Market 32, Price Chopper Donate to St. Peter's Hospital ALS Regional Center

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Market 32 and Price Chopper today presented a check for $303,965 to the St. Peter's Hospital ALS Regional Center Lewis Golub MDA/ALS Clinic in Albany, NY. 
 
The funds—which will directly support patients diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)—were raised at the company's annual Lewis Golub Memorial ALS Golf Classic on Sept. 25 at Van Patten Golf Club in Clifton Park, NY.
 
"The ALS Center embodies the values that guided Lewis Golub and our company for generations—service, compassion, and a commitment to improving lives," said Blaine Bringhurst, president of Market 32 and Price Chopper. "Our annual golf outing is more than a fundraiser; it's a way for our teammates, partners, and community to honor his legacy and strengthen the Center's vital work. We're thrilled with the results of this fundraiser and the cumulative support that Market 32 and Price Chopper have helped provide to those living with ALS and their families."
 
St. Peter's Hospital ALS Regional Center provides a comprehensive, specialized blend of services and resources to patients diagnosed with ALS, sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. Since its inception in 2020, the annual golf event has raised over $1,127,500 for the ALS Clinic.
 
"We are profoundly grateful to Market32 and Price Chopper for their generous support of St. Peter's ALS Center," said Peter Semenza, vice president of philanthropy for St. Peter's Health Partners. "Their commitment to philanthropy plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of care for individuals living with Lou Gehrig's disease. Together, we are making strides in St. Peter's mission to provide compassionate support and innovative treatments for those affected by ALS."
 
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BCC Trustees Vote to Hire Hara Charlier as Next President

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Catheryn Chacon Ortega, the alumni appointment, liked how Hara Charlier easily connected with students faculty; Melissa Myers, alumni representative, also noted how comfortable Charlier was with various groups. Charlier, right, was called after the vote and accepted pending negotiations and state approval. 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It wasn't hard for BCC's Board of Trustees to elect a new president from Minnesota on Monday.

One by one, during a special meeting at Berkshire Community College, board members expressed their conviction that Hara Charlier was the best candidate to lead after Ellen Kennedy retires. They unanimously recommended Charlier as the next president of BCC to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education.

"We're not trying to hire a replacement for Dr. Kennedy; We are trying to hire our next leader," Chair Julia Bowen said.

Charlier, currently the president of Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minn., was one of four finalists identified by the Presidential Search Committee who visited the campus. She was not on site, but was called after the vote.

Catheryn Chacon Ortega was impressed by how Charlier connected with students and faculty, as well as her passion and breadth of experience.  

"As the appointed alumni, I put myself in the students' shoes when I was thinking about this, and I think I feel very represented by her, like if I come back as a student here, I think she will be a person that will be open doors to me, to my community, to the immigrant community, to everybody," she said.

Danielle Gonzalez feels Charlier has a "very" clear commitment to the community part of community college, and a deep experience of serving underserved populations, "really just with great enthusiasm."

"I think that in addition to having really deep community college leadership experience, she was able to articulate a very thorough understanding of the issues of the college of Berkshire County, of what those opportunities might look like, and how she would connect what her experience has been with how she could drive the school forward," said Julie Hughes, a newer member of the board.
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