Dear Reader,

I hope that you and your loved ones are able to enjoy a happy holiday season and that the New Year will be a healthy and prosperous one for everyone.

At this time of the year, many people go out of their way to wish peace on earth to friends, relatives and casual acquaintances. I believe that you, like me, would crave some peace. But we live in interesting times.

Fredric D. Rutberg, president of The Berkshire Eagle.

“May you live in interesting times” has long been considered a curse. It epitomizes the irony that times of chaos and conflict can seem to be more interesting. Chaos and conflict can be found in the ongoing shooting wars in Ukraine and Africa, the uneasy cease fire in Gaza, the turmoil over immigration enforcement, and over 20 unprovoked American missile attacks that killed more than 100 people well over 1,000 miles from our shores in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

Closer to home, food insecurity lies at, or below, the surface of many Berkshire communities, while many longtime Berkshire residents are reluctant to leave their homes, fearing ICE agents.

We at The Eagle believe that the daily telling of stories that absorb our community and place them in perspective can ease some of the chaos and conflict that surrounds us. It also allows us to focus on the more pleasant parts of life in the Berkshires, from our children’s achievements to what new concerts and performances are happening this weekend. Despite the cynics, I prefer to think that life can be interesting without conflict or chaos.

We also believe that the stories we report and the features we present are an integral part of the glue that makes the Berkshires special. This is an appropriate time to express our gratitude to you for giving us your trust and granting us a significant spot in our collective Town Square. In return for your trust, we pledge to continue to report, without fear or favor, on all the matters of importance to the citizens of our community in a manner that will continue to earn your trust.

I am aware that gift-giving can dominate the season, and I’d like to make an offer that could benefit you and The Eagle. We recently opened our online store — berkshireeaglestore.com — where you can find an array of Berkshire-themed items, from fun T-shirts to our supercool Eagle canvas high-top sneakers. Being wrapped in the Map of the Berkshires throw blanket and reading a copy of the latest edition of Kevin O’Hara’s “A Christmas Journey” is a perfect way to spend a part of this Holiday season.

How to donate to The Berkshire Eagle's Local Journalism Fund

Like many news organizations across the country, both for-profit and nonprofit, we at The Berkshire Eagle are seeking ways to expand our comprehensive and in-depth reporting. Together with Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, we have created The Berkshire Eagle Local Journalism Fund. It is a dedicated charitable fund whose purpose is to support The Eagle’s reporting of local matters relating to health, education, economic development, and arts and culture. Your tax-deductible gift will expand our coverage of these critical areas.

Please contribute to the Local Journalism Fund and support our reporting for economic development, arts and culture, health and education.

DONATE

Would you like to send a check? Please make checks payable to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation with the fund name, "The Berkshire Eagle Local Journalism Fund," on the check's memo line, and mail to: Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, 800 N. Main St., Sheffield, MA 01257-9503.

To donate online, visit berkshireeagle.com/donate. Or, scan the QR code with your phone's camera to make a donation.

The Berkshire Eagle Local Journalism Fund is a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.

If finding the “right” gift for young people on your list is stressful, allow me to suggest an online gift subscription to The Berkshire Eagle. This is especially good for college students who are away from home or for those who are moving into their first (or second?) homes. An Eagle subscription is truly a gift that keeps on giving, and it’s easy to arrange at berkshireeagle.com/subscribe.

Also, if you make end-of-the-year donations to other favorite causes, I would be grateful if you would consider adding The Berkshire Eagle’s Local Journalism Fund to your list. This fund is our philanthropic initiative, and all of the proceeds we receive enhance reporting in the areas of education, health care, economic development, and arts and culture. The Fund is managed by The Berkshire Taconic Foundation, to which gifts may be sent directly or at www.berkshireeagle.com/donate.

We may live in interesting times, but I believe The Berkshire Eagle helps navigate around the obstacles and past the anxieties that these times present to us day in and day out. Making a purchase from our store, giving a gift subscription or supporting the Local Journalism Fund all help ensure that The Eagle will be always there for you and for the Berkshires.

Regardless of what you decide about our store or the Local Journalism Fund, please keep reading The Eagle. We’ll keep bringing you award-winning independent journalism in 2026 and beyond.

Happy holidays and a healthy New Year,

Fred