February - Northern Berkshire Community Coalition

Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
Inside the February Issue
Organizational Collaboration....................................2
nb21 Plans for 2014.................................................2
UNITY/nBn News...................................................4
The Family Place/Mass in Motion.............................5
Community News.....................................................6
Coalition Calendar...................................................7
Coalition Musings.....................................................8
Coalition
news
An update from
February 2014, Volume XXVIII, Number 6
Community Participates in MLK Day of Service,
Peacemaker Award Presented to Paul Austin
January 20th marked the 21st Annual Northern Berkshire Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Celebration and the 5th Annual MLK Jr.
Day of Service, a day to reflect on the timeless question Dr. King asked, “What are you
doing for others?” Thanks to a grant from
the Massachusetts Service Alliance, the MLK
Jr. Day Committee joined with nbCC to
host this great event. The day’s theme was “A
Day On, Not a Day Off”, transforming the
holiday into an opportunity for volunteers to
come together to make a positive impact on
our community.
There were tasks for people of all ages,
backgrounds, and abilities to celebrate the
legacy of Dr. King through service. Over 375
volunteers gathered at the MCLA Church
Street Center for a kick-off and service placements. Inspiring words were offered during
both kick-off and lunch by MCLA President,
Dr. Mary Grant, Mayor Richard Alcombright, State Senator Ben Downing and
State Representative Gailanne Cariddi.
Volunteers visited sites which included
the Louison House, First Baptist Church
of Williamstown and the Salvation Army,
nbCC thanks our February
newsletter sponsor:
where they sorted and cleaned items. Food
and cash donations were collected at Stop
and Shop to benefit our local food pantry,
The Friendship Center. Several local homes
were weatherized and spaces in the Northern
Berkshire YMCA and North Adams Armory
were painted. Other volunteers pitched in at
the local Habitat for Humanity House, the
skating rink and The Adams Youth Center
where fun games were set up and manned
for local children. For those not wanting to
venture out, there was plenty to do on-site
at the MCLA Church Street Center. Warm
mittens were sewn and hand made cards and
personal items were packed into boxes to be
shipped to local servicemen.
Volunteers met back at the MCLA
Church Street Center to end the day by sharing a community luncheon prepared and
served by the Berkshire Food Project and
MCLA Aramark.
During lunch, we were awed by the
talents of the MCLA Alegrettos, NeXXus,
the MCLA Step Dance Group, and touched
by the music by Jake Daugherty and Michael
Mazzu. Everyone then participated in an
Berkshire
Medical Center
www.berkshirehealthsystems.org
inspiring exercise by Otha Day, local drummer and teacher, who made us believe we are
all musicians.
Following the inspiring entertainment, the
MLK Day Committee presented the annual
Peacemaker Award to Paul Austin of Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, for giving selflessly of his time, talents, and service
to our local Habitat for Humanity Chapter.
While this was a wonderful day of active
service it also serves symbolically as a day of
coming together to make a positive impact
and to inspire a culture of service. Special
thanks to the members of the MLK Jr. Day
Committee for organizing this wonderful
event: Alex Daugherty, chair, Kathy Keeser,
Liz Boland, Annie Rodgers, Sue Walker,
Tom Alexander, Steve Green, Darlene Ellis,
Lois Daunis, Carolyn Leab and Jill and
Wendy Daugherty. Thanks also go to MCLA,
Paul Marino and NBCTC, Berkshire Food
Project, Aramark, Williams College, Cariddi
Sales, Stop and Shop, Leon Peters, Annie
Rodgers, the Massachusetts Service Alliance,
and ALL the volunteers who participated!
See more photos on page 6!
-Bert Lamb
Nationally recognized care provided by
an award winning team of healthcare
professionals…right here in the Berkshires.
Coalition News
February 2014
Improving the quality of life for people in Northern Berkshire by organizing, supporting, and empowering the community.
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
Our Mission
“Dedicated to improving the quality
of life for people in Northern Berkshire by
organizing, supporting, and empowering
the community.”
In pursuit of this mission, we place
particular emphasis on the following:
• Strengthening neighborhoods and community life
• Preventing alcohol/substance abuse
• Fostering economic development
• Mitigating poverty
• Supporting positive youth development
• Building bridges between residents and
service agencies
Coalition Supporters
Public Sources
•MA Dept. of Children & Families
•MA Cultural Council
•MA Department of Public Health
•MA Department of Public Health,
Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
Foundation Supporters
•Fund for North Adams
Local Support
•Contributions from our many
individual supporters
The Coalition is a member agency of the
Northern Berkshire United Way and the
Williamstown Community Chest.
To submit announcements
to the Coalition E-zine:
The Coalition E-zine is a weekly e-blast
published every Thursday and contains
announcements from Northern Berkshire
agencies and organizations. Submissions
must be received by 9:00 a.m. Tuesday
morning to be considered for inclusion
in that week’s issue. All submissions are
subject to editing and should be 50 words
or less. All events related to Northern
Berkshire community public health will be
considered for publication. Banner ads are
available for your fundraising events. For
more information, please call 663-7588, or
to submit an announcement, please email
phzine@nbccoalition.org.
2
February Forum: “A Forum on
Organizational Collaboration”
The Northern Berkshire community will once again gather together to discuss important
issues facing its residents for our monthly Forum on Friday, February 14th. The topic, Organizational Collaboration, will look at the barriers for us as organizations to work together
and how “business collaborations” might be developed to encourage efficiencies and
cost savings. NOTE: We are asking everyone to bring their business card for a special
exercise we will be doing. If you do not have a business card, we will have post-it-notes
available for you.
Things we’ll cover:
•Define the various levels of connection between entities, including networking, collaboration, partnership, and integration
•Learn what makes existing partnerships effective
•Share and explore areas in which our local organizations are looking to collaborate/
partner with others
•Identify new structures and strategies that can help us all become better at collaborating
We’d like this forum to be a real community conversation, so please join us
for this important community meeting. Be a part of the solution!
The forum will be held from 10 am to 12 pm on Friday,
February 14th at the First Baptist Church in North Adams
(please use Eagle Street entrance). The first portion of the
meeting will be dedicated to introductions and event
sharing; please bring canned good items to support the
Friendship Center Food Pantry. For more information on the forum topic, please contact Al Bashevkin
at 663-7588 x11.
nb21 Plans For the Upcoming Year
nb21 Seeks to Change Community Alcohol/Drug Policies and Practices
nb21 is a community-organizing program
of nbCC, designed to reduce teen access to
alcohol and other drugs by changing community policies and practices. The goals
of our organizing efforts are to eliminate
illegal alcohol sales to minors, obstruct the
provision of alcohol to youth, and ultimately
reduce alcohol and other drug use by teens
and the harm associated with early use.
Since 2004, nbCC has had strategy teams in
the Mount Greylock and Adams-Cheshire
regions. Thanks to funding from the City
of North Adams Community Development
Block Grant, a team to serve North Adams is
emerging onto the scene.
After an exciting kick-off dinner in August,
nb21 North Adams has met monthly to begin
to address youth substance use as a community. Mayor Alcombright, Tina Tartaglia
(Brien Center), Josh Meczywor (McCann),
Stephanie Burdick (Drury), Mick Boland
(Mass Rehab), Mike Vogt (MCLA student)
are the core members of this group led by
Jess Dennis of nbCC.
Community education has been a common theme of the meetings with a focus on
providing more prevention education to parents and youth through the schools and local
athletic organizations. Josh Meczywor will be
working with students at McCann to develop
a substance use education presentation for
upper elementary students. The Mayor, and
others on the team, are looking at ways to
enhance health education K-12 to include a
more comprehensive substance use prevention element. Stay tuned for more updates
from our latest strategy team – nb21 North
Adams.
-Lois Daunis
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, 61 Main Street Suite 218, North Adams MA 01247 • (413) 663-7588 • www.nbccoalition.org
Coalition News
February 2014
Improving the quality of life for people in Northern Berkshire by organizing, supporting, and empowering the community.
NBYC to Focus on Medical Marijuana
Addictiveness and Affects on the Adolescent Brain to be Discussed
The Northern Berkshire Youth Collaborative,
a monthly gathering of professionals whose
work concerns young people, will hold their
monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 5,
focusing on medical marijuana in MA and its
significance for youth workers. At this meeting, Dr. Jenny Michaels, Medical Director of
the Brien Center will share her expertise on
how marijuana affects the adolescent brain,
including information on addictiveness.
Additionally, Nial DeMena, the Director of
Operations for Manna Wellness, will join us
to share Manna’s perspective and experience
regarding medical use of marijuana. Manna
is a non-profit effort which recently sought
a license to operate a medical marijuana
dispensary in Pittsfield. This meeting will be
held 11am-12:30pm in the nbCC conference
room at 61 Main Street, North Adams. For
more info, contact Kate Merrigan at kmerrigan@nbccoalition.org.
-Kate Merrigan
411 in the 413 is Approaching!
Youth-Led Conference Empowers Youth to Take Initiative in Their Lives
The eighth annual 411 in the 413, the only
youth-led conference in the county, will take
place on Wednesday April 16th, 2014. The
mission of the “411 in the 413” Conference
is to empower youth to take initiative in their
lives and in the future. The event has been
coordinated by a group of youth and their
supervisors from the Northern Berkshire
Community Coalition, Railroad Street Youth
Project of Great Barrington, and Pittsfield
Prevention Partnership.
This year’s theme is #GetConnected. The
day will provide participants an opportunity
to discover new things about themselves,
others, new activities, and the outdoors. The
conference takes place at the Becket-Chimney
Corners YMCA in Becket, MA and offers
youth a chance to share their ideas and make
their voices heard!
STEVE GREEN, President
Community Resident
COURTNEY SHAPIRO, Vice-President
Adams Community Bank
AL NELSON, Treasurer
Community Resident
SUZY HELME, Clerk
Business Owner, Shima
CRAIG BARD, Executive Committee
Community Resident
DEB ROSSELLI, Executive Committee
Director of Special Education
North Berkshire School Union
In preparation for the event, we are seeking creative, dynamic speakers and interactive
workshop facilitators. The focus of this year’s
conference is to make connections with other
teens, with new interests, and with nature.
For more info, contact Stephanie Bosley at
(413) 663-7588 or sbosley@nbccoaliton.org.
To submit a proposal online, visit
http://bit.ly/411inthe413 or
nbccoalition.org/forms for hard copy.
-Stephanie Bosley
Interfaith Group to Host Habitat for Humanity
The Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative (NBIAI) will welcome representatives
from Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity at the Friday, February 21, meeting at the
First Baptist Church of North Adams, starting
at 10 a.m. All are welcome.
The beginning of 2014 has been eventful
for the NBIAI. For one thing, we are now
incorporated as a non-profit organization in
Massachusetts, and seeking tax-exempt status
is next on our agenda. The Friendship Center
Food Pantry keeps going strong, with 652
household visits in January. February 23 will
mark the third anniversary of NBIAI opening
the pantry.
Northern Berkshire
Community Coalition
Board of Directors
2013-2014
We continue to expand our partnerships
with community organizations. Recent
visitors conducting outreach during pantry hours include the Family Life Support
Cener/Louison House, Goodwill of the
Berkshires and Southern Vermont, and
Community Legal Aid.
The Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action
Initative is a group of people of different
faiths and denominations working together
with others of goodwill to serve our community. For more info, call Mark at 664-0130; see
http://northernberkshireinterfaith.blogspot.
com or visit our page on Facebook.
- Mark Rondeau
TOM BERNARD, Finance Committee
Director of Business Affairs
CHRIS MEEHAN, Finance Committee
Director, Berkshire County DTA
PAUL HOPKINS, Finance Committee
Community Relations, NBH
Deb Kushnet, Finance Committee
Greylock Federal Credit Union
Sara LaLumia, Finance Committee
Professor of Economics, Williams College
ED LaCOSSE
Community Resident
GAIL OBERST
Social Worker, BFAIR
GREG ROACH
Wild Oats Market
ERICA GIRGENTI
Adams Council on Aging
RICH TASKIN
Attorney at Law
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, 61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams MA 01247 • (413) 663-7588 • www.nbccoalition.org
3
YLP Members Practice Speaking
up for What They Need (More
Sleep!)
Our Youth Leaders are working away on their service projects for
this year, with a little bit of a different focus from past projects. Our
group is very concerned with the low quality of sleep amongst their
peers and its relationship to their physical and mental health. We’re
working on finding strategies and information that can help lead to
better and more sleep for adolescents; once we have our content solidified, we’ll share it with others via posters, brochures, a workshop,
and possibly a facebook campaign. Stay tuned for details!
In the meantime, YLP members have also been spending sessions
learning about how to be more assertive and practicing asserting
themselves in challenging situations through roleplays. We’re looking at scenarios that adolescents often encounter, such as a friend
asking them to do something they’re not comfortable with or a
misunderstanding with a teacher, and practicing addressing these
conflicts in a way that respects yourself as well as the other person.
It’s exciting to watch our UNITY teens work on these skills!
Community Outreach Trainings
On Thursday, January 18th, Northern Berkshire Neighbors began
the 5th annual Community Outreach Training, with 12 Northern
Berkshire community residents participating. Our 2014 cohort come
from diverse backgrounds; however, each participant is enthusiastic
about their community and ready to be a resource among their
neighbors, friends and family members.
The first few sessions have had some interesting and informative
presentations by The Family Place, The Brien Center, and National
Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and site visits to Berkshire Community Action Council, the Friendship Center Food Pantry and the
Berkshire Food Project. Moving forward they will have the opportunity to learn about educational resources for children and adults,
accessing municipal services, housing, health care and councils on
aging (just to name a few!).
Northern Berkshire Neighbors is looking forward to continuing
to get to know each of the Outreach Volunteers during the next few
months of training and supporting their efforts as they become critical resources throughout the Northern Berkshire community.
Creating a Lovable North Adams:
A Citywide Lip Dub!
TWW’s Jeannette and Skye will be performing at the National
Summit for Creative Youth Development!
The wheels are in motion to develop a citywide lip dub for North
Adams. Keep your eyes peeled for fundraising efforts to get underway by the end of February and the beginning of March for our
Kickstarter Campaign. Once we raise the funds necessary to support
this project, we will be actively seeking participation from anyone
that would like to be a part of creating pride in North Adams! Our
goal is to fundraise at least $8,250. We need your support to make
this happen! There is no contribution to small to aid in this effort.
Keep your eyes
peeled and your ears
to the ground for information about how
to donate. Together
we can be a part of
making history in
North Adams!
We are excited to announce that two of our Teen Writing Workshop members have been selected to perform at
the National Summit for Creative Youth Development! Jeannette Lambert and Skye Sweeney will travel to Boston for the March
28-29 conference and perform their
outstanding slam poetry for hundreds
of leaders in the field of creative youth
development. Congrats to Jeannette
and Skye!
United Neighborhood Organization “UNO” held an After the
Holiday’s Party at Valley Park Lanes on Curran Highway in North
Adams. In light of the bad weather some children didn’t attend.
However, the ones who did, had a wonderful time, bowling, playing
games, and going in the Bouncy Bounce. The children and adults
all enjoyed pizza, soda, cookies, and each received a Christmas bag
of goodies and gifts, all made possible by a “Secret Santa.” “UNO”
Steering committee members present were. Gail Nelson, Amanda
Davis and yours truly, Shirley Davis. For more info about “UNO”
please call Shirley at 663-5516.
-Shirley Davis
TWW Members to Perform at
National Conference
4
UNO Continues Fun for
Neighborhood Children
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, 61 Main Street Suite 218, North Adams MA 01247 • (413) 663-7588 • www.nbccoalition.org
North Berkshire
Mass in Motion
What’s Up at The Family Place?
Here is a question that we have been asked a lot lately by different
parents and community members. I think now is a great time to give
this question an answer.
As always, we continue to keep our ear to the ground and ask
parents what things we can be helpful with in their lives. Recently, a
small group of parents spent time with our staff at a community location and shared challenges they were having with their kids. What
challenges you ask…the main focus was on how to talk to their kids
about topics like drugs and alcohol, puberty and sexual development, as well as sex and healthy relationships.
These parents were very honest with us about their worries and
fears associated with talking to their kids about these topics. Some of
these fears were; what if I don’t have all the information, what if I make a
mistake, if I talk to my kid about this stuff will they think I am giving them
permission to do things I don’t want them to do, how do I tell my kid to not
do something that I did when I was a teenager? And many more….
So, we at The Family Place decided that we wanted to help them
in the most direct way we could. We developed the “Time to Talk”
workshop series for parents, where they can attend one or all of the
workshops, to get the skills and information to help with these difficult conversations.
The Family Place will host 3 separate workshops. On Wednesday,
January 29th at the nbCC conference room we will host Rachelle
Smith who will facilitate a workshop on How to Talk to Your Kids
about Drugs and Alcohol. On Thursday, February 20th same location Rachelle will facilitate a workshop on How to Talk to Your Kids
about Puberty and Sexual Development. Ending with a workshop on
Friday, February 21st to help parents with the skills and information
to talk to their kids about sex and healthy relationships. All workshops will present information and skills that parents can use to initiate conversations and help build positive relationships with their kids.
If you would like more information or are interested in attending,
please call us at 413-663-7588. This is a great opportunity and we
would love to have you join us!
Calling all Northern Berkshire DADS!!
The 24-7 Dad’s group starts on
February 27th at The Family Place
from 6:30 to 8:00pm for 12 weeks.
Call (413) 663-7588 for more
information and to register.
Join Us for Café Time.
The Family Place invites you to join us for an hour,
to meet us, ask questions, and come see our space at
61 Main Street in North Adams. Relax, laugh, learn
and share parenting ideas as you enjoy a craft activity. Refreshments will be served. Call (413) 663-7588 for more info.
Thursdays, February 6, 13, 20, 27
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Let’s Work Together to Reduce
Heart Disease!
February is American Heart Month, a month to focus on taking
care of your heart, one of the most vital organs of the human body
that pumps blood carrying all necessary materials that enable the
body to function. Knowing the job of the heart, it is of extreme
importance you need to do your part in keeping the heart healthy,
taking preventative measures against various types of heart disease,
America’s leading cause of death. Heart disease is preventable and
controllable. It is taking charge of your own journey, and following
the path that continues to lead you to a healthy heart.
Mass in Motion is working with the community to create an environment that promotes the prevention of heart disease and lowering
rates of obesity and overweight, both being leading causes of heart
disease. Along with a healthy environment there are also behavior
changes that individuals can make, as well as providing a voice and
support to encourage policy makers of the importance of a healthy
environment.
Below is a list of healthy lifestyle choices to reduce your risk of
heart disease along with local opportunities to take part in that
Mass in Motion and community leaders are working on implementing to make the healthy choice the simple choice towards long term
benefits for your heart and your overall health:
If you are interested in joining and supporting any of the healthy
lifestyle choices or initiatives listed to increase your health and the
health of the community please contact: Amanda Chilson at (413)
663-7588 or achilson@nbccoalition.org.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices Y ou Ca n Make!
1) Eat more fruits and vegetables.
2) Consider replacing pasta & rice with whole grains such as quinoa, millet,
or barley.
3) Eat less processed foods.
4) Take foods with partially hydrogenated oils and high
fructose corn syrup out of your food choices.
5) Rethink your drink: Drink more water and less soda, juice
and other sugar sweetened beverages.
6) Use natural sweeteners such as maple syrup, molasses and honey.
7) 30 minutes a day of physical activity.
8) Take a brisk, moderate-intense walk with friends.
9) Walk for transportation. Park the car and walk your errands or walk
to work and/or school.
10) Bike for transportation. Bike to work, to school and other
destinations.
11) Try a fitness or yoga class with a local instructor.
Healthy Initiatives Mass in Motion is Working On
1) Healthy Market Initiative- working with local Cumberland Farms to
encourage and promote healthy food choices through Healthy Bites
Campaign and Adams Dollar General to become a WIC approved store.
Continued on Page 7
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, 61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams MA 01247 • (413) 663-7588 • www.nbccoalition.org
5
Coalition News
February 2014
2014 Northern Berkshire MLK, Jr. Day of Service
Improving the quality of life for people in Northern Berkshire by organizing, supporting, and empowering the community.
Northern Berkshire
A Day On, Not A Day Off
JANUARY 20
Sponsored by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and the Massachusetts Service Alliance
6
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, 61 Main Street Suite 218, North Adams MA 01247 • (413) 663-7588 • www.nbccoalition.org
Coalition Calendar
February 2014
Improving the quality of life for people in Northern Berkshire by organizing, supporting, and empowering the community.
Monday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.
Northern
Berkshire Tonite
The talk show of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition hosted
by Al Bashevkin and Scott Nichols
and seen on local Channel 15. Each
month it takes a look at key issues of
concern to the residents of Northern Berkshire County. This month,
Kate Merrigan hosts Spencer Moser,
from MCLA and Anne Singleton
from the Williamstown Community
Chest to talk about the benefits and
challenges of collaborations.
Wed., Feb. 5, 11:00 a.m.
N. Berkshire Youth
Collaborative
This monthly meeting is held
the first Wednesday of each
month at the Coalition, 61 Main
St., Suite 218, North Adams.
To get on the group’s e-mail
list, contact Kate Merrigan at
kmerrigan@nbccoalition.org.
(attendees are encouraged to bring
a bag lunch).
Friday, Feb. 14 10:00 a.m.
Monthly Forum
This month’s forum will explore
how local organizations can collaborate together. See page 2 for more
details. The meeting will be held at
the 1st Baptist Church in N. Adams
(Eagle Street entrance. Please bring
a non-perishable food to benefit The
Friendship Center Food Pantry.
Tuesdays, 4:00 - 5:30p.m.
nbCC Conference Room
Teen Writing
Workshop
For those who would like to join the
workshop or know teens ages 14-19
who could benefit from participating in a creative writing workshop,
please contact Kate at kmerrigan@
nbccoalition.org or at 663-7588.
No. Berk. Interfaith
Action Initiative
The Northern Berkshire Interfaith
Action Initiative (NBIAI) meets the
third Friday of each month at 10
a.m. at the First Baptist Church of
N. Adams. All people of goodwill are
welcome to participate. NBIAI is a
group of people of faith working together with others of goodwill to find
ways to serve our community. For
more info, contact Mark Rondeau at
markrondeau@earthlink.net.
Fri., Feb. 21, 1:00 p.m.
CCB 3rd Fl. Conference Room
No. Berk. Systems
of Care Committee
The NBSOCC consists of families,
providers, and community members
who live and cope with children with
emotional ups and downs every day,
who are the true experts qualified
to adequately define, prioritize, and
seek to address the needs of these
children. For more information,
contact Annie Rodgers at (413) 6637588. Pot luck item encouraged.
Find us, then like us!
Find us, then like us!
Go to www.facebook.com and search for
Go to www.facebook.com and search for
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
Healthy Initiatives Mass in Motion is Working On
(Continued from Page 5)
Friday, Feb. 21, 10:00 a.m.
or enter http://on.fb.me/nBnbVo
in your browser.
2) Working closely with Clarksburg Elementary School’s Wellness
See what we’re up to!
Committee to draft a wellness policy that promotes
nutrition education and the use of local foods in school
meals.
3) Continuing to build and promote Adams Farmers
Market and increasing the awareness of theNorthern Berkshire Community Coalition
61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams, MA 01247
accepted benefits that can be used at the North
(413) 663-7588
Adams Farmers Market, both providing healthy
produce to all.
Improving the quality of life for people in Northern Berkshire
by organizing, supporting, and empowering the community.
Thursdays, 10:30 - noon
Cafe Time
The Family Place invites you to join
their weekly conversation about
parenting. Enjoy a craft and refreshments as you discuss the joy and
stress of being a parent in a friendly,
supportive environment. Transportation and childcare provided upon
request. Call (413) 663-7588 for
more information.
Tuesday, Feb. 18
NA Team, 4:00 p.m. @ nbCC
Adams/Cheshire Team, 5:30
@ Adams Visitor’s Center
nb21 Strategy
Team Meetings
nb21 is a grass-roots initiative to
reduce teenagers’ access to alcohol.
Strategy teams made up of local
citizens meet monthly to guide project
priorities and actions. For Adams,
contact Corinne Case at 743-7455
or ccase@nbccoalition.org. For Mt.
Greylock, contact Ed Sedarbaum at
esederbaum@gmail.com. For North
Adams, contact Jessica Dennis at
jdennis@nbccoalition.org. For more
information about the nb21 program,
contact Lois Daunis, nb21 Prevention
Coordinator at (413) 663-7588.
How Y ou a nd the Commu nity Ca n Force a Cha nge!
or enter http://on.fb.me/nBnbVo
1) Increase indemand
at grocery stores and convenient stores by purchasing
your browser.
healthy and local when you can- Vote with your dollar!
See what we’re up to!
2) Shop at the North Adams and Adams Farmers Markets during the season.
3) Volunteer on a school wellness committee, meet with school administration
and local leaders to help increase healthy options for school food.
4) Help
toBerkshire
improve
the healthy
options at your place of work and the foods
Northern
Community
Coalition
61 Main Street,
Suite
218, North Adams,
MA 01247
brought
in for
special
events.
(413) 663-7588
5) Rethink Your Drink and talk with store managers about decreasing soda
and sugary drinks advertisements that entice our youth.
Improving the quality of life for people in Northern Berkshire
by organizing, supporting, and empowering the community.
4) Encouraging residents to drink water through tracking intake during
North Adams Mayor’s Fitness Challenge.
6) Work to remove soda and sugary beverages from vending machines in the
places you frequent, i.e. worksite, schools, etc.
5) Implementing and kicking off the North Adams Walking loops during a
week of walking in the late spring, encouraging community members to
utilize loops for recreation and transportation.
7) Pick a set time each day to walk the North Adams walking loops with
friends and wear bright colors for safety. Bring awareness to the increased
number of walkers in the community.
6) Organizing a Mayor’s Fitness Challenge offering a variety of free
physically active opportunities.
8) Organize a team to register for the Mayor’s Fitness Challenge in late spring.
Watch for details here soon!
7) Working with Bike North Berkshire to create bike maps for designated
routes in north Berkshire.
9) Join Bike North Berkshire to advocate for bikability along with increasing the
amount people ride.
10) Volunteer as a Safe Routes to School Champion creating safe routes and
organizing walking school buses so more children can walk/bike to school safely.
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, 61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams MA 01247 • (413) 663-7588 • www.nbccoalition.org
7
Coalition Staff
Executive Director
Al Bashevkin: abashevkin@nbccoalition.org
Business & Administrative Staff
Liz Boland: lboland@nbccoalition.org
Northern Berkshire Neighbors
Annie Rodgers: arodgers@nbccoalition.org
UNITY
Kate Merrigan: kmerrigan@nbccoalition.org
UNITY/nBn Program Associate
Stephanie Bosley: sbosley@nbccoalition.org
Grants Manager, nb21/CMCA
Lois Daunis: ldaunis@nbccoalition.org
The Family Place
Amber Besaw: abesaw@nbccoalition.org
The Family Place Administrative Asst.
Laura Tatro: ltatro@nbccoalition.org
Mass In Motion
Project Coordinator
Amanda Chilson: achilson@nbccoalition.org
Communications Coordinator
Bert Lamb: blamb@nbccoalition.org
nbCC is
supported by:
Coalition Musings. . .
“Music can change the world because it can change people” – Bono
I just heard on the news of the passing of Pete Seeger, and it got me thinking about the life
he lived and the influence he had on me and so many other people. Seeger was the father of
the modern American folk-music movement, co-writing some of the country’s most enduring
classics, like “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “Turn! Turn!
Turn!”. Considering his prominence, Pete lived a somewhat simple life in a very complicated
time. He really did have a profound affect on me, and I would bet many others of my generation. Through his music, his message flowed. Ninety-four years is a long life, and fortunately
for all of us, we will always have his music, his tremendous respect for human-kind, and the
environment we live in. Rest in peace, Pete…I’ll miss you.
This past Sunday, prior to the telecast of the Grammy Music Awards, a local group from
Williams College, Roomful of Teeth, conducted by Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at
Williams College, Brad Wells, won the award for the best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance. Wow…winning a Grammy is quite a feat for a group that performs in our area and is
led by a faculty person living in Williamstown. Check them out at roomfulofteeth.org
Music has a lesson for all of us to live by. When it is performed well, listening to others
enhances our own music making. It is a democratic process. If you have a voice, you can sing.
If you have a heartbeat, you have rhythm. Sound and a beat together make music happen. For
the magic of beautiful music to happen, we have to work with our fellow music makers. We all
can make and appreciate music and by doing this, we are building the community we want to
live in. It’s a lesson for us as we work together, and we saw this in action during the afternoon
of the MLK Day Celebrations in North Adams.
Thanks, Pete, Brad, and everyone else who puts beautiful music in front of us, as well as all
of us who make music a part of our everyday life. Sure helps make our world a better place.
-- Al Bashevkin
s,
2 for date
See page
s.
d location
times, an
r
ry 14th fo
n Februa um:
Join us o
for
ly
h
our mont
aboration”
tional Coll
“Organiza
Find this
newsletter
online at
www.nbccoalition.org
61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams, MA 01247
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
U.S. Postage Paid
Non-Profit Org.
Permit #35
North Adams, MA
01247