Foundations and Futures Homeownership Celebration

08:40AM / Sunday, July 13, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity invites residents of Pittsfield and surrounding communities to join them at Durant Park for Foundations & Futures, a festive celebration of homeownership, community resilience, and shared aspirations for the future.

The event, taking place Saturday, July 19 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Durant Park, 30 John Street, Pittsfield, will honor the journeys of local Habitat homeowners and open a conversation about what comes next for our neighborhoods.

Highlights of the celebration include:

Mortgage Burning Ceremony: A symbolic and emotional tribute to Habitat homeowners who have fully paid off their mortgages, representing full-circle stability and the power of perseverance.
New Homeowner Recognition: A celebration of Pittsfield residents who became homeowners in 2024–2025, recognizing new beginnings and the realization of dreams. Any new homebuyers from 2024 through 2025 are welcome to join in this celebration.
Free Community BBQ: Guests are invited to enjoy food and a family-friendly atmosphere alongside neighbors, friends, and supporters.
Community Visioning: Attendees will have the opportunity to share ideas and dreams about what the community should build next.

"This isn't just a party," said Carolyn Valli, CEO of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity. "It's a joyful affirmation that homeownership can and should be the norm. And we want our community to shape the next chapter with us."

The event is free and open to the public. Families are encouraged to attend and participate. RSVPs are appreciated and can be submitted by clicking on this link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6aa6facda6a24336be2292b0f528bcf2

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Teacher of the Month: Nickole Halvorsen

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:21PM / Monday, August 31, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — For many students, kindergarten is their first experience in a school setting and the beginning of ongoing growth and change throughout their lives.

Kindergarten teacher Nickole Halvorsen strives to instill in her students the foundational academic and social-emotional skills they need to succeed not only in her classroom, but throughout their educational journey and beyond.

It is this dedication, along with the fun, safe and welcoming environment that students describe her as cultivating, that has earned her the iBerkshires.com Teacher of the Month designation.

The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, features distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here.

The end of the year was bittersweet for Halvorsen and her students as they said goodbye to Morningside Community School, which closed its doors for the final time in May.

"Now at the end of the year, it gets sad and a little more emotional, especially this year because this is our last year at Morningside," she said during her interview in May.

So, really focusing on coming in, being here, being present [and] consistent for them matters the most for me, and they make me want to be here. I want to have fun with them. I want to enjoy every last bit we can of being in the school building."

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