J. Michael Kennedy Jr. American Legion Post 152 color guard members lead the opening day parade for Cal Ripken League baseball and softball this spring.The decision to rename the post was made last year; the official dedication is this Memorial weekend.
A sign signifying the name change is installed at the Legion post home on Simonds Road.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The local American Legion post has a new name but maintains its old commitment to community service.
This Memorial Day weekend, the members of Post 152 officially rededicate the Simonds Road headquarters from Richard A. Reuther Post 152 to J. Michael Kennedy Jr. Post 152, in honor of the longtime member who died in May of last year.
The post was named for Ruether, a charter member, in 1956, shortly after the state representative's sudden death. A Williams College graduate, he served four terms in the House and had been an administrator in the Veterans Administration; he was known for his many efforts on behalf of veterans.
Kennedy was an Army veteran and a longtime police officer in Williamstown, including the police chief for 11 years. He was an active member of the Legion and was the town's veterans agent for years.
The name change was announced last year during the annual Memorial Day service at the Field Park rotary, one of several high-profile events for the Legionnaires throughout the year.
Although most residents may know the local American Legion from holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day or from events like the annual Cal Ripken League Opening Day, where Post 152 provides a color guard, the organization is active throughout the year.
Around this time of year, Post 152 purchases and places American flags on the graves of veterans at all four of Williamstown’s town cemeteries.
And around Veterans Day, in addition to holding ceremonies at the cemeteries and Field Park, Post 152 participates in a celebration of veterans at Williamstown Elementary School.
Behind the scenes, the local American Legion post helps veterans who qualify access health care and disability benefits for injuries sustained while in service to the nation.
The local Legionnaires contribute thousands of dollars each year to other local charitable organizations and show particular interest in education.
The post annually holds a swearing-in ceremony for new citizens and invites students from Mount Greylock Regional School to both attend the festivities and eat lunch with the newly naturalized citizens.
It sends eight to 10 high school students to Boys State and Girls State camps where the youngsters learn about government at a cost of between $2,500 and $3,500.
And it provides scholarships to graduating high school seniors in the amount of $5,000.
All of this against the backdrop of membership declines that have hit the American Legion hard across the commonwealth and across the nation.
"Our only income is from our endowment, along with a percentage of our membership dues," a member of Post 152 said this month. "We are able to maintain our building and most expenses with this endowment, however to maintain our support for charitable causes is getting to be challenging.
"It would be deeply appreciated if anyone might consider Post 152 so we may continue our effort to provide this community support."
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Waubeeka Plans Glowball Tournament for Charity
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Golfers will light up the night sky and support a charity that helps underserved communities around the world at Waubeeka Golf Links this week.
Waubeeka will host a Glowball Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 7 to 10 p.m., to benefit Hope International, a Pennsylvania-based Christian charity dedicated to sharing "the hope of Christ as we provide biblically based training, savings services, and loans that restore dignity and break the cycle of poverty."
Chris Kapiloff, who purchased the golf course earlier this year, has firsthand experience with Hope International, having picked and roasted coffee beans alongside residents of Rwanda on a visit with his family in 2019.
"Hope International is a phenomenal organization," Kapiloff said this week. "My wife and I really like supporting organizations that help children. There are lots of good organizations with lots of good causes, organizations that help people who can't help themselves.
"Hope does an amazing job helping people who can work, who can be creative with just a small break and be amazing. Hope provides banking to people who live in the middle of nowhere, who normally don't have access to banking. It provides training for small businesses."
Founded in 1997, the non-denominational charity fosters economic development in two dozen countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.
Hope International offers mentoring, training and loans to help people in developing nations launch or expand their businesses.
Golfers will light up the night sky and support a charity that helps underserved communities around the world at Waubeeka Golf Links this week. click for more
Williams College will be back before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday for a development plan review for the school's planned art museum at the Field Park rotary.
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The Milne Library's Building and Grounds Committee on Thursday recommended that the director move ahead with several repairs to the building. click for more
The exhibit, "Edgar Degas: Multi-Media Artist in the Age of Impressionism," coincides with the 150th anniversary of the first impressionist exhibition, which was held in Paris in 1874.
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