EforAll Berkshire County Awards Prizes to Fall Cohort

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Top row (l-r): Lindsay Neathawk, Outdoor Life Decor/Neathawk Designs , Charlie Nadler & Kiar Holland, Laugh Dealers, Kristen Tool, Heart & Soil, Mary Childs, New England Ceramics, Kate Abbott, By the Way Berkshires, Courtney Gilardi, Daughter of Demeter. Second row: Alex Kacheris, Equine Spirit Horse Tours, Rebecca Childs, Martial Arts Institute of the Berkshires, Liam Gorman, CozQuest, Laurie Rock, Aquatic Roots, Nicole Ferry, Book the Berkshires
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — EforAll Berkshire County marked the culmination of 12 weeks of business training for its 2020 Fall Accelerator Program with a virtual event with prizes.
 
The dozen individuals representing 11 local businesses participated virtually in classroom learning with specialists and working weekly with their volunteer mentors.  
 
Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is a nonprofit organization that partners with communities nationwide to help under-represented individuals  start and grow a business through  business training, mentorship and an extended professional support network.
 
At the online event, state Sen. Adam Hinds gave welcoming remarks and Lindsay Neathawk and Laurie Rock were the class speakers chosen by the cohort.  
 
Cohort members Kiar Holland and Charlie Nadler of Laugh Dealers also demonstrated their  "digital impersonation" technology with introductions by famous people, for instance a pretend Steve Jobs was the emcee.  
 
The cohort also collaborated on a video celebrating their journey.
 
Prizes were awarded as follows:
  • Courtney Gilardi of Pittsfield, Daughter of Demeter: $500 for the Christina Hamilton Award.
  • Liam Gorman of Pittsfield, CozQuest: $500
  • Kristen Tool of Lanesborough, Heart & Soil: $1,200
  • Charlie Nadler & Kiar Holland of North Adams, Laugh Dealers: $1,280
  • Lindsay Neathawk of Williamstown, Neathawk Design/Outdoor Life Decor: $2,500
  • Laurie Rock of Pittsfield, AST Scuba/Aquatic Roots: $2,500
The complete video of the gala and showcase event is available here.
 
EforAll's next Accelerator cohort will begin in March 2021, also virtually.
 

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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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