Time to Hit the Eagle Street Beach

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Historic Eagle Street will be covered with sand on Saturday afternoon for the 24th annual Eagle Street Beach Party. 
 
Founded by artist Eric Rudd in 1999 as an annual community sculpture, the beach party is sponsored by Rudd's Berkshire Art Museum and the city of North Adams.
 
Some 500,000 pounds of sand donated by Specialty Minerals will be spread curb to curb the entire length of
the downtown street. Hundreds of children and families each year are able to enjoy the unique urban beach and create sand sculptures at the community art event. 
 
Sand pails and shovels will be handed out as will certificates to Jack's Hot Dog to 250 SteepleCats tickets for children 12 and younger. First come, first served. 
 
The event runs from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. In case of rain, or a serious threat-of-rain, the event will be the following week, Saturday, Aug. 3.
 
The Mexican Fiesta added in 2010 will not be held this year but is expected to resume next year. The donated sand is used by the city for winter and street construction projects.
 
Supporters also include Adams Community Bank, Nocher Realty, A1, Greylock Federal Credit Union, North Adams Steeplecats, as well as volunteers and prize donors.  
 
Volunteers are needed to help spread the sand starting at  noon; shovels provided; just show up.

Tags: beach party,   community event,   

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Community Hero: Noelle Howland

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

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. 
 
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