The Green to relaunch with grand opening activities
North Adams — After months of planning and construction, the Green will celebrate its grand opening Thursday, Nov. 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. in collaboration with the North Adams Chamber of Commerce in an event that will include light refreshments, music and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Bringing to life a dream for a reinvention of the village green, the Green is joined by its five initial partners E. Hill Studio, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, Terra Nova Church, North Adams Farmers Market and Beacon Recovery Community Center.
Providing more than just a venue for events, the Green aims to be a hub of activity, discussion, connectivity and engagement. The Green offers a central space that can be rented for events up to 150, including built-in audio/visual technology, seating areas and dynamic furniture that can turn the space into innumerable setups. The Green welcomes one and all to see what has developed as a reimagined village green and a redefined commitment to downtown community activity here in North Adams.
Following the grand opening, the Green will host a jam-packed few days of activities, beginning with the first indoor NAMAzing Initiative Coffee Date Friday, Nov. 30, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. For more information, contact the Green at thegreennama@gmail.com.
–E.E.
* * *
Art School of Columbia County seeks ‘Home for Art’
Ghent, N.Y. — On Tuesday, Nov. 27, the Art School of Columbia County will participate in the 24-hour fundraising challenge #NYGivesDay.
Asking the community to “Help Us Have a Home for Art,” ASCC will host its third annual #NYGivesDay Party Tuesday, Nov. 27, from 3 to 7 p.m. ASCC hopes to raise $2,500 for its capital campaign and $9,500 for its annual fund. If ASCC is able to meet these goals by Monday, Dec. 31, it will receive the gift of the historic 1880 schoolhouse it currently occupies. If not, it will have to move.
The party will feature drop-in volunteer projects and refreshments for the community. On view will be ASCC’s Members’ Show, featuring nearly 60 works of art for purchase and including a free, interactive family activity.
The party is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Art School of Columbia County at (518) 672-7140 or info@artschoolofcolumbiacounty.org.
–E.E.
* * *
Entrepreneurs, mentors gather for first meeting of 1Berkshire’s Get Mentored
Dalton — The Berkshire Starts Get Mentored program held its first meeting of the 2018–19 session Nov. 14 at the Stationery Factory. Get Mentored, a program of 1Berkshire, helps a selected cohort of local entrepreneurs launch and grow their ventures over the course of a five-month program by pairing them with experienced mentors from the Berkshire County business community.
At the initial meeting, the Get Mentored cohort presented three-minute elevator pitches to an assembly of over 15 mentors. Each mentor then chose an entrepreneur they felt would most benefit from their knowledge of a specific field of business and provided advice for nearly an hour.
The 2018–19 Get Mentored class includes Sopheap Nhim, a board-certified behavior analyst; Rae Langsdale, an IT professional; Brian Handspicker, a startup executive; Jebb Remelius, owner of a motion capture company; and Joe Barry, a construction supervisor. Their ventures include an applied behavior analysis clinic, a community technical support and installation cooperative, a social media moderation platform, an advanced motion capture system, and a construction and development firm.
–E.E.
* * *
Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires to present board management financial workshop
Stockbridge — On Wednesday, Nov. 28, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Red Lion Inn, the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires will present a workshop titled “Board Financial Management Tools and Techniques” led by John Gillespie, a nonprofit and social enterprise practice leader at Charles River CFO. The workshop will provide nonprofit leaders and board members with tools and analytic techniques to enhance their knowledge of financial management for nonprofit businesses.
The workshop is appropriate for board chairs, treasurers, executive directors, board members, chief operating officers and chief financial officers. Topics will include understanding financial statements, cash flow management, strategic budgeting, program profitability analysis, and operating reserves.
Charles River CFO delivers and manages interim CFO and outsourced accounting services for client engagements in the nonprofit and social enterprise sectors. Gillespie has been featured in publications including the Chronicle of Philanthropy, NonProfit Times and the Wall Street Journal.
The cost of the workshop is $35 for members and $45 for non-members. For more information, contact the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires at (413) 441-9542.
–E.E.
* * *
Berkshire Community College hires, promotes staff
Pittsfield — Berkshire Community College has announced a number of changes in its personnel.
Toni Buckley has accepted the role of director of alumni relations. Previously, Buckley coordinated BCC’s Roads Scholar program and worked with faculty on a Mass Humanities grant. She oversaw the Berkshire Immigrant Stories Project that encouraged immigrants to share their experiences of coming to the U.S. Buckley serves on the Pittsfield Human Rights Commission and the Four Freedoms Coalition. She has a master’s equivalent degree in communication design from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Dortmund, Germany; owns a photography business; and teaches a photography course at BCC.
Shela Hidalgo has accepted the director of development role. Hidalgo was the community engagement officer with Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and currently serves on the boards of Hillcrest Educational Centers and the Junior League of Berkshire County, and is active with Berkshire Business and Professional Women. She graduated summa cum laude from Mesa Community College and Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University. She is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration from Northeastern University.
Melissa Loiodice has accepted the position of the special assistant to the president and will serve as the Title IX liaison, working on diversity and inclusion in BCC’s recruitment and professional development programming efforts. A practicing attorney, Loiodice has worked on Title IX issues and served as a panel attorney at UMass Amherst’s student legal services office. She spent a year as the director of operations with the Pittsfield Community Connection. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst, and was a member of the Golden Key and ALANAI honor societies. She earned her master’s degree in social work from Springfield College and her juris doctorate from Western New England University of Law, both with honors.
Cara Borelli has joined BCC as its graphic designer. Borelli previously worked at the Williams College Museum of Art as a communications and design coordinator and will be responsible for overseeing all creative direction of BCC’s branding elements. Borelli graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor of fine arts in communication design, and is currently pursuing a professional certificate in arts management at UMASS Amherst. She lives in Troy, New York, and is the chapter leader of Ladies, Wine & Design Albany.
Jay Miller has accepted the graphic design and marketing specialist position. Miller previously worked as the graphic designer for the Moscow Ballet. He graduated from Mesa Community College and received his bachelor’s degree in fine arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design. He was a senior graphic designer for Feld Entertainment, and has directed large-scale projects including designing and running the American Cancer Society’s Big Top Gala. He lives in Adams.
Eric Nystrom has stepped into the role of interim director of recreational services. Nystrom has been with BCC as its fitness center coordinator and is prepared to lead recreational services as it continues to bring the Gene Dellea Turf Field online. Nystrom has managed the BCC fitness center and teaches exercise science courses.
Jeff Moulton has accepted a temporary position as special project coordinator of the fitness center. Moulton is a graduate of BCC’s health science program, and received his bachelor’s degree in applied exercise science at Springfield College. He has been living and working in Boston, most recently as the manager and a personal trainer at Fitness Together.
Michael King has joined BCC as the interim director of safety and security. King has a 21-year career in the U.S. Army, including two tours of duty in Iraq and service as the assistant police chief at a base in Virginia. King holds an associate degree in general studies from Columbia College, a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Excelsior College, a Master of Arts in leadership studies from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Master of Fine Arts in visual arts from Lesley University.
BCC also welcomes Kelan O’Brien, a recent Elms graduate with a bachelor’s degree in history and minors in management and education, to serve as an interim TRIO advisor. O’Brien lives in Pittsfield and previously taught indoor cycling classes at Berkshire Nautilus.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College welcomes Carolyn King as an administrative aide. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Gettysburg College and is a BCC graduate.
–E.E.
