Flying Cloud Welcomes New Board Members

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Flying Cloud Institute (FCI) welcomes Liliana Atanacio Garcia and Sarah Reynolds North to the organization's Board of Directors.
 
Liliana Atanacio Garcia is the co-founder of Latinas413, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Latina representation in Berkshire County. In recognition of her efforts, she received the "29 Who Shine" Award from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in 2018. 
 
Garcia serves as the Grant and Program Administrator at Mill Town Foundation, where she supports grantmaking related to the foundation's activities, programmatic operations, and daily administrative functions. Prior to this role, she served as the Workforce Training Orientation and Youth Programming Manager at Berkshire Community College (BCC). While at BCC she organized BCC's first Hackathon and worked to establish the Eleanore Velez Scholarship.
 
Originally from Mexico, the Berkshires became Garcia's home in 2009. She is the mother of two teen girls. Garcia is passionate about traveling, gastronomy, and philanthropy. 
 
"Flying Cloud Institute fosters an open-minded approach to learning science and engineering. As an engineer, creator and educator, I look forward to contributing to the organization's success as a Board Member," said Garcia.
 
Sarah Reynolds North is the founder and baker at Found Bread. She has worked in bakeries around the northeast and in Europe, and trained at the San Francisco Baking Institute. North moved to New Marlborough in 2022 with her family, where she bakes mainly sourdough and fermented breads, and teaches baking classes. She's a firm believer in using locally-sourced, grown and milled ingredients.
 
Before becoming a full-time baker, North was a public radio reporter and producer for WNYC, NPR for several years. She also helped non-profits to develop and produce stories about their work. North worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Center and was a Peace Corps Volunteer and Instructor in Guatemala.
 
"I love the work Flying Cloud is doing in public schools – to merge art and science through innovative curriculum for all kids in our region. Our Board strives to make it one of the best educational organizations in Massachusetts," said North.
 
They join officers Cathy Ingram, Director of Development at Miss Hall's School, as Chair; Dana Vorisek, Economist for the World Bank Group, as Treasurer; and Barbara Viniar, retired former President of Berkshire Community College, as Clerk. Additional members of the Board of Directors are Alison Brigham, AVP of Marketing & Community Engagement at Lee Bank; Leigh Doherty, Executive Director of the Literacy Network; and América López, community health worker at Volunteers In Medicine.
 
"I am honored to welcome Liliana and Sarah to the board and to serve as Board Chair with the rest of our dedicated and talented board members and staff as we continue the impactful work bringing science and art to the Berkshires community," said Cathy Ingram.
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Prosperity Way Phase 1 Complete; Berkshire Gas Volunteer Day

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Some 55 Avangrid/Berkshire Gas employees spent the day sawing, hammering and painting at Prosperity Way.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Prosperity Way was founded on the dream of creating an affordable neighborhood where local working families can own a home, build a future, and create lasting memories. Soon, that vision will become reality as homeowners begin moving in.
 
Nearly a year ago, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity broke ground on its three-phase affordable housing project. Now, volunteers are putting the final touches on the six homes and have already begun phase two. 
 
"One of the homeowners is closing on her house tomorrow, so she's moving in this weekend, and then the other family is moving in next week," said Habitat CEO Carolyn Valli. 
 
During Phase 2, seven additional homes will be built, the first modular ranch for that phase has been set, and the stick-built ranch is currently in construction. There are two additional ranches on site, to be set once foundations are cured and two colonial homes are scheduled for delivery on Monday, she said. 
 
Phase 3 will have the construction of another seven homes. Central Berkshire Habitat hopes to finish the project before 2028, dependent on securing sufficient grant funding to bridge the gap between construction costs and affordable sale prices, Valli said. 
 
Energy ran high on Thursday, as more than than 50 employee volunteers from Berkshire Gas, a subsidiary of Avangrid Inc., spent the day helping move the project forward through painting, landscaping, and construction work.
 
"We are an energy company in all aspects. We generate wind energy, we have electric utilities and gas utilities, and this crew is demonstrating their energy for a good cause today to support home building for folks who might otherwise never be able to afford a home," said Chris Farrell, Berkshire Gas' communications and government relations manager. 
 
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