Anna Coon of Sharon, Conn., is the eighth recipient of the Margaret Derwin Scholarship. The Housatonic Valley Regional High School junior will receive as much as $25,000 annually toward college tuition and other costs, and up to $5,000 for an overseas summer enrichment program. While she is still contemplating her major and school, she is drawn to the fields of political science, environmental law and civil law. Photo: John Dolan
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Program, Philanthropy & Leadership Highlights
Arts Education Convening:
As part of our work to advance community engagement through the arts, supported by the Barr Foundation, we co-hosted an informational meeting with the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts last week to outline a plan that aims to expand arts education for all Berkshire County students. Nearly 70 educators and representatives from cultural organizations shared their thoughts on a data-driven blueprint that will provide students in grades K-12 with regular opportunities to create art and be inspired by the many cultural institutions in the area. Those in attendance agreed that a cross-sector effort is key to move this work forward.
South Berkshire Grants:
The South Berkshire County Fund, which established a new committee of local leaders in 2017, completed its first round of responsive grantmaking last month. The committee awarded $20,000 to organizations with projects that are focused on BTCF's strategic priority of educational attainment. One grantee, Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires, a health care provider for uninsured and under-insured adults, will use its funding to launch an internship training program for dental hygiene students.
Austerlitz Historical Society: We welcome a new partnership with the Austerlitz Historical Society through its nonprofit agency fund. With the help of our investment program, the organization will continue to grow its endowment and generate income while it focuses on preserving, protecting and interpreting the history of the Columbia County town.
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Board, Staff and Committee News
Guest of Honor: Bob Norris, vice chair of the BTCF board, was honored by the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School at its annual gala on May 19. He was recognized for his 37 years of service to the school and his inspiring community leadership.
Community Service Award:
Alice Yoakum, a founding board member of BTCF and daughter of founder Robert E. Blum, is the recipient of the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau's Donald T. Warner Community Service Award. She was recognized for her years of community service and good will last month at the White Hart in Salisbury, Conn.
Clara Kellner Award: BTCF board member Sheldon Evans and his wife, Martha McMaster, were honored earlier this year by the Columbia Memorial Hospital Foundation. The Clara Kellner award celebrates those who make volunteerism and community service a way of life.
New Staff Members: Betsy Maury joined our team this month as community engagement officer for community philanthropy, a new role that will focus on area funds in northeast Dutchess and northwest Litchfield counties. She has a background in publishing and currently serves on the board at the Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury, Conn. Also, we invite you to stop by our front desk and say hello to Jessica Keute, our new office manager.
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Grants in the News
An Annual Tradition: The Jane Lloyd Fund's summer clambake is featured on the cover of Towns & Villages, a special section of the Lakeville Journal and the Millerton News. This year's clambake, which helps the fund support the basic needs of cancer patients and their families in northwest Connecticut, will be held July 28 at the base of Satre Hill in Salisbury.
Celebrating Lift Off:
The Becket Arts Center has installed a new chairlift to ensure that all patrons can easily reach the second floor. The project received major support from the Central Berkshire Fund, the Barbara and Gunther Stuhlmann Fund, and Anne Leonhardt and the Leonhardt family.
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June 19: Learn about the Columbia County Mobile Market that's coming to Hudson, N.Y., with support from our Fresh and Healthy Food for All Initiative, at the Hudson Area Library from 5 to 8 p.m. The innovative project will give residents access to fresh, nutritious and locally sourced food at an affordable price.
June 28:
BTCF is a member of Partners in Community Safety, a group of nine area organizations that is hosting a series of talks on violence prevention. Staff and volunteers from Women's Support Services will facilitate a discussion about domestic violence and how communities can respond at the Bitterman Center in Canaan, Conn., from 6 to 8 p.m.
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