image description — Pittsfield is seeking Snow Angels to help senior citizens and others who may need assistance with snow removal.

Snow Angel Volunteers Needed in Pittsfield This Winter

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:15PM / Friday, November 28, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield seeking volunteers for its third annual Snow Angels program.

The city created this program to help community members who have difficulty cleaning up sidewalks after a big snowstorm.

"It was created back in 2023 to help meet the need of those who live in our city, whether they're seniors, individuals with disabilities, or maybe they have limited mobility or don't have the financial means to hire someone to assist them with snow removal," said Recreation & Special Events Coordinator Jennifer Vanbramer.

Residents and businesses are responsible for clearing sidewalks in front of their properties in a timely manner. VanBramer said some homeowners may not have the means to do that and would call the city for help.

"The program kind of came out of it's always been the responsibility of property owners in the city to clear their sidewalks from snow within I believe it's 24 hours of snowstorm," she said. "So when winter approaches, we've been receiving phone calls and emails from seniors or the other individuals I mentioned, looking for assistance with snow removal."

The program is solely based on volunteers.

"We're trying at this moment, we put out the call for volunteers. So we're really hoping to recruit as many volunteers as we can to get the program going for the third year," Vanbramer said.

Last year, the city was only able to get 10 volunteers and had 25 neighbors in need; the year before, there were 15 volunteers but 51 people who called for help. So not every resident in need was able to be matched.

"This program is really dependent on having volunteers," VanBramer said. "So if we don't have enough, we may not be able to match everyone, or even maybe not run the program, depending on how many we get."

Volunteers are matched with a neighbor within a one-mile radius and who agrees to help remove snow within 24 hours of a snowstorm. The volunteers are required to bring their own tools to clear the snow.

"They kind of coordinate with their neighbor to figure out what needs they have, whether they need help plowing their driveway or shoveling a sidewalk, and they agree to help with whatever those needs are," Vanbramer said. "Within the 24-hour period, after a snowstorm or significant snowfall, I believe it's 6 inches or more of snow, they go out and help whoever they're matched with."

It's important for snow to be cleared from pathways and sidewalks. Snow blocked walkways can be dangerous for residents and emergency response vehicles to help if needed.

"Emergency responders and mail carriers or other delivery workers need access to people's home they need to reach to do what they need to do, and so it the program really aims to promote safety in our neighborhoods and ensure that those folks are able to access people's homes when they need to and children can get to school safely."

The city is asking for volunteers. Currently they have about three people who have signed up and need more. Once they have more volunteers the city will put out a sign up for neighbors who are in need. VanBramer is hoping to see about 15 people before she puts out the call.

She has seen many volunteers come back to help and is grateful for their efforts.

"We've had a lot of incredible volunteers in the past who, I think signed up because they were really wanting to help neighbors in their area where they live," she said. "They don't often do it for like the recognition. They just want to assist members of their community and just lend a helping hand."

Volunteers must be 18 years and older and will be required to sign a waiver for safety guidelines and responsibilities.

Those interested in becoming a Snow Angel are asked to contact VanBramer at jvanbramer@cityofpittsfield.org.

Tags: snow removal, snowstorm,

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Fenton: Governor's Council Must Deliver for the Berkshires

Community submissionGuest Column
10:22AM / Friday, August 28, 2026

I am a Springfield lawyer running for Governor's Council and I am asking for Berkshire County residents to support me over an incumbent from North Adams.

Here's why: Last year I learned about staffing issues in our regional courts that I could not ignore. In 2025, it was reported that four of Western Massachusetts' 11 Superior Court judgeships were vacant, all at the same time. A few weeks later, that grew to five vacancies. This meant there were only six Superior Court judges serving all of Western Mass at a time when Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties had more than 100 pending homicide cases.

Those numbers were alarming to me, so I started to engage with leaders in the community who work most closely with the court system and I came to learn that these vacancies were only the tip of the iceberg here in Berkshire County.

I learned that no Superior Court or District Court judge had been appointed from the Berkshires since the current incumbent took office. As a result, there is not a single Superior Court judge who lives in the Berkshires today, and several of the District Court judges drive in from other counties to support Berkshire courts in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and North Adams. Court staff also informed me about severe staffing shortages at the Berkshire Clerk of Courts office resulting in other counties needing to loan staff to the Berkshires just so hardworking employees can take a brief and planned summer vacation. This is not normal. These issues are a reflection of genuine problems with the Berkshire County court system and show a lack of proactive attention from our Governor's Councilor.

Instead of focusing on regional equity, I watched as the current incumbent celebrated that she has voted against the governor's nominees more than any other councilor, without much explanation as to why. Most recently, she voted against two extremely qualified former prosecutors for the Parole Board. This was despite an in-person plea from the governor and a letter of support from all the three of the district attorney's from Western Mass. Those votes do not show independence or standing up for principles, they demonstrate naivete, and an unwillingness to work with the key stakeholders.

I had seen and heard enough. I decided to jump in the race and challenge the incumbent to address these problems head-on.

I am a partner of a regional law firm. I understand our courts and the importance of having qualified, fair and hardworking judges. And I know how important it is to have judges from the Berkshires serving the Berkshires. To achieve that, you need strong relationships with the legal community and local stakeholders. You need to know how to use the power of the Governor's Council to fight forcefully for our region. And you need to be laser focused on identifying vacancies before they occur so that they can be filled quickly with local candidates.

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