Cultural Pittsfield This Week: June 12-18

11:24AM / Saturday, June 13, 2020Print Story | Email Story

Welcome to Cultural Pittsfield's weekly guide featuring in-person and virtual classes and events, information, and more. If you are a Pittsfield business and would like your event listed, please email us at cultural@pittsfieldch.com. Thank you and be well!

Pittsfield Artists & Residents:

Call for Art

ARTISTS can display visual art (painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, fashion, sidewalk art, video, etc.) on their porches, trees, lawns, and driveways, in their open garages, or projected onto their homes.

RESIDENTS who know an artist who lives outside Pittsfield can invite them to display their work. Residents can also display the art they collect.

To participate and get your location on the map, email your Pittsfield address to drivewalkbikeart@gmail.com.

RESOURCES

1Berkshire has compiled a list of online sites where you can find information on a number of topics, including an explanation of our state's reopening plan. You can also visit the City of Pittsfield's COVID-19 webpage for updates and helpful resources.

Plus...

FAMILY FRIENDLY

Registration for Berkshire Museum's new summer Camp at Home is now open! From June 29 to August 21, children entering grades 1 through 6 will have the opportunity to become kitchen scientists, build and test robots, develop code, investigate the scene, and more. Each virtual program comes with a Camp@Home Kit containing all the ingredients, materials, and instructions kids need to complete a full week of fun activities.

Plus...

ONLINE CLASSES & FUN

Berkshire OLLI will present its inaugural Online Distinguished Speaker event on Wednesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. Roberta McCulloch-Dews will discuss The Policing of Black People in Public Spaces. The talk will give the historical framework surrounding the policing of black Americans in the U.S., explore the role of bias, and highlight how legislation can play a major part in addressing discriminatory behavior. The talk is free but pre-registration is required.

Coming Soon: Get your bicycle ready for next week's Ride for Roots Rising fundraiser! From June 20-28, road cyclists and mountain bikers can complete on a beginner, intermediate, or advanced route to raise money for community food access. Prizes will be offered to the top three fundraising teams. All registrants will be entered to win additional prizes that include gift certificates to Berkshire Bike & Board, Arcadian Shop, The Spoke, Guido's, Berkshire Outfitters, and Roots Rising's own farmers market. Mill Town Capital and Berkshire Bike & Board are offering a bike giveaway for Pittsfield youth!

Plus...

SHOP LOCAL

Massachusetts retail stores are now being allowed to reopen, so be sure to check online or by phone to see if your favorite shop is open for business. Hours may have changed and special protocols, like wearing masks, are still in place. Happy shopping!

Plus...

TAKEOUT & DELIVERY

Below are some of the Pittsfield restaurants currently offering takeout, delivery, and/or curbside pickup. Please check their websites for updates. Visit the 1Berkshire website for a list of all current Berkshire County takeout options, including restaurants that now offer outdoor dining options.

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RIBCO Supply

Check out our great lineup of Boss Plows, and spreaders. 2 Locations Clarksburg & Pittsfield!

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Budhaus Cannabis Store

Open 9:00am Mon–Sat An elevated cannabis company providing highly crafted product & personal touch

www.budha.us

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Capeless Students Raise $5,619 for Charity

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
11:13AM / Friday, December 19, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Students at Capeless Elementary School celebrated the season of giving by giving back to organizations that they feel inspired them.

On Monday night, 28 fourth-grade students showed off the projects they did to raise funds for an organization of their choice. They had been given $5 each to start a small business by teachers Jeanna Newton and Lidia White.

Newton created the initiative a dozen years ago after her son did one while in fifth grade at Craneville Elementary School, with teacher Teresa Bills.

"And since it was so powerful to me, I asked her if I could steal the idea, and she said yes. And so the following year, I began, and I've been able to do it every year, except for those two years (during the pandemic)," she said. "And it started off as just sort of a feel-good project, but it has quickly tied into so many of the morals and values that we teach at school anyhow, especially our Portrait of a Graduate program."

Students used the venture capital to sell cookies, run raffles, make jewelry, and more. They chose to donate to charities and organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Berkshire Humane Society and Toys for Tots.

"Teaching them that because they have so much and they're so blessed, recognizing that not everybody in the community has as much, maybe not even in the world," said Newton. "Some of our organizations were close to home. Others were bigger hospitals, and most of our organizations had to do with helping the sick or the elderly, soldiers, people in need."

Once they have finished and presented their projects, the students write an essay on what they did and how it makes them feel.

"So the essay was about the project, what they decided to do, how they raised more money," Newton said. "And now that the project is over, this week, we're writing about how they feel about themselves and we've heard everything from I feel good about myself to this has changed me."

Sandra Kisselbrock raised $470 for St. Jude's by selling homemade cookies.

"It made me feel amazing and happy to help children during the holiday season," she said.

Gavin Burke chose to donate to the Soldier On Food Pantry. He shoveled snow to earn money to buy the food.

"Because they helped. They used to fight for our country and used to help protect us from other countries invading our land and stuff," he said.

Desiree Brignoni-Lay chose to donate to Toys for Tots and bought toys with the $123 she raised.

Luke Tekin raised $225 for the Berkshire Humane Society by selling raffle tickets for a basket of instant hot chocolate and homemade ricotta cookies because he wanted to help the animals.

"Because animals over, like I'm pretty sure, over 1,000 animals are abandoned each year, he said. "So I really want that to go down and people to adopt them."

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