Celebrate 40 years of NAMI Berkshire County

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Incorporated in 1984, the Berkshire County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will hold their annual meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, at Zucchini's Restaurant in Pittsfield from 5:30-8:00 p.m.
 
The non-profit's mission is to improve the quality of life for people in Berkshire County with mental illness and their families through support, education and advocacy.
 
NAMI Berkshire County recently hired a new Executive Director, Paul Johansen, and also now has office space at 141 North Street, Suite 301, right in the heart of downtown Pittsfield.
 
The guest speaker for this event is local author, Kevin O'Hara, who worked for three decades as a psychiatric nurse at Berkshire Medical Center. He will be sharing excerpts from his recent book, "Ins and Outs of a Locked Ward: My 30 Years as a Psychiatric Nurse." He is also the author of "Last of the Donkey Pilgrims: A Man's Journey Through Ireland, "A Lucky Irish Lad" and "A
Christmas Journey." He is also recipient of the 2012 John Fitzgerald Kennedy award and he is also a long-time Berkshire Eagle contributor. His talk is sure to be inspiring as well as humorous, as anyone who knows Kevin can attest.
 
Each year, NAMI Berkshire County recognizes three award winners in memory of Eunice Zorbo, who along with her husband, was a staunch supporter of NAMI. The awards are Citizen of the Year, NAMI Member of the Year, and the last award recognizes a professional in the mental health arena with the Silver Ribbon award. To nominate someone for these awards, please visit the site below by Sept. 2. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2024NAMIawards?fbclid=IwY2xjawE4bE1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXaUg80
 
Tickets are available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nami-berkshires-annual-meeting-tickets-978853897357?aff=affiliate1 People can also purchase tickets from any board member or NAMI Berkshire County Executive Director Paul Johansen or to reserve a table of 8. 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Powers Past Dalton-Hinsdale Behind Home Run Barrage

By Ben McDonoughFor iBerkshires.com Sports
DALTON, Mass. – The Pittsfield Little League 12U All-Stars rode a powerful offensive performance and dominant pitching to a 12-4 victory over Dalton-Hinsdale in the Don Gleason District 1 Tournament opener for both teams on Thursday.
 
Dalton-Hinsdale struck first in the opening inning. Graylan Milano worked a leadoff walk and quickly moved into scoring position with aggressive baserunning before Tye Shove lined an RBI single to give Dalton-Hinsdale an early 1-0 advantage. Shove and Tony Zaniboni each swiped bases to keep the pressure on, but Pittsfield starter Hector Reyes-Colon settled in, getting a strikeout and a groundout to limit any further damage.
 
Pittsfield answered immediately, and did so in emphatic fashion.
 
Leading off the bottom of the first, Myles Morrison-Gould launched a solo home run to tie the game. Mason Fox followed with a single and stole second before Sean Rozak ripped a two-run double into the gap, giving Pittsfield a 3-1 lead after one inning.

 

 
Dalton-Hinsdale scratched across another run in the second after a hit batter, a walk, and aggressive baserunning, but Pittsfield’s offense continued to surge in the bottom half. Rozak reached and eventually scored before Chase Albano delivered an RBI double. Brody Hamilton then blasted a two-run homer, and Morrison-Gould followed with his second long ball of the evening, extending Pittsfield’s lead to 7-2.
 
Dalton-Hinsdale showed plenty of fight in the third. Milano singled and Parker Demarsh reached before Shove drove home both runners with a clutch two-run double to trim the deficit to 7-4. Reyes-Colon responded by recording another strikeout to end the inning and prevent further damage.
 
Pittsfield’s pitching staff took control from there.
 
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