Nonprofit Awards Breakfast Slated for May 22

PITTSFIELD -- The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires in partnership with The Berkshire Eagle is set to hold the first Berkshire Nonprofit Awards on Tuesday, May 22nd at Country Club of Pittsfield from 8-10 a.m. Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli will Emcee the inaugural awards ceremony honoring 21 finalists and announcing the winner in each of 7 categories including: Executive Leadership, Board Member, Super Staffer, Unsung Hero, Rising Star, Volunteer and Lifetime Achievement. Tickets for the breakfast, networking and awards presentation are $40.

When asked about her work, “Lifetime Achievement” finalist, Deborah Parkington of the Elizabeth Freeman Center, said, "To enact social change we need to be connected. Working for a nonprofit has afforded me the opportunity to connect with multiple agencies throughout Berkshire County and to learn about the many rich resources and opportunities that are available here. Non-profits provide many of the necessary services that our communities need to grow and thrive, and in my personal experience, the people that you find doing this work and volunteering at non-profit organizations are some of the most passionate, interesting, motivated, social-change oriented individuals that you'll find--with incredible personal histories and reasons for doing the work.”

There are over one thousand nonprofits in Berkshire County – the highest per capita in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Berkshire nonprofit sector is a significant economic driver as well. According to NPC founder Liana Toscanini, “This awards event recognizes the nonprofit sector’s greatest assets – its people.”

Tickets are available online through May 15 at npcberkshires.org. To order by phone call (413) 645-3151.

(press release sent to WSBS from Liana Toscanini for online and on-air use)