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Pittsfield marks Overdose Awareness Day last year in Park Square.

Pittsfield Events to Raise Awareness of Overdose Danger

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Mayor Peter Marchetti reads a proclamation declaring August International Overdose Awareness Month (the Day is Aug. 31) in this screenshot from PCTV.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city will remember those lost to overdose with events in August and September.

Last week, Mayor Peter Marchetti delivered a proclamation for International Overdose Awareness Month to local mental health leaders in council chambers. All are members of the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Advisory Committee.

"As many of you know, my mental health substance use disorder task force are an important part of one of our new initiatives in the administration," he said.

Another proclamation will be read in front of City Hall on Aug. 29 at 11:45 a.m. and a flag will be raised for overdose awareness. On Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m., there will be a memorial service at the Common followed by a procession to Park Square to read the names of the lives lost in Berkshire County.  

A Revel in Recovery celebration with family entertainment will be held at the Common from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 7.

"I would encourage all that can to go," Marchetti said.

Last year, it was reported there were 48 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County in 2022 — 29 just in Pittsfield. Since 2012, there had been a staggering 418 deaths from overdose in the county.

Marchetti's proclamation recognized that the month raises awareness of substance use disorder so that communities can end overdose, remember those who have died without stigma, promote treatment, support harm reduction, celebrate recovery, and strengthen collective efforts to prevent future overdoses.


"Overdose Awareness Month serves to support our families and friends who have lost loved ones to overdose and we as a city do and will continue to see the people who are so deeply affected by the disease of substance use disorder we renew our commitment to preventing these tragic deaths," he read.

The task force's vision is to ensure that all residents have access to proper mental health and substance use disorder care in a judgment-free environment and to strengthen the partnerships among providers. It is expected to collaborate with community stakeholders to ensure that providers have the resources to give individuals and families timely and adequate treatment.

It was one of Marchetti's campaign promises and inaugural members were appointed in April.

The city is slated to receive more than $2 million in Opioid Settlement Funds, with an initial settlement installment of $510,711.79 accepted earlier this year.

In July 2021, the attorney general entered into an agreement with the major distributors of opioids. This includes payments to communities to address issues associated with opioid addiction and prevention and the city expects to receive $2,221,991.49 over its term.

Documents show that payments are scheduled until 2038.


Tags: addiction recovery,   Opioid abuse,   overdose,   voices of recovery,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Former Country Club Reopens as The Venue at Skyline

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The new Patty Barnaby's name is all over the venue. 

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A new but familiar space is opening for event rentals as The Venue at Skyline.

Patty Barnaby recently leased the former Skyline Country Club building at 405 South Main St. Barnaby used to attend events there, including holding her own "Jack and Jill" wedding shower.

"I've been to the golf tournaments. We've been to fundraisers. We've been to benefits. Actually, sports banquets for our girls, my oldest daughter. We had quite a few of her sports banquets here, just town events, truly, but our Jack and Jill was here," she said. "I had my stepfather's retirement party here, so, we've had a lot of events here as a family."

The golf course closed in 2021 after 58 years and sold to Mill Town Capital, which is using the course for a solar installation. The town's eyed the driving range for a new police station, and the club has been used intermittently, such as for the town's winter festival last year.

Barnaby is active in the community, including serving on the Lanesborough Community Development Committee. She enjoys hosting events and having get-togethers.

"I just have always loved to bring people together, like at our house, doing parties. And our house is very small, so it's always a big summer party," she said.

Barnaby wanted a place for people to host events that may be too big or busy for their homes, but also in an open and beautiful area.

"We need a space like this, not only in Lanesborough, for Lanesborough residents, but in general, for people to be able to come and have events, whether it be inside or outside when the weather permits," sshe said. "It's a beautiful spot, it really, truly is. And I didn't want to see it sit because it really is one of those staples in our town that everybody just knows."

Barnaby had indicated interest in the space after the Winter Festival. She signed the lease on Oct. 31 and has worked hard to make it her own.

She's painted, added new seating, redone the bathrooms, and some other cosmetics upgrades. She also added six televisions, more bar equipment, and will be adding a jukebox.

Barnaby kept the name Skyline because of the location's history and just added "The Venue" to make it her own.

"I just love this space. It is just one of those spaces that, like you don't want to see ever sit," she said.

The former pro shop will be turned into a thrift store. She currently sells clothes out of her house and hosting pop-up thrift events but is now excited to have a permanent space. It will have hours outside of events and will be listed on her social media page once it is ready. 

Barnaby is asking that vendors should reach out so that she can compile a list for those who want to host events. She is also looking for a food vendor to sublease the space.

"I would love to have people reach out to me as I have reached out to them, to be put on a list of like vendors that we can suggest to people that are coming up for events," she said.

Barnaby said she'll help with planning at the location and that she wants to create a comfortable and joyous environment that people would like to come back to.

"It's family friendly, like I am very community-oriented and being very family oriented, so I understand when you're trying to plan a birthday party, or you just need a space, or you're trying to put little details together. I want to be able to help with that," she said.

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