MountainOne Sponsors Steel Rail Races

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— MountainOne was excited to be the lead sponsor of Berkshire Running Center's flagship event earlier this month. 

This is MountainOne's third year partnering with Berkshire Running Foundation, a nonprofit agency established to support the running community and promote a healthier lifestyle in Western Massachusetts. The weekend's races included Mo Mile on Saturday, May 18, and the MountainOne Steel Rail Races on Sunday, May 19. 

The event included the  Mo Mile, a free half or full mile run event for children ages 12. All children who participated in the Mo Mile also received a free copy of "How to Climb a Mountain," MountainOne's new storybook, featuring Mo, the MountainOne Spokesgoat.

The MountainOne Steel Rail Races continued on May 19 with an 8K, a 13.1 half marathon and a Boston Qualifier Marathon Course, all starting and finishing at the end of the Ashuwilliticook Rail Trail, 850 Crane Avenue, Pittsfield.

Runners celebrated at the afterparty with music by the Housie Shakers, featuring Noah Cook-Dubin, Colin Ovitsky, Simeon Bittman, and  Jonathan Denmark, President & COO of MountainOne Insurance.

"Congratulations to all the runners who participated in this weekend's races," said Jennifer Meehan, VP of Community Engagement at MountainOne. "Your dedication and passion inspire us all. In particular, a highlight for me was witnessing the enthusiasm and energy of the young participants of Mo's Mile, who embody the spirit of our community's future."

Community Hero: Noelle Howland

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:39PM / Saturday, November 23, 2024

Noelle Howland is committed to keeping alive the late Pittsfield ACO Eleanor Sonsini's mission of helping animals ... albeit farther north in North Adams.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — No Paws Left Behind Executive Director Noelle Howland has been selected as the November Community Hero of the Month. 

 

The Community Hero of the Month series honors individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact in their community. The series sponsor, Haddad Auto, has extended this initiative for one more month.

 

Howland breathed new life into the mission of the former Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter, which closed in August 2023. 

 

The shelter in Pittsfield operated under the mission established by Eleanor Sonsini, a local animal rights activist and longtime animal control officer in Pittsfield, to be a no-kill shelter committed to finding surrendered and abandoned pets new forever homes. 

 

Howland's love for animals, dedication to their well-being, and expertise in animal behavior and training and shelter management brought this mission to new heights at No Paws Left Behind, a new shelter for dogs located at 69 Hodges Cross Road. 

 

"I want people to understand that I know it's hard to surrender. So, my biggest thing is [making sure] people know that, of course, we're not judging you. We're here to help you," Howland said. 

 

When Sonsini announced its closing, Howland, who was the shelter's manager, worked to save it, launching fundraising initiatives. However, the previous board decided to close the shelter down and agreed to let Howland open her own shelter using their mission.