greylocknews

Williamstown Community Chest kicks off 2005-2006 campaign on Saturday Oct. 1

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- On Saturday, October 1, Community Chest red balloons will decorate the town in tribute to this organization that distributes funds to social service agencies throughout Berkshire County. Last year's campaign raised over $225,000, all of which was distributed to 16 member agencies of The Chest that provide assistance to the elderly, the homeless, the uninsured, the handicapped and to programs for children, teens and parents.

The goal for this year's campaign is $230,000, the highest ever set by the Community Chest. Campaign co-chairmen Lisa Hiley and Liz Costley are confident the community will once again rise to meet the challenge. Since 1927 Williamstown residents have contributed generously to the Community Chest. The need has never been greater and we trust that our donors will be even more generous than in the past," notes Costley.

For more information on the Williamstown Community Chest, please contact Executive Director Anne Singleton at 458-2443 or comchest@bcn.net.

SUBMITTED BY: Anna Singleton Williamstown Community Chest phone: 413-458-2443 comchest@bcn.net

MGRHS get a dose of information about drugs in schools -- and other places

UPDATED: 10-11-05; 2:55 p.m.

Parents of students at Mount Greylock Regional High School

got some shock treatment over the last two weeks –-

two nearly 15-minute lectures about drugs complete

with sniffing dogs and  an undercover narcotics officer. 

The message was delivered

on consecutive Tuesday nights at annual parents’ night gatherings for the middle and high school.  A plainclothes police officer from North Adams said the Berkshire Mall is among places where big drug dealers congregate (but police in Lanesborough and North Adams later qualified this remark to say that's true of many public places, including schools), and defended marijuna-related prosecutions by District Attorney David Capeless. A school official said a drug-sniffing dog found a discarded bag of marijauna behind some lockers last week.

lCLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY

(click on photo of Officer Jim Rathbun and "Nitro"  -- at school on Tuesday -- to enlarge.)

SWCA plans big tag sale Oct. 8 to make schoolhouse accessible

Carolyn Umlauf reports as follows:

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- A Community-Wide Tag Sale sponsored by the South Williamstown Community Association will be held Saturday, Oct. 8th, at the historic, town-owned Little Red School House building in South Williamstown, startign at 10:00am.  The goal is to raise funds to make the building handicapped accessible to the many civic organizations that currently use the building, as well a nursery school that leases space in what has been as school since 1868.  Items of interest cover a wide variety of furniture, art and antiques with a separate space set aside for toys and Christmas wares, garden items and ephermera.  The organization continues to seek donations, with pick-up available by calling 458-5147 or 458-9575.  Clothes, computer ware amd books are not being accepted.

JavaJive returns with Oct. 7 benefit at MGRHS

Deb Burns advises that JavaJive will present a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief on Friday, Oct. 7, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the high school (NOT in the usual venue at the church).

Performers will include students, alums, faculty members (including Marge Keeley, Pat Blackmun, and Erik Fosbergh), groups from Williams College, and more to be announced.

Event organizers are sending out a call to all area musicians (both acoustic and amplified), comics, poets, dancers, jugglers, actors, etc., to perform at the benefit. If interested, e-mail javajivech@yahoo.com, call Deb Burns at 458-0925, or talk to Nandi Plunkett, Tess McHugh, or Davy Payne in person, by Wednesday, Oct. 5.

There will be a bake sale during intermission; bakers should bring their contributions to the table in the lobby before the show begins. (Thank you!)

All proceeds will go to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

JavaJive is a teen-run, substance-free coffeehouse whose goals are to provide a safe hangout, performance venue, and business experience for teens, and to raise money for the arts at Mt. Greylock Regional High School and other worthy causes. Students and adults who wish to join the '05-'06 steering committee (a fun and easy job) should contact Deb at 458-0925.

Greylock Echo interview with MGRHS superintendent telecast Sept. 21, 22, 26 (fwd)

Willinet will cablecast a one-hour interview with Mount Greylock Regional High School supt. William Travis next week. the interview was recorded Aug. 22 by student editors of the Mount Greylock Echo newspaper.

The interview will be shown on cable Channel 17 at 9 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 21; at 10 p.m. on Thurs., Sept. 22 and at 1:30 p.m. on Mon., Sept. 26.