Outgoing Northern Berkshire Community Coalition Executive Director Alan Bashevkin introduces the winner of this year's Northern Berkshire Hero Award, Dr. Thomas Hyde, far right.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Alan Bashevkin admitted he likely has learned more than 29 lessons during his 29 years as executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition.
On Wednesday during the organization's annual meeting, he shared three of those lessons in his final remarks, the last he will give as the head of the nonprofit agency.
The first two lessons reference back to the creation of the Coalition 29 years ago.
One, "never underestimate what an established organization can do in helping new organizations and new ideas flourish," he said, crediting Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (then North Adams State College) with supporting the fledgling agency until it was ready to go off on its own.
And two, "stick with what you're doing. Don't stray. Don't give it up when it doesn't look so good. Give it the best chance you can. Stick with your mission," he said.
But it was the third lesson that was most on display at the highly attended meeting at the Williams Inn: "Celebrate your accomplishments as well as your history."
Because even though the meeting was tinged with sadness over the imminent departure of Bashevkin, it was still a celebration of everything the coalition has accomplished over the last year and a look ahead at everything still left to be done.
"What is happening here, right now, right here, at our annual meeting, gives us all the energy to keep us going," he told the crowded room.
So what is happening? Besides the organizational issues regarding the search for a new director (in progress, with a decision targeted for within a couple of months, board President Courtney Shapiro-Van Dusen said) and the team in place during the transition (Liz Boland serving as interim director), the agency's programs continue to thrive and grow.
During the section of the meeting called "Stories of the Coalition," two employees shared successes from the past year.
First to speak was Amber Besaw, the program director of the Family Place. The Family Place, which aims to serve families with the resources, educational and skill-building programming, social activities and supports that they need to build happy, healthy and successful lives, is a success story in itself, as a grant has been secured to keep it operational. And Besaw introduced a client of the Family Place that was a success story in herself: Brittany Latz, a 19-year-old who gave birth to her son when she was only 15.
"She challenged every statistic you have heard about teen parents," Besaw said.
Latz spoke about how the Family Place has helped her, specifically "The Parenting Journey."
"This class changed my life," she said, explaining how the class was more about finding themselves as parents than learning to parent their children.
They were followed by Adam Tobin, a UNITY program associate, who spoke about the importance of the teen writing workshop to providing an outlet to local youths.
"It is truly inspiring," said Tobin, who emphasized the teens have so much creativity already within themselves and just need some adult guidance with infrastructure. "We just have to give them a mic, a stage, a notebook and pen. The rest they do themselves."
One of the biggest celebrations of the annual meeting is the Northern Berkshire Hero Award, given to someone who makes a difference to the community. This year's recipient was retired pediatrician Dr. Thomas Hyde, who, since retiring two years ago, has jumped into helping with endeavors like the Friendship Food Pantry, the Hoosic River Watershed Association and a work group on the heroin epidemic in the region.
"I have so enjoyed the warm feelings I have in working there with other very dedicated volunteers," Hyde said, talking about how much the food pantry serves the community.
Hyde also talked about the heroin work group's accomplishments, including a palm card bearing information on help for treating addiction and a trifold brochure about the misuse of prescription drugs.
North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright summed up his feelings about working with Hyde in his usual entertaining style.
"He is not Tom 'Run and Hide.' He does not hunker down in his 'hideaway.' He's not Tom 'Hide and Go Seek,'" he said. "Tom is always here."
Alcombright was not the only public servant in attendance on Wednesday. The keynote address was given by Marylou Sudders, secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, who oversees half of the state's budget and more than a dozen state agencies. Sudders talked about her philosophies about health — that it encompasses the whole person, both physical and emotional — and the government's role in supporting health among its constituents.
"I just have this belief that government has to reach outside its walls ... and engage communities," she said.
In engaging the Northern Berkshire community on Wednesday, she acknowledged the pain of the last year with the abrupt closing of North Adams Regional Hospital and the attempts since to rebuild health care in North County.
"I know it hurts up here that you lost a hospital. I know that," she said, praising the steps that already have been taken and pledging support for those still to come. "We'll figure out the inpatient. None of us really knows what the end of this story will be."
And Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield, talked about how the coalition helps bridge the often-separate discussions on all the good things about the Berkshires — like culture, nature and education — and all the bad things about the Berkshires - like poverty and addiction.
"The special thing about this place is that they aren't two separate conversations," Downing said. "The glass is both half empty and half full."
He encouraged the coalition and its supporters to continue down that path.
"We have the ability to bring those two stories together," he said. "Thank you for everything you have done and thank you for everything you will do."
What Bashevkin himself will do — and how the coalition will operate without him — remains to be seen. But even as he teared up during the celebration of his agency's accomplishments, he said he knew it would keep moving forward.
"It's hard to walk away from this," he said as he surveyed the crowd. But then he added: "This is a magical moment for us at the coalition."
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Outgoing Northern Berkshire Community Coalition Executive Director Alan Bashevkin introduces the winner of this year's Northern Berkshire Hero Award, Dr. Thomas Hyde, far right.
