Bidwell House property placed into conservation restriction
MONTEREY — The Bidwell House Museum, set deep in the woods on 192 acres of forests, fields and gardens in Monterey, has announced the preservation of about 180 acres of its property. Berkshire Natural Resources Council and the Monterey Preservation Land Trust will co-hold the Conservation Restriction (CR). The CR was signed and made official on December 15, 2021.
Museum Director Heather Kowalski said, “the Museum is deeply indebted to Lew and Joyce Scheffey, whose Turkeybush Foundation provided $300,000 for the preservation; and to BNRC and MPLT, whose resources and assistance helped to make this happen. The funds received as part of the new conservation restriction will help provide financial security to the Museum and insure its longevity, a beneficial outcome for the Museum, the town of Monterey, and local land preservation.”
In 2007, when the Scheffeys dissolved the Turkeybush Foundation, they donated several properties and $300,000 to the Monterey Preservation Land Trust. At the suggestion of Jonathan Sylbert, president of MPLT since 2001, MPLT offered to use the money toward the purchase of a Conservation Restriction on the Bidwell House property, thus preserving the grounds and surrounding land. “After stewarding the Scheffey’s donation for 14 years, I’m so pleased to see this Conservation Restriction become a reality,” said Sylbert. “The Bidwell House Museum and its lands now have a more secure future for all of us to enjoy.”
Part of the Bidwell House Museum’s mission is to provide visitors with a personal encounter with history. The long-term preservation of the Museum property will allow visitors to enjoy the unspoiled grounds in perpetuity. In addition to Rev. Adonijah Bidwell’s 1760s home, the acres of forests and fields around the house contain the remains of important historical sites. For trail maps and more information about this historical gem, visit the website. https://www.bidwellhousemuseum.org/. The Museum property is also a part of the ancestral homeland of the Mohicans. Preserving this landscape allows the Museum to continue telling the Mohican’s long-overlooked story while also allowing visitors to imagine Mohican lifeways long ago as well as appreciating their ongoing presence in the Berkshires.
The Museum site is also an important location for outdoor recreation. Hikers, walkers, nature lovers, and cross-country skiers and snowshoers have access to 6 miles of trails that are open for free year-round. The Conservation Restriction will protect the land from development, guaranteeing it will be accessible to all for generations to come.
—A.K.
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New England Musicians Relief Fund accepting applications from musicians in need
BOSTON — As COVID-19 once again threatens to shut down performing arts venues across New England, the New England Musicians Relief Fund (NEMRF) is stepping up efforts to help professional musicians who suffer financial hardship intensified by the pandemic. NEMRF is now accepting new applications from musicians in need. Founded in 2020 in response to the acute crisis created by the COVID-19 shutdown of live music, NEMRF has given out nearly $500,000 in direct relief to musicians who lost work.
Infections from the Omicron variant of COVID-19 are currently spreading at record-breaking rates. Local and state governments are reinstituting restrictions on live performances, causing some venues to cut back on live entertainment. The moves have been devastating for professional musicians.
“Ticket sales have stalled, shows are being canceled, and professional musicians who depend on this time of the year to make the bulk of their income are left feeling like once again the rug has been pulled from under them,” said Gabriel Langfur Rice, trombonist and president of the Fund. “Medical bills, rent, child care, studio time, and the bills that were put off during the pandemic are adding up to a financial crisis for too many of our colleagues.”
For those musicians who continue to persevere, the threat of extraordinary hardship looms larger than ever, especially with the expiration of unemployment and other pandemic assistance. The road to recovery for live music and professional musicians will be long. NEMRF is committed to helping musicians facing hardship for years to come, acting as a safety net for those facing extraordinary expenses or catastrophic income loss.
Musicians can apply for relief funds online. Supporters wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to the NEMRF may do so here.
—A.K.
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Ventfort Hall ghost tour to be offered online December 31
LENOX — Historian Robert Oakes, author of “Ghosts of the Berkshires,” will lead a tour through the rooms and halls of Ventfort Hall and share tales of its haunting on Friday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. He will also have access to the mansion’s third floor and basement, areas never before shown to the public. Even if you have attended one of Oakes’ on-site tours, you won’t want to miss this one. The author will be available for a questions-and-answer session after the tour.
Admission is $20, and tickets can be purchased online. Discounted tickets are available for Ventfort Hall members. To receive your members discount code before ordering, email info@gildedage.org. Please note that all tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable.
—A.K.
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Spencertown Academy to host book launch for former director Judy White Staber
SPENCERTOWN, N.Y. — Spencertown Academy Arts Center will celebrate the publication of a biographical memoir by its former executive director, Judy White Staber, on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. “Rise Above It, Darling: The Story of Joan White — Actor, Director, Teacher, Producer and (Sometimes) Mother” (The Troy Book Makers, January 2022), is about Staber’s mother, who was a well-known actress and teacher in the 20th century theater world. The event will feature a reading and Q&A session, followed by a reception where copies of the book will be available for purchase.
An alum of the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts and discovered early on by George Bernard Shaw, Joan White was a fixture of the English-speaking theater for more than six decades. In “Rise Above It, Darling,” her youngest daughter candidly reveals that, although she was an international success, White was also a single mother who set aside her own two children for her career. Staber examines her mother’s fascinating life on stage and off, three decades of which were spent in the United States and Canada, while also interweaving her own story.
For COVID safety, proof of vaccination will be required for attendance, seating will be distanced and limited, and masks will be required for audience members while in the building. The Academy has installed Blueair HealthProtect 7470 air purifiers in its auditorium. Admission is free, but advanced reservations are required.
—A.K.
