CHP Celebrates 50 Years

11:06AM / Thursday, July 31, 2025Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGRTON, Mass. — In 2025, Community Health Programs (CHP) celebrates its 50th anniversary.

"Our beginnings were modest and centered on our mission," reflects CMO Dr. Andrew Beckwith. "We're very proud that we've grown into this size, expanded our services, and made them accessible to all of the Berkshires while maintaining our focus on our mission."

According to a press release:

Founded in 1975 by pediatrician Dr. Thomas Whitfield, CHP was born out of an urgent need. After seeing an alarming number of rural children who had never seen a doctor, Dr. Whitfield launched the Children's Health Program with a mission to bring care directly to families, searching for signs of need, such as diapers on clotheslines and toys in the yard.

With the support of its first executive director, Linda Small, CHP grew to include parent education, nutrition assistance, and early intervention services. Over time, the organization expanded to serve people of all ages, becoming a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in 2000, which resulted in a nearly threefold increase in the number of people they could serve.

"By the time the FQHC idea was presented, we had children we'd cared for since birth now entering adulthood," recalls Small. "It was a natural next step to continue caring for them."

Today, CHP provides primary medical, dental, behavioral health, nutrition, and family services to over 35,000 patients annually, regardless of their income, insurance status, or background.

"This milestone isn't just about our history—it's about the people and partnerships that shaped us," said CHP CEO Bethany Kieley. "And it's about building the next 50 years of inclusive, community-driven care. It's the perfect opportunity to remind our community that we're here to care for all who need us."

To mark this, CHP has launched a year-long anniversary campaign, sharing powerful stories and hosting events across the region.

Highlights include:

Live on the Lake – Free family concert on Aug. 6 at Lake Onota in Pittsfield. Join CHP staff for an evening of music, giveaways, face painting, and more.
National Health Center Week (Aug 3–9) – Giveaways and special events at all CHP sites.
Community Day of Service – In November, CHP staff will assist Thanksgiving Angels in providing Thanksgiving meals.

Learn more and watch a mini-documentary at chpberkshires.org/fifty

Tags: CHP,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

Greylock Youth SummerFest

Come join in on the wealth building fun! August 3-8. Click for event details. Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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.

View Full Story