Berkshires Beat: Pittsfield Seeks Christmas Tree

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Pittsfield Kicks Off Search For Christmas Tree

The city announced last week that they are now seeking a tree to place at park Square for the holiday season. 
 
The tree must be at least 30 feet tall, superior shape, and accessible for cutting and transportation.
 
Screening and selection of fo trees will take place the week of Nov. 16. Cutting and installation of the tree at Park Square will be scheduled shortly after the selection.
 
Those interested should contact Becky Manship, Pittsfield's recreation and special events coordinator, no later than Nov. 13 at 413-499-9371 or via email parks@cityofpittsfield.org.
 

November First Fridays Artswalks

For the month of November, First Fridays Artswalk will present the last Artswalk of 2020 which will encompass a variety of outdoor locations that allow for a socially distanced walk around the downtown, as well as four indoor locations.
 
Enjoy indoor and storefront art shows, murals, outdoor sculpture, and 19 of Artscape's Pittsfield Paintboxes during the First Fridays Artswalk on Friday, Nov. 6, 5 to 8 pm, and all month long. When participating in the November Artswalk, be sure to maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from other individuals and wear your mask. A map of all indoor and outdoor locations, including hours for the indoor shows, can be viewed at www.FirstFridaysArtswalk.com.
 

Berkshire South Regional Community Center Annual Crafts Festival

Berkshire South Regional Community Center (BSRCC) will host its 5th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival on Saturday, Nov. 7 outside, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 
“We are looking forward to helping artists and crafters share their wares this season,” Jenise Lucey, executive director said. “It is through events like this that we continue to live our mission of bringing people together – safely, following all protocols, masked and socially distanced.”
 
Teh fair will be held outdoors on the Berkshire South campus, and vendors will be spaced out more than in past years. Foot traffic flow will be managed at the entrance to be sure people are safely spaced. People will enter on one side of the parking lot and exit on another. 
 
The festival is a pre-holiday market featuring contemporary artisans, crafters and food producers.
 
Some of this year's vendors include: Grant House Press, ISP Photography by Dylan Kubis, Justamere Tree Farm, Knox Trail Forge, Kent Glass Works, Only in My Dreams, Olsen Farms, Krissy Romano Botanical Art, Mandy's Craft Farm, Miller's Rustics, Pirate Treasure Jewels, Planted Pigments, Tamarack Hollow Trading, Tameless by Riley, Twin Birches Design, Until Forever Nursery, Vilma Mare Design, From the Forest Floor, and more.
 

"You Only Live Twice" Opening Reception

The installation is a memorial to Beth Hall Horner by her son Grier Horner (aged 85) and her great-granddaughter, Riley Nichols, whom she never met.
 
"My mother was a warm and humane person plagued by bouts of manic depression," Horner said. "Have you noticed how those officiating at funerals always say the deceased will live on in the hearts of those who loved them? Well, I'm one of the few people left in whose heart she is a presence. What happens to Beth once my wife Babbie, my sister Britt and I and a handful of others die? Does the end of her ‘second life' mark the end of her existence?"
 
Grier Horner is the retired associate editor of the Berkshire Eagle. He is a graduate of Brown University and took graduate studies at Stamford University under a Knight fellowship. 
 
Riley Nichols is a senior at Hamilton College majoring in philosophy and minoring in art. Their installation utilizes paintings, photographs, and projected images to capture elements of his mother's life as a young woman.
 
Horner has had a multitude of solo shows in Western Massachusetts, including Pittsfield, North Adams, Stockbridge, Worcester, and Great Barrington. This is Nichols' first exhibition.
 
The exhibit will open Saturday, Nov. 7 at 49 Eagle St. A reception will be held from 12 to 4 pm. 
 

A Spirited Evening At Ventfort Hall With David Raby

Join David Raby for a paranormal investigation of Ventfort Hall.  
 
According to a press release, Raby, a non-fiction author and paranormal investigator, will give a brief history of the lives that once graced the hallways – and possibly still reside within. He will also share some of his favorite evidence from previous investigations.
 
Raby will also answer questions about paranormal investigations.  
 
The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. and conclude at midnight. Masks that cover both the mouth and nose are required during this event. Social distancing will be practiced.  Non-refundable tickets for this exciting event are $38 per person with a reduced rate of $20 for ages 12 – 18 and 19-23 with student ID and are limited. 
 
Reservations are required. No walk-ins. Call (413) 637-3206 for reservations. 
 
All of the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the preservation and restoration of Ventfort Hall. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.
 
 
 

 


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Free Vaccinations Available Throughout Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fall season is also the flu season, which means vaccine clinics are now available.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative will provide public vaccination clinics in Berkshire communities this fall, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. There are about 49 clinics. 

The collaborative began during COVID-19 to help vaccinate people across Berkshire County. Berkshire Health Systems started the Get Vaccinated Berkshires website and still manages it. The group works with the Pittsfield Public Health Department, Community Health Programs, and the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative.

"The majority of people will always get the flu [vaccine] because, as I said, if you've ever gotten the flu, you will always get a flu vaccine because it's so bad. And just so you know, the flu is already in Berkshire County. It's an early season this year," said Leslie Drager, who is the senior public health nurse at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

Drager said last year they issued 2,705 vaccines, with more than 1,100 of them being for COVID-19 and more than 1,500 being flu. In total, they were able to vaccinate 1,669 people in Central and North County, in addition to Pittsfield.

Drager also said she will be carrying three types of COVID vaccines this year, which is in high demand.

"We have a high demand of COVID vaccine, which is awesome," she said. "So we're doing a lot of COVID vaccines. Also, I provide Pfizer, and this year I have Moderna and the Novavax, which I think is real important to get out there because the Novavax, a lot of people want, people with long COVID. So I'm carrying all three vaccines this year, which I normally only carry the Pfizer."

Public health departments also can help people access other vaccines such as for measles or meningitis when they cannot get them through a pediatrician, she added.

Using the website, people are able to get vaccines even if they are homebound by filling out a form.

All public Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative clinics are free of charge, but registrants are asked to provide insurance information, when available, in order to defray costs. The clinics are open to anyone 6 months of age or older, the age group recommended to receive an annual flu vaccine and the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

"I always encourage everybody to wear a short sleeve shirt because it makes it a heck of a lot easier to get at," Drager said. "And children, we do carry the nasal flu, the live virus of nasal flu for kids that are afraid to get needles."

Registration is highly recommended for the clinics. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on the number of vaccine doses available at each clinic, with preference given to those who are registered.

"It's really important. I'm really encouraging vaccinations for the schools, because not only you know if the kids are vaccinated and the teachers are vaccinated, the schools won't have the flu go wild right through it," Drager said. "And of course, the best way to prevent infections: washing your hands. So don't touch your face, and wash your hands."

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