Letter: Carsell Running in Dalton Special Election

To the Editor:

My name is Patrick Carsell, and I'm a candidate for the Dalton Select Board in Monday's Feb. 3 special election. For over 30 years, I've lived in Dalton with my wife, Laurel, and our two children, running a dental practice in town. In my retirement, I recently determined that now is the right time for me to give back to the community that's supported me for so long.

In preparing for this campaign, I've spent a lot of time listening to residents' concerns, using the information gathered to form solutions that I hope to implement when elected. Throughout these conversations, the integrity of town infrastructure has been a primary issue, particularly with respect to roads and sidewalks as well as the fire station and police station.

In researching the issue of a new police station, I'm the only candidate to publicly ask the Select Board to look closely at the experience of Melrose, a city awarded $3 million in federal funding to support the construction of a new net-zero police station, an energy-efficient and cost-saving LEED-certified building.

Patrick Carsell
Dalton, Mass.

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.