image description — Children in Grades prekindergarten through 8 participated in the food drive at Richmond Consolidated School.

Richmond Consolidated Students Collect Socks, Food for Pantry

By Kim McManniBerkshires correspondent
07:27AM / Saturday, December 23, 2023Print Story | Email Story

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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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.

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