SteepleCats Seeking Host Families

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams SteepleCats are seeking host families to house players for their upcoming 2018 baseball season.

The host family commitment is to house a SteepleCats player from June 2 through the beginning of August. Players should have their own room and families provide their meals. Players will arrange their own transportation.  

In exchange, host families receive a "Golden Ticket" that allows them to attend any game throughout the league – and never expires. They also receive a discount on SteepleCats merchandise and are able to build a relationship which can last a lifetime.

For more information on hosting a player, email Pat Decker. volunteer@steeplecats.org.  

The SteepleCats play in the prestigious New England Collegiate Baseball League, which has sent more than 100 players to the Major Leagues over the past 20 years. This year over 100 NECBL players were selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Home games are played at the historic Joe Wolfe Field on Route 8.

Northern Berkshire United Way Sets $480K Campaign Goal

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:01AM / Saturday, September 30, 2023

Christine and Peter Hoyt are this year's campaign co-chairs. Their goal is to raise $480,000 over the next year. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire United Way supports 20 member agencies in the work they do addressing social, health, youth and family services throughout the region. 

 

Two of those agencies — Louison House and Community Legal Aid — highlighted some of the efforts within the community at United Way's annual campaign kick on Wednesday morning at Norad Mill. 

 

The agency also announced its new slate of officers and board members, including President Kelly McCarthy and Vice President Tyler Bissaillon, and took a moment to remember the contributions of the late Stephen Green, a longtime community activist and former campaign co-chair with his wife, Susanne Walker.

 

"While our hearts in our community at large are at a loss for a man who truly embody all of the characteristics and traits that we acknowledge as Northern Berkshire, such as honesty, integrity, commitment, selfless service, dedication, we can be comforted in knowing that his legacy lives on," said Jennifer Meehan, vice chair of Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, of which Green was a board member and former president. 

 

Kathy Keeser, executive director of Louison House, described the history of the shelter that opened more than three decades ago after the closure of Sprague Electric and other local mills devastated the economy. Founded by Theresa Louison, the agency has expanded to provide emergency shelter, family housing, transitional housing, preventive services and, soon, a youth shelter facility. 

 

Housing is a growing need while at the same time, housing costs are rising, she said, and this effects particularly the people Louison House serves, people who don't have savings or credit — "who are at the last chance of an apartment."

 

"People are really struggling, but it's our community connections and it's our work with other agencies," Keeser said. "We do a piece of the puzzle. Ours is about getting them out to housing — working with mental health, substance abuse, all the other agencies around to help us do that. And the United Way has been a big part of that, along with Williamstown Community Chest, and so many other businesses and individuals that support us. So it is the community that helps us succeed and helps us do what we're doing."