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Children in Grades prekindergarten through 8 participated in the food drive at Richmond Consolidated School.
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Student leaders are recognized for their work on the food drive.

Richmond Consolidated Students Collect Socks, Food for Pantry

By Kim McManniBerkshires correspondent
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The school collected more than 1,000 items of food for the food pantry in Pittsfield. 
RICHMOND, Mass. — Students at Richmond Consolidated School recently concluded their annual food drive and sock drive, having collected 578 pairs of socks and more than 1,000 items of food. 
 
According to Student Leadership Team coordinator Zachary Houle, a special education teacher, students in Grades 5 through 8 take on the leadership roles of a project that they choose based on the positive impact they believe it will have.  
 
"They look for a service project that will impact people right here, around our community," Houle said.
 
For the past few years this project has been a food drive for the South Community Food Pantry at South Congregational Church, 110 South St., in Pittsfield.
 
Food pantry is open to everyone and is the only food pantry in Berkshire County that delivers to those unable to get to the pantry. 
 
Students have also helped serve at community meals for seniors at the Richmond Council on Aging. Last year, they expanded their efforts to include handing out socks and cards to seniors at the COA as well.
 
This year the school collected socks for all ages with some donated to seniors at the COA as well as to the food pantry for distribution.
 
Houle described the role student leaders take on: collecting the donations from each homeroom, counting and sorting the items, and packing them up for distribution. 
 
He commended the following participants for their leadership during the project:  Catalina Baltazar, Dylan Conuel, Luciella Curletti, Mathilde Daire, Charlotte Greer, Lucia Naventi, Alisa Yefremov, Livia Yefremov, Emily Leonard-Miller and Kayleigh Dimassimo.
 
The whole school participated by collecting donations, including children in pre-kindergarten.
 
"There are many people struggling in a variety of ways, particularly around the holiday season and in the winter. I am proud of our little school, for thinking about others and contributing to their well-being," said Superintendent and Principal Beth Choquette.
 
While the service project is not tied directly to specific curriculum, she said it embodies the school's mission to provide opportunities for everyone to become mindful, caring individuals in a climate that encourages citizenship among other qualities.
 
Students were rewarded with a movie and hot cocoa on Friday, the last day of school for the year.
 

Tags: donations,   food drive,   

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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