NPC Welcomes Three New Board Members

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Caption: Top Row (Kim Baker, Brian Berkel, Stephanie Bosley, Julia Dixon). Bottom Row (Marianne Fresia, Cass Santos-China, Dan Stanyon, Laurie Werner)
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires (NPC) announced that Kim Baker, Brian Berkel and Julia Dixon have joined the Board of Directors. 
 
Now in its 8th year, NPC offer over two dozen programs and services for nonprofits, including 180 member organizations. 
 
"We are actively growing our board to address continued growth and strategic planning," said Liana Toscanini, Executive Director of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. "These three new members are very experienced, are fully behind the mission of supporting nonprofits, and ready for the challenge of bringing NPC to the next level."
 
Kim Baker is a Senior Account Executive at the Toole Insurance Agency helping businesses and nonprofits understand their risks. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and a certified Worker Compensation Advisor. Kim has over twenty years of board leadership experience with a variety of organizations including Berkshire Business & Professional Women, United Cerebral Palsy, Berkshire County Kid's Place and Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR).
 
Brian Berkel retired from the Massachusetts State Police as a Detective Lieutenant in 2021. During his 25-year career, he was involved with various local nonprofit organizations and volunteered as a mentor to at-risk youth through Big Brothers of Berkshire County and 18 Degrees. Affiliated with the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention since 2009, he currently serves as the board President. He also serves as Treasurer on the board of Berkshire HorseWorks and for the Pittsfield Lions Club.  
 
Julia Dixon is a cultural and strategic planning consultant, educator, writer, and artist based in North Adams. She is an expert in rural creative economy strategy and is an adjunct professor in the Fine and Performing Arts Department at MCLA. Previously, she served as managing director of Berkshire Creative and creative economy specialist at 1Berkshire. Julia has served as a member of the BerkShares board of directors, North Adams Makers' Mill founding board, Berkshire Cultural Resource Center advisory board, North Adams Cultural District core group, and chair of the North Adams Public Arts Commission.

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Butternut Fire Command Terminated After 2 Weeks

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — After about two weeks of working to contain the Butternut Fire, the incident command has ended.

"I am extremely proud of the leadership and firefighters that put forth such extraordinary work to bring this incident to a close," Town Manager Mark Pruhenski said in a press release issued on Sunday.

"It has been a long time since Great Barrington has seen such an incident, the collaboration between all of the agencies was impressive."

On Sunday around 2 p.m., Fire Chief Scott Turner made the decision because "based on weather changes, fuel conditions, and the monumental work of our firefighters and mutual aid, the fire is clearly under control and not expected to spread any further."

He added that Great Barrington's homes and businesses are safe. The wooded area is expected to remain dangerous for months but should regenerate in the spring.

The fire spread because of the extremely dry conditions over the past few months; some rain the week before followed by snow and sleet over the holiday had helped with containment efforts.

Personnel and apparatuses that had been in place 24/7 since Nov. 18 were released but the department will remain ready to respond to any extension or minor growth.

The fire consumed 1,670 acres, spanning over 3 miles in length with a perimeter of more than 10 miles.  Fire Lt. Brian Mead said the wildfire's potential for devastation far exceeded what firefighters were able to contain and not a single home or structure was damaged nor firefighter injured.

"At the end of an incident of this magnitude that has such risk, that is without a doubt, a victory," he said.

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