of March 14th. I’m sure that we will hear updates about the tobacco control programs and their challenges with statewide funding. For information, contact the Coalition office. - Al Bashevkin I’m in the recovering Martin Luther King Day mode. Yesterday, at the First Baptist Church in North Adams, over one hundred fifty local residents and dignitaries participated in the 9th (yes, this has gone on for nine years) Martin Luther King Birthday celebration. What a day it was. Way back in 1993, as the Coalition was talking about concerns that young people had for their safety, the concept of a local Martin Luther King Day celebration began. Our first celebration was a “dreamer’s brunch” that included the largest pot luck meal I have ever seen at a Coalition function. Discussions about our dreams for the Northern Berkshire community were facilitated by Natalie Cain. We had a candlelight vigil in a raging snowstorm, and a moving, yet small ecumenical service. The Transcript published and found advertising to support an eight page supplement to its newspaper that year, and the Northern Berkshire community had a model for celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. The staff of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition made that day happen and it was a lot of very fulfilling work. In later years, the Martin Luther King Day celebration moved to Brayton School and the YMCA. We packed the hall for performances by the Sullivan School singers and for the acceptance of the Peacemaker award by the family of Eileen Lincourt. Maryanne Santelli was the chair of the committee back then, she made the mistake of speaking up and offering some ideas. The next thing she knew, she became the Committee’s Chair. Rosemary Jette worked tiredlessly organizing the annual Transcript insert, and Anne Singleton quietly typed away so that we had copy for that publication. We worked hard, but never were sure this occasion couldn’t happen unless the Coalition devoted a month to its preparation and delivery. Time passes. We’ve now celebrated the birthday of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. for the past nine years. We’ve raised some eyebrows in our celebrations, but we have established a community event. We have a committee that plans the celebration and has created a year’s worth of activities for Dr. King’s memory. Alex Daugherty and Brenda Thomas, the co-chairs of the committee did a wonderful job of making the birthday celebration memorable, and the year’s events go on as planned. As someone famous said, the torch has been passed. Although those of us on staff of the Coalition do what we can to support the day’s activities, we are no longer those that make it happen. A community committee does that. Thank you Alex and Brenda for making the Martin Luther King Day Committee such a vibrant part of our Northern Berkshire culture. And thanks to all who participated and made this a day of reflection and looking ahead about how we can live the ideals that Dr. King preached. Next year will be the tenth anniverary of this celebration. I for one am looking forward to celebrating that milestone for Northern Berkshire. I’m sure I’ll see you there. – Al Bashevkin MCLA offers Non Profit Certificate Program MCLA is presenting a certificate program designed for current board and staff members of non-profit organizations in such areas as health, social services, arts and culture, education, and community service. The certificate program is also an option for those individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in the non-profit sector. Course offerings will include such areas as grant writing/fund raising: board/staff roles and responsibilities’ strategic planning; marketing and promotion; fiscal management; executive searches; volunteer and advisory boards. Students must complete all four courses in two years to receive a certificate. For fee schedule and to register: Call 413-662-5180 A New Special Program Begins In January, we began a new program in the neighborhoods. This program works in the neighborhoods and promotes the positive message of Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Families, and Healthy Friends. This is a spin off of our previous MassCall incentive in which we conducted a social norming campaign about drug and substance abuse in the middle schools and one that targeted the adult population in North Berkshire. We will be conducting this five week program in four neighborhoods: Brayton Hill, Mohawk Forest, Greylock, and UNO. The end results will include products with the children’s artwork and social norming message to be distributed in the neighborhoods. Bringing this program into the neighborhoods will be Kathy Keeser and Carolyn Leab. Neighborhood leaders will assist them. The Brayton Hill program began on Jan. 28th with assistance from neighborhood leaders Marilyn Boesse and Irma Baez. They will continue to meet every Monday through Feb. 25th. The Mohawk Forest group will begin on Jan. 31st and continue to March 7th. It is our intention with this program that the social norming message about the use of alcohol will reach more youth in their neighborhoods. “Food Purveyors” Group at N. Berkshire Community Coalition A group of women that have been working quietly (this is sometimes questionable) and quickly behind the scenes at the Coalition events have emerged as a dominant presence at these functions. Everyone knows that people like to eat and this group has taken on the immense task of keeping the attendees of Coalition events well fed and satisfied. From the planning, purchasing, and accepting of donations, to the set up, serving, and clean up these unsung heroes stand diligently by the kitchen door, aprons on and spoons in hand ready to complete their assigned tasks. The main goal is to keep plates full and everyone contented. Sometimes it is just serving coffee and donuts at the Monthly Meeting, or taking on the EXPO and Martin Luther King events. The tasks are always the same: serve good food, present it nicely, and make it memorable. The women in this group that are neighborhood leaders also organize picnics, parties, and events in their respective neighborhoods as there is always something to celebrate. Members of this elite, but not exclusive, group are: Shirley Davis (board member and neighborhood leader), Marilyn Boesse (community volunteer and neighborhood leader), Edna Rudnick (board member), Carolyn Leab (staff), and Marcia Sweet (Green Thumb staff). Also assisting at the MLK Celebration was Carrie Todd (community volunteer). Be sure to look for these heroes at the next event you attend and if you would like to volunteer you will be most welcome (especially at clean up time) - - - Carolyn Leab New Website to Help in Preventing Teen Pregnancy The Berkshire Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy has announced the redesign of its Web site, www.teenweb.org . The Web site was created in an effort to disseminate information to teens and parents in the community regarding the prevention of teen pregnancy, safe sex and birth control, sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and AIDs, the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, teen dating violence, sexuality, and intergenerational discussions regarding healthy relationships and healthy decision-making. The Web site contains information for both teens and parents as well as a description of Coalition activities and programs including those of the Berkshire Teen Network, area birth statistics, a calendar of local substance-free events, a request for response section, and fun facts and games. The Berkshire Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, located at 305 North St., has been working in conjunction with Boxcar Media on the project since last spring. Although the redesigned Web site is new, www.teenweb.org , has already received over 1,000 hits. Content is updated regularly. For more information, log onto the site or call Meg Prendergast at the Berkshire Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy at 448-2279. Mass211 Receives Attention for Funding From US Senate Remember Mass211? It’s a concept at present but may be a bit closer to inception thanks to the legislative work of Senator Ted Kennedy. Mass211 is a statewide information and referral network that will enable Massachusetts residents to dial 211 and receive a caseworker on the other end of the phone who can help the caller find the services to address their issues. One of the call centers for Massachusetts, once 211 is in place, will be for Berkshire County at the offices of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. For the Northern Berkshire community, we hope that 211 will provide the same if not better information and referral service that HelpLine did in the 80’s and early 90’s. Just before holiday recess, the US Senate passed the Bioterrorism Preparedness Act of 2001 (S1765), sponsored by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Frist (R-TN). This legislation creates a $667 Million Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Block Grant, which among other things, may be used to fund 2-1-1 implementation. The House passed companion legislation earlier, but it lacks language for 2-1-1. The next step is for the House and Senate to meet in conference to hammer out their differences in this legislation. Senator Kennedy is a representative of the Senate on that Conference Committee. So, who knows. We may be seeing the beginnings of an extensive information and referral network in Massachusetts. The Statewide 2-1-1 network is planning a pilot program in Merrimack Valley to start soon. If you get an opportunity to thank Senator Kennedy for his part in this legislation, he can be e-mailed at senator@kennedy.senate.org. Local Adult Education Program to Offer Distance Learning The Northern Berkshire Adult Basic Education Program is offering a new distance learning program that teaches the reading, writing, math, and communication skills individuals need to know to improve basic skills and succeed in the workplace. This program is designed to meet the learning needs of individuals who are unable to attend regularly scheduled classes. Learning materials and teacher support are offered free to enrolled students. The centerpiece of the distance learning project is Workplace Essential Skills, a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) LiteracyLink initiative. Participants in the project will learn through videos, workbooks and Web-based lessons developed for the series. This project offers a multimedia approach to teaching the skills, attitudes, and competencies necessary for succeeding in the workplace and provides adults with the opportunity to expand their horizons and develop their reading, GED, and workplace skills. Interested individuals may learn more about the distance learning project by calling 662-5308 or by sending e-mail to project coordinators, Carole Blair (cblair@mcla.mass.edu) or Thelma Margulies (tmarguli@mcla.mass.edu). Coalition Moving Upstairs to 6th Floor of 85 Main Street in North Adams We’re moving upstairs ! Over the next few months, the offices of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition are preparing for a move to the 6th floor of 85 Main Street in North Adams. With the inclusion of new staff, Elena Traister and new interns from MCLA and Drury High School, we’ve run out of room in our 3rd floor offices. Thanks to the help of Community Service volunteers through the Massachusetts Departments of Juvenile and Adult Probation, the 6th floor office of the Coalition will be freshly painted and looking good. Bear with us for the next few months, as the challenge of doing our jobs along with preparing for this move have made us all quite busy. We’re looking forward to an open house once we are actually in our new space. Mohawk Forest Happenings Some of our current activities are: A ski program that is running for six weeks. The children are getting a one-hour lesson, two hours of skiing, rentals, and transportation. This program is provided through money from Mass. Housing Finance (MHFA) left over from our summer program. This program had a much lower attendance than we had anticipated therefore, we didn’t need all the staff and were able to keep the expenses down. MHFA is continuing to fund our summer program for this year as they have in the past. The program runs Monday through Friday from 8:30 - 4:00. Fifteen children were able to go to camp in 2001 and the sale of cookbooks helped to financ their field trips. The current after-school program, supported by MHFA has an average of 14 participants daily. They meet three times a week for two hours. Line dancing may be in the future if there is enough interest indicated and Bingo is still going strong. Games are the first and third Wednesday and second and fourth Tuesday each month. Resident meetings are held in the Community Room at 6:30 p.m. monthly. Neighborhood Summit Meeting discusses concerns with Community Police On Tuesday, January 15th a Neighborhood Summit meeting was held at the First Congregational Church in North Adams. 18 people were present including Neighborhood representatives from 6 neighborhoods, from the 21st Century program, from the Coalition’s Board of Directors, and Northern Berkshire Neighbors. Before turning to the Community Police, the group had a chance to update what is happening in the neighborhoods, discuss a special alcohol and drug prevention project that will take place in four of the neighborhoods, give ideas for a grant being written to support further neighborhood work by Northern Berkshire Neighbors and hear a little about the 21st Century after school program. The community police officers (Fran Maruco, Bill Baker, John LeClare and Al Zoito) wanted to assure everyone that the community policing program is still in place and is still strongly supported by Commissioner John Morocco and Mayor John Barrett III. Due to budget cuts and increased spending on security at the state level and because of recent retirements from the North Adams Police Department, the community officers have to handle many regular police calls during their shift (4pm. – 12a.m.). These calls sometimes have kept them from being in the neighborhoods as often as they would like. They still want to hear from residents when there are problems. If there is a concern that you would like to talk with the police about that is not an emergency, contact the community police by calling the station at 664-4944 and leave a message for any of the four officers. They want to work with you and will return your call as soon as they can. Remember that each of the officers work certain days and their schedule changes each week, but there is always at least one community officer on duty each night. Still call 911 for all emergencies. UNO News from Shirley’s Kitchen Table There wasn’t too much happening in the UNO neighborhood in January. However, we did attend the Neighborhood Summit meeting on January 15th. It’s always nice to get together with the other neighborhood groups and exchange stories and ideas. On Jan. 21st we attended the Martin Luther King Day celebration. It was a wonderful celebration from beginning to end. Special congratulations to Al Nelson who received the Peacemaker Award. Thank you to Joe Manning for his generous donation to UNO. This most likely will be used to send the children to the MacHaydn Theater this summer. Going back to December, I just have to say how impressive it was to experience the heart warming Christmas Elf Program at the office of the Northern Berkshire Community Action. The office and the halls were filled with beautifully wrapped gifts for the children in our area. Presents were arriving by the truck full. Members of our N. Adams City Council came up the day I was there with their arms full of gifts and they, and everyone else who participated, had a look of joy on their faces that outshone the looks of joy on the faces of the children receiving the gits. We should be very proud of the caring people in our community. Marie and her staff of Elves did an outstanding job. The “UNO” Steering Committee will meet at my home at 95 Bracewell Ave., Tuesday, February 19th at 6:30 p.m. to make plans for 2002. Stay Well!!! --- Shirley A. Davis/UNO Organizer • NEW!! Men’s Health Partnership at NARH offers FREE health screenings for uninsured and underinsured men, age 18 and over. Screening for heart disease, diabetes, and prostate cancer. No charge for clients. Call 664-5240 for information. • North Adams Regional Hospital Tobacco Treatment Services are in the process of developing a Youth Tobacco Education and Treatment Program with Conte Middle School. Call 664-5522 for further information. Darlene Whitney. • The Healthy Homes Program of Child Care of the Berkshires is available to provide FREE home assessments to families with children under 6 to identify safety hazards that could lead to injury or illness. Please call 663-9242. • The Family Tobacco Education Project of Child Care of the Berkshires is available to provide tobacco treatment services to parents with young children who would like help quitting smoking. Services can be provided in the home. Please call 663-9242. • “WINTERFEST” is February 23rd. If anyone would like to donate time, talent, or treasure, please contact “Winterfest” Coordinator Rod Bunt at 663-9204. • Grandparents Raising Grandchildren - A support group at the Mary Spitzer Center in North Adams is seeking referrals. For more information and to make referrals contact: Susan Dawdy at 413-499-3556 or Sandra Lamb at 413-662-3125. • Free Family Movies through March 16th at the Visitors Center in Western Gateway Heritage State Park. Movies begin at 2:30 p.m. Each week features a different entertaining and educational movie. For further information call the Visitors Center at 413-663-6312. • The music department at Drury High School in cooperation with Williamstown Chamber Concert Series will sponsor a young clarinetist at the shcool on Friday, March 22nd. This is part of the Discovering Young Artists Program. For more information contact the Director of Music at 413-662-3240 ext. 23. • Universal Access Program of the Department of Environmental Management - has many outdoor winter activities available to the public. Snowmobiling at the Pittsfield State Forest, Winter Recreation Programs on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, DAR State Forest, and Pittsfield State Forest. Programs are free of charge, weather/conditions permitting. Call 413-545-5758 to register. • Western Heritage Gateway State Park has many indoor and outdoor winter programs that are Free and open to the public. For more information call 413-663-6312. • Women’s Sports Foundation Community Action Program invites you to their Celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. “Take a Kid To A Game Night” will be 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 14th in the MCLA Amsler Campus Center Gym in N. Adams. For more information contact Dot Houston at 413-662-5437. Feb 4 and Feb 8 Northern Berkshire Tonite Local access TV at 7:30 pm (2/4) and 8 pm (2/8). This week co-hosts Al Bashevkin and Ken Swiatek will be discussing services for new immigrants. Feb 7 Community Wellness Advisory Board Meets at 9:00 - 10:30 at the First Baptist Church in N. Adams. Brings together tobacco control advocates, school health officials, and substance abuse personnel to discuss how prevention can work in North Berkshire. For more information contact the Coalition @ 663-7588. Feb 8 Monthly Coalition Meeting First Baptist Church from 10 - NOON. Topic to be Cultural Awareness For more information contact the Coalition office at 663-7588. Feb 23 Winterfest Begins with breakfast at the American Legion. Visit the llamas in the Public Library, view the ice sculptures on the street. There will be childrens entertainment, a chili cook-off, and skating at the Rink. All events are free except for a $2.00 charge to rent ice skates Feb 26 Northern Berkshire Collaborative for Non Violence Facilitated by the Elizabeth Freeman Center in the NBCC conference room #311, 85 Main Street at 9:00 a.m. Transportation issues will be discussed. Call the Elizabeth Freeman Center @ 663-9709 for more information. Feb 26 Northern Berkshire Youth Collaborative Noon to 1:00 at the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition office. This meeting is an opportunity for all youth serving organizations to talk together about youth and their work. Lunch will be provided. For information, contact the Coalition office @ 663-7588 March 5 and March 12 Topics in Nursing This series will focus on assisting both health care professionals and social workers when working with clients who are coping with a terminal illness. March 5 Sponsored by Berkshire AHEC and HospiceCare in the Berkshires, Inc. Part 1: A Better Death: The Palliative Care Alternative. 5:30 p.m./Registration, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Conference in the Medical Arts Complex, 5th floor, 777 North St., Pittsfield March 12 Sponsored by Berkshire AHEC and HospiceCare in the Berkshires, Inc. Part 2: Symptom Relief at End of Life. 5:30 p.m./Registration, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m./Conference in the Berkshire Medical Center Auditorium, 725 North St., Pittsfield. March 14th Comprehensive Strategic Prevention Plan Retreat, 9 AM to 3 PM at Sullivan Lounge at MCLA. This workshop will offer North County services opportunities to look at what exists for prevention programming. We hope to make this a fun and informative event. More details next month.
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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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