On February 14, 2006 BCARC individuals, staff and friends celebrated Valentine’s Day with style, smiles and fun.  Everyone gathered at the GEAA in Pittsfield for dinner, dancing, prizes, and the crowning of the king and queen of the event.

   What would otherwise seem to be a typical holiday event almost didn’t happen.  Fundraising makes the annual Valentine’s Day Dance possible, but this year the fundraising was anything but usual.  BCARC staff and individuals sold pretzels to raise money this year, only to find that the pretzel company was a hoax.  BCARC never received the funds, and it seemed the now annual tradition of a dinner and dance to celebrate the holiday of love would not take place this year.  Then the people of Berkshire County stepped in to make the event happen. 

   Once the story of the pretzel hoax went public, the phones started ringing off of the hooks at the BCARC office with people calling to say they wanted to help.  The following members of the community made the BCARC Valentine’s Day Dance possible by donating money to save the party: Pittsfield Firefighters, Rotary Club of Pittsfield, CIAO of the Berkshires, Elks Lodge of Pittsfield, Elizabeth Chaffee, Diane Albano, James James, Wahconah Regional High School National Honor Society,

Generosity of Berkshire County Makes BCARC Dance Possible

Student Council and Student Body.  BCARC also thanks the following employees and community supporters who returned their pretzel reimbursement checks to BCARC as a donation towards the Valentine’s Day Dance:

Chris Melski, Rhodora Higgins, Tanya Haas, Beverly Hayes, Michelle Bachand, Sharone Coe, Paula Kellogg, and Maureen Doolan.

   BCARC extends great appreciation and gratitude to all who contributed to making this enjoyable event a reality. 

2