The summer, flying by so quickly, has been exciting and busy for all of us at Berkshire County Arc.  During the month of August, our two Co-Op Apartments were torn down, and we will have begun construction of our new two-million-dollar Co-Op apartment building.  Funded through a HUD grant, with support from the State’s Facility Consolidation Fund, our new apartments will fit right in with  the rejuvenated Pittsfield downtown.  We hope that residents will be moving back into their new home within a year. 

   In another significant move forward, we have moved our Center for Development/Habilitation Program to its new home at 133 Quarry Hill Road in Lee. We officially  opened on August 28, 2006.  Construction has been ongoing for the past two months. The 5,000 square foot building will provide an excellent setting for our program. Though we will miss our old home in downtown Great Barrington, we are confident that everyone will be extremely pleased with the new surroundings.

   We are still in the design stages for the two new homes ,

one on Valentine Road in Pittsfield, and the other on Kowchuk Lane in Lanesboro.  These homes, also funded with HUD money, will provide new, more accessible housing for those we serve.

   In July, all of us at BCARC were star struck from an exciting visit from actors currently performing at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.  They came to spend the morning at our Social Development Center in Dalton to prepare for a play about two families with children with cerebral palsy.  Amy Brenneman (of “Judging Amy”), Gloria Reuben (of “E.R.”), and Scott Cohen (of “NYPD Blue”) extended what was supposed to be a half hour visit into a two-and-one-half-hour stay.  The actors took exceptional interest, talking with all our staff and individuals, and making their stay with us a very rewarding experience for everyone.  A number of the Social Development participants and our staff attended both opening night and the cast party after the performance.  It was a special evening for all.

   Our staff is pleased that the legislature unanimously voted to override the governor’s budget veto.  This means  salary increases in the near future for good hardworking staff.  This salary increase is significant to our staff and rewards the important work  they do.  We appreciate the support of all of our legislators and thank the many people that made calls and wrote letters in support of this legislation.

   As we wind down for the last part of the summer, we recently held our annual staff appreciation day at Berkshire West Athletic Club in Pittsfield, as well as a  residential picnic at Camp Stevenson for all our programs.  We thank everyone who joined us and helped us to celebrate the ,many success of the summer.

 

 

Kenneth W. Singer

Executive Director

 

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