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Morty, seen in this April photo, was a 'long-termer' at Berkshire Humane Society who found a home thanks to a showroom conversation at Haddad Subaru. The dealership is again partnering with the shelter for its big fundraiser.

'Choose your Subaru' Fundraiser Benefits Berkshire Humane Society

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Humane Society has kicked off its 13th annual "Choose your Subaru" car raffle with Haddad Subaru.
 
The prize is a 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, Forester Premium or Outback Premium with an extended warranty and three years of free maintenance.
 
Tickets are $40 each or three for $100. The winner will be drawn on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. at the Berkshire Humane Society.
 
"Haddad Subaru does so many great things for us," said the society's Executive Director John Perreault, in a press release. "They help us raise money with the Subaru raffle — our biggest fundraiser of the year. 
 
"Last year they designated us as a hometown charity in their Share the Love event, for which they just presented us a check for $9,000. They also help us secure grants and they underwrite an animal adoption each week for up to $2,600 annually." 
 
Perreault said the representatives in the dealer's showrooms also talk up the shelter. For example, a showroom conversation with a married couple from Westfield who had just lost their dog led to an adoption. 
 
"Morty, a wonderful senior dog, had been in and out of the shelter looking for a permanent home for about a year," he said "Now he's happy at home, not only with a family who absolutely loves him, but a new Subaru as well."
 
 Berkshire Humane Society has an annual budget of more than $3 million, touching the lives of approximately 13,500 animals each year through adoption and surrender, medical care, spay/neuters, vaccine clinics, a wellness center, pet food bank and family dog school. Its education programs reach hundreds of school children annually and a SafePet Program provides free, temporary pet care for people in crisis.
 
Catherine Hibbard, communications manager for the shelter, said last year's raffle raised $70,000, netting the Berkshire Humane Society about $40,000. The shelter assumes the cost of the car and Haddad supplies the free maintenance and extended warranty. 
 
"Our goal is to sell all 2,400 raffle tickets, the maximum amount that we'll sell," she said, adding depending on how the tickets are sold (individually or groups of three), "the amount we'd raise before expenses if we did that ranges from $80,000 to $96,000."
 
Chris Kramek, general manager and vice president of Haddad Subaru, said the company's partnership with the Humane Society remains strong. 
 
"This year, the need is even greater. John and his team are continuing to face rising costs for food, veterinary care and everyday expenses," he said. "That's why we're determined to make this year's raffle the best yet. Get your tickets early because we fully expect to sell out."
 
Tickets can be purchased at the Humane Society on Barker Road, Haddad Subaru in Pittsfield, Nature's Closet in Williamstown, Roxie's Barkery in North Adams, Baker's Golf Center in Lanesborough, Bartlett's Orchard in Richmond, the Catwalk Boutiques in Lenox and Great Barrington, and Only in My Dreams Events in South Egremont.
 
They are also available by calling the shelter at 413-447-7878, Ext. 131.
 
The raffle is limited to 2,400 tickets. If at least 1,000 tickets are not sold, the raffle will convert to a 50/50 drawing. All proceeds benefit animal shelter services and programs.
 

Tags: Berkshire Humane Society,   fundraiser,   haddad,   

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State Housing Secretary Tours Downtown Pittsfield Developments

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state's new secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities on Monday saw how local developers are transforming historic buildings into downtown housing units. 

Secretary Juana Matias, appointed to the role in February, toured the former St. Joseph's High School on Maplewood Avenue and the near-complete Wright Building Block on North Street.   

Matias observed local leaders working collaboratively to dismantle bottlenecks in housing production, something she said the administration wants to see across all 351 municipalities.  

"This is a perfect model of the partnerships we want to see, and we love coming to the ground and seeing how people are leveraging public taxpayer dollars to help address the issue of our time, which is housing production," she said after the tours. 

Developer David Carver, of Scarafoni Associates & CT Management Group, is seeking support from the state Housing Development Incentive Program to transform St. Joe's into apartments, and Allegrone Companies has secured millions from the program towards the Wright Building renovation

They first visited the shuttered school that functioned as a shelter during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, greeted by broken windows and leaving with Carver's vision. 

The plan is to transform the school with good bones into 19 apartments, 20 percent designated affordable, and 30 percent of the building for commercial use.  Units are expected to cost between $1,700 and $1,900 per month; 14 one-bedroom units and five two-bedroom units are planned. 

The project team is in talks with the nearby Berkshire Family YMCA to expand their childcare activities to the building's lower level.  Residents and the daycare would use different entrances. 

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