NBCC Celebrating Community at Adams Event

iBerkshires StaffPrint Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition is venturing south to hold its annual meeting in Adams for the first time. 
 
The Adams Theater, reopened and under renovation, will be the site of the 38th annual meeting on Friday, June 28, from 11:30 to 1:30. 
 
Executive Director Amber Besaw sees it as a way to demonstrate that the coalition is really about all of Northern Berkshires. 
 
"We're sort of trying to make sure that people know we serve the whole region by not only having them in North Adams," she said. 
 
NBCC held its annual gatherings at the old Williams Inn, as did so many other organizations, then switched to GreylockWorks in the city's West End when the hotel was demolished. 
 
That worked out but the coalition is eager to include another venue in a community that it serves. The keynote speaker will be Yina Moore, an architect and financier, who purchased the theater three years ago. Moore is working to make the theater a community and cultural hub in Adams. 
 
She's also invested in the Topia Inn, now called the Trail, behind the theater and other real estate in the area.  
 
The meeting will also honor founding board member and NBCC's "biggest champion," the late Steve Green, with the Northern Berkshire Hero Award. "You know he's our hero," said Besaw.
 
Berkshire Catering Co. is serving the light luncheon and the meeting will include a look back over the past year, plans for the coming year and updates on initiatives and on projects, such as NBCC's plans for its new home on State Street.   
Besaw and communications coordinator Suzy Helme said they got some input from staff that maybe the description of the event as a "meeting" doesn't communicate that the public is more than welcome to attend.
 
"We did get a little bit of some thoughts from some staff who are new. We call it our annual meeting. And so people in the community might feel like it's not a thing for them, but it's really a celebration of community," said Besaw. "This is an event that we hold every year but it's really a celebration of community and community members are invited to come."
 
Tickets are $30 per person, but scholarships are available by request. Register online here (preferably by June 21) or for questions or to register by phone: 413-663-7588.

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Urban Legends and Cryptids Come Alive as North Adams Prepares for Mohawk Theater Haunted House

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A spooky and scary night at the Mohawk Theater is approaching fast after local officials decorated it for their annual haunted house.

For the third year in a row the police department, fire department, City Hall, Northern Berkshire EMS, nbCC, Drury High School, American Legion, and 18 Degrees spent hundreds of hours the past few weeks setting up at the former theater.

This year's theme is Urban Legends and Cryptids, with an emphasis on local lore and giving participating groups room to create their own scenes.

Business Manager for the Department of Public Safety Meghan DeLuca showed iBerkshires the setup and what they have been working on.

When you first enter you'll notice the Hoosac Tunnel welcoming you with a train lit up and smoking. The posters on the wall were made by Drury High's digital marketing and media class will give you a sneak peak of what you may encounter when you enter the tunnel.

All of the departments chose a different theme for their space; MCLA welcomes you in detention, the American Legion is putting a twist on Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs, Drury is hosting aliens and another cryptid.

"We're all in here trying to curate the whole entire space because obviously, this is an undertaking. This building is not open to the public currently. I grew up in North Adams my whole entire life until we had the opportunity three years ago to come in here, and we were trying to find a space that was going to work for the haunted house. I'd never been in here, so I think that a lot of the allure is that this is a place that you're not expecting to be able to come into," she said.

DeLuca said planning begins around April, with organizers choosing a theme, confirming which groups will participate, collecting set ideas, and determining what materials are needed. Then setup begins around mid-August, as donated materials arrive and the team builds and adjusts the layout.

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