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BFAIR members took advantage of the sunny mild weather Friday morning.
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BFAIR employees helped clients find veteran's graves throughout Southview
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This is one of the many volunteer efforts BFAIR helps with.

BFAIR Helps Place Flags on Veterans' Graves in Southview

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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BFAIR members had bundles of flags on hand to decorate veterans' graves.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Members of Berkshire Family & Individual Resources (BFAIR) spent Saturday morning placing flags on veterans' graves in Southview Cemetery
 
"This is absolutely wonderful that we were able to get some of our people out to help with the flags," Community Based Day Services (CBDS) Assistant Director Kristin Neep said. "... A lot of people give to us and a lot of people support us in many different ways…so this means a lot."
 
Neep said they take on most volunteering efforts the community throws at them. They have sold poppies for the VFW as well as participated in Wreaths Across America, Meals on Wheels and Adopt a Highway.
 
Neep said the volunteer program helps build employment skills for BFAIR clients.
 
"We want to get our people ready for work with a lot of volunteering," she said.
 
Neep said members of the program really enjoy participating in things like this and although they may not totally understand the importance of what they are doing, they are happy to give back to the community.
 
"They love it, and we love doing it. These volunteer opportunities are very important to us ... any way we can help," she said. "They may not understand completely, but it is our job to help them understand why we are giving back to veterans who fought for our country."

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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