Full disclosure, yes, the author is in the candy biz, but this is not an article about candy. Read on.
Today, as a candy shop owner thinking about Valentine’s Day and the celebration of love in its many forms, we share some examples of how members of our local business community “show love” to the community that loves us.
Next time you see a team of students practicing on the lawn in front of Monument Mountain Regional High School, think about Connie Griffin. Connie owns Griffin, a fashion and design store with an emphasis on vintage, located on Railroad Street in Great Barrington. No, Connie does not design their uniforms (although that would be cool); Connie donates funds and door prizes and raffle items to so many Monument Mountain sports teams she can’t name them all. Supporting our local student community is Connie’s way of showing love to the community that loves her shop.
Have you seen an awesome “sizzle reel” for Multicultural Bridge, or the Black Legacy Project, or perhaps the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center? Think about Iin and George Purwanti-Cox, the dynamic local duo behind outpoststudios.tv. Between their work with PepsiCo; Heinekein; and, closer to home, SoCo Creamery, Iin and George find time to use their creative talent to show love to a wide variety of local organizations.
Everyone loves SoCo ice cream—and Erik Bruun. Erik is the head of our renowned local creamery, founding President of Railroad Street Youth Project, and a member of the board of the Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire. He has found a very tasty way to show love to all of us! For example, as a sponsor of Shakepeare & Co.’s annual gala, Team SoCo developed “bespoke” ice cream flavors. If you have enjoyed a scoop of “Desire” or “Passion,” you have enjoyed a little love from Team SoCo! SoCo is open daily. Check out this year’s Valentine’s Day flavors—every cup filled with love.
Since founding Robin’s Candy in Great Barrington in 2004, my staff and I have been privileged to work each year with a team of talented and inquisitive interns. Together, the interns and staff explore entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial thinking, and what defines a successful entrepreneur.
One of the recent Robin’s intern teams asked how our business community might show love to those without friends and family nearby. Enter Allen Harris, founder and CEO of Berkshire Money Management [disclosure: Allen Harris is a columnist for The Berkshire Edge]. Allen first got involved with Berkshire Humane Society’s cat adoption project through Stacey Carver and her organization, then known as “Animal Dreams” (now integrated into BHS). Berkshire Money Management has become a major funder and supporter of BHS’s drive to match friendly stray cats with those who can love and care for them. It is one of the ways Allen and the Berkshire Money Management team show love to animals in need of a home—and those who love them! If you too would like to show the love by adopting or volunteering, contact Berkshire Humane Society.
Stroll Great Barrington’s Main Street on a summer Saturday to see, hear, celebrate, and share our community’s love of music, dance, balloon blowing, tightrope walking, and general merry making—thanks to Gene Carr. Gene found a way to give back to his community by creating BerkshireBusk!. Gene and his growing troupe of performers sing, twirl, laugh, and give love to thousands of visitors from one end of downtown to the other. This past summer, the BerkshireBusk! team brought in community organizer Liam Gorham (cozquest.com). Liam has added a NightMarket to the mix. Crafters, creators, cooks, and vendors of every stripe showcase their wares and street food offerings while performers perform on Railroad Street. Dine, shop, and join the town-wide party all summer long, thanks to BerkshireBusk!
As a rule, landlords and “love” don’t often appear in the same sentence—although here, in the Berkshires we like to break rules. Some of our biggest commercial landlords also possess some big hearts! Richard Stanley, a colleague, friend, and (full disclosure) landlord of this author’s shop, wears many of the hats that define an engaged community member. As owner of the Barrington House, Triplex Cinema, residential developments, and commercial spaces, Richard worked tirelessly to structure his commercial tenant leases during the pandemic to keep business owners in business. Richard is a long-standing Rotarian and, together with his wife, underwrites a student scholarship fund. He took a lead role in the expanded mission of the Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire, is a champion of the airport, mentors new businesses and young entrepreneurs, and serves on boards in the region. As an individual and a businessperson, Richard proactively seeks ways to give love within the community and beyond.
Finally, many businesses (and individuals, too) return love to our beloved local Fairview Hospital, one of the country’s leading rural hospitals. In fact, in the main level hall at Fairview Hospital, there is a wall (literally a wall) dedicated to the many individuals and businesses who support the health professionals there. This year, as the Robin’s Candy interns prepared to distribute our annual lollipop treats to the hospital and clinics, we were excited to learn that a team from Jane Iredale would join us with goodie bags filled with nourishing skin care products. What’s better than showing a little love? Showing a lot of love! For ways you can show a lot of love to the Fairview community, contact Lauren Smith, Director of Community Relation and Development, at lsmith@bhs1.org.
If you are a business looking for ways to show love to the community that loves you, The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and its founder/executive director Liana Toscanini are invaluable resources. They can find you one or more nonprofits that you can love.
To every member of our community, guest, customer and visitor, thank you for your love!
