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The 26th annual Day of Service in North County will include making items for those in need, volunteering at sites and celebrating together.

Northern Berkshire Annual Day of Service Set for Monday

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is still "a day on" despite the major winter storm heading for the Berkshires. 
 
The 26th annual Day of Service in North Berkshire will occur as planned on Monday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Venable Gym on the campus of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. 
 
The storm is expected to drop a foot or more on the North Berkshires and Southern Vermont but should be over by evening Sunday. Should the conditions worsen, MCLA will make a determination at 5 a.m. on Monday whether to cancel; notices will be posted on social media and by email.
 
Event organizer Kathy Keeser is encouraging those who can shovel out of their driveways to bundle up warm and head to Venable for warm beverages to start the day before dispersing to off-site activities or joining in those in the gym.  
 
"Very important projects need to be done and sites are expecting us," Keeser said.   
 
"A priority is the Meals Ministry at All Saints Church," she said. "Volunteers will help finalize preparations of the meals, package and then deliver them to 96 people in real need of a meal on Monday."
 
Other sites include winterizing drafty windows for families in need of this assistance and collecting and organizing items for homeless adults from Stop & Shop and Youth Center in Adams. The Northern Berkshire Family YMCA, Louison House, the Al Nelson Friendship Center Pantry, Goodwill Industries and First Congregational Church in Williamstown need help with organizing and cleaning projects.  
 
The projects on site will include a discussion workshop titled "Love Conquers Hate," craft projects that include making mittens, blankets, Valentine's cards for those in nursing homes, care boxes for adults in winter shelters, etc.  
 
MCLA and Williams College will have vans available for those who do not have transportation but volunteers with vehicles are also needed to drive others to sites or to help with meal deliveries.
 
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and projects at 9:15; volunteers will return by 12:30 p.m. for lunch and a celebration with speakers and music. The presentation of the 2019 Peacemaker Award will be made to Kenna Waterman for her work on the behalf of people in recovery.  
 
Other events happening Monday can be found here.
 
 
 

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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