On Saturday June 8, The Trustees of Reservations invite area residents to an opening day celebration as the Folly tour season begins. The Folly at Field Farm is a property of The Trustees of Reservations, and is located at 554 Sloan Road in South Williamstown. The opening day celebration is free of charge and includes a house tour, an outdoor sculpture tour, a walk around the pond, and refreshments. Tours of the Folly begin at 12:00 PM and conclude at 1:30 PM. The sculpture tour begins at 12:30 PM with a short walk on the Pond Trail beginning at 1:00 PM. Refreshments are served at 1:30PM.

New this year, the George Rickey mobile originally hanging in the Folly has been returned on loan from the Williams College Museum of Art. Additionally, other works from the Lawrence Bloedel collection are hanging within the Folly. Also, visitors are welcome to explore the outdoor sculpture garden, picnic by the beaver pond, stroll the gentle trails through woods and fields, and enjoy the unsurpassed views of Mount Greylock. Thirteen modern sculptures, including works by Richard M. Miller and Herbert Ferber, are sited in the garden.

“The Folly is a great example of mid-twentieth-century modernism,” says volunteer guide Roger Gutwillig. “It is a gem of modern art and architecture in a natural setting,” he adds. “It was built in the 1960s and we call it the youngest historic house museum in New England.” Property Superintendent Jim Caffrey adds “the craftsmanship required to construct this building is exceptional. If for no other reason people will be interested in seeing modern craftsmanship unlike any they have probably seen before.”

After June 8, the Folly will be open on the second and fourth Saturdays through September: June 22, July13 and 27, August 10 and 24, and September 14 and 28. Admission to the Folly is $5 per adult and free for children and for Trustees members and for residents of Williamstown. The trails are free and open daily year round from dawn to dusk.

The Field Farm Guest House provides overnight accommodations to visitors.

If you have questions or require directions, contact The Trustees of Reservations at Field Farm Guest House 413.458.3135.

Join us on Friday, June 14th at 8:30am for a full breakfast as Dr. Francine Lajoie of Living Well discusses topics on wellness at Williamstown Commons.  While there in no cost for this event, registration is required and seating is limited.  Please contact the Chamber at 458-9077 or info@williamstownchamber.com to register.

Dr. Francine Lajoie started practicing chiropractic in 1997. She attended Champlain Regional College in Lennoxville, Quebec and then McGill University in Montreal. She then attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, from which she graduated magna cum laude in 1996 with her Doctor of Chiropractic. She also holds a Bachelor in Science.

She opened Living Well Chiropractic, Nutrition and Massage in North Adams, MA in 2000 to offer the community an alternative to the traditional allopathic medical facilities.

Since 2007, Dr. Lajoie has pursued an intensive study of clinical nutrition with master clinicians including Doctors Freddie Ulan, and Dr. Lori Puskar. She is an ACT (Advanced Clinical Training) Graduate of the Ulan Nutrition Systems program and continues her studies at advanced nutritional clinics annually.

Dr. Lajoie lives in the Berkshires of Western MA with her husband Jay Walsh, who is also a partner in the Living Well practice, and their two girls, Naomie age 6, and Jenna age 3.

Join us at Hops & Vines as we Explore Italy!  The Travel Store of Williamstown and the Chamber are offering a great opportunity to all Chamber members and their employees – A TRIP TO ITALY in the Spring of 2014!

Come to Hops & Vines on Wednesday, June 5  from 4-6pm to learn all about this exciting opportunity!  Complimentary food and cash bar will be provided.

Riverfest, HooRWA’s annual celebration of the Hoosic River and its watershed, will be held Saturday May 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cole Field on the Williams College campus in Williamstown, MA. Activities will include rafting (if water levels permit), Native American games and drumming, live music by MoCA Jam, riverside art works, kids’ activities, nature walks, exhibits, and more. Attendees can participate in raffles for a kayak, a mountain bike, fly fishing equipment, and Nature’s Closet and Gear Den gift certificates. Admission/raffle tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the gate. (Advance tickets are on sale at the Williamstown Savings Bank in Williamstown.) Children 10 and under get in free.

Riverfest is made possible by title sponsor Williamstown Savings Bank, and major sponsors the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire (a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council), North Adams Regional Hospital, Alton & Westall Real Estate, and the Williams College Center for Environmental Studies.  Thanks go also to The Advocate and the North Adams Transcript. Proceeds benefit HooRWA’s river restoration, monitoring, and education programs.

Enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner – dessert included – while supporting your community! Join the Rotary Club of Williamstown for their Spring Spaghetti Supper at the Williamstown Commons on Thursday May 30th from 5-7PM.

The Rotary members will be serving spaghetti, meatballs, sausage, tossed salad, garlic bread, dessert, punch and coffee.

The meal is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and children under 12 are $5.

Funds raised through this supper will benefit local community and youth programs including scholarships for local students.

Support the MountainOne Relay for Life Team on Wednesday, May 15 at 5pm at our Chamber Night!

Join the Chamber as we support the MountainOne team at the Red Herring, 46 Spring Street, Williamstown, on Wednesday, May 15, beginning at 5pm.

TrueNorth Financial Advisor, Jason Dohaney, will be on-hand as your celebrity bartender.  As he serves up your favorite libations, be sure to tip him well -  ALL GRATUITIES WILL SUPPORT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.

Cash bar & light food will be provided.

A new “Berkshire coalition” seeks to provide support to the
victims and families of the Boston Marathon bombing by way of a
fundraising campaign throughout June.

Announcing the effort at a Friday press conference at the former Firehouse
Cafe on Park Street, organizer Fidel Moreno said the campaign’s going to
kick off rock ‘n’ roll style with a June 1 concert at Bowe Field.

Moreno, who lost a 9-year-old brother when he was 12, said he was moved to
action by the death of 8-year-old Martin Richard in the April 15 attack.

“[After the attacks], I was thinking about his family and what they must be
going through,” he said. “All of a sudden an idea came to create a
different kind of support through a fundraiser.”

Moreno’s brainchild, called the B4B (Berkshires for Boston) One Fund, calls
for donations from local businesses of 4 percent of sales on June 1, that
entire week or month-long.

Donations from Merchants or businesses go straight into the  ONE FUND, “no
middleman or entity involved, all donations will be collected
“based on the honor system” — meaning no one’s keeping tabs. Donors can
give what they’ve pledged or what they can. Individuals and families can
also participate.

According to Moreno, Boston’s One Fund collected $22 million in donations
in the 11 days after the attack, but the medical costs for the two
hundred-plus injured that day are expected to exceed $60 million.

The benefit concert at Bowe Field on June 1 is scheduled from noon to 6
p.m. and involves more than 10 performers.

These include vocalist Mary Verdi, Sabrina Lewis, International Day of
Peace Speaker Michael Johnson, Karma Fund, magician Sandy Rhoades,
acoustic guitar player David Reed, , harmonizing women’s duo, June and the
Bee, songwriter James Durst, the Otha Day Drumming Circle, speaker Mark
Rondeau of the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Coalition, Wolf Cry and One
Way Out.

Bounti-Fare Restaurant is catering, and a variety of town nonprofits and
businesses also plan to participate. The Red Cross will also attend, taking
blood donations.

“This fits in so well with the legacy of Susan B. Anthony,” said Colleen E.
Janz, executive director of the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum on East
Road. “Let’s pull together and help the B4B.”

“I think it’s so important that people come together, not just locally but
throughout the nation, to help people in peril,” said Selectman Joseph
Nowak.

Patricia Wojcik, president of the Adams Agricultural Fair, which will
donate the use of the field for the concert, said “Bowe Field was
developed for these purposes.”

“We’ll be there for you,” she added. ” … Most of what you’ll see at Bowe
Field will be the result of the generosity of this town.”

Johnny Snyder of the band Karma Fund, activists for peace, said music
crosses all cultural and language borders.

“We’re taking out passion and giving it purpose,” he said. Snyder earlier
played at the United Nations during the International Day of Peace on
Sept. 21.

Moreno said he’d like to unite all of Berkshire County for the event, and
he plans to spread the word all Berkshire county businesses via
word-of-mouth and social media.

“I’m hoping that we can build all kinds of layers of communication and
join together as a county to support marathon victims in their healing and
rehab” he said.

Join the gang at the Tavern at the Williams Inn!

Betsy Colt – piano (John Halsey, Williams ’59 and
WRJB pianist will be sitting in for Betsy this month)
Barbara Dreiwitz – tuba
Dick Dreiwitz – trombone
John Blackmer- banjo and gut bucket
“Mo” Rancourt – trumpet and vocals
Bob Kingsbury – clarinet

The full season is as follows:

May 22, June 19, July 17, August 14 & September 18 7-9pm

RSVP: 413-458-9371  They’re planning on a full house, so get your reservation early!

The Orchards Hotel will host the Berkshire Community Action Council’s Grown in the Berkshires Gala on Tuesday, May 21 at 6pm.  Chef Chris Bonnivier has teamed up with numerous Berkshire County chef’s to serve up a wonderful evening of culinary delight – with a cause!

Enjoy the delicious delights from:

• Williams College Dining Services
• The Purple Pub
• Gala Steakhouse & Bistro
• The Red Lion Inn
• Firefly
• Chocolate Springs
• And MORE!

For tickets, please call 413-663-3014

Gentle and Restorative Yoga for Cancer Survivors at Frog Lotus Yoga.  Monday May 13th, 11am – 12 noon.  189 Beaver Street (Rt. 8), North Adams.   $5 suggested donation.  Gentle and restorative yoga is great for people who have experienced cancer because it promotes relaxation and boosts immunity. NARH is sponsoring yoga workshop for women who have experienced cancer, appropriate for women in cancer treatment and long-time survivors.  For more information, please contact Adriane Strolle, NARH Breast Health Program Manager at astrolle@nbhealth.org (413) 664-5170, or Stephanie Williams, Frog Lotus Yoga Studio Manager at froglotusdesk@gmail.com or 413-664-8686.