Berkshire Green Drinks: A New Vision For Protecting The Environment

08:11AM / Tuesday, December 09, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) staff members will share updates from their work in 2025 at the December Berkshire Green Drinks event on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

This free hybrid event will take place online via Zoom and in person at BEAT's Environmental Leadership and Education Center, 20 Chapel St, Pittsfield, MA.

The in-person social gathering will begin around 5:15 PM; the presentation and Zoom meeting will start at 6:00 PM.

Executive Director Brittany Ebeling will share BEAT's new vision statement, developed collectively by BEAT staff, and will introduce new Deputy Director Melanie McCarthy.

No Fracked Gas in Mass Program Director Rose Wessel will provide updates on pipeline expansions and climate legislation. Chelsey Simmons, Drake Reed, and Andrew Ferrara will review the progress made in the past year on campaigns centered on stewardship, education and outreach, and watchdogging, including invasive plant removal, the annual Biodiversity Day, air quality monitoring, stopping the practice of non-native fish stocking, and more.

BEAT staff will also share their plans for working upcoming in the new year as they continue to celebrate the legacy of recently retired Founding Executive Director Jane Winn by working with the Berkshire community and beyond to protect the environment for wildlife in support of the natural world that sustains us all.

Learn more and RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/Dec-2025-Berk-Green-Drinks.

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Berkshire Health System Blood Program Helps Shield County From National Shortage

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
04:38AM / Wednesday, August 05, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The American Red Cross declared its second national blood supply crisis in its history on Monday, but community members can breathe easy thanks to Berkshire Health System's blood donor program.

Berkshire Medical System has always had a stationary donor center for autologous donations, which is no longer common practice, and had some O-negative blood on hand that it purchased from the Red Cross prior to having its own blood donor program, said Christine Amuso, blood donor coordinator.

Today, Berkshire Health System's blood donor program collects about 2,300 to 2,400 units of blood annually, all of which stays within Berkshire County to help keep local blood supplies stocked.

In some years, the program has reached record collections of about 3,000 units.

"That [record has] only happened a couple of times since I've been employed with the program. So, we really have done wonders with the program," Amuso said.

Donating blood through Berkshire Health System's program is accessible, with a donor center at the main campus and a mobile blood unit that travels throughout Berkshire County, including select Saturdays.

While appointments for blood donations are strongly encouraged, staff also intentionally leave scheduling gaps to accommodate additional donors who walk in without an appointment.

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