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Biz briefs: Cosmetologists Sought for Cancer Society Makeover Program
01:35PM / Monday, January 23, 2017
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Look Good Feel Better is a free, non-medical, salon and product-neutral program offered through a collaboration between the American Cancer Society, the Personal Care Products Council Foundation and the Professional Beauty Association.

Looking good: The American Cancer Society is seeking Pittsfield-area volunteer cosmetologists for its Look Good Feel Better program that instructs women who are undergoing cancer treatment beauty, skin care and hair techniques. The program runs at many locations in Massachusets, including Berkshire Hematology Oncology.

Look Good Feel Better is a free, non-medical, salon and product-neutral program offered through a collaboration between the American Cancer Society, the Personal Care Products Council Foundation and the Professional Beauty Association. The program offers complimentary group, individual and online sessions that teach beauty techniques to help cancer survivors face their diagnosis with greater confidence. This year, more than 37,000 Massachusetts residents are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer. Look Good Feel Better is dedicated to improving the quality of life and self-esteem of all women undergoing cancer treatment.

Now running more than 25 years, the Look Good Feel Better program annually serves 50,000 women in the United States with 15,000 workshops. Sessions currently are offered on an ongoing basis at many locations around Massachusetts. Last year in the state the program helped nearly 900 patients. To volunteer as a cosmetologist or to register as a patient, call 800-227-2345.



Delicious partnership: In a marriage of long-standing Berkshire institutions, Hancock Shaker Village and Main Street Hospitality have announced a partnership that will combine their culinary strengths and place them at the epicenter of a formidable food movement in the Berkshires. Main Street Catering and Events, the culinary arm of Main Street Hospitality, will assume management of the Hancock Shaker Village cafe, providing  lunches, dinners, and catering for events and gatherings at the landmark historical site that dates back to 1786.  The alliance will begin with the seasonal opening of Hancock Shaker Village on April 15.

The cafe will be open during all museum hours, as well as for dinner on evenings when events and programs enliven the village. Spearheading the effort will be Brian Alberg, executive chef and vice president of culinary development for Main Street Catering. Alberg, who also oversees food and beverage operations for The Red Lion Inn, is at the forefront of the region's farm to table movement. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y., he has been honored by the James Beard Foundation and for two years was president of Berkshire Grown, an organization dedicated to promoting the support of local farming and strengthening the relationships between local farmers and restaurants.  
 
The partnership coincides with the arrival of Hancock Shaker Village’s new leadership – headed by Jennifer Trainer Thompson, who in addition to having worked in the museum world for almost three decades as one of the champions of Mass MoCA is also the author of a dozen award-winning cookbooks, several of which have been nominated for James Beard awards. Thompson assumed the mantle of president & CEO of Hancock Shaker Village on Jan. 1.



Real report: A report detailing annual 2016 market results in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties and the Shoreline in Connecticut, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York, has just been released by William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty. The 2016 report found increases over 2015 in both unit sales and dollar volume in most of the market areas served by the firm, a trend that has been consistently observed each year since the recession started to wane.

According to the report, the Southern Berkshires ended the year 12 percent above 2015 in units and 8 percent in volume, and witnessed a late year burst in sales between $550,000 and $750,000, a higher end market for that area. Only Fairfield County's figures were more modest, largely resulting from the slower activity in southern county communities like New Canaan, Darien and Westport.

The report commented that the promising recent sales data is mirrored on the national scene, as existing home sales in November reached their highest level since February 2007, according to a National Association of Realtors report released in December. The report also discussed the Federal Reserve’s quarter point December rate hike, only the second in a decade, which has caused mortgage rates to begin to rise with three additional increases expected in 2017. According to the Market Watch, purchasers who are concerned they will lose buying power as mortgage rates continue to creep up in the coming year are already feeling the urgency to become serious participants in the marketplace, with company agents claiming they are busy with buyers who are jumping off the sidelines and into the market in droves—an indication that 2017 is already off to a strong start.

 

The humanity: Dr. Kurt Schagen, owner of New Life Chiropractic, has announced that Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity will once again be the recipient of his annual philanthropic campaign. To support Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, Dr. Schagen will donate all of the proceeds from new patient exams scheduled through his community outreach program.

During community events, as well as part of the Wellness at Work program, new patients can schedule an initial consultation and examination for only $25, of which 100 percent will be donated directly to Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity. In the past year, Schagen has donated more than $2,000 to Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity with total of over $10,000 to other Berkshire County nonprofits. Businesses should contact Britney at New Life Chiropractic at 413-443-3577 to support both Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity and their staff by hosting a wellness event or screening.



The winners are ...: Berkshire Bank has announced the three winners of its Exciting Home Equity Sweepstakes, which ran from Sept. 12 through Nov. 25: They are Craig Walton of Hinsdale, Deborah Robbins of Westfield and Christine Robie of Pittsfield. New and existing Berkshire Bank home equity line of credit or home equity loan customers as of Nov. 25 were entered automatically in the sweepstakes, and individuals were also encouraged to enter the sweepstakes by mail.
 
Three winners were chosen to each receive a prize amount of $2,500. The winners then had the option to receive the funds by check, apply to their existing home equity balance or a deposit into an account.

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