QuitLinks program offers free carnival at Heritage State Park

Print Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - North Berkshire County residents will be treated to a free carnival this Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams. QuitLinks, a tobacco treatment program offered through REACH for Community Health at North Adams Regional Hospital, sponsors the carnival with support from BMC Healthnet.

“Carnivals bring families together and we have had tremendous success with this format in previous years,” said program coordinator Jennifer Civello. “There will be games, food, and entertainment along with health resource information for families.”

QuitLinks is a tobacco treatment program developed with the best interests of pregnant women and moms in mind. It offers individual counseling to help moms and moms-to-be quit smoking. QuitLinks also offers support to other family members to create a supportive quit environment for the mother.

The program is free and open to all women who are pregnant or a mother of young children. There are no income guidelines.

The QuitLinks Carnival will offer free snow cones and cotton candy for a true carnival effect, but healthy snacks and drinks will also be available. Entertainment will be provided by Trevor the Games Man and Bowie the Clown. A dunking booth will feature local celebrities.

Slider, the SteepleCats mascot, will make an appearance. WBEC will broadcast live and attendees will have the chance to win a home in WBEC’s summer give-away. The Heritage Park Tot Train will provide rides for kids around Western Gateway Heritage State Park.

“We’ve worked with local community-based agencies to put this carnival together,” said Civello. “BMC Healthnet and the Mayor’s Office of Tourism have been instrumental in putting this carnival together.”

Volunteers are needed to help staff carnival booths, assist with set-up, and clean up. Agencies interested in participating are encouraged to call Civello at 413-664-5567.

REACH for Community Health is the community education arm of North Adams Regional Hospital. Its mission is to improve the health and wellness of the Northern Berkshire community through education, outreach, programming, and advocacy in collaboration with community members and organizations.

For more information, please call Jennifer Civello at 413-664-5567 or Sharon Leary at 413-664-5404.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Companion Corner Grey Boy at No Paws Left Behind

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a cat No Paws Left Behind still waiting for his forever home.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. He was previously highlighted but he now has new information.

Grey Boy is 10 years old and is a gray and white domestic shorthair and was previously highlighted on Companion Corner.

The shelter's Executive Director Noelle Howland introduced us to him and his long journey to be ready for adoption.

"He's been here a couple months. He was a transfer from a rescue in Bennington. They were out of space, so we had taken him in with a few other cats. So he's been here a couple months. He came in with what we believed was a respiratory infection," she said. "So it took us a little bit to get him ready, and then he also needed a dental. So he has nice, clean teeth. He had some teeth removed, and then he has to go back in and have one more dental. So he'll be all ready to go."

It was previously thought that he has feline herpes but he was recently diagnosed with a palette fracture because of how bad his dental disease was, which is what is causing his sneezing. He can now go home with cats, a cat-savvy dog and children.

"He has had two dentals since being with us. Due to the palate fracture he will be sneezy for the rest of his life, not contagious sneezing, but that doesn’t stop him from living a perfectly happy life. He should be on wet food with chunks due to this and since he has had many teeth removed," Howland said.

Grey Boy loves to play with toys and enjoy treats. He would also love to have a window to lounge or bird-watch in.

"He is not afraid of anything. He's very curious, so I'm sure he'd love if you have windows for him to look out of. He still plays, even though he's 10 it does not stop him. So any home would be a good fit for him."

Now that he is ready to be adopted, he is excited. When you walk into the room with him he will rub up against your leg introducing himself and asking to be pet.

"Usually, I would say, when you're walking, he'll bonk into you so he might catch you off guard a little bit. He constantly is rubbing against you," Howland said. "He really, I would say he's lazy when you want him to be, and he's active when you want him to be. He'll play with toys. He's usually lounging away. And then when he comes out he'll play. He loves it. So, very friendly, easy going cat."

He is now perfectly healthy with his dentals all done and veterinary care up to date and is ready to find his forever family.

"I would say the friendliest, easiest cat you could have. He's just, he's just gonna be a little sneezy sometimes, but that doesn't stop him from doing anything," she said.

Grey Boy's adoption fee is sponsored by Rooted in Balance Counseling LLC.

View Full Story

More North Adams Stories