Northern Berkshire District Court Collecting Food Donations

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Trial Court is holding its 8th annual Cultural Appreciation Week this week and will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Al Nelson Friendship Center Pantry on Eagle Street.
 
Collection boxes have been set up at Northern Berkshire District Court. Court-users, court employees, and members of the general public are welcome to participate by dropping off non-perishable food items.
 
The drive coincides with Cultural Appreciation Week, which this year has the theme "Diverse Threads, One Tapestry-Strength of Connections."
 
"The courts and probation are part of the community and as neighbors we want to make sure that we address the needs of people living here. Coordinating this food drive is something we we wanted to do to give back and help those who are food insecure," said Chief Donald Wright.
 
Northern Berkshire is one of more than 70 courts that will celebrate culture and diversity in the courts and community. This statewide celebration in the courts in community is believed to be the largest of its kind in any U.S. court system.
 
A celebration was to be held Thursday, Oct. 24, at Northern Berkshire District Court. The event included Berkshire Juvenile Court and the Pittsfield Community Justice Resource Center and Pretrial Services Unit. State, local, court, education leaders addressed the  audience, local school children perform and cultural dishes.
 
The following is a list of the most needed items:
 
Ground regular coffee
Vegetable stock
Canned Black Beans
64-ounce juice bottles
Biscuit mix
Chicken stock
Canned kidney beans
Olive oil
Beef stock
Lemon juice
Diced tomatoes
Canned chickpeas 
 
Gift cards and certificates may be dropped off to the Probation Department.

Tags: food drive,   food pantry,   

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MCLA Graduates Told to Make the World Worthy of Them

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff

Keynote speaker Michael Bobbitt was awarded an honorary doctor of fine arts. He told the graduates to make the world worthy of them. See more photos here.  
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Amsler Campus Center gym erupted in cheers on Saturday as 193 members of class of 2026 turned their tassels.
 
The graduates of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' 127th commencement were sent off with the charge of "don't stop now" to make the world a better place.  
 
You are Trailblazers, keynote speaker Michael Bobbitt reminded them, and a "trailblazer is not simply someone who walks a path. A trailblazer makes one, but blazing a trail does not happen alone. Every trailblazer is carrying tools made by somebody else. Every trailblazer is guided by stars they did not create. Every trailblazer stands on grounds shaped by ancestors, teachers, workers, neighbors, friends, and strangers."
 
Trailblazing takes communal courage, he said, and they needed to love people, build with people, argue with people, and find the people who make them braver and kinder at the same time.
 
"The future will not be saved by isolated geniuses, it will be saved by networks of people willing to practice courage together. The future belongs not to the loudest, not to the richest, not to the most certain, but to the most adaptive, the most creative, the most courageous, the most willing to learn."
 
Bobbitt was recently named CEO of Opera American after nearly five years leading the Massachusetts Cultural Council. He stressed the importance of art to the graduates, and noted that opera is not the only art form facing challenges in this world. 
 
"Every field is asking, who are we for now? What do we, what value do we create?" he said. "What do we stop pretending is fine. This is not just an arts question, that is a healthcare question, a climate question, a technology question, a community question, a higher education question, a democracy question, a life question. ...
 
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