BerkShares to Host 2nd Annual
Wants & Needs Silent Auction and Spirit Tasting

BerkShares, the Berkshires’ very own internationally famous local currency, is hosting a special evening of food & spirits and a silent auction to suit the times: emphasizing necessity items from oil changes to cordwood as well as one-of-a-kind experiences that are virtually priceless. This festive event takes place Saturday, August 22, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Crissey Farm, behind the Barrington Brewery on Route 7 in Great Barrington, and includes a wine and beer tasting as well as plentiful hors d’oeuvres.
 
Forget fundraiser auctions offering things that will break your budget and clutter your house. In this economic climate, everybody’s focused on keeping the fridge stocked and the lights on. Which is what makes the “needs” aspect of the BerkShares auction so very timely. Thanks to the generosity of our small businesses and community members, you can get things you need—oil changes, acupuncture, yard work, cord wood—while helping to keep BerkShares a vibrant part of our economy.
 
Beyond needs there are always wants, and here’s just a sampling of the one-of-a-kind experiences you can only get here: a four-hour cooking lesson with chef Brian Alberg at the Red Lion Inn; farm tour and goat cheese from Rawson Brook Farm; tour of W.E.B. DuBois sites with local historian Bernard Drew; tour and three-bottle gift pack from Berkshire Mountain Distillers; lunch with State Representative Smitty Pignatelli; cross-country ski with Deep Economy author Bill McKibben.
 
The event will also feature beer, wine, and spirit tastings from Furnace Brook Winery, Barrington Brewery, Pittsfield Brew Works, Grape Finds, Domaney’s, and Guido’s as well as copious hors d’oeuvres catered by Crissey Farm.
 
Tickets to the event are 25 dollars or BerkShares. Guests are encouraged to visit one of the participating branches of Berkshire Bank, Lee Bank, Lenox National Bank, Pittsfield Co-op, or Salisbury Bank and Trust prior to get their BerkShares (to see participating branches visit www.berkshares.org <http://www.berkshares.org> ).
 
BerkShares are a local currency for the Berkshire region, sponsored by BerkShares, Inc. and administered by the E. F. Schumacher Society. All proceeds from the auction will go toward the operation of the BerkShares program.
 
To learn more about BerkShares and see the most up-to-date listing of auction items, visit www.berkshares.org. For more information about the Wants & Needs Silent Auction and Spirit Tasting, please call 413/528-1737.