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The gazebo at Wahconah's getting a bit of a glow up thanks to Eagle Scout Logan Kunde.

Wahconah High Senior Renovating School's Gazebo

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — Wahconah Regional High School senior Logan Kunde will be renovating the school's gazebo.  
 
The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved the initiative during its meeting in June. 
 
Kunde decided to renovate the high school's gazebo for his Eagle Scout Service Project. Planning and developing a service project is the fifth requirement of the Eagle Scouts, highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts.
 
The project is a significant milestone in a Scout's journey as it represents their dedication to leadership and service, which are two of the most important values a scout embodies, Kunde said. 
 
For many Scouts, it is their first business project and is one that they have complete control and responsibility over, he said. "And its success will lead to multiple opportunities and successes later in their lives."
 
As part of the project, Kunde will remove the gazebo's frames and screens, power wash and stain it with different colors. 
 
Kunde plans on starting the project this week and hopes to have it complete by July 20. 
 
"During this experience, I have reinforced my time management skills, overcome multiple setbacks, and taken charge of my own work — all skills that are necessary for success in a fast-paced working environment," he said. 
 
Kunde first planned on doing his project in late June but "unfortunately" learned at the "last minute" that he needed to obtain permission from the School Committee first. 
 
The day of the committee's meeting, June 27, was also the day Kunde was leaving for vacation. 
 
"Obviously, I was frustrated by this turn of events, but I had no other option. I postponed my project, went to the board meeting, got approval, and promptly went on vacation the next day," Kunde said. 
 
In addition, the project was originally going to be "a simple cleaning and painting job," but the school's representative Kunde had been working with requested a number of other things, "including moving the gazebo and setting it into the ground," Kunde said.  
 
A job like that would have been far too big to handle, so Kunde negotiated with the representative and reached a settlement that resulted in the removal of some screens and the addition of the renovation. 
 
"These setbacks, while annoying, are indicative of what a work life will be like in the future. Sometimes, things don't go the way you want, and you have to adapt to your situation accordingly," Kunde said. 

Tags: Boy Scouts,   WRHS,   

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street.  The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First. 

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said. 

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers. 

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center.  It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said. 

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it." 

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County. 

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle.  The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said. 

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