CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town field will be dedicated on Saturday to the memory of Peter A. Cook, the last Clarksburg resident to sacrifice his life for his country.
"This is the final step in making sure we get something out there to keep Pete's name alive," said Edward Denault, one of the last members of Peter A. Cook Post 9144 Veterans of Foreign Wars. "The new sign was step one, and the plaque was step 2. The actual dedication to the field will be the final step."
The VFW Post 9144 has been slowly dwindling. It sold its post home across from Town Hall a few years ago and set its sights on the field — not far from where members meet at the Senior Center — as a way to keep the memory alive.
Last fall, a large green sign proudly proclaiming it as the Pfc. Peter A. Cook Veterans Memorial Field was installed and a bronze plaque was installed on a nearby stone with the story of Cook.
The field was renamed "Veterans Field" in the 1980s although most people continued to call it Town Field. It has a basketball court, a pavilion and the Christmas tree, as well as a small bridge linking to a parking lot. The VFW for years has sponsored an egg roll at the field every Easter.
Peter Allan Cook was a graduate of McCann Technical School in North Adams and had worked at the former Sprague Electric and for a tree service. He was only 20 years old and a new husband when he was drafted and sent to Vietnam as part of the 101st Airborne Division.
He was killed in action with six of his comrades on May 7, 1970, when their position was attacked.
Members of the Richard A. Reuther Post 152 American Legion in Williamstown will provide the color guard for the event. Denault said a Massachusetts Medal of Liberty will be presented to one of Cook's family members in his honor. His sisters, nieces and nephews and former bride are expected to attend.
The dedication will be followed by a community cookout hosted by the VFW with hot dogs and hamburgers to celebrate the day.
"Everybody in town is inivted," said Denault. "Any veteran, anybody who wants to show up."
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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.
Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.
The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.
Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.
"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.
"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."
Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly. A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.
It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.
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