nbCC May Newsletter: Coalition News

Dear Northern Berkshire,

Please enjoy a sampling of articles from our May 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

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

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

Talking About Self Awareness & Emotional Intelligence

Most everyone is able to understand the concept of self-awareness, but how many people try to put it into practice in their daily life? Moreover, what does it mean to be self-aware when discussing a polarizing or difficult topic? It can be easy to let a conversation or conflict be driven by emotion rather than rational thinking, and the emotions of just one person have the ability to impact everyone involved. These questions and more were the subject of April’s forum on emotional intelligence and self-awareness.

Simply put, possessing emotional intelligence is having an understanding of your emotions and how to best regulate them. Someone who has emotional intelligence can accomplish more towards life goals by managing themselves and their relationships, and can more easily recognize how the emotions of others affect them. This does not mean being completely devoid of emotions; rather, an emotionally intelligent person can recognize and control their emotions, making them a strength and not a weakness.

Kayla Allen, director of the Dispute Resolution Center Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority, said to become emotionally intelligent, you also need to be self-aware. Self-awareness in this context refers to one’s consciousness of themselves and their thoughts, feelings, actions, needs and wants. Being aware of yourself and the emotions you feel in a conflict situation can be of tremendous value if you have the ability to take advantage of it.

Kayla suggested that people focus on their values and visualize the end result they want, rather than focusing on potential bad outcomes. How someone reacts in a given situation can be broken down into parts, and often a negative emotional response is driven by specific circumstances and a person’s beliefs in that context. An example used during the forum was someone’s boss forgetting to recognize their contributions to a recent project. While it is easy to assume malicious intent, there could be any number of innocent reasons for this.

Reflecting and redirecting the negative beliefs can prevent a negative emotional response and help to avoid an outburst or emotional takeover, something discussed extensively in March’s forum. Several in attendance talked about how parts of any interaction, even individual words, can have a large emotional impact. It can be easy to speculate about what someone really meant and their intentions, even when we don’t actually know, instead of trying to clarify by asking questions.

In another example, attendees partnered up to discuss a disagreement between a couple over chores and parenting responsibilities, which leads to one of them having a negative emotional response and storming out of the house. When sharing with the whole group, some speculated that it could be internalized feelings causing the dispute, rather than any specific chore or issue. Others suggested that the real issue was something that needed to be done was not done, and the negative response could have been avoided if either had self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

A significant part of promoting emotional intelligence is using rational thoughts to mitigate negative beliefs. Negativity is frequently based on irrational thinking or assumptions that are completely false. Kayla provided the group with a paper filled with negative beliefs, similar to the negative voices and self-talk discussed last forum. Under each negative belief were rational lines of thinking and questions that could be applied to them. Many attendees said they could personally relate to multiple or all of the examples given. Being objective and thinking critically in an emotional discussion can promote positive assumptions and suppress negative ones.

While all of this may sound easy in theory, doing all of this in the moment during a conflict or difficult conversation can be very challenging. It is crucial to keep trying, even when you aren’t successful. It is also important to reflect on failures and use them to figure out how to be better in the future.

Please join us on May 9 at the Terra Nova Church in North Adams for next month’s forum, a discussion on Problem Solving and Negotiation. It will be Kayla’s last forum as facilitator after leading the group for much of the last year. We hope to see you then!

~ 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

Welcome to Our Newest Team Member!

Meredith Starr - Youth Prevention Coordinator

Meet Meredith! Meredith joined our team in April, rounding out our team and filling the last open position at nbCC. We asked her to tell everyone a bit about herself. Here’s what she had to say:

My name is Meredith! Originally, I am from Connecticut, and had been living there since 2016 when I began my career in the nonprofit and social services sectors. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and currently am working towards a Master’s degree in Public Health. I am an AmeriCorps alumnus, a former Program Coordinator for a small nonprofit organization, as well as a former WIC Nutritionist.

My husband and I excitedly jumped on the opportunity to move to North Adams in the Fall of 2022 when he joined the North Adams Fire Department. Most recently, I was a Nutrition Coordinator for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, where I led nutrition education classes and cooking demonstrations at a variety of locations around Western MA. Although I am passionate about nutrition, I decided that I wanted to focus my career in public health and expand upon what I have been learning and use it to create positive changes in the community. Joining the Coalition as the new Youth Prevention Coordinator has provided me with a unique and exciting opportunity to use what I have learned so far in my work experience and education to collaborate with our community members to enhance substance use prevention efforts and promote healthier lifestyles among our youth.

I am most looking forward to working with the amazing team at nbCC and getting to know the northern Berkshire community more! I am very excited to collaborate with members of our community to bring about positive changes that will help educate families about substance misuse and empower our youth to make healthier choices.

The northern Berkshires are stunningly beautiful! I particularly love that North Adams has a warm and welcoming “small-town” feel. Also, the location is pristine being nestled in the mountains, which offers everything we have been looking for in a place to call “home.” Moving here was the best decision for us, because we have always wanted to live in the mountains so we could be closer to hiking trails and ski areas, and the northern Berkshires has all of this and more! When I’m not in the office, you can usually find me riding my bike, or hiking with my husband, Mike, and my dog, Joey!

413 Youth Conference Takes over Tanglewood Institute

Last month over 100 high school students, educators and community partners descended upon the halls of Boston University Tanglewood Institute (B.U.T.I.) to participate in the annual 413 Youth Conference. Attendees spent the day exploring workshops that included: Shark Tank Pt. 2, Self-Esteem Spa Day, Erasure Poetry: Creating within Creating, Imagining our Future: Making Zines & Comics with Translate Gender, and Building Healthy Relationships with Elizabeth Freeman Center.

The 413 Youth Conference was established in 2007 and is a long standing collaboration between nbCC, Railroad Street Youth Project, and Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, bringing young people from across Berkshire County together to meet, network, and explore workshops. This was the first year to include students participating from every single public school in Berkshire County.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Tips from Donna

A great resource for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is the Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. They can be found at www.massgrg.com. Colleen Pritoni is the Director. She can be reached at colleen.pritoni@mass.gov, or calling 617-748-2454. They will be holding their Annual Conference for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren on June 4, 2024. Contact Colleen Pritoni for more information.

~Donna Senecal, Family Partner

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

It's Time to Register for the 2024 Mayor’s Fitness Challenge

We’ve got another jammed-packed month of events! There’s something for everyone! From walking groups, lunch time strolls, hikes, concerts at the Lake with games, special class passes and discounts, to cooking classes, yoga and basketball!

Registration opens on May 27th and ends with a Kick-off event on June 1st.

You can register anytime during office hours the week of May 27th.

Want to know more about participating or getting involved? Reach out to Jessi at jbyrne@nbccoalition.org or call us at 413-663-7588.

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

nbCC Events and Programming this Month

W.o.W. Workshop: Fire Cider

Thursday, May 2, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Florida Public Library, 56 N County Road, Florida, MA ( REGISTRATION REQUIRED)

Learn why Fire Cider is a highly recommended immune booster/cold & flu remedy. Learn which ingredients are used and why. Make your own to take home! Discuss other natural medicines & remedies best to combat common illnesses. (All Supplies Provided) Register with Heidi at Florida Library director@floridafreelibrary.com

Downtown Bike Around

1st Friday of the month, 6:00- 6:30 PM, Meeting on HOLDEN 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

Active Parenting: The First 5 Years

Starting May 6, Mondays, 4:00 - 6:00 PM, 61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams.

YOU WILL LEARN:

-What a baby’s cry means & Your child’s growing brain

-Preventing tantrums and other problems

-Building a loving bond

-Caring for your child at different ages & stages

-Using mindfulness to keep your cool

-6 ways to prepare your child for school success

Drop-in Art Club RETURNS!

Tuesdays, 3:30 - 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. Facilitated by MASS MoCA and The Clark. Call us at 413-663-7588 or email gglasier@nbccoalition.org for more information.

24/7 Dads Parenting Group

Starting May 7, Tuesdays 5:30 - 7:30 PM, 61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams.

A support group for dads. Children need their fathers. Fathers need their children. Discuss difficult issues and develop more effective coping techniques. No registration required.

Monthly Forum: Problem Solving & Negotiation

Thursday, May 9, 4:00-6:00 PM, Terra Nova, 85 Main Street, North Adams

The past forums have focused on techniques to enhance communication when having difficult conversations. This forum will focus on helpful tools for problem solving & negotiation. No registration required. All are welcome. Time for announcements and introductions during the first portion of the forum. Questions? 413-663-7588.

Learn Through Play: Pond Life: Life Cycles & Environments

Saturday, May 11, 10:00 - 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 pond environments and life. Best for ages 0-5 years. Registration suggested. Space is limited. Contact us at 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

NEW! Baby Group

Saturday, May 11, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM UNO Community Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

Miss Emilee is piloting a new baby group to follow the Learn Through Play Group. This event is best for infants. Siblings welcome. Registration suggested. Space is limited. Contact us at 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

Free Storytime Train Ride!

Saturday, May 18, 10:15 AM-12:00 PM, 2 Hoosac Street, Adams

Free Family outing on the scenic Hoosac Valley Train Rides. Boarding at the Adams Train Depot, 2 Hoosac Street, Adams. Space is limited. Registration required. Call nbCC at 413-663-7588 or email, nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

Teen Writing Workshop Showcase

Wednesday, May 22, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, 3 West Event Space, Norad Mill, 60 Roberts Dr., North Adams

Please join us on Wednesday, May 15th, from 5 to 7 PM for the final Teen Writing Workshop Showcase. Experience true creative expression from our incredible group of teens, and see the unveiling of the 26th edition of Somewhere Between. Light refreshments will be served.

RSVP requested, but not required! For RSVPs:

(413)663-7588 or csacherski@nbccoalition.org

Mayor’s Fitness Challenge Pre-registration

Tuesday May 28 - Friday, May 31, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, 61 Main Street, Suite 218, North Adams

We’ll be here all day signing folks up for the Mayor’s Fitness Challenge. Events for the challenge will be happening throughout the month of June and there will be prizes for the team and individual who rack up the most points by participating in events, eating healthy, and exercising their mind, body and soul!

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 PM - 7 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

Wednesdays, 4 - 6 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 - 7 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

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Coffee Time Group

1st & 3rd Fridays, 10 AM - 12 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 PM - 4 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.

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