The Rural We: Margie Metzger
Margie Metzger has had an astounding number of careers and positions.
Being open to possibilities, curious and a possessing a willingness to take on challenges have lead Margie Metzger into an astonishing number of careers and positions. Originally from New Jersey, she received a master’s degree in social work and acquired her ACSW. She was working as a psychotherapist and decided she wanted to change professions, so she moved to the Berkshires in 1979 to study exercise therapy and myotherapy with Bonnie Purdden in Stockbridge. But that was just the start of the Pittsfield resident’s shape-shifting career.
I met my husband, a periodontist, here and had my children. I’d started a prenatal and mother/infant exercise class program for Berkshire Medical Center, and opened a myotherapy center, but without any backup, I had to close that down. I also taught senior exercise classes for the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires and in other places throughout the Berkshires.
In 1990, when the Soviet Union was allowing people to leave, the Berkshires was asked to take in refugees. There was a feasibility study done to see if that was realistic, and it was, but there needed to be a paid person to be in charge. I applied for that position, and being a social worker, got the job, so I served as head of the Soviet resettlement for nine years. I was asked to be on the Hebrew school committee at Congregation Knesset Israel, and the director, who had a background in theater and film, had the idea to do a small Jewish film festival. I knew nothing about film, but volunteered to run it. It was small for a few years, and we had to figure out how to step up the game. Three years later, we moved it from Knesset Israel, where 30 to 40 people would show up, to the Duffin Theater in Lenox, which now sells out. I ended up being the artistic director — and everything else — for 30 years.
I was always interested in mediation, but I didn’t know where to get training. About 10 years ago I found a place, and decided that’s what I wanted to do. Now I mediate in court in North Adams and also privately. I work with criminal, civil and small claims cases, and do divorce, family and community mediation.
For 19 years my husband and I were caregiving for our parents. That was a major part of our lives. So right now I’m not actively looking for another opportunity. I’m still involved in fitness activities, though. During the winter, I go to the gym at Berkshire Community College almost every day. In the summertime, we do a lot of walking, swimming and tennis, and sculling at Onota Lake.
