GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Communities throughout the county are facing similar challenges, but discourse across town boundaries could be part of the solution, which is why state Rep. Leigh Davis has established an event to foster these conversations over a game of cornhole.

 

On Saturday, Aug. 22, Davis invites community members to Barrington Hall, formerly Crissey Farm, for a free day filled with food, music from WSBS Radio's Dave Isby, family activities, and a friendly cornhole tournament featuring public safety officials across the 18 towns in the third Berkshire District.

 

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine, with all activities moving indoors if it rains.

 

Two-person first responder teams will compete for cornhole bragging rights, with each team guaranteed at least three games and extra boards available for casual play. Davis is still looking for teams from towns. Sign-up by emailing her at Repleigh@gmail.com. 

 

The competition will begin with pool play followed by a single-elimination championship bracket. Trophies will be presented to the winning team, and Davis hopes to establish a perpetual traveling trophy that will move from town to town and record each year's champion.

 

"Each town has their own identity, but our challenges don't stop at the town line. So, I wanted to create a day that strengthens those connections and also give something back to the community," she said. 

 

This year, the event is putting first responders at center stage to recognize their service while shining a light on the five emergency medical services bills she filed this session, which did not move this term but will be redrafted and presented in the next term. 

 

"One of my legislative priorities this term was emergency medical services. Filing five bills, I became very, very aware and cognizant of the needs of EMS reform, so it just seemed to make sense that first responders might be the first group, but it doesn't necessarily mean that every year it's going to be focusing on first responders," she said. 

 

The five bills proposed designating EMS as an "essential service" so it receives a guaranteed state funding stream, and teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation in high schools, with local EMS providers introducing students to lifesaving skills and EMS careers while strengthening the future workforce.

 

It also looked at ways to create a funding stream for EMS, such as ways EMS can be reimbursed when they provide treatment on scene, even if they don't transport the patient, instead of only being paid for transports.

 

Additionally they looked at models of how EMS services are provided such as a compact model that makes it easier for EMS to work between states. 

 

"The five bills that I filed were really the result of many many conversations, and we got a lot of traction, a lot of momentum," Davis said. 

 

"They didn't move this term, but I'm going to be redrafting them and plugging away until we get something done."

 

Since being elected in 2024, she said she has been dedicated to staying informed, communicating with residents and connecting them to resources they need. 

 

"I'm out in the communities, and having the conversations and making sure that if there's concern, if there's an idea, if there's something that we can do better as a state or as a you know municipality, that that's communicated," the representative said. 

 

Her role has been a catalyst in learning from so many people and that is a gift she wants to share with her constituents through this event. 

 

"This is a path to research, a path to opening up town lines and realizing that we have so much in common and we can learn from one another," Davis said. 

 

"So, this is really giving the power to people and saying, ‘hey, you have the power to to solve many of these problems,' and I think that for me having the ability to facilitate those conversations is powerful."