The celebration event was held at Wander in Pittsfield.  

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire United Way raised a craft soda on Wednesday to two community members who embody volunteerism.

Brenda Lee Petell was given the Robert K. Agar Jr. Volunteerism Award and Maria Encalada the Daniel C. Dillon Helping Hands, Caring Heart Award during a ceremony at Wander, an inclusive sober cafe downtown.

"I'm not breaking any news when I tell you all that Maria and Brenda represent the spirit and the legacy of volunteerism in this community that are exemplified by Dan Dillon and Robert Agar, who are the folks these awards are named after," President and CEO Thomas Bernard said.

"We know that that spirit animates the work that they do. We know that spirit is part of what our partners and our volunteers do for folks in the Berkshires."

Encalada is a community advocate and founder of Puerta de Esperanza, an organization dedicated to creating a brighter future for those within the Berkshire Latino community. An immigrant herself, she also volunteers for the Berkshire Mobile Farmers Market in Pittsfield, helping Spanish-speaking community members access fresh local food, and at other BUW volunteer events.

She moved to Pittsfield 35 years ago and saw that her community needed help with vital resources.  Encalada started working with Petell and found "she trusted me and she helped me a lot to help all of my families."

"The most important for me is not only to give the food to the people, it's going with her to start walking in the new way," she said.  

"Support to them, to go with different organizations to get help and put them in the in the good way, with the people they trust."

Petell, vice president and community engagement officer of MountainOne, previously worked as BUW's director of volunteer engagement, where she was integral to launching the online Volunteer Center and organized large volunteer events that address food access and basic needs. One of these partnerships was the Thanksgiving Angels, who feed thousands of local families with meal kits around the holiday.

Petell said it was a great honor to stand beside Encalada as a fellow awardee.

"You've taught me so much, we've helped so many people together, and it is my honor to get this award, but especially with you, Maria," she told her.

"If there's anyone in this room that knows you, they know you give your all. You offer hope, you make me more faithful, and when I think about love thy neighbor and feed thy neighbor, no one exemplifies that more than you, and that's why it's so special to do this work side by side with you."

Petell is on the advisory committees for Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and Department of Transitional Assistance, the board of directors for Berkshire Education and Correction Services, regularly volunteers for Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, and advocates for children and equity.  

April is National Volunteer Month, and BUW relies on volunteers to dedicate their time and talent to give back to the community. Bernard highlighted the importance of programs and organizations intersecting in this effort.

"And speaking of intersection, I'm so happy that we're meeting today here at Wander," he said.

"A labor of love, a vision, Wander has become in a very short time, a third space in the community, a crossroads for all of us. And when you think about that, it's a place that reminds us of our unity, of our connections to one another and at a time when things can feel fraught, at a time when many people are feeling incredibly vulnerable, our immigrant friends and neighbors, members of the LGBTQIA-plus community, having places where we can gather and reflect and affirm our connections with one another is so so important."

Board Chair Laurie Gallagher said BUW's three focus areas — economic and household stability, school and career readiness, and mental health — is needed more than ever.

"Having said that, one of our challenges that the United Way faces on an ongoing basis is telling the story of why give to the United Way? What does our value add to the community? And I strongly believe that one of our significant value adds is in our convening work," she said.

"I don't know that many folks really understand the nature of that convening work, so just to try and break it down a little bit. What we do is communicate with nonprofits, with local officials, with interested organizations, to understand and help all of the participants in our network understand what the needs of the community are, what the emerging needs are, and then also to analyze that against what the current resources within the community are to really understand what needs are not met, and where can we do better as a community, and then we foster collaboration to design community wide solutions to various issues."

This includes challenges faced by early childhood education providers and food banks.

"I think that that's a really powerful and effective multiplying force that the Berkshire United Way can provide that many, many of the other organizations can't on their own," Gallagher said.