Bidwell House: The Mohicans of Northwest Connecticut

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MONTEREY, Mass. — On March 9 at 7 p.m., join the Bidwell House Museum for the second program in their online winter lecture series focused on the Indigenous Peoples of Western New England. 
 
Dr. Lucianne Lavin, Director of Research and Collections at the Institute for American Indian Studies will discuss the historical Mohican presence in northwest Connecticut.
 
According to a press release, early European documents demonstrate that Mohican tribal homelands extended east and south into what is now Connecticut, with known villages reported in what would become the towns of Salisbury, Sharon, and Canaan. The documentary evidence reveals stable, peaceful social and political relationships between Mohicans and Housatonic Valley tribal communities to their south, particularly the Schaghticoke (AKA Scaticook) and this archaeology pushes the Mohican presence back even farther, into deep history.
 
Lucianne Lavin is Director of Research and Collections at the Institute for American Indian Studies, a museum and research and educational center in Washington, Conn. She is an anthropologist & archaeologist who has over 50 years of research and field experience in Northeastern archaeology and anthropology, including teaching, museum exhibits and curatorial work, cultural resource management, editorial work, and public relations. Dr. Lavin is a founding member of the state's Native American Heritage Advisory Council and former editor of the journal of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut for 30 years.
 
The lecture will be held via Zoom. Registration via the Museum event page is required, https://www.bidwellhousemuseum.org/event/the-mohicans-in-northwest-connecticut/

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Nonprofit Center Recognizes Community Leaders and Volunteers

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

More than 200 people attended the award ceremony at Kripalu. Some 62 nominations were submitted in seven categories. See more photos here.
STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — More than 200 people gathered at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health on Tuesday morning to recognize individuals who better the community through non-profit organizations.
 
Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires honored seven individuals who have gone above and beyond in their work: Jess Vecchia, Kate Barton, Jude Wesselman, Noelia Salinetti, Brenda Petell, Karen Richards, and Chris Melski. 
 
For the second year in a row, Kids 4 Harmony performed during the the ceremony. The chamber players, who are the most advanced students in the program, performed two pieces of which one was composed by a student. 
 
A panel of 21 judges from schools, businesses, and nonprofits combed through 62 nominations for the annual awards. They were solicited in seven categories: Executive Leadership, Board Leadership, Volunteer, Samya Rose Stumo Youth Leadership, Rock Star, Unsung Hero, and Lifetime Achievement. 
 
The morning was described as the "Oscars for the Nonprofits." During the ceremony, NPC founder Liana Toscanini and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier helped distribute the awards, House and Senate citations, and front newspaper pages made by NPC partner The Berkshire Eagle.  
 
Also recognized was longtime state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, who is leaving his seat after 11 terms. 
 
Although unable to attend the ceremony, Attorney General Andrea Campbell thanked the award recipients for the work they do in a video clip. 
 
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