Berkshire Food Project Serves Early Thanksgiving Dinner

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
09:49PM / Monday, November 24, 2014Print Story | Email Story

Volunteers serve up turkey and all the fixings at the annual Berkshire Food Project Thanksgiving dinner.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshire Food Project served Thanksgiving dinner to well more than 100 community members who may not have a place to go on the holidays.

Volunteers served turkey, stuffing, and other accoutrements necessary for a proper Thanksgiving feast Monday night at First Congregational Church.

Berkshire Food Project Executive Director Valerie Schwarz said there is a need for this dinner in the community.

"I think there are a lot of folk who are single, lonely, or older and these people, the majority of them, eat here all of the time," Schwarz said. "This is maybe their only Thanksgiving meal and then we are open tomorrow so they get to have leftovers."

Schwarz said preparation starts weeks before the actual dinner. Sixteen turkeys were donated and cooked, four and half bushels of Florida Mountain turnips were mashed along with a couple hundred pounds of potatoes. She said the various pies were donated by the Williamstown Congregational Church, which held its Great Pie Palooza on Sunday.

Schwarz said there are always volunteers for the dinner. People from the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and its UNITY program, MountainOne Bank, Berkshire Food Project board members, Williams College students, as well as other community members were involved this year.

"It is a group effort, and it is definitely is a community event," she said. "We have a great community, and we never have an issue with volunteers. We always have we are blessed in that area."

Volunteer Pam Coons said she thinks the event is important and that it has helped her get to know the community.

"I just recently moved to the neighborhood, and I wanted to get connected to the community," Coons said. "My mom is one of the directors so she said if I had any free time, I should come down. So I figured I would help out. It is very import especially around the holidays."

Travis Ciempa is part of UNITY (United, Neighboring, Interdependent, Trusted Youth) and volunteered with his brother and friend.

"They asked us at our last meeting if we wanted to come help, and I said 'sure it sounds like fun,'" Ciempa said. "I think it is really important. I did a soup kitchen when I went on a mission, and I just loved it so much so I thought I would come here tonight."

Tags: Berkshire Food Project, dinner, holiday, thanksgiving,

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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:37PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.

Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.

We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.

In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.

Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.

The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.

"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."

Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.

In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.

The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.

"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.

They are hoping their display carries on the tradition of the Arnold Family Christmas Lights Display that retired in 2022.

The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.

In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.

"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.

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