Berkshires Beat: Williams College Highlights Sustainability with New Interactive Map, Audio Tour

Williams sustainability map

Following the lead of Middlebury, a newly created map of the Williams College campus highlights the college's sustainability initiatives, ranging from solar panels to rain gardens. It also provides a self-guided audio tour for visitors to learn more about sustainability — the first of its kind.

Over the course of the fall 2018 semester, Williams senior Korinna Garfield and alumna Caroline Bruno, sustainability coordinator at the college's Zilkha Center, incorporated sustainability features into the new map to help raise visibility about how sustainability is integrated into the Williams College campus. The map's features are grouped into categories that include Buildings, Community Engagement, Energy, Landscaping and Grounds, Transportation, Waste and Water.

While many colleges have online interactive maps, it is still not common to include sustainability features as part of a spatial representation of the campus. A key priority for Williams, sustainability is integrated into how the college community experiences the campus’ physical location on a daily basis. Williams undertook this project as a step toward becoming a more inclusive and "sustainable" campus. The map also directs users to more information which can be found on Williams’ sustainability website.

'Green Book' on display

With the Oscars now over, and the movie "Green Book" scooping up several awards, the Berkshire Athenaeum has created a display dedicated to the actual Green Book, which included Pittsfield addresses. The exhibit features items in a glass display including a 1940s edition of the Green Book, the children's book "Ruth and the Green Book," census information from the 1940s and pictures. It is located on the main floor, to the left of the Circulation Desk.

The Green Book served as a travel guide for African-Americans during segregation. The book, which was created by New York City-based mail carrier Victor H. Green in 1937, listed safe and welcoming spaces for travelers throughout the United States. The exhibit will be on display throughout the end of March. The Berkshire Athenaeum is located at 1 Wendell Ave.

Winter Wildlife

Southwestern Vermont Health Care Corridor Gallery has welcomed a new exhibit titled "Winter Wildlife and Vistas." The show features works from various artists, including Paul Hersey, Susan Regen, Mark Schiffner, Nicki Steel, Stanley Williams and others. Many pieces are photographs. The exhibit is open 7 a.m through 8 p.m. daily now through April 10.

The pieces in this exhibit are for sale. Proceeds benefit the artists and the SVHC Auxiliary, which has given more than $1 million to support services and equipment upgrades to SVHC over the past 20 years. In addition to the Corridor Gallery, the SVHC Auxiliary manages Personal Emergency Response System operations and independent vendor sales. For information about joining the SVHC Auxiliary, visit the website or call 802-440-4024.

United Way proposals

Berkshire United Way announces the availability of funding for the two-year period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021. The purpose of this request for proposal (RFP) is to build economic mobility through educational and employment opportunities that will have impactful outcomes for individuals and families in Berkshire County, from birth through adulthood. Priority will be given to integrated/collaborative approaches and organizations addressing needs of both children or youth and the adults in their lives.

Prior to submitting a proposal, interested organizations must complete an eligibility form, which is available online berkshireunitedway.org, and submit evidence of the following requirements: organization must be financially stable, located in and primarily serving residents of central and southern Berkshire County, structured as a not-for-profit, governed by an active, locally based, volunteer board or elected body, and deliver programs and outcomes that address the priority community issues of early childhood development, positive youth development, or economic prosperity.

Library card art contest

Can you update this design?

The North Adams Public Library is looking for a new library card design and seeking submissions of original art from children, teens and adults. Library officials would like a rendering of an iconic Northern Berkshire scene or artistic design of anything related to the library to be considered for the face of the new card. Photos or original artwork must be executed in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Paint, or Adobe PDF and need to be high resolution for our 3 3/8” x 2 1/8” cards and printable in CYMK color range.

Winners of first place choice and runners-up will be announced by late spring. The winner will get a small honorarium and the lasting fame of his or her artwork on the card. Please bring submissions, carefully documented with the artist's name, address, and phone number to Mindy, Kim or Sara at the North Adams Public Library by April 7.

PCA class

The Northern Berkshire Adult Basic Education Program at MCLA will offer a free course on the fundamentals of becoming a personal care attendant. Participants will learn the basics for this high demand, entry-level health-care employment opportunity. Call 413-662-5330 for information.

'Stitch Around'

"Stitch Around" in Katie's Korner at the Lenox Library will be held every other Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. starting Feb. 26 and continuing March 12 and 26, April 9 and 23, and May 7 and 21. All ages are welcome to bring their projects - knit, crochet, cross-stitch, needlepoint, macrame, quilt, needle felt and anything else - to share tea and techniques with fellow crafty community members. Registration is not requires, though RSVPs are welcomed.

'Mindful Eating'

Fairview Hospital will present "Mindful Eating: An Effective Approach To Weight Loss," a health series held on Thursday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m., beginning on March 7 and continuing for eight consecutive weeks through Thursday, April 25.  Classes take place in the Conference Room at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington. Registered nurse Robert Hoechster of Fairview’s Outpatient Nutrition Services will facilitate the program.

The Mindfulness Based-Eating Awareness Training Program uses mindfulness meditation, eating exercises, instruction and self-reflection to cultivate awareness and help repair the relationship an individual has with food.  The program is modeled after mindfulness-based stress reduction practices that are effective to help treat stress, addictions, anger problems, relationship problems and more.  The concepts and skills learned in this program are designed to empower an individual to make balanced food choices and gain control of eating and weight.

This program is not a clinic for eating disorders or a program focused on losing weight. Past participants report more success applying mindfulness to food choices and eating behaviors, greater meditative practice and a healthier emotional attitude and awareness of eating and food choices through techniques designed to support better health. Past participants are welcome to repeat the class. The program fee is $75. To register, call 413-854-9661.

Lenten classes

All Saints Berkshires Episcopal Church in North Adams will host its series of Lenten classes, "Christian Foundations," on Mondays in March and April. The first few centuries of the Christian Church were of crucial significance, as Christians sought to forge the unique identity and celebrate the special gifts of their new religion.  In these four class sessions, the classwill explore together some the of the people, practices and ideas that made the so-called "Patristic Period" (the Age of the Fathers) so centrally important in the history of Christianity.

The class schedule is as follows: March 11, "The Era of Martyrs: The Immediate Post-New Testament Period"; March 18, "The Era of Constantine:  Theological Controversies and Church Councils"; March 25, "Desert Fathers and Mothers: The First Christian Monks and Nuns"; and April 1, "St. Augustine of Hippo:  The Struggles and Triumphs of a Heroic Christian." All classes run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and are free.

Hancock School Celebrates Thanksgiving by Highlighting Community

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
07:51AM / Sunday, November 24, 2024

The children perform music and a play during the luncheon.

HANCOCK, Mass. — For many, Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and unity. Hancock Elementary School embraced this spirit on Thursday by hosting a community Thanksgiving feast for seniors.

 

The children had a major role in organizing the event, from peeling the potatoes to creating the centerpieces to performing. 

 

"Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what we have. To be thankful for the communities that we live in. Thankful for the families that we have, our friends," Principal John Merselis III said. 

 

"And by opening our doors and inviting people in, I think we just embrace that idea." 

 

More than 50 seniors visited the school for a Thanksgiving lunch prepared by the school's students. In addition to those who attended, the students made enough for 40 takeout orders and to feed themselves and the school's staff. 

 

The lunch was kicked off with student performances on the drums, playing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" using boomwhackers, and a play showcasing the preparation of a Thanksgiving feast, which caused rumbles of laughter. 

 

"[The event] gives [students] a great opportunity to practice their life skills such as cooking and creating things for people, and also [build] their self-confidence and just public speaking," said Samantha Lincoln, first and second-grade teacher.