A Legacy of Caring

On July 15^th, I had the honor of participating in the dedication of a new Berkshire United Way Book House at the Dalton CRA in memory of William T. West.  Since 2016, Unistress employees and their friends have participated in the annual Bikers for Books ride—a motorcycle ride throughout the county—installing or repairing Berkshire United Way Book Houses along the way.  Bill West was part of this group prior to his death in May, and his friends and family chose to honor his memory in a way that also gives back to the children of our community.  As kids and their parents take a book and leave a book at the CRA, they will be greeted by Bill’s wonderful smile. 

Unistress employees gather around a newly installed Berkshire Book House at the Dalton CRA on Sunday, July 15, 2018.  The Book House, where children are encouraged to take a book and leave a book in its place, was dedicated to William T. West, a big supporter of the Dalton CRA, and contained his picture on the front.

Our community lost another good friend in May when Carolyn Sawyer passed away.  Carolyn was dedicated to Berkshire United Way’s Book Houses, spending her retirement biking a customized route to check on the many Pittsfield locations, and reporting back to us which houses needed books or repairs, and then filling them.  She spent hours sorting and organizing the many books donated to Berkshire United Way.  Carolyn and her family generously chose Berkshire United Way to be the beneficiary of gifts in her memory, and we have created a fund to support the Book Houses in her name.  In this way, Carolyn will continue to look over the Book Houses and our children as they experience the love of reading.

Our community is blessed by the legacies of so many kindhearted spirits, and it is an honor to be their steward.

Jennifer Kerwood

Vice President of Development

Building a stronger community, chapter by chapter

On a recent visit to replenish the books in a local book house, two young boys came over to say hello. They wanted to get a first-hand look at the new selection of books being placed in the house. The first boy chose a non-fiction book from the “I Survived” series, featuring a ferocious great white shark on the cover. He shared his excitement with me, “You can even go on line and take a quiz to test your survival skills!” The three of us engaged in a lively conversation about what sharks eat, where they have been seen near swimmers, and how they battle if they are attacked. I was impressed by the boys’ intellect and bravado; our conversation was refreshing and enjoyable!

A young reader checks out a book from the “I Survived” series at the Book House located by the Berkshire Carousel.  Laurin Publishing employees are the caretakers of this house.

As part of a huge volunteer effort, 50 books houses were designed and built by SABIC employees last year.  Since then, more than 55 Caretakers have taken on the responsibility of supplying books and making sure the houses are clean, neat and free from damage. Petricca Industries assists with repairs as needed, and Petricca employees built and installed two additional houses.  Berkshire United Way now has 52 book houses, located in nearly every community between Williamstown and Sheffield. Many are in parks, school yards, and community centers -  places where children and families gather. As a result of this community effort, our children have access to books 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Access to books increases the odds that children will become strong readers. Young children who read regularly tend to have a greater vocabulary, and enthusiasm for reading and learning. All of this leads to higher achievement in school and greater success when these young people enter the workforce. 

I want to thank each volunteer who has freely given his or her time to ensure our county’s youngest residents have year-round access to books. If you would like to help support this early childhood initiative, please call me at 413-442-6948 ext. 22 or email me at sadornetto@berkshireunitedway.org.

Together, we can build a stronger community, one chapter at a time.

Stephanie Adornetto

Coordinator of Early Childhood Development