Hancock Shaker Village: Thanksgiving on the Farm

• Turkey Walk & Talk - Looking for a great way to get out of the house or an activity for visiting guests and family? Gobble up nature and escape the hectic pace of the holiday with a peaceful guided walk on our one-mile Farm & Forest Trail. The walk ends in the barnyard where you can visit the iconic Round Stone Barn and say hello to the farm animals. Included in admission and FREE to members.
  • Friday, Nov. 29, 11am
  • Saturday, Nov. 30, 11am
• Shop & Sip – Avoid the crowds on Black Friday, enjoy a sip of wine or cider, and the experience the ease of shopping at the Shaker Mercantile, a unique store celebrating the region's best artisan makers and handcrafted gifts, including items made at the Village by our own blacksmiths and woodworkers. (Admission to the Village is NOT required to shop at the store.)
  • Friday, November 29, 11am – 4pm
• Member Discount Days - Members enjoy a DOUBLE discount (20 percent instead of 10 percent) in the Shaker Mercantile. It's a great time to shop for gifts! (Some exclusions may apply). Included in admission and FREE to members.
  • Friday, Nov. 29 - Sunday, Dec. 1, 11am – 4pm
• Grateful Shaker Supper – Experience a memorable communal meal in the historical 1830 Brick Dwelling and dine where the Shakers ate their daily meals for over 100 years. Savor a delicious fall harvest meal prepared by Woodlife Kitchen chef Peter Belmonte and soak up the history of the iconic building. Prior to dinner, enjoy a cocktail and a special Shaker music program performed in the Meeting Room of the Brick Dwelling. More information on the menu and tickets can be found at hancockshakervillage.org/events.
  • Saturday, Nov. 30, 6pm

Berkshire Community College Names Presidential Finalists

Staff Reports 11:05AM / Thursday, February 19, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state's first community college has narrowed down the field to replace retiring President Ellen Kennedy. 

 

Presidential Search Committee has recommended four finalists who will be participating in on-campus interviews and forums in the coming weeks. 

 

The finalists, "identified ... from a strong initial pool of applicants," according to a college statement, are Hara Charlier, president of Central Lakes College in Minnesota; Nicole Esposito, chief executive officer of Manchester Community College in New Hampshire; Karen Hynick, acting provost for Connecticut State Community College; and Albert Lewis Jr., chief of staff / executive vice president at Northwest State Community College in Ohio. 

 

The finalists were screened and evaluated using the "Presidential Profile" that was developed through conversations and listening sessions with members of the campus community and executive search firm Academic Search.

 

"From the outset, this search has reflected the very best of BCC — openness, collaboration, and deep engagement with our community," said Julia Bowen, chair of the BCC Board of Trustees, in a statement. "I have been incredibly impressed by the strength, experience, and passion of the candidate pool. These four finalists are exceptional leaders, and I am genuinely excited for our campus community to meet them and help us welcome the next president who will guide BCC into its next chapter."

 

Biographies: 

 

Albert Lewis Jr. 

Lewis holds a doctorate in education from Gwynedd Mercy University in Pennsylvania, a master's in industrial/organizational psychology from Grand Canyon University in Arizona, and a master's in education administration from the University of Akron in Ohiol.