Churches offer prayers, support for addiction crisis
Berkshire County — The Berkshire County faith community is adding its voice to all those calling for a reduction in the stigma and shame associated with addiction and substance misuse-related disorders. On Saturday, Nov. 5, and Sunday, Nov. 6, 10 interfaith prayer services will be held across the county in order to stand in solidarity with all who suffer from opioid addiction, including families and loved ones. The pilgrimage of prayer is supported by the Massachusetts Council of Churches, the Roman Catholic Deanery of Berkshire County, the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, the Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations, and individual faith communities from the Jewish, Congregational, and Methodist traditions.
On Saturday, Nov. 5, services will be held at St. John Paul II Parish in Adams at 10 a.m. First Congregational Church of Dalton at 10 a.m., Veterans Memorial Park in North Adams at 11 a.m., Grace Episcopal Church in Great Barrington at 12:30 p.m., Lilac Park in Lenox at 1 p.m., Monterey Church of Christ, St. Patrick Parish in West Stockbridge at 1 p.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Stockbridge at 1 p.m., and Church Park at Park Place in Lee at 2 p.m. On Sunday, Nov. 6, there will be a concluding service held at South Congregational Church in Pittsfield at 3 p.m.
–E.E.
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Community radio documentary film to be screened
Great Barrington — “Outermost Radio,” the second film in the Friends of the Great Barrington Libraries’ fall series First Saturday Documentaries For Everyone, will be shown on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. at the Claire Teague Senior Center. The 2015 film traces the success of the Provincetown nonprofit radio station WOMR. The event will be co-sponsored by Great Barrington’s community radio station WBCR, which is currently undergoing reconstruction and renewal and seeking studio space from which to resume live broadcasts.
The doors will open at 7 p.m. for a free wine and cheese social. The film will begin at 7:45 p.m. and will be followed at 9 p.m. with a panel discussion featuring WBCR members Asa Hardcastle, Nick Ring, Jeffrey van de Visse, Andy Potter, Chuck Cole and Barbara Dean. The film and social are free and open to all. For more information, call the Senior Center at (413) 528-1881.
–E.E.
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MCLA to host Berkshire Natural History Conference
North Adams — The second annual Berkshire Natural History Conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ (MCLA) Church Street Center. The conference will feature presentations by researchers Joan Edwards and Alyssa Bennett in addition to local field biologists and naturalists. Programs on the agenda include “The Legacy of Amos Eaton” with Pam Weatherbee, “Salamander Mimicry” with Steve Tilley, “Geology and Landscape in Berkshire” with Paul Karabinos, “Migrant Saw-whet Owls in the Berkshires” with Drew Jones, “Aquatic Macroinvertebrates” with Kelly Nolan, and “Go Botany: Learn Berkshire Flora” with Elizabeth Farnsworth. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students. Admission includes lunch and access to all of the natural history presentations. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar.
–E.E.
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Arborists donate skills and time to help ailing trees
New Marlborough — On Wednesday, Oct. 26, the New Marlborough Historical Society welcomed arborists from 10 southern Berkshire County tree service companies at the companies’ annual Arbor Day event in which the group volunteers time, equipment and skills to address tree problems in public spaces in a southern Berkshire town. The main field of operations was New Marlborough’s cemetery, a historic burying ground that dates to 1755. The arborists pruned 17 trees, removed a dying maple, and planted four new sugar maples along the cemetery’s entryway. They also removed a dead maple on the New Marlborough Village Green. The tree professionals also earned continuing education credits with an afternoon seminar on chainsaw safety and technique presented by Mark Przekurat of Renaissance Acres Tree Care in Weare, New Hampshire, and were rewarded with lunch at the Old Inn on the Green. The area tree services that contributed their time and talent to the event included Barrett Tree Service, Brush Hill Tree Service, Burkhart Works, Butternut Tree and Land Care, Ingersoll Land Care, John W. Field Tree Service, Race Mountain Tree Services, Treecology, and Whalen Nursery.
–E.E.
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Sohn Fine Art Gallery seeks photgraphs for upcoming exhibitions
Lenox — Sohn Fine Art Gallery, in collaboration with Lichtenstein Center for the Arts and Cultural Pittsfield’s 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival, has announced open call for photography submissions to the upcoming “10 Spot: Photography” and “iMotif: iPhone Photography” exhibits.
“10 Spot: Photography” will feature a curated selection of 10 photographs by 10 artists split between the two galleries. Any genre of photography can be submitted and all photographic mediums are eligible for submission. “iMotif” will feature iPhone or iPad photography in the square format. Both exhibitions will be on view at Sohn Fine Art Gallery Friday, Jan. 27, through Monday, March 20, 2017. “10 Spot” will be on view at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts Friday, Feb. 3 through Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
The submission deadline for both exhibitions is Sunday, Nov. 20. For more information, contact info@sohnfineart.com.
–E.E.
