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1Berkshire’s Celebrate the Berkshires and Trendsetter Awards Ceremony Returns
After a three-year hiatus 1Berkshire was excited to bring back their signature Celebrate the Berkshires event which was hosted at Berkshire Theater Group’s Colonial Theatre this evening. There were over 200 people present as 1Berkshire honored Mill Town for Putting the Berkshires on the Map and presented the highly coveted 2023 Berkshire Trendsetter Awards. The Trendsetter Awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals whose outstanding achievements and commitment have strengthened the economy and helped the Berkshires grow.
The winners are: In the Enhancing Visitor Engagement category, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health took home the award for bringing new communities to the Berkshires through the diverse health and wellness programs offered. With over 500 programs each year supporting 40,000 people annually, Kripalu is seeing 65% of their guests from out of state.
Balderdash Cellars was named Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year for their continued growth as a destination winery in the Berkshires, producing high-quality wines while transforming their space to become a gathering spot for families and wine enthusiasts, as well as adding an event venue for special occasions and working with the community on a number of collaborations.
Lorena Dus who is currently the Director of Client and Community Services at the Berkshire Immigration Center received the Under 40 Change-Maker award for providing solutions and addressing community challenges with unique perspectives. She has provided humanitarian aid in El Salvador, Peru, and Haiti. She is currently part of the Literacy Network of South Berkshire, Elizabeth Freeman Board of Directors, and the DEI Committee of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council.
The Nonprofit Collaborator award was presented to the Elizabeth Freeman Center for creating a solution to build a safer, healthier, thriving community where everyone can live with dignity and justice; and for offering hope, help, and healing to all experiencing or affected by domestic, dating, and sexual violence through free, accessible, and confidential services.
The Breaking the Mold award was given to Blackshires for developing a BIPOC program in Berkshire County that fosters and cultivates a shared talent pool. Through numerous collaborations, the Blackshires Leadership Accelerator Program enables local municipalities and nonprofits to benefit from a robust development process for emerging leaders.
The Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy award was presented to Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing for creating exciting pharmaceutical/biotech careers for 230 employees who make life-saving and disease-treatment drugs in Lee; and for completing $20M expansion including 4,000 sq-ft of pharmaceutical cleanrooms, robotic work cells, state-of-the-art pharmaceutical water systems, and other equipment.
Closing out the evening, Mill Town was recognized as the special honoree for Putting the Berkshires on the Map in recognition of the investments that they have made in housing, downtown redevelopment and other key Berkshire properties along with their philanthropic support around the region. 1Berkshire wanted to shine a light on this work and honor them for all that they are doing for our community.
In 2016, Mill Town was founded by Dave Mixer with a vision of driving positive business development and community impact throughout our region. Since then, their focus and activities have evolved into a unique blend of traditional investment, impact investment, and sustainable philanthropy. Mill Town is breaking new ground in these areas, seeking to create a model that can be replicated in comparable regions. They work collaboratively to improve our community and region by investing in valuable projects, building connections, and empowering entrepreneurs and are truly deserving of this honor.
1Berkshire thanks everyone who attended the September 14th event and looks forward to continuing the Celebrate the Berkshires tradition in 2024.
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