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Northern Berkshire Community Coalition

  61 Main Street, Suite 218

  North Adams, MA 01247

June’s Mayor’s Fitness Challenge was a success despite the unusually rainy weather and surprise smoke filled sky. This year 150 people participated in the month-long challenge, about 50 more than last year! Over a dozen local organizations and businesses helped make the event a success by offering workshops, specials and participating in events like the weekly pick-up basketball games.

At the end of it all, folks turned in their trackers. We tallied the points, and Enid Shields and Team No Body Stops Us reigned victorious, with the highest individual and team point totals. Congratulations! Let’s do it again in June 2024. 

As Our Youth Team Enjoy the Last Month of Summer, Fall Planning Gets Underway 

As we enter August, the Youth Development team at nbCC is turning our attention to recruiting for the fall slate of programs. We are excited to get back into the schools and spread the word about our upcoming offerings! Keep an eye out for us in your lunchroom, advisory, or homeroom as September rolls around and the school year kicks off.

As a reminder, we’re once again offering 4 youth programs. The first is Teen Writing Workshop (TWW). TWW is a very simple program, but it quickly becomes unique and impactful for those who attend. The group will gather weekly, on Wednesday evenings from 5:00-7:00 to create and share works of poetry, fiction, and whatever else the creative minds in the room choose to conjure! Participants can expect to share their work in two community showcases, as well as have an opportunity to publish pieces in this year’s version of “Somewhere Between: A Journal of Teen Writing”. 

The other program returning to the fold this year is the Youth Leadership Program. This program brings together young people to explore various leadership skills. Participants will take the lead in discussions and activities designed to promote a wide range of skill building. The group will learn ways to take an active role in their neighborhoods, and engage in a variety of community service opportunities. This group will meet every Tuesday evening from 5:00-7:00. 

We are once again offering the Youth Empowerment Program, which is designed for young folks in middle school. The program is similar to the Youth Leadership Program, but tailored to a slightly younger audience. This program will meet on Monday evenings from 5:00-6:30. 

The final program we offer during the school year is the Youth Health Collaborative. This program is intended to engage young people in supporting the health of young people in the region. Part of the time spent with this group will be devoted to identifying needs within the community and deciding which areas and topics to focus on throughout the year. From there, the group will set goals for each of these areas of focus, and begin the process of working toward those goals. The aim is that this program will benefit the community by directly engaging young people in the act of bettering their environments. This program will meet every other Thursday, from 5:00-7:00. 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. 

All of our programs are free of charge! They will all take place in person at nbCC, 61 Main Street in North Adams. Transportation is available to and from each program. For more information, contact Tim Shiebler at tshiebler@nbccoalition.org, or give him a call at 413-663-7588. 

A FEW FREE FUN SUMMER EVENTS COMING UP!

Concerts at the Lake - Every Wednesday, 6:30-8PM @ Windsor Lake, North Adams 

Party in the Park (live music)- Every Thurs. starting July 6, 6-8PM @ Noel Field, North Adams

Movies Under the Stars - 1st & 3rd Fridays of July/August, Dusk @ Adams Visitors Center

Free Concerts on the Lawn- Every Tues. starting July 11, 6:30-8PM @ Adams Visitors Center

Free nbCC Outdoor Movie at Noel Field Sat. Aug. 19.Dusk @ Noel Field, North Adams

National Night Out - Tues. Aug. 1, Check your town for time and location.

3-7pm - Williamstown at the Spruces

5-7pm -Adams at the Visitors Center parking lot

5-8pm - North Adams at Noel Field

Free Outdoor Movies at the Clark - Wednesdays in August, Dusk @ the Clark

Downtown Celebration –Wed. August 9th (rain date 8/10) 5:30 – 9 PM @ Downtown North Adams

Motorama Car Show– Sun. August 27th, 9 AM – 3 PM @ Downtown North Adams

nbCC Events and Programming this Month

August DIY Craft: Octopus

All month long

Open to kids of all ages and their families. Share your finished craft on our Facebook page for a chance to win a prize! Call our office to register for your FREE craft kit: 413-663-7588 

Nurturing Families Parenting Workshops

Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00 am, UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams.

8/1 - Communicating with Respect

8/8 - Building Self-worth in Children

8/15 - Understanding Feelings

8/22 - Understanding & Developing Family Morals, Values & Rules

8/29 - Praising Children & Their Behavior 

Registration required. Workshops can be taken separately or consecutively. Space is limited. Contact us at 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

National Night OUT!

Tuesday, Aug. 1 

3-7pm - Williamstown at the Spruces

5-7pm -Adams at the Visitors Center parking lot

5-8pm - North Adams at Noel Field

First Fridays North Adams: BLOCK PARTY

Bike Rodeo!

Friday, Aug 4, 5:00-7:00pm, Eagle Street, North Adams

Join in the First Friday Fun! Bring your bicycle downtown this FIRST Friday and join the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and MassBike for an evening of mega-fun bicycle activities!

Get bike safety tips in the Kids Bike Rodeo

Learn about the NBCC’s bike program 

Downtown Bike Around * NEW DAY/TIME* 

1st Friday of the month, 6:00- 6:30 pm, Meeting on Eagle Street, North Adams (check FB for weather cancellations)

Join us for the return of the Downtown Bike Around, a free, monthly, community group bike ride, suitable for all ages. Meeting on Eagle Street during First Friday. Weather permitting. Bikes available if needed. Call us at 413-663-7588 or jbyrne@nbccoalition.org

Learn Through Play: Creepy Crawly

Saturday, August 12, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, UNO Community Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

In collaboration with Child Care of the Berkshires. Activities and circle time will focus on learning about bugs. Best for ages 0-5 years. Registration required. Space is limited. Contact us at 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org 

Bike Painting and Decorating with MASS MoCA and the Bike Collective 

Thursday Aug. 17, 3:30-5:30pm & Saturday, August 26, 9:30-11:30am, Meeting at MASS MoCA,

Join us to get creative and brighten up some bicycles! Bikes available to decorate. Call us at 413-663-7588 or jbyrne@nbccoalition.org 

Family Movie in Noel Field 

Saturday, August 19, at dusk (approx. 8:30pm)  Noel Field, 310 State Street, North Adams

Bring the family and meet us in Noel Field by the playground and splash pad for a summer movie. Movie to be announced. Free! Call us at 413-663-7588 or email gglasier@nbccoalition.org for more information.

nbCC Call-in Show! 

Thursday, August 24, 6:00-8:00pm, Channel 1301

The Coalition wants to hear from you! Tune into Northern Berkshire Community Television channel 1301 and give us a call to let us know what’s on your mind, what your concerns are, and what you’d like to see happening in your community. 413-664-4408.

WEEKLY EVENTS/PROGRAMS

Youth Summer Session

Tuesdays, 1:00-4:00 pm, 61 Main Street, Rm. 213, North Adams. 

Free and open to youth, 13-19, who live in or attend school in North Berkshire. A weekly summer program and a space for young people to hang out, meet others, go on adventures & have fun! Snacks provided; transportation available. For questions or to register: Give us a call us at 413-663-7588, email Tim at tshiebler@nbccoalition.org 

Drop-in Art Club

Tuesdays, 3:30 pm-4:30 pm, UNO Community Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

A weekly after school drop-in Art Club, for youth, ages 8-19. Supplies and snacks provided. No registration required. Caregivers do not need to attend, but the program facilitators are not responsible for child care. Call us at 413-663-7588 or email gglasier@nbccoalition.org for more information.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 4:00pm - 6:00pm. nbCC’s FRC living room, 61 Main St., Suite 212, 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. Free pizza and childcare are provided, but you must register beforehand.663-7588 or email dsenecal@nbccoalition.org. 

Family Resource Center Peer Parenting Group

2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 9:30 -10:30 am, UNO Center, 157 River Street, 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

Wednesdays, 4:00-6:00pm, 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.

24/7 Dads Parenting Group 

Thursdays, 10:00am - 12:00pm, UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams.

 A support group for dads. Children need their fathers. Fathers need their children. Discuss difficult issues and develop more effective coping techniques.

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. 

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