Sarah Todd reports from Lenox.Animal lovers raised their champagne glasses high to toast the 20th anniversary of the Berkshire Humane Society (BHS). On Sunday, October 21, the Cranwell Resort in Lenox was bubbling with enthusiasm for the Berkshire County charity, which has placed over 16,000 homeless pets in permanent homes since its founding in 1992. Purradise, Berkshire County's sole feline-only adoption center, co-sponsored the event. The man of the hour was BHS founder Robert M. Fuster Sr. (pictured at left, flanked by BHS board member Alix Cabral and Gigi Douglas), who ushered the organization through a campaign to raise $5.2 million for the construction of a state-of-the-art shelter that can now house up to 30 dogs and more than 90 cats. The community impact of that shelter was evident in attendees' loving testimonies to their adopted pets and in the artwork by Berkshire County children that decorated Cranwell's walls: paintings of blue-eyed huskies, shy rabbits, and one particularly memorable brown rescue cat named Ina. Guests fortified themselves for the evening's live auction with plates heaped with hummus, grilled vegetables, and tabbouleh, then headed into the ballroom to bid on prizes like a week-long vacation at Turks & Caicos island and a spa package that included four personal training sessions, facials, and massages. Berkshire County cats were not in attendance--big crowds and auction paddles aren't really the feline scene. But a few friendly pups showed formidable stage presence during a closing dance performance by the Olga Dunn Dance Company, appropriately titled "Expressions of Love."
Eric Lugin, Sarah Schiff, and Sergei Fuster; teacher Jessica Lopez and Shelley Holzman.
Carter Luke, president of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with Alex Stewart and Penny Schiller; the BHS's Emily Silver, Claudia Sala, and Lisa Corbett with Jack Corbett.
BHS board president Cindy Bartlett with board secretary Debbie Stone; Kimberly Massimiano and Christopher Nerrie.
Columbia-Greene Humane Society manager Ehren Melius with Purradise manager Danielle Hammell and Feline Services supervisor Erin Starsja.
Claudia Perles and Sara Perles of the Perles Family Foundation; Hevreh president Mark Lefenfeld with Purradise advisory board members Mimi Rosenblatt and Richard Waldberger.
Phil Townsend with BHS staff members Roberta Townsend and Cheryl Truskowski; Purradise staff member Tracy Hoelter and the BHS's Lindsay Hermanski.
The Olga Dunn Dance Company performs with help from a few four-legged friends.
Steve Supranowicz, longtime BHS volunteer Beverly Trowill, John Truskowski, and event committee member Linda Supranowicz; Tom Savage and Linda Savage.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
