Biz Briefs: Berkshire East Opens New Children's Aerial Adventure Park
Up in the trees: Berkshire East has expanded its outdoor adventures with the building of the Berkshire East Children's Aerial Adventure Park .
Seeing the need to provide an exciting and green recreational activity for younger children, Berkshire East hired Tree-Mendous Forest Adventure Parks, an industry leader, to design and build two separate parks for various ages and abilities.
For children 3 years of age and older, the Tree House Park features a maze of trails that are fully protected by netting. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents and grandparents to share the joys of a forest adventure with their children and grandchildren. Trained guides will be present at all times.
Later this fall, children 7 years and older will be able to enjoy the Aerial Adventure Park, which features a unique blend of elevated wooden platforms that are positioned high in trees. These platforms are connected by Indiana Jones bridges, Tarzan swings and zip-lines. Participants will be able to move safely at their own pace through the various self-guided aerial trails, choosing paths that fit their own challenge level. The Aerial Adventure Park uses the most advanced safety system in the industry to ensure that everyone’s harness is clipped onto a safety line at all times.
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Triple Play time: The Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires announced has received a $75,000 donation from Greylock Federal Credit Union to fund its Triple Play and Meals program. The donation will be made in $25,000 increments over three years.
Triple Play is a national health and wellness program incorporating three parts - Mind, Body and Soul. It challenges youth to be healthy and active by learning to eat nutritionally, to become physically fit, and to form positive social relationships. In support of the fitness piece, there will be daily appropriate physical challenges, and opportunities for members to create their own challenges. Children will be educated about vitamins and minerals, the food pyramid, appropriate portion size, and will be encouraged to take charge of their own choices.
The meals component of the program will provide nutritious dinners in a positive and supportive environment, five days a week at the club's "Light House Cafe." There will be dinner presentations so meals can be teachable moments. Staff and volunteers will work with youth to develop dinner etiquette and manners, and help foster substantive discussions during dinner. Discussion topics may be as simple as "what did you learn today?" or "what would you like to be when you grow up?" The donated funds from Greylock will help buy food for the program.
Giving back: The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires is launching a unique directory called "Giving Back: Your Guide to Charitable Opportunities in the Berkshires."
"Giving Back" is a directory of all Berkshire county nonprofits, designed to help organizations share information with potential donors about ways to get involved and support their mission. Berkshire County's 984 nonprofits will be listed free of charge by category. Categories represent large nonprofit subsectors such as Arts & Culture, Environment, and Health & Human Services.
Nonprofits can gain additional exposure in the guide by purchasing a profile page for $125 ($75 for Nonprofit Center members). The profile page allows nonprofits to share their mission, a photo, program description, upcoming events, fast facts and ways to support the organization. The deadline for submission is September 9. Nonprofits can sign up, complete their profiles and pay online.
