Half-day Business Expo in Dalton on August 9

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Entrepreneurship for All Berkshire County is coordinating a half-day Business Resource Expo on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the Stationery Factory in Dalton from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

A collaborative effort of EforAll, 1Berkshire, Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp. and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, the event will feature booths from more than 25 organizations that support small business, panel discussions and plenty of opportunities for networking. The event is free and open to the public.   

Business owners and managers will be able to connect with organizations and programs that have resources to help them – whether with technical assistance, funding or grant programs, marketing or other advice or support. The program will be valuable for existing businesses, would-be entrepreneurs and solo service providers and consultants.

Participants will be able to access experts through a series of panel discussions led by regional experts:

• "Which organization can help me with what?" moderated by Ben Lamb of 1Berkshire.

• "Fueling Your Business: Where’s the Money?" moderated by Raymond Lanza-Weil of Common Capital

• "How can I find more customers ... What marketing works?" moderated by Noah Cook-Dubin of Kanoa Consulting

A networking area will be open throughout the event for one-on-one conversations and meetings. The list of exhibitors, as of July 11, includes:

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.