Berkshire County and Colebrook, Conn. — As of November 20, the Claire Teague Senior Center, 917 South Main Street, Great Barrington, is accepting the following on behalf of firefighters combatting the Butternut Fire on the hills above the town: cash, gift cards such as Visa or Mastercard, fruit, water, sports drinks, and packaged food only. The phone number for the center is (413) 528-1881.
Bottled water is requested for active firefighters and can also be dropped off at the former Great Barrington Fairgrounds, 684 South Main Street.
At 34 Bridge Street, The Berkshire Food Co-op staff has been watching the smoke and plumes from the wildfire for two days now, said Marketing Manager Devorah Sawyer. The team will be donating bottled water and protein or meal bars today.
The business has been part of Great Barrington since 1981.
“Our current location on Bridge Street is right in view of the fire,” Sawyer said. The smoke has been heavy in the grocery’s parking lot, affecting customers and staff.
“It’s one of the core values of the Co-op, to support our community,” Sawyer said. “We thank everybody who has been working on [the fire], all the first responders and multiple towns that are putting efforts in to contain the fire and do their best to keep it under control.”
On behalf of local grocery stalwart Loeb’s Foodtown of Lenox and West Stockbridge, owners Isabel and Bernie Fallon are delivering gift cards and bottled water to aid in the efforts to fight the wildfire. “Our hearts go with [the firefighters],” Isabel said. “It’s so sad that something like that has happened in our community, and we are here to help everybody out, whatever they need.”
When Luke Masiero steps outside of his family-owned Guido’s Fresh Marketplace store in Great Barrington, he is reminded of the wildfire that threatens the community. Situated on South Main Street and across from the former Great Barrington Fairground that is serving as the central command post for the nearby blaze, he said the grocery store wants to do whatever it can to assist the town. “Whenever it comes to someone or something in our community that needs help and we’re in a position that we can, there’s no question,” Masiero said.
The Guido’s team donated a gift card, cases of water, apples, and bananas.
Masiero said he was working early on the morning of November 19 and noticed the fire along the ridge. “It was pretty unbelievable to see that and, throughout the day, how far it spread to the other side,” he said, adding that the smell of smoke is stronger on November 20. “Definitely a little eerie.”
Masiero offered for first responders to contact him should anything further be needed. “Hoping for heavy rain tomorrow,” he added.
Other local donors included staffers of the Rural Recovery organization and Gary J. O’Brien Property Services.
Meanwhile, in Colebrook, Conn., nonprofit animal rescue and sanctuary Pinney Stables Sanctuary has offered open stalls, a large fenced field and an open paddock to anyone with horses or livestock needing refuge from the smoke or smolders of Great Barrington’s wildfire. Owner Ashley Rose is also able to provide stock trailers for transport, and one of the group’s boarders has volunteered her time and trailer for assistance, with more on call and ready to go if needed.
Rose said she and her mother noticed the smoke from the fires a half hour away, across the state line on November 20. Rose created a Facebook post that day reflecting their facility’s open doors. “When I got home, I saw how thick the smoke was,” she said. “I was talking to my mom, and I said, ‘Mom, how scary would it be if we had to evacuate our farm. Where would we go?’”
After posting the offer, neighbors contacted Rose with their offers of support—trailers and other help.
Already housing four rescue horses, retired horses, and farm animals, she said the property still has room for more. “What we do have available, we want to share,” Rose said.
The site is open to not only those needing to escape from the fire but also from the smoke. “We just want to offer a clean-air facility if people need to get away for a little while, while things get under control,” Rose said, adding that the facility has water and hay.
As of midday on November 20, she hasn’t had any interest but that may change should the wildfire progress. “I’m hoping that the people who need to see this [post offering space for animals] will see it,” Rose said.
For those seeking the assistance of Rose’s sanctuary, please call (860) 605-7966.
