Berkshire Money Management Welcomes New Community Development Director

DALTON, Mass. — Berkshire Money Management, a locally based investment advisory firm, announces that Berkshire native Nichole Dupont has joined the firm's growing team of investment and business professionals.

Dupont is a freelance writer, editor and communications consultant whose work has appeared in multiple regional and national publications including Berkshire Magazine, The Take, Rural Intelligence, the Berkshire Eagle, Newsday and the Huffington Post. She has also helped businesses and nonprofits — Simon's Rock college, Emma Willard School, the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, and many others— "find" their stories and bring this unique content to their branding vision, as well as websites, local and national media, and other public platforms.

"In order to accomplish our mission of helping people lead spectacular lives, we have to let them know everything we can do for them," BMM founder and CEO Allen Harris said. "Everyone comes to us for investment advice, but we do so much more. Nichole worked with us as a consultant for nearly three years, and she sees the passion we have for what we do. We always work well together, and seeing that she really gets us, we wanted her to join the BMM family."

Dupont earned her bachelor's in history from Clark University and has done extensive post-graduate work at Yale University (East Asian languages and literature) and Middlebury College (M.A. English). She lives in Sheffield with her two teenagers, Anna and Lucian. When she isn't combing over content or writing about local businesses (and food), she is an avid boxer — alongside her daughter - and trains Brazilian jiu jitsu with her son. She is also an extensive traveler and dabbles in multiple languages.

This is BMM's fourth hire in the last year, reflecting its growth as a result of the continued demands from local investors, including and especially business owners and decision makers, who want to make a lasting positive impact in the community.

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.