Brien Center 'Rally for Recovery' Charity Pickleball Tournament

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Brien Center has announced its "Rally for Recovery Pickleball Tournament," a non-DUPR charity event hosted at Bousquet Sport.
 
The tournament supports the center's mission of "Serving Hope" and raising funds for recovery services. All proceeds go toward the Patrick Miller Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Program.
 
The main events will feature a round-robin format, ensuring that every participating team receives multiple opportunities to play. Larger brackets may be separated into pools, with the highest-performing teams advancing to a playoff round where the overall champions will be crowned.
 
The tournament will also feature a Mixed Moneyball Showcase, offering a "winner take all" $300 cash prize. This showcase event requires a minimum of four teams to run with the prize money attached.
 
The registration fee is $50 for the first event, with an additional $35 fee for each event added. A non-refundable software usage fee of $5 (for one event) or $10 (for multiple events) will also be applied to all registrations. Due to limited space, early registration is strongly encouraged. Teams must note the registration timeline: once the first partner registers, the second partner must complete their registration within seven days to secure the team's spot, or they will be placed on a waiting list.
 
Regarding refunds, players who withdraw before the registration officially closes—either by the deadline of October 8th or due to the tournament reaching capacity—are eligible for a partial refund. Approved refunds will be processed after the tournament concludes and will be the registration fee minus a $10 processing fee and the non-refundable software usage fee. No refunds will be issued for withdrawals made after registration has officially closed.
 
The tournament director reserves the right to adjust bracket formats and the number of rounds to ensure each team receives a minimum number of games, and groups may be combined or split based on final registration numbers. All start times are subject to change at the director's discretion. Furthermore, all players must use USA Pickleball-approved paddles, and paddle compliance will be checked at the event.
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Companion Corner: Freya, Fudge & Charlotte

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — If looking for the perfect feline pet, why not triple the fun? There's a threesome at Berkshire Humane Society waiting for a family to call their own.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

We highlighted Freya, Charlotte and Fudge last month and they are still looking for their new home together. 

Kittens Fudge and Charlotte and their mother, Freya, have been at the shelter and in a foster home since April. All three have tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), often described as feline HIV/AIDS

Feline/small animal adoption counselor Alyssa Petell introduced us to them. 

"They originally were brought in from animal control. The conditions weren't the best in the home. But when they came in, they were tested positive for feline AIDS (FIV). We do send our kittens normally to foster programs to get socialized with the mom. So they got sent to a foster program for about two months to get socialized," she said.

The shelter preferably would like the three to as a family, and to a home with respectful children that will keep them inside.

"We would prefer if they could all go together, but they are a very sweet trio of kitties. They would have to be indoor only because of them being feline AIDS positive," Petell said. "It is OK for them to go into a home with other cats. We prefer if they go into a home with feline AIDS-positive cats, but even if they are negative for feline AIDS, as long as they're not actively scratching each other and biting each other to transmit it, then it should be OK."

Each cat has their own personality. The two kittens love to play with an abundance of toys; one is shy and the other is outgoing. They both like to curl up and sleep in your lap once they get to know you.

It turns out that Fudge is actually a girl. In our previous article, he was mistakenly identified as a boy. 

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