nbCC February Newsletter: Coalition News

Dear Northern Berkshire,

Please enjoy a sampling of articles from our February 2024 newsletter. To read the entire issue and see lots of photos of what the Coalition was up to last month, download the PDF here.

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COMMUNITY FORUM SCHEDULE

Feb. 8, 2024 | 4-6pm | Terra Nova Topic: Youth Led Forum

March 14, 2024 | 4-6pm | Terra Nova Topic: “Promoting Emotional Intelligence & Self Awareness” Session

April 11, 2024 | 4-6pm | Terra Nova Topic: “Identity in Conflict” Session

MAY 9, 2024 | 4-6pm | Terra Nova Topic: “ Problem Solving & Negotiation” Session

June 28, 2024 | 11:30AM-1:30PM | 38th Annual Meeting

North Berkshire Volunteers for MLK Day of Service

On January 15, about 175 volunteers, including students, local leaders and residents of all ages, descended into the basement of MCLA’s Church Street Center, preparing to serve the community as part of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. The Day of Service has become a significant annual tradition in the Northern Berkshires. It is often described as a day on, not a day off, which is meant to stress the importance of volunteerism and community organizing, particularly on a day honoring someone who dedicated his life to both.

The day began with opening remarks from Richard Glejzer, vice president of Academic Affairs at MCLA. Glejzer thanked everyone for dedicating their free time to volunteer and putting in work to make the entire community a better place to live.

Those who decided to serve during the day had a number of volunteer opportunities to choose from. Some of the participants chose to stay on site, making mittens, blankets and cards to be distributed out to homeless shelters and other organizations in the community. Others decided to volunteer at one of the many service sites throughout northern Berkshire County. Some of the options: working at Sweetwood in Williamstown; painting and organizing at the North Adams Armory; preparing food and driving for meal deliveries; home weatherizing; and paint scraping and bike work at the Old Stone Mill in Adams.

After volunteering at their service sites for several hours, everyone returned to the Church Street Center for a luncheon and community celebration. As part of the festivities, Reverend Mary Frances Curns was presented with the 2024 Peacemaker Award. The award is meant to recognize someone who has a meaningful impact and works towards promoting compassion and peace within the Northern Berkshire community. Curns is now one of 50 community members to be recognized since 1996, when the first peacemaker recipient was chosen.

Curns is the priest in charge of the All Saints Episcopal Church in North Adams. Curns helps organize and run the church’s weekly “Tent Ministry”, which she explained has continued to grow in members as word about it has spread throughout the region. The group acts as a community meeting space where people of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome to attend.

During her remarks, Curns said she had drawn inspiration in early life from hearing King and seeing him on TV during her childhood. She said the award represents being a light in the darkness for those who need it the most; she pushed attendees to strive to do the same in the community, not just on one day, but every day.

Along with the volunteers, a number of community groups and leaders came to show support. State Senator Paul Mark and State Representative John Barrett III were present to give remarks, applaud the efforts of volunteers and honor Curns’ selection as this year’s Peacemaker. The Williams College Gospel Choir also attended, singing several songs for attendees as they finished their lunch and wrapped up the day.

Barrett, who was serving as mayor of North Adams when the first Day of Service kicked off nearly three decades ago, noted that the continued work of the community every year on the day is a testament to King’s legacy and his ongoing impact on us.

Mark said he had the chance to visit several of the service sites during the day. He spoke about the importance of service and hopes to visit again next year, not just as an elected leader, but as a volunteer as well. He said the day is a good opportunity to reflect and think about what service means to each of us. Please enjoy looking through some of the photos taken from sites throughout the Day of Service.

This year’s Day of Service was generously sponsored by Berkshire Bank and The Williams College Davis Center. We are grateful for their financial support to help celebrate and honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

~Brian Rhodes, Program Administrative Specialist

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE COALITION?

Contributions can be made online or mailed to:

Northern Berkshire Community Coalition

61 Main Street, Suite 218

North Adams, MA 01247

TWW: Won’t You Be Our Valentine?

The Teen Writing Workshop (TWW) group has been working diligently in their weekly meet-ups on artwork and creative writing pieces in preparation for their first showcase of the year. This year’s winter showcase will be taking place on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14 at 5:00 p.m. at the Terra Nova community space located at 85 Main Street in Suite 105.

It is always such an exciting process to work with the teens as they pick their favorite creations and work with the facilitators to edit and clean up their pieces. This year we will be coordinating a power point presentation that will show attendees the names of the performers and titles of the pieces they choose to share with everyone.

We have been blown away with this year’s program attendance and are proud to announce that at least 11 of the participants will be presenting their original works. For many of our youth this will be their frist time sharing their work and performing to the public. Our dream is to have a wide audience attend so please share this event with your friends and family! We welcome all ages to share in the experience, but please be aware that we do not ask the young people to censor their works, so some material may not be suitable for children under the age of 14.

If you decide to join us expect to see and hear all sorts of different creative styles, forms, and personalities. This group has everything from fiction writers to poets, to pencil artists to digital ones! Each year the TWW group seems to bloom with new creative young folks that explore different mediums as ways to express themselves.

We hope you choose us to be your Valentine on Wednesday, February 14th. See you at 5:00 p.m. at the Terra Nova community space, 85 Main Street, in North Adams. We’ll have snacks and light refreshments for everyone and this event is always free and open to the public. If you have any questions about the performance or would like to know more about this or other youth programming, please reach out to us: 413-663-7588 or csacherski@nbccoalition.org

~Carrisa Sacherski, Youth Support Worker

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Tips from Donna

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren worry about many things. A big worry is what if a parent decides to bring them back to court for custody after the grandparent has raised them for the last 5 years or more. Living on a fixed income they cannot afford a lawyer. In the last few years, a bill was passed that gave certain grandparents and relative caregivers, a right to a court appointed lawyer in certain stages of guardianship.

Under this new statute, grandparents may be entitled to a lawyer in certain revocation hearings. A revocation hearing occurs when one of the parties, such as the birth parents or another party, goes to court and asserts that the guardianship should be ended. In these proceedings, the low-income parents as well as the grandchild have a right to counsel. This new legislation gives low income grandparents the right to counsel in these circumstances. You must demonstrate to the court that you have been the primary caretaker for the child for at least 2 years or “for an otherwise significant period of time”.

The judge should inform you of this right, but if he or she does not, you should speak to a clerk and check if you are eligible.

~Donna Senecal, Family Partner

Questions? Give us a call at 413-663-7588 or email dsenecal@nbccoalition.org

nbCC Events and Programming this Month

nbCC Hosts Community Coffee Time

Friday, February 2, 7:30-9:00 PM, Terra Nova, 85 Main Street, North Adams

Free and open to the public. The parklet is hibernating for the winter, but that won’t stop us from gathering for a warm cup of coffee and friendly conversation! Now monthly, at Terra Nova, 85 Main Street, on the 1st Friday of each month until summer.

These events are FREE and open to the public, so come on by, and bring a friend!

Youth Led Forum: Generational Communication: Bridging the Gap

Thursday, Feb. 8, 4:00-6:00 PM, Terra Nova, 85 Main Street, North Adams

All are welcome!.Join us for an upcoming forum hosted by the Youth Health Collaborative, a program of nbCC, focused on the theme of communication and the importance of bridging the gap between age groups. Here’s a glimpse of what to look forward to:

Participate in conversations facilitated by the Youth Health Collaborative.
Gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of generational communication.
Discover strategies for building stronger connections among diverse age groups.. Community members will be invited to explore solutions to unique challenges within the community, and to learn what it is that youth experience on a day-to-day basis in our communities.

For more information, contact us: 413-663-7588 or gglasier@nbccoalition.org

Cooperative Parenting & Divorce (8 Week Program)

Thursdays, Feb. 8 - March 28, 5:30-7:30 PM, nbCC 61 Main Street, Rm. 218, North Adams

The overall emphasis of Cooperative Parenting and Divorce is to offer children of divorce the opportunity to grow in a home environment free from being caught in the middle of their parents’ hostility. The goals of this program are to:

-Assist parents in shifting their role from former spouses to co-parents

-Educate parents regarding the impact of parental conflict on their child’s development

-Help parents identify their contribution to conflict while increasing impulse control

-Teach parents anger management, communication and conflict-resolution skills

-Educate parents about children’s issues in divorce.

Transportation & Child Care available with at least 24 hours notice. Registration is required. Contact 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

Love You To Pizzas!

Friday, Feb. 9, 4:30 - 6:00 PM, UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams.

Join the UNO Steering Committee on National Pizza Day to celebrate Valentine's Day a bit early! There will be games, crafts, pizza and refreshments for everyone!

Teen Writing SHOWCASE

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, at Terra Nova, 85 Main Street, North Adams

Free and open to the public.. Come and hear the original works that this year’s

nbCC Teen Writing Workshop participants have been

working on each week! *All are welcome. *We feel strongly that participants should deliver unfiltered, unchanged works. For this reason, some content may be unsuitable for children under 14.

nbCC at North Adams WinterFest

Saturday, Feb. 17, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, Main Street, North Adams

Join in on the annual WinterFest celebration in downtown North Adams. We’ll be hosting activities from 10AM to Noon on Main Street, BUT there will be lots of other WinterFest Fun from 10AM - 4PM throughout downtown! In addition to food and refreshments, there will be a bonfire with s’mores, horse drawn rides, a children’s carnival, free ice skating, a craft fair, and a chowder cook-off. The event is free and all are welcome to take part in the festivities.

Family Skate Day

Thursday Feb. 22, 11:30-1:30 PM, North Adams Ice Rink, 1267 South Church Street

Join nbCC during the holiday break for FREE skating, skate rentals and snacks! No registration needed. For more info: 413-663-7588

PlayTime at the Armory!

Saturday Feb. 24, 10:00 AM -12:00 PM, The Armory, 206 Ashland St., North Adams

Join nbCC, City of North Adams and other local agencies for some indoor FUN to chase away the winter blues! This is a family event. Children must be accompanied by their parents. More Info: 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

WEEKLY EVENTS/PROGRAMS

nbCC Youth Empowerment Program

Mondays, 5:00-6:30 PM, 61 Main Street, Rm. 213, North Adams.

Free and open to youth, 6-8th grade, who live in or attend school in North Berkshire. A weekly group to talk about school, emotions, navigating teen years, making friends and more. Snacks provided; transportation available. Register: call 413-663-7588

Youth Leadership Program

Tuesdays, 5:00pm - 7:00 PM, nbCC 61 Main Street, Rm. 213, North Adams.

Free and open to youth ages 14-19 who live in or attend school in North Berkshire. Young people are changing the world and you can too. Make a positive change in yourself and the world around you. Develop leadership skills, discuss what drives you, meet other young leaders and plan projects in your community. Snacks provided; transportation available. Register: call 413-663-7588

Family Resource Center: Parenting Together Group

Wednesdays, 5:30 -7:30 PM, nbCC 61 Main Street, Ste. 218, North Adams

A peer-driven/peer-supported group in a judgement-free, confidential space. Snacks provided. Children welcome. 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

nbCC Bike Collective Open Hours*

WINTER HOURS

(2/7 & 2/14) 1st & 2nd Wednesdays, 4:00-6:00 PM, The Armory, 206 Ashland St., North Adams

Bring your own bike or work on a bike at the bike collective. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from other community members on basic bike fixes, or team up with more experienced bike mechanics to rebuild a bike. Tools and stands are provided. All NB residents are welcome! For more info, call us at 413-663-7588.

Teen Writing Workshop

Wednesdays, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, held at nbCC, 61 Main St., Suite 218, North Adams.

Free and open to youth ages 13-19 who live in or attend school in North Berkshire. Aspiring writers and poets! Join this incredibly supportive group and get 1-on-1 help with your writing and performance style. Opportunities to perform and be published. Snacks and supplies provided; transportation available. Register: call 413-663-7588

Youth Health Collaborative

Thursdays, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, 61 Main Street, Rm. 213, North Adams.

STARTING OCT. 12 -(14-19 Yrs. Old) This program is intended to engage young people in supporting the health of their peers in the region. The aim of this program is to benefit the community by directly engaging young people in the act of bettering their environments. This is the only program with a limit on attendance, as there are only ten spots available!

Participants will receive a stipend for completing this program. Please call or email to apply: 413-663-7588 or csacherski@nbccoalition.org

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Coffee Time Group

(2/2 & 2/16) 1st & 3rd Fridays, 10:00AM - 12:00 PM. UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

This is a group for grandparents who are actively parenting their grandchildren giving them a safe and confidential space to share similar experiences with other grandparents. Coffee and light snacks provided. Please register: 413-663-7588 or email dsenecal@nbccoalition.org.

UNO Community Center Coffee Time

Fridays, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, 157 River St., North Adams

Come on over and join the UNO neighbors for coffee and conversation. All are welcome.

Here are a few other upcoming and recurring events happening at the UNO Center at no, or low cost to participants:

Every Wed: 6:30-10:30 PM | Berkshire Gamers - Board Game Night (No Admission fee. Open to the Public)

Every Thurs: 4PM | Mary J’s Afterschool Help

(No Admission fee. Open to school age youth)

Every Sun: 2:00-6:00 pm | RPG Game Night - $2 Admission Fee. A collaborative storytelling game where one person plays the narrator and supporting cast to the ensemble played by the other players. Open to the public to drop in, learn how to play and connect with the community of gamers.

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Click here to see what's going on at nbCC in FEBRUARY!