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Cascade School Supplies Vice President Todd Shafer stands in the company's warehouse on Brown Street with some of the items for sale next week.
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Games and more will be available.
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While geared to educators, there's plenty of choices for stocking stuffers this holiday season.
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Cascade School Supplies Sets Warehouse Tag Sale

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
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It's been years since the Cascade held a tag sale,  which had been an annual event. That means plenty of merchandise to sort through, say company officials. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Cascade School Supplies is bringing back its warehouse tag sale after an absence of years.
 
"The Cascade tag sale is a long-standing community tradition where we open our warehouse to educators and the public to offer school, office and art supplies for pennies on the dollar," said Vice President Todd Shafer. "The event ran for many years, and we're excited to bring it back."
 
The company has been in the business of supplying schools with everything from pens and paper to desks and bulletin boards for 90 years. 
 
Shafer said the family-owned company has been doing a lot of renovations and upgrades and hasn't able to organize the tag sale, but is now ready to bring it back "bigger than ever."
 
"Since it hasn't happened for several years, we've accumulated more stock than ever, so this felt like the perfect time to reintroduce it," he said. "Our goal is to support our education community locally, while creating a fun, accessible event for everyone."
 
The tag sale will be held from Wednesday, Dec. 10, through Saturday, Dec. 13, with hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday; 11 to 8 on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The event is open to the public to search through the 10,000-square-foot area at 1 Brown St.
 
Five people won a contest to get into the tag sale early on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 4 to 6 p.m.
 
"Everyone is able to come tag sales ... teachers have historically been the primary audience, but we want this one to be a true community event," said Shafer. "So we're hoping that we see educators, artists, office workers, parents, students, hobbyists. Anyone looking for us for supplies or unique items is welcome. There's something for everyone here."
 
Thousands of items will be put out for sale, including many school and office supplies and some office furniture. Shafer suggests buyers come more than once since new items will be put out daily.
 
"Don't even know how much is going to end up out there, because we haven't even pulled everything that we're going to put out there yet," he said. "We'll keep adding things as the sale progresses. So what's ready to go on the shelves now may not be all that there is, because we're going to be bringing stuff out as we go."
 
Admission is a non-perishable food item to support the local food pantry or $2 at the door. Children admitted free.
 
"To help support the community, we're asking attendees to bring one non-perishable food item as their entry fee. These donations are going to go directly to the Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry," he said.
 
Shafer said he hopes this helps the community come together and people get needed supplies in an affordable way, as many of the items will be a dollar or less.
 
"We want this to feel like a community celebration and chance for teachers to stock their classrooms affordably, for families to find great deals during the holiday season and for neighbors to come together while supporting a local cause," he said. 
 
"Bringing back the tag sale is our way of reconnecting with the community and continuing a tradition that people have always loved."
 
Cascade will accept cash or card and educators should bring their tax-exempt certificate to avoid the tax. 
 
Shafer also said to pay attention to the company's Facebook for updates.

Tags: school supplies,   tag sales,   

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Candidates Sought for Vacant North Adams School Committee Seat

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee is seeking candidates to fill a vacancy on the committee. 
 
Letters of interest should be submitted to Bobbi Tassone, administrative assistant to the superintendent, at btassone@napsk12.org by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 6. 
 
The School Committee and City Council will hear from candidates and vote for the new committee member at the council's regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
 
The schedule presented by Mayor Jennifer Macksey was approved at the School Committee's meeting on Tuesday. 
 
The successful candidate will fill the four-year seat won by Chelsey Lyn Ciolkowski in the Nov. 4 election. Ciolkowski withdrew from consideration but not before her name was printed on the ballot, and she earned enough votes for third place in the four-way race for three seats. 
 
School Committee member Richard Alcombright questioned the timing of the process as there is not a vacancy until Jan. 1, and that, technically, Ciolkowski has not resigned.
 
Alcombright is not returning to the committee; his colleagues Emily Daunis and David Sookey both won re-election.
 
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