image description — Hundreds of athletes from around the county competed in running, jumping and throwing events in Spartan Stadium at Monument Mountain Regional High School.

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Special Olympians Converge at Monument Mountain High School

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:16AM / Thursday, May 15, 2025Print Story | Email Story

Special Olympics is marking its 44 years in Berkshire County.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — A big piece of the Berkshire County Special Olympics was missing as it marked 44 years on Wednesday at Monument Mountain Regional High School.

But her spirit lives on in the games.

"The Monument Mountain Special Olympics Games were Anne Marie [Comerford's] pride and joy," Nancy Duryea said in dedicating the event in Comerford's honor during Wednesday's opening ceremony. "As one of the event directors, Anne Marie was responsible for getting the track at Monument, the high school band, the banners parade, the high school volunteers and the opening and closing ceremonies."

Comerford also was responsible for making sure the weather cooperated.

"Anne Marie would step on the field every year and point to the sky and say, 'Well, kids, let the sun shine," Duryea continued. "Where is she now?"

The sun did poke through the overcast skies on occasion Wednesday morning as hundreds of athletes from around the county, including teams from several local high schools, competed in running, jumping and throwing events in Spartan Stadium.

Comerford, who died on April 26, was unfortunately not there to provide protection from the rain, but her legacy and that of countless coaches, volunteers, parents and athletes ensured that the decades long tradition continues.

Monument Mountain Principal Christopher Barnes addressed the crowd and noted that the Special Olympics movement allows people with disabilities to "participate in sports, build confidence, develop leadership ability and foster a sense of inclusion and belonging within their communities."

"Like many of you, I am a parent of a child with disabilities, and he is here today to compete," Barnes said. "Also like many of you, Special Olympics has had a direct and positive impact on myself, my family and our community. I want to thank you all for your part in putting this event together, and I want to thank all the athletes for their courage and participation."

One of people who helped put Wednesday's event together, Berkshire Hills Regional School District Special Education Director Kate Burdsall, served as the emcee for program, directing teams of athletes to rotate through event venues, getting the banner parade of athletes going around the track and introducing speakers for various awards bestowed during the opening ceremony.

"The Special Olympics has me riding high for the first two weeks of May every year," Burdsall said in a news release for the competition. "It fills my heart."

Photos from this event here.

Tags: Special Olympics,

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Berkshire Art Center Announces Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops

07:51AM / Saturday, August 29, 2026

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in lineup of Fall 2026 classes and workshops.

With programs offered at Citizens' Hall in Stockbridge as well as partner locations including Berkshire Music School, WANDER Berkshires, and the Mass Audubon's Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, BAC's fall season celebrates creativity through ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, and more.

Ceramics students will find opportunities to develop their skills this fall. Faculty Artist Paula Shalan returns with Tableware: Creating with Soft Slabs, where students create functional pottery such as mugs, tumblers, and bowls, as well as Cut, Add, and Stretch: Creating with Soft Slabs, which explores more contemporary approaches to handbuilding. Jess Cropper-Alt teaches Timeless & Tactile: Handbuilding Traditions, while Donna Bernstein leads Wheel Throwing for All, an all-levels course featuring demonstrations, individualized instruction, and ample studio time.

For those looking to try clay for the first time, Lorimer Burns offers Try Your Hand at the Pottery Wheel, a welcoming two-hour introduction to wheel throwing. BAC also offers fun, social workshops including Wall Pocket Party, perfect for beginners, friends, couples, and families with children ages 10 and up, and Pottery Night: Beer Stein Social, an evening of creativity and community where participants craft their own handmade ceramic beer stein.

Mixed media and printmaking enthusiasts will find an inspiring variety of offerings throughout the season. Jody King Camarra teaches Color Theory Through Collage, Print Lab: Collagraph, Drypoint & Relief, Working in a Series: Creating Cohesive Collages, Monoprint Magic, and concludes the season with the festive workshop Handmade Holidays: Winter Layers in Gel Plate Printmaking.

Additional printmaking opportunities include Eco-Printing: Basics and Beyond with Mallorey Caron, where students create beautiful botanical prints using real flowers and leaves, Gelatin Plate Printmaking with Johanna Merfeld, an introduction to playful experimentation with layering, texture, stencils, and image transfers, and Image Transfers & Mixed Media, where Diane Firtell shares versatile techniques that can stand alone or enhance existing artwork.

Photographers can celebrate autumn alongside Thad Kubis, whose seasonal workshops include Photography of Daniel Chester French's Studio at Chesterwood in Stockbridge and Photographing Fall Colors in the Berkshires at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield.

Painters and drawing enthusiasts will discover classes ranging from foundational techniques to expressive exploration. Jill McLean returns with Watercolor Foundations and Watercolor Landscapes at Berkshire Music School, along with shorter, 1-day workshops including Berkshire Polaroids in Watercolor and Handmade Holidays: Watercolor Bookmarks.

Wednesday Nelena Sorokin offers Creative Writing & Abstraction, where students use stream-of-consciousness writing to inspire expressive abstract paintings, along with Painting Basics, Two-Dimensional Composition Workshop, and the popular Abstract Painting: Color, Design and Spirit. Artists looking for a relaxed, supportive studio environment can also enjoy the return of Friday Painting Studio, featuring a new and more accessible tuition rate and experienced facilitators who provide encouragement, feedback, and creative community while participants work on independent projects.

BAC's monthly workshop series at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield also continues this fall. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these welcoming two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, paint, journal, and experiment in a relaxed community setting—no long-term commitment required. The series begins September 12 with Commonplace Visual Journaling led by Kaily Ritz, followed by Mini Nature Assemblage Boxes with Johanna Merfeld on October 10, Indoor Urban Sketching with Jill McLean on November 14, and concludes December 12 with Watercolor Reset for the New Year, led by BAC Executive Director Laura Thompson.

For a complete schedule of classes and workshops or to register, visit www.berkshireartcenter.org/classes.

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