Some of the many attendees of Berkshire United Way’s Greylock Society Reception on Wednesday, July 19 at Bousquet Mountain Lodge. Photos by Shaw Israel Izikson.
Pittsfield — It was a celebration of the good works of donors and organizations as Berkshire United Way held its annual Greylock Society Reception at Bousquet Mountain Lodge on Wednesday, July 19.
According to its website, the nonprofit organization, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, funds other organizations and programs throughout Berkshire County. “This event is a chance to thank volunteers, our donors, and recognize folks in the community who have made a tremendous impact through their giving and their service,” Organization President and CEO Thomas Bernard said in an interview with The Berkshire Edge. “Our donors and volunteers are the lifeblood of what we do at our organization. Our ability to invest in the community relies on the generosity of people in the community, including our lead donors and our corporate partners coming together. We had about 3,000 individual and institutional donors last year, and every dollar we raise supports our investment into the community. What is equally important is the work that we do to help organizations solve problems for them to get stronger.”
At the event, the Nicholas Boraski Leaders in Philanthropy Award was given to Lawrence and Rosemary Harnett. “One of the signs that you are honoring the right folks is that they are people who don’t seek out the spotlight,” Benard said. “They are really honoring us by allowing us to recognize them for their service to the community and their donations.”
The award was established in 2005 by the organization and awards an individual or couple who leads by personal example and financial commitment and has demonstrated a dedication to improving the quality of life for residents in the community.
The couple moved from New York City to Berkshire County in the late 1990s, when Lawrence accepted a role on the legal team at General Electric Plastics, which was eventually incorporated into SABIC Innovative Plastics. He eventually became the global general counsel for the company.
“Larry was my colleague, boss, mentor, and friend,” Berkshire United Way Board of Directors Chair Laurie Gallagher said at the event as she introduced the award. “He was not just there for me professionally, but also across so many aspects of my life, including parenthood and involvement in community philanthropy. Both Larry and Rosemary exemplify the spirit of this award for their dedication to supporting our community and working with other organizations to improve the lives of children and counter regional inequalities. They are both genuinely wonderful, caring, and generous human beings.”
“I don’t think it’s deserved, but we’ll take it,” Lawrence Harnett joked in accepting the award. “I would be remiss not to say how honored we are to get an award in the name of Ruth and Nicholas Boraski. They are the model for what has lasted for years in this community and have been for the past 30 to 40 years, so it is humbling to get an award in their name.”
Harnett proceeded to thank the donors who attended the event. “You are all the heart and soul of the donor base,” Harnett said. “I just want to ask you to please keep up the donations because the needs are great and growing, but the impact of the donations is great. When people ask me ‘Why do you give?’ I’m not so naive as to think that I could have been one of those underprivileged kids on the west side of Pittsfield. We must try to raise these kids. We’re not going to get them all, but every contribution we make towards the ladder of success helps to break the cycle of poverty in this country.”
Organization leaders who attended the event also stressed the importance of donations and Berkshire United Way. “We are incredibly grateful for everything [Berkshire] United Way does for us,” Berkshire Nursing Families Executive Director Christine Callahan said. “We wouldn’t have our programming without the support of the donors. We provide lactation and parenting support, and we also have programs that support families in the community. All of our services are provided free of charge, so we are 100 percent reliant on the generosity of our community.”
Greenagers Executive Director Will Conklin said that Berkshire United Way has been a community partner to the organization for over 10 years. “They have always been there for us, and they are willing to help and also have been willing to offer resources to make sure organizations succeed financially,” Conklin said. “They are supporting a ton of good works in the community, and we hope they will continue to do that because we need all of the social and human resources that we can get.”
At the July 19 event, the organization announced its grants to 28 organizations for Fiscal 2024. For this year, Berkshire United Way is now using an operating support model which will allow the organizations to apply for a grant to support their mission in any way they see fit. “We wanted to provide more power to the organizations that we fund, because they are the ones who are really the experts when it comes to their organizations,” Berkshire United Way Director of Community Impact
Katherine von Haefen said. “They still have to meet our metrics in our three priority areas: early childhood development, positive youth development, and economic prosperity.”
Grants were awarded by Berkshire United Way to the following organizations, which previously received support: 18 Degrees, Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire County Head Start, Berkshire County Kids’ Place, Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Berkshire Nursing Families, Berkshire Pulse, Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Berkshire Theatre Group, Child Care of the Berkshires, Community Health Programs, Dalton Community Recreation Association, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Flying Cloud, Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, Greenagers, Lee Public Schools, Pediatric Development Center, Railroad Street Youth Project, Roots Rising, and Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires.
The Berkshire United Way also awarded grants to the following new partner agencies: Literacy Network of South Berkshire (LitNet), NAMI Berkshire County, Rites of Passage and Empowerment (R.O.P.E.), and Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds Inc.
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