Guest Column: Quit Smoking for Valentine's Day

If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, on this Valentine's Day consider taking the first step toward quitting smoking, vaping or using other tobacco. 1-800-QUIT-NOW has a special incentive for you — pregnant Massachusetts residents can receive up to $65 on a Mastercard gift card when they participate in its free coaching services.

In the program for pregnant people, you can receive up to nine coaching calls with the same quit coach as well as text messages, email support and materials. When you quit, your body becomes safer and healthier for your developing baby's brain and lungs, and what a gift that is. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit mass.gov/quitting for support.

The Massachusetts Quitline for tobacco/nicotine at 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) is available for free coaching 24 hours each day, seven days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) to support you through quitting. No lectures. No judgments. Just support. You can connect with the Quitline online, too, at mass.gov/quitting.

Pregnant or not, when you talk with a quit coach, they help you develop a quit plan that works for you, identify triggers, plan out your day without nicotine and manage withdrawals. 1-800-QUIT-NOW has a dedicated Spanish line (1-855-DÉJELO-YA) and interpreter services available for 200 other languages so language doesn't need to be a barrier to getting support.

Take the first step toward a nicotine-free life this Valentine's Day and call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for help quitting for good. No lectures. No judgments. Just support.

To help you on your quit journey during pregnancy and for more information, the Tobacco-Free Community Partnership Program at Berkshire Area Health Education Center is holding a communitywide baby shower (Berkshire Babypalooza) on April 15 at Greylock Works in North Adams from 11 to 2. This event is free to the public.

Local agencies and vendors will be on hand to answer questions about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, baby safety and family planning. Gift bags will be given to the first 250 families. Please join us for fun, games, and raffles. Win door prizes by visiting information booths and attending educational sessions. For more information about this or smoking cessation programs, contact Joyce Brewer at jbrewer@berkshireahec.org.

Take the first step of your journey to quit for good this Valentine's Day.

Joyce Brewer is the program director of the Tobacco-Free Community Partnership at Berkshire  Area Health Education Center.

Create an Ad: Sheds-N-Stuff

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
12:27PM / Saturday, April 05, 2025

The children didn't have to go far to find a Sheds-N-Stuff product — there's a shed right on the school property.

FLORIDA, Mass. — Abbott Memorial School fourth-grade students participated in our Junior Marketers Create an Ad series.

 

This month, students highlighted the company Sheds-N-Stuff in Cheshire, showcasing its array of merchandise and services, including selling, delivering, and assembling its products.  

 

The family business was founded about 30 years ago under the name "Small Building Movers" by George Mott and, like its name suggested, it focused on moving small buildings. 

 

The company has since expanded to designing, building, delivering, and selling yard furniture and custom outdoor structures, including sheds, gazebos, garages, playsets, and more. 

 

Sheds-N-Stuff office manager Erin Paris visited the school to answer students' questions, which covered various aspects of the business, including its history, products, operations, and capabilities.

 

The business visit to the school was great, Vice Principal Denise Chesbro said. 

 

"I didn't think [the students] were going to stop asking questions. If we hadn't stopped them, they would have continued all day, but I think it was really impactful for them to really hear what a small business is like, and one that they have witnessed and seen in their community," Chesbro said.