Foundations and Futures Homeownership Celebration

Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity invites residents of Pittsfield and surrounding communities to join them at Durant Park for Foundations & Futures, a festive celebration of homeownership, community resilience, and shared aspirations for the future.
 
The event, taking place Saturday, July 19 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Durant Park, 30 John Street, Pittsfield, will honor the journeys of local Habitat homeowners and open a conversation about what comes next for our neighborhoods.
 
Highlights of the celebration include:
  • Mortgage Burning Ceremony: A symbolic and emotional tribute to Habitat homeowners who have fully paid off their mortgages, representing full-circle stability and the power of perseverance.
  • New Homeowner Recognition: A celebration of Pittsfield residents who became homeowners in 2024–2025, recognizing new beginnings and the realization of dreams. Any new homebuyers from 2024 through 2025 are welcome to join in this celebration.
  • Free Community BBQ: Guests are invited to enjoy food and a family-friendly atmosphere alongside neighbors, friends, and supporters.
  • Community Visioning: Attendees will have the opportunity to share ideas and dreams about what the community should build next. 
 
"This isn't just a party," said Carolyn Valli, CEO of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity. "It's a joyful affirmation that homeownership can and should be the norm. And we want our community to shape the next chapter with us."
 
The event is free and open to the public. Families are encouraged to attend and participate. RSVPs are appreciated and can be submitted by clicking on this link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6aa6facda6a24336be2292b0f528bcf2
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Soccer Hall of Fame Adds Members, Awards Scholarships

Community submission
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The 2026 CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place at Berkshire Hills Country Club on Thursday.
 
The Hall of Fame's mission is to preserve the sport's history in Berkshire County, to honor excellence within the game and to make a connection between the generations that bring communities together. With players who last played on a soccer field in Berkshire County in the 1960s to the scholarship winners at the banquet on May 14th who played their last high school game in the fall of last year, we are achieving our goal. 
 
It is worth noting that this class of inductees is stellar. We have four County MVP selections, 14 All-Berkshire selections, eight All-Western Mass selections and, and nine captain honors, five four-year varsity starters and one five-year varsity starter. 
 
The players were introduced by committee chairmen Al Belanger and Patrick West. The scholarship winners were introduced by Chris Dumas, a member of the CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame committee. The photographer for the evening was Ricco Fruscio. Over the past 21 years, the scholarships awarded to high school seniors in Berkshire County have topped $250,000.  
 
The 2026 Inductees:
Katie Dumas Sturm (Wahconah 2015) was a hard-nosed, and relentless four-year starter for Wahconah. She was a two-year captain in the middle of the field, scoring and assisting on clutch goals in big games. She was rewarded with being named All Berkshire, and All Western Mass in her senior year. She is married to Brent Sturm (who is also being inducted into the hall of fame this year) and has a son Banks and a 7-week-old Everett Michael. She works at General Dynamics. 
 
Brent Sturm (Wahconah 2009) was named to the All Berkshire Team in both his junior and senior years and won a Western Mass championship during his time at Wahconah. He also went on to have a stellar career at Wentworth Institute. He and his wife, Katie, are the first husband and wife inductees into the CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame in the same year.  After college, he helped coach the Wahconah Soccer and basketball teams. He works at General Dynamics.
   
Nicole Gamberoni (Lenox 2019) was an impact player on her team for five years while at Lenox making All-Berkshire teams four times. She was captain twice, finished with 107 points, and was the league MVP two times. She also went on to play soccer at AIC. She is working at Lenox High School while she is getting her master’s degree. 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories