Hometown Hero Banner Program Expands Across Northern Berkshire Municipalities

Staff Reports 10:35AM / Monday, August 17, 2026Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire Veterans' Services Office has announced the opening of the Hometown Hero Banner Program across multiple area municipalities, offering local communities an opportunity to publicly honor military service members and veterans.

The regional initiative includes participation from Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Lanesborough, North Adams, Savoy, and Williamstown.

Designed to commemorate all active-duty service members, as well as living, discharged, and deceased veterans, the program installs personalized banners featuring photos and details of local heroes on municipal telephone poles and streetlights.

Community Banner Details

Adams: Expanding its existing Park Street tribute—which previously honored only those killed in action—to include all active, living, and deceased veterans.

North Adams: Rolling out a second wave of banners across the city following strong community participation during the initial launch.

Lanesborough: Program operations are being managed directly through Town Clerk Ruth Knysh (413-442-1351).

Clarksburg, Cheshire, & Williamstown: Currently accepting applications while finalizing banner placement locations based on total participation.

Florida & Savoy: Applications are open, though final town approvals remain pending ahead of upcoming Town Meetings (Florida's vote is slated for Aug. 26).

Costs and Application Process

Banners are expected to cost between $125 and $150, varying slightly by municipality and banner size.

According to organizers, the fee covers initial production, ongoing maintenance, and replacement banners. A portion of the proceeds will also fund a hardship assistance program to ensure financial constraints do not prevent veterans from being recognized. Organizers noted that a minimal renewal fee may be instituted in the future to maintain the banners long-term.

Residents interested in sponsoring a banner for a family member or local veteran can contact the Northern Berkshire Veterans' Services Office at 413-662-3040 for application details and requirements.

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Reign Purple Reigns Over 1791 14-and-Under Field

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
07:58PM / Sunday, August 16, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Camden Sievers Sunday went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles at the plate and struck out eight in four innings on the mound as the Berkshire Reign Purple won the 14-year-old Division Championship Game to conclude the inaugural 1791 Classic at Joe Wolfe Field.

But there were no losers in the final game of the three-day, eight-team event as the Purple beat the Berkshire Reign White, 10-2, in what amounted to a celebration of the travel baseball program’s success – over the weekend, this summer and the last five years.

Reign founder and coach Kristopher Ireland was in the losing dugout in the split squad game on Sunday evening, but, in reality, he couldn’t lose after pulling off what he promised will be the first of many 1791 Classics to come.

“The tournament went great,” Ireland said. “The weather held out. I think we only had one game that got called short for rain, which we probably could have gotten in, but it would have made it a late night [Friday].

“The weather was great over the weekend. The facilities held up wonderfully. We got hit with a thunderstorm in Dalton on Friday night, and our parents stepped up and got the field ready for Saturday’s games. And, once again, kudos to North Adams for hosting us here and Dalton for hosting us there. In Pittsfield, we had fields there, too, if necessary.”

Nothing, including the weather, could stop the Reign Purple in the four-team 14-and-under bracket, where it went 5-0 – three pool games plus Sunday’s semi-final and final – outsourcing opponents by a combined 65-17.

In Sunday’s title game, Kody Lesser was 3-for-3 with an RBI, Spencer Kotski was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, and Kai Laframboise went 2-for-3 with a triple in a 13-hit attack.

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