South Berkshire Community Health Coalition Announces Upcoming Trainings

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.— The Southern Berkshire Community Health Coalition (SBCHC), a program of Railroad Street Youth Project (RSYP), has announced three upcoming trainings in May.

Translate Gender will present a Caregiver/Parent Forum on Tuesday, May 20, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Sheffield. This trans-led organization will cover the basics of gender identity to support transgender, nonbinary, gender expansive, and/or questioning youth. Registration for this event is available at this link.

Two Kitchen Table Talk (KTT) Workshops will be held at the Great Barrington Family Resource Center, 141 West Avenue in Great Barrington. A Facilitator Training will take place on Monday, May 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., covering the philosophy and facilitation practices of KTT. A Practice Training will be offered on Thursday, May 29, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., providing an opportunity for facilitators to practice with volunteer parents. The Practice Training will be available in both English and Spanish.

On Tuesday, May 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., a Mocktail Demo and Conversation will be held at NoComply Foods, 258 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington. Laura Rodriguez, Director of SBCHC, and Elliot Seward, RSYP’s Youth Advocate, will lead a demonstration on making summer mocktails, followed by discussions on youth alcohol and substance use in South County.

Greenagers Founder Will Conklin Honored as Business Person of the Year

By Breanna Steele12:17PM / Saturday, October 03, 2026

Casey Pease of state Sen. Paul Mark's office presents William Conklin, right, with a state Senate proclamation.

EGREMONT, Mass. — The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce honored a local businessman and nonprofit leader on Sept. 24 at Catamount Mountain Resort.

 

William Conklin was this year's Business Person of the Year, recognizing his work as founder and executive director of Greenagers, a nonprofit that helps youth and children engage in work in environmental conservation, sustainable farming, natural resource management, and vocational skills building. 

 

Conklin and his family also run Sky View Farm and he is a managing partner of Konkapot Tree and Timber, a small-scale forest products business.

 

"If you spent any amount of time in Southern Berkshire, chances are you've heard his name, whether you realize the connection at the time or not," said board member Sierra King Watson, who emceed the event. "You might be having a conversation about farming, a new barn or structure that was built, students learning hands-on skills in sustainable agriculture, or a family that receives donated firewood to help keep their home warm through a cold Berkshire winter, or maybe you're simply talking about one of those community leaders who somehow manages to show up, support everyone, and seemingly be everywhere all at once.

 

"Well, one name has a way of continuously popping up, and that is Will Conklin."

 

Board President Mark Rulison said the region has more than 1,200 nonprofits. One in four jobs in the county is in the nonprofit sector, which ranks 27th nationally for nonprofit employment. He said the economic impact on the community is huge, thanking those who help.

 

For the event on Thursday, Conklin requested that as much of the food as possible was sourced locally. Most of it came from Greenagers, Sky View Farm, Indian Line Farm and Fancy Feast Supper Club, creative dinner series.