Since Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino announced the creation of The One Fund last week, more than $23 million and counting has been raised to help the people most affected by recent attacks near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
Much of the fund consists of the $16 million donated from corporations, but more than $7 million has been raised through donations from the public.
And in the Berkshires, people are doing their part.
At a fundraiser held on the campus of Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield Thursday, a student art sale was held. The “Mile of Prints” sale featured works from students over the past 32 years.
Benigna Chilla is a former printmaking instructor at the college and an organizer of the event.
"At the end of each course, the students would always do an edition, and one piece of the edition would go to the department," said Chilla, "since prints were around I thought it would be the perfect idea to sell these prints."
Prints were sold with a minimum donation of $2. Chilla said that some of her former students from over the years stopped by and actually discovered their own artwork up for sale.
Barbara Hochberg, an employee of the college, stopped by the table of student artwork to make a donation…
Hochberg said that she had already donated to the One Fund for Boston but said that "this is just another way to help."
Susan Hartung also found some student art work that caught her eye…
She said that she hopes that a portion of the donations to the One Fund are used to help encourage runners to attend the Boston Marathon next year.
Other fundraisers will also be held in the region for The One Fund. A pasta dinner will be held at Epoch Assisted Living at Melbourne in Pittsfield next week. Elaine McNabb, a spokesperson for the assisted living center, said that she hopes the actions taken by residents of Western Massachusetts and beyond show solidarity with Boston.
"It affirms them knowing that there are other people out there that care very much about them," said McNabb.
For more information visit: https://secure.onefundboston.org/page/-/donate7.html
https://secure.onefundboston.org/page/-/donate5.html
