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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Wahconah Students Join Statewide 'SOS' Call for Rural School Funding

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

DALTON, Mass. — Students at Wahconah Regional High School are urging the state to fully fund Rural School Aid that supports essential services that shape their future.
 
Rural districts across the state participated in Rural and Declining Enrollment Schools Week of Action to insist Beacon Hill fully fund rural aid at $60 million. 
 
Schools across Massachusetts sent their pleas for aid to lawmakers through letter-writing campaigns, sign-making, and coordinated gatherings where students and educators formed the letters "SOS."

Wahconah students did something different — they created an educational video detailing the need for increased funding for rural schools with the school's music teacher Brian Rabuse, who edited the video, Assistant Superintendent Aaron Robb said. 

The advocacy efforts move the issue from spreadsheets to show the human cost of a funding formula previously described as "remarkably wrong." 
 
During an interview with iBerkshires, students expressed how districts without rural aid would have to make reductions in world language programing, mental health support, extracurricular opportunities, and other areas they find essential. 
 
"Our students deserve the same quality of education as any child in Massachusetts, regardless of their ZIP code," Superintendent Mike Henault said in apress release.
 
"The week of action is an opportunity for our communities to come together and make it clear to Beacon Hill that the status quo is no longer acceptable." 
 
Rural schools attempt to create the same quality education as urban and suburban areas while balancing high fixed costs of transportation and operations of geographically large, low-population districts.
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