HooRWA Mushroom Walk

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POWNAL, Vt. — Join Berkshire Mycological Society president & expert mycologist John Wheeler and HooRWA for a streamside excursion to learn about fungi, how to identify them, their tree associates, and habitat on Tuesday, Sept. 2 from 5:00-6:30pm along Broad Brook in Pownal.
 
This program is free and open to the public and funded by a grant from the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and sponsorship by Greylock Federal Credit Union. Participants will meet at the Broad Brook Trailhead on the border of Williamstown and Pownal. Directions will be in the confirmation email when registered. 
 
Register at HooRWA.org.
 
A dedicated mushroom enthusiast for 35 years, John Wheeler was self-taught for 10 years. Then he met Jonathan Caldwell who hosted a wild mushroom course at Berkshire Community College South. The next 2 years John and Jonathan split a foray group, taking people on mushroom walks. In 2000, The Berkshire Mycological Society was formed by John, Jonathan, Jim Berlstein and Don Roeder. John assisted Don, who was dean of the science department at Simon’s Rock College, with his mycology courses for 5 years. John has attended many Northeast forays with large groups, i.e. the Northeast Mycological Federation and Connecticut Westchester Mycological Forays. where collections of 400 – 600 species are not uncommon. He leads BMS walks every Sunday morning at 10:00 unless away.
 
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Former Aerus Employee Keeps Business Going

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
BENNINGTON, Vt. — A former Aerus Electrolux employee has started his own business to keep the filtration company’s products and services in the area.
 
When Aerus Electrolux — known for selling and servicing vacuums and air purifiers—abruptly closed at the end of December, Tyler Waldron decided to help local customers continue getting serviced by opening Tyler’s Healthy Home. 
 
"They offered me something called the distributor program, which means I still can carry the product, the supplies, [and] still honor the free yearly service checks for any Aerus Electrolux products."
 
His new business is operated out of his home office, however, he still offers various Electrolux products and services including free air quality tests and service checks.
 
Currently he is the only employee, but has plans to open a storefront and expand his team as the business grows. 
 
Waldron had started working at Aerus Electrolux's Pittsfield location in January 2025 and was learning to become the next owner.
 
"It's kind of crazy to think about that in a year, you can go from an employee to a business owner but that was the goal from the beginning," he said. 
 
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