Carole, thank you for a great article!

I fully understand the challenges of restoration and the difficulty of finding a business model that makes restoration economically viable. It’s a real problem that Ventfort Hall has faced for decades. When we were looking for alternatives for our Carriage House, which is in dire condition and ready to fall over, we consulted with Paul Holtz at MHC to determine whether we could carefully take it down and catalog all materials for an eventual rebuild when finances would allow. Paul’s response was, “Demolition by neglect or any other means is not an option.” Those words forever burned into my brain. We are blessed to have partnered with Dave Carver to do adaptive reuse while maintaining as much of the original building fabric as possible.

It seems Spring Lawn should be held to the same standard.

It’s a shame we don’t have more public and private support for this work, since we are in a region with a disproportionate stock of these buildings and will forever be grappling with these questions. We want to preserve the history and stories, but leave the funding to owners, whether they are nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, or private owners, who, when they look at the math, realize it’s nearly impossible to see a return on the needed investments. This is an opportunity to shine light on this issue and find ways to work across sectors to bring more funding support for restoration.

Best wishes,
Wendy

Note: Wendy Healey is Executive Director, Ventfort Hall

To the Editor:

This comment in the Stockbridge Update is of concern, “Change is inevitable, and for better or worse, as a country, we are changing.. How the government collects and spends money reflects our values.” I am curious what is for better. If your foundation is reacting to the cutbacks by raising money rather than fighting like hell – that is a misuse of private donor funds–that end up supporting less government funding on preservation and more govt corruption. I am sure that is not your intention, but it sure feeds the current “worse”

Dena Fisher

Hello Dena

BPI is founded with the mission to help nonprofits. That is unrelated to availability of government funds. One is not related to the other, however, Samantha Anderson, Director, Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires, said today our nonprofits, are in “dire straights” because of government cuts in funding. If you would like to discuss further — reach out.

Carole

Carole: Thanks for your response. I understand….no need for further discussion…we agree on “dire straights” and maybe even what donors need to think about. Dena

Hello, After I read the August 14th commentary (Moderates Caught on the Horns of the “Horseshoe”, I realized that Ms Owens would find my thoughts in a poem I wrote about the same subject quite in sync with her commentary. I’d like to send her the poem, but I’m not comfortable putting my name out in public, such as in your newspaper in a letter to the editor. (I’m not even on Facebook). I express strong opinions in my poems and don’t want to get threatening replies of any sort to what I write. There are a lot of angry people out there, as you (and Ms Owens) know, but I’m 83 years old and not “made of sterner stuff”.

I’d much appreciate you asking her if she would be amenable to allowing me to email the poem to her directly. If so, either she or you could send it to me.

Thanks so much for your help, anonymous.

Dear –

Please send your poem. I am happy to post it without your name. I do understand and know first-hand how folks retaliate when we write something they don’t like.

Carole