Community Coalition
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Saturday, June 03
NORTH ADAMS — Al Bashevkin, executive director of the Northern
Berkshire Community Coalition, said the hardest days for the
organization were the earliest days, twenty years ago.
"It was hard to get going," he said. "It was hard to find ways to get people to attend." It was a bleak time for North County, with Sprague Electric Co. recently departed, and deep concerns about the region's very social fabric coming apart. But the group persevered, and on Friday will celebrate its 20th anniversary at its annual meeting at the Williams Inn. In addition to providing a forum and structure for service groups in the region, the coalition has been instrumental for many important North County institutions. Among its successes are the Louison House women's shelter in Adams; Ecu-Health Care, which works to provide health coverage for the area's uninsured, and the Transportation Association of Northern Berkshire, a ride service for residents who don't have access to a car. The coalition began as the Northern Berkshire Health and Human Services Coalition, and was a direct response to those in the community who had lost their jobs as industrialization faded. Its mission, Bashevkin said, was "to ensure people who lost their jobs that there was a community around them." Early on, the organization had office space at North Adams State College, which changed its name to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, before moving to its current location at 85 Main St. "They gave us an awful lot of services to help get us going," Bashevkin said. "We're forever in their debt." Today, the coalition has eight full- and part-time employees: Two staffers work on neighborhood issues, two on youth issues, and others provide administrative and business help. They are funded through a mix of federal and state grants, support from a charitable foundation, the United Way and Williamstown Community Chest, and fundraising efforts. Events include the annual Neighborhood Expo, as well as the monthly community conversation held at First Baptist Church in North Adams, which draw a spectrum of residents, political leaders, service groups and volunteers. The organization also publishes a newsletter designed to keep everyone on the same page. Other programs include "Northern Berkshire Neighbors," and the UNITY program for area youth, which includes the Grooove substance-free concerts for teens, and a Writers Workshop. The coalition will celebrate the milestone at their annual meeting on Friday, which will begin at 11:45 a.m at the Williams Inn. Tickets are $15, and reservations can be made by calling (413) 663-7588. At the meeting, the coalition will also present its annual Northern Berkshires Heroes Award to Susan and Alex Daugherty of North Adams. Bashevkin said there remains much work to be done, particularly in economic development, and creating jobs. The coalition will work as it always has, through a process he describes as "cross-pollination." "Our philosophy is that we need to talk to one another, and when solutions are clear we need to jump on them," he said. On the Web: http://www.nbccoalition.org/
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