6:30 PM Pot Luck – 7:30 PM Music

52 Maple Hill, West Stockbridge, MA 413-232-7888 Bring along a friend!

Agenda 9/21:  International Day of Peace, an Experience

Join us in an evening of exploring peace within community, relationships, and within. Elfi Six will begin the meeting by leading us in raising the group energy field through sound using gongs, and singing bowls. The topic of peace has many facets, and from this still meditative place of peace we will have discussions and experiences that support peace at all levels.

September  22 at 6:00 p.m.  Berkshire TimeBank Potluck Dinner Wednesday evening at St. Stephen’s Church, 67 East St., Pittsfield, MA.  Existing members, guests and public are encouraged to attend.  Free admission.

September  24 at 10:00 a.m. to noon. Community Coalition Forum at First United Methodist Church. 52 Fenn St., Pittsfield.  Meeting is open to the public. Topic:  “Prioritizing Community Forum Initiatives.”

September 28, Co-Act’s 100^th consecutive weekly meeting!!!! Join us as participants share something meaningful and uplifting with the group. It can be an exercise, story, poetry, an insight. One thing is clear after all these meetings, each one of us holds great wisdom and we are teachers for each other.

October 16,  West Side Farm Project, Harvest Parade, Pittsfield, Robbins Ave, 11:00 a.m.

to 3:00 p.m.

October 29,  Community Coalition Forum, 10:00 a.m. to noon.

November 19, 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., “Municipally Owned Hydro and Wind Energy Generation.” A symposium to access our common wealth for our community.

Every Tuesday: Co-Act Meeting at 6:30 p.m.  52 Maple Hill Rd., West Stockbridge, MA.

Reminder:  Email your agenda suggestions for topics or presenters you would like to see added to our agenda.  Participate in making our meetings meaningful, engaging and fun.

August 18, 6-9 pm.  TimeBank potluck membership party/meeting to be held on Wednesday at the Nutrition Center, 94 West Avenue, in Great Barrington,MA  (http://www.thenutritioncenter.org) TimeBank is a work exchange without money. There is also a farmers’ market that afternoon ending at 6 PM.

August 19 Third Thursday, Pittsfield 5 to 8 PM, Co-Act will be giving free tea and other free treats. We will be on the corner of North and East St.

Every Tuesday: Co-Act Meeting at 6:30 pm.  52 Maple Hill Rd., West Stockbridge.  Reminder:  Email your agenda suggestions for topics or presenters you would like to see added to our agenda.  Participate in making our meetings meaningful, engaging and fun.

The Food Net: Co-Act is the main supplier of fresh produce to the meal sites in Central and Southern Berkshire County.  Our program has expanded and Co-Act could use volunteer drivers one morning a week, either on Tues, Wed, or Thurs from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Paul@co-act.org

August 3, Creating Art, Posters and Having Fun Meeting  Tuesday, 6:30 PM Pot Luck – 7:30 PM Meeting 52 Maple Hill, West Stockbridge, Phone: 413-232-7888 .

Making signs, posters and displays for the Zucchini Fest, Aug 14 and Third Thursday, Aug 19.

August 10, Tues: Music Jam and Dance at Co-Act weekly meeting.

Food Net Volunteer Request:  Co-Act is the main supplier of fresh produce to the meal sites in Central and Southern Berkshire County. Our program has expanded and Co-Act could use volunteer drivers one morning a week, either Tues, Wed, or Thur. from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Paul@co-act.org

Meeting  Tuesday, July 27: Affordable Housing and Homelessness 6:30 PM Pot Luck – 7:30 PM Meeting 52 Maple Hill, West Stockbridge, Phone: 413-232-7888 Bring along a friend!

We are fortunate to have a local housing expert, Tim Geller from the Community Development Corporation of Southern Berkshire County to address our meeting. This discussion will help us develop an action strategy including previous input from two other Co-Act meetings on shelters and community land trusts. Be sure to attend if you have interest in this community development topic.

Upcoming events:

August 3, Tues:  Poster Party Co-Act Meeting @ 6:30 pm

Making signs, posters and displays for the Zucchini Fest, Aug 14 and Third Thursday, Aug 19.

August 10, Tues: Music Jam and Dance Co-Act Meeting @ 6:30 pm

Every Tuesday: Co-Act Meeting at 6:30 pm.  52 Maple Hill Rd. West Stockbridge.

Reminder:  Email your agenda suggestions for topics or presenters you would like to see added to our agenda. Participate in making our meetings meaningful, engaging and fun.

July 6 Tuesday: 6:30 PM Pot Luck – 7:30 PM the Music Begins 52 Maple Hill, West Stockbridge, MA Phone: 413-232-7888

Music Jam and Dance

Bring your dancing clothes and musical or percussion instruments!  Ted Pierce will be with us performing, and orchestrating any and all willing musicians!  Enjoy the opportunity to perform, contribute, and express yourself. There is room to dance when the rhythm moves you!  Invite your friends for a fun evening.

Co-Act Meeting July 13:  Meeting on transitional housing legislation.

Third Thursday July 15:  Join the Co-Act table, meet people, hand out free tea, have community fun on North Street in Pittsfield.

Every Tuesday: Co-Act Meeting at 6:30 pm.  52 Maple Hill Rd. West Stockbridge.

Reminder:  Email your agenda suggestions for topics or presenters you would like to see added to our agenda. Participate in making our meetings meaningful, engaging and fun.

Preparation for 4/30 Coalition Forum and Co-Act Positioning 6:30 PM Pot Luck – 7:30 PM Meeting

Directions:  Take Rt. 102 through the center of West Stockbridge toward NY.  Where Rt. 102 and 41 split, turn left on 102 for one mile.  Turn left on Maple Hill for 1.2 miles. House is on right, # 52    Phone: 413-232-7888

Agenda for 4/27 Community Coalition Forum Preparation for 4/30 Meeting: We will review assignments and facilitation skills for the group brainstorming process used at the meeting.  Main Topic:  Homelessness. The meeting will be at Crissey Farm, Great Barrington, MA. Set up starts at 11:00 am.  Attendance is limited to representatives of organizations participating in social services, and Co-Act staff.

Positioning of Co-Act in the Community: We have several analogies and images associated with Co-Act’s activities that create a position in the community. Help us decide the stance Co-Act will take

April 28: 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Community Calendar Launch Party at the Red Lion Inn this Wednesday! Paul Deslauriers, on behalf of Berkshire Co-Act, will be one of the guest speakers at the Launch Party for the calendar.  Join us at the Red Lion Inn on Wednesday, April 28th for the calendar launch party with complimentary appetizers and cash bar.

May 1:  11:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Community Garden Party:  Live music, food, education, and fun at 148 Robbins Avenue, Pittsfield MA.

The Westside Farm Project, in collaboration with the Westside Initiative’s Community Garden Committee, is hosting its 2^nd Annual Spring Kickoff Event on May 1^st starting at 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Robbins Avenue will be closed to traffic to facilitate a block-party atmosphere.  There will be children’s activities such as face painting, crafts and seed planting.  Food will be provided by Lucia.  The stage line-up begins at 11:00 am and is as follows:

Meeting Agenda for Tuesday, March 30 Co-Act Funding Options

Agenda for 3/30  Co-Act Funding Options

• Critique of 3/26 Community Coalition Forum
• Discussion of the challenge of soliciting funds from the, “Berkshire United Way” (BUW) and why our proposals for the Community Coalition Forum and the Berkshire Food Net (see below) were eliminated despite the overwhelming success of the pilot programs. The leadership of the BUW has removed them from consideration before it goes to proposal evaluation committees.

These programs are worthy of consideration and impacts a large population of Central and Southern Berkshire County. The Forum in three months has made big strides with the most pressing issues for health and human services: a transportation pool, community calendar, collaborative events, and next month homelessness.  How can we address this issue, as BUW is our region’s major local funding source?

• There are other funding opportunities we will discuss for the Food Net, Community Coalition Forum, and Energy Net. We have just received the support of two grant writers, so other doors will open. We also have a proposal to the City or Pittsfield for our Community Coalition Forum and will be presenting on Community Access TV on April 7.

Understanding Money, April 1Thursdays at the Friends Meeting House will be a free class from 7:15 to 9:30  and for a subsequent seven weeks beginning on April 29^th through June 10^th followed by a seminar on June 17, 2010.

Upcoming Events

Every Tuesday Co-Act Meeting at this address.  Reminder:  Email your agenda suggestions you would like to see as topics and presenters. Participate in making our meetings meaningful, engaging and fun.

Community Forum: 4/30, Main Topic: Homelessness. The meeting will be at Crissey Farm, Great Barrington, MA, Lunch 12 to 1 PM, Meeting 1 to 3 PM, Networking 3 to 4 PM

Credit Card Debt Options 6:30 PM Pot Luck – 7:30 PM Meeting

Directions: Take Rt. 102 through the center of West Stockbridge toward NY. Where Rt. 102 and 41 split, turn left on 102 for one mile. Turn left on Maple Hill for 1.2 miles. House is on right, # 52   Phone: 413-232-7888

Agenda for 3/23 Credit Card Debt Options and Coalition Meeting Prep

• Our next community coalition Forum is 3/26; we will do some planning and assign tasks.
• Credit card interest rates are as high as 36% and many are caught in a cycle of debt. We will explore successful ways to reduce payments and fees, or even eliminate the debt.

Understanding Money, March 25^th

Thursdays at the Friends Meeting House from 7:15 to 9:30 beginning on March 11^th and running for seven weeks through April 15^th and then for a subsequent seven weeks beginning on April 29^th through June 10^th followed by a presenters seminar on June 17, 2010

Every Tuesday Co-Act Meeting at this address.  Reminder:  Email your agenda suggestions you would like to see as topics and presenters. Participate in making our meetings meaningful, engaging and fun.

Community Forum: 3/26, First United Methodist Church, Pittsfield, Lunch 12 to 1 PM, Meeting 1 to 3 PM, Networking 3 to 4 PM

Meeting Agenda for Tuesday, March 16

Developing the Food Net for Central and Southern Berkshire

Agenda for 3/16 Developing Five Local Food Sources

We will develop strategies for the five avenues of food access to our local pantries and meal sites. The results from our pilot program in 2009 follows.

• Community Gardens. Last year community gardens were harvested weekly, and supplied an average of 230 pounds of fresh organic kale, lettuce, Swiss chard, beets, cucumbers, beans, and more. This project’s output was very positive, as the Food Net became the main source of nutritious food for two Pittsfield meal sites from our initial program. This abundance of fresh vegetables came from two gardens, Project Sprout in Great Barrington and West Side Farm in Pittsfield, and we are looking to expand.
• “Grow an Extra Row”. The home garden pilot was also successful. Each garden in our pilot donated 30 pounds of fresh produce weekly. This program is ready to be promoted in the community at garden supply stores and through other means. A schedule of regular pickups will be part of the program.
• Restaurants, Resorts, and Grocery Stores. Three of our pilot program events received generous donations of food from fourteen restaurants, one being a Martin Luther King Day and two others at Community Coalition meetings.  Several restaurants are willing to be a regular contributor to the Food Net. This will not interfere with your existing food donation system.
• “Buy One, Leave One”. In our pilot program for grocery stores, the Food Net collected at four locations over a one week period, 1,800 pounds of donated non-perishable food. With another pilot acquiring 2,400 pounds
• Local Farmers. Significant contributions are available from local farmers. One is raising cattle for the Food Net another certified butcher is providing his service, and several others are offering their fields for second harvests.

Community engagement is also part of the Food Net. There are volunteers involved in community gardens, helping with transportation, and marketing. Co-Act has seventy two volunteers registered and we are also a RSVP hub.  Volunteers are an asset we will utilize in making these five avenues productive in Central and Southern Berkshire County.

Upcoming Events

Every Tuesday Co-Act Meeting at this address.  Reminder:  Email your agenda suggestions you would like to see as topics and presenters. Participate in making our meetings meaningful, engaging and fun.

Community Forum: 3/26, First United Methodist Church, Pittsfield, Lunch 12 to 1 PM, Meeting 1 to 3 PM, Networking 3 to 4 PM

With warm regard,

Paul

6:30 PM Pot Luck – 7:30 PM Meeting The Art of Brainstorming, and Preparing the Community Forum

Hear what the experts recommend for group brainstorming and explore how we use this insight in our group discussions, and during break out groups at coalition meetings.

Learn group facilitation skills and discuss lessons from first our first community forum.

Plan the 2/26 Community Forum for Central and Southern Berkshire County. We have Crissey Farm in Great Barrington hosting our event, a thank you for their community contribution. We will alternate locations every month to the First United Methodist in Pittsfield. We need to plan restaurants, set-up and clean up. Please sign up to volunteer, time ranges from 11 AM to 5 PM.

52 Maple Hill, West Stockbridge, MA

Directions: Take Rt. 102 through the center of West Stockbridge toward NY. Where Rt. 102 and 41 split, turn left on 102 for one mile. Turn left on Maple Hill for 1.2 miles. House is on right, # 52   Phone: 413-232-7888

Driveway use for vehicles with good snow tires, otherwise park on road (house side).