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Pittsfield Kiwanis Holds Park of Honor Opening Ceremony

Air Force recruiter Staff Sgt. Monica Ureste poses with the flags. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Kiwanis Club of Pittsfield celebrated the 11th annual Park of Honor with an opening ceremony on Saturday afternoon.

The club holds this fundraiser every year. Flags are purchased in honor of local veterans to raise money for scholarships to support children and grandchildren of veterans.

In the decade that the Pittsfield Kiwanis have been holding this fundraiser, the club has raised more than $1 million in scholarships. This year, it sold more than 400 flags.

"I could go on forever, I am so proud of this event and to have it continue for 11 years is a lot of  work," President Cheryl Tripp-Cleveland said.

She sent out a heartfelt thank you to the city of Pittsfield, which came to the rescue after the Kiwanis' loyal helper who usually installs the flags became ill. After giving Mayor Linda Tyer a call, the Pittsfield Highway Department was on site within a half hour to put up all of the flags at Park Square.

"This year's almost didn't happen," Tripp-Cleveland said. "One of our people that helps us every year is very very sick and he just couldn't do it, and so we're offering up some prayers and good thoughts for Ernie and wishing him a quick recovery because this community really appreciates everything that he does, and he does so much."

The Kiwanis president also thanked all of the donors including the Pittsfield Highway Department, the Rotary Club, and WBRK and Star 101. She is also thankful for Berkshire Gas, which has given a generous donation each year for the 11 years that the Park of Honor has been held.

In support of the Pittsfield Kiwanis, the Dalton American Legion did the colors and honor guard at the event. 

The flags will be on display until the Sunday after Thanksgiving, when they will be taken down and donors will be able to pick them up.

BIC Expansion Could Begin This Fall

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:20PM / Monday, July 06, 2026

PEDA officials are hoping the momentum will carryover to other sites in the business park. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With about $8 million in public funding secured, the Berkshire Innovation Center could break ground on its expansion as soon as this fall. 

An 8,000-square-foot addition is planned for the BIC to welcome a new company, Myrias Optics Inc.  Executive Director Ben Sosne recently gave the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority an update on the future advanced optics tech hub, the larger vision for this project. 

Myrias, a meta-optics producer, has a partnership with BIC tenant Electro Magnetic Applications for testing and simulation services. They will be able to work side by side once the expansion is complete. 

"There is not a part of me that thinks Myrias wouldn't be here looking to work with the BIC if we weren't already working with EMA," Sosne said. 

"That was the draw, 100 percent."

The effort is supported by $5.2 million from the state, and another $2 million was earmarked through an economic development bond bill. Pittsfield has also committed $1 million in GE Economic Development Funds. 

Myrias will bring up to 55 employees to Pittsfield with an average salary of $110,000. The project's budget is being finalized, and PEDA will have to conduct a design review process for the addition. 

Sosne reported that they hope to break ground this fall, and construction will happen "relatively quickly."  Earlier in the meeting, the PEDA was notified that Mill Town Capital has closed on space on Site 9 and on Woodlawn Avenue for development. 

"I think the theme of today is momentum, here at the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority meeting," Chair Jonathan Denmark said.