A picture of some members of Lisa’s family: to the left, her little sister; and to her right, her mother.
Every Saturday, my mother would take me to the local library. Back then, she barely knew any English, and so she took great pride in her child who did. Stories were her pride, and soon it became mine as well.
Enthralled by stories of middle school shenanigans and lunch-lady fighting, underpants-wearing superheroes, of magic tree houses that could whisk you away to the Dark Ages, of talking cats in hats and grinches who stole Christmas, the library soon became my home, and their stories my haven.
I’ve met staff ftom all walks of life: from to-be authors to current military members; from mothers and fathers to children, and all of them had their own unique story.
A poster made of BCArc’s Marketing & Communications Department for the 2026 Staff Appreciation Picnic.
But as I grew older, as I stepped into the world and met more people, I heard and saw and made more stories in ways that differed from simply reading a book. So, I made it my goal to collect more. That is what brought me here. And while I may not be able to fully capture it in these couple-hundred words, I’d like to share it nevertheless: This is my story at Berkshire County Arc (BCArc).
As BCArc’s Marketing & Communications Intern, capturing stories was my main job. There were interviews where I was gasping for breath, engulfed in belly-deep laughter, and others where I held my breath in anticipation of what they’d share next. I’ve met staff ftom all walks of life: from to-be authors to current military members; from mothers and fathers to children, and all of them had their own unique story. It was the writing of the articles that was the hard part– especially with the occasional writers’ block—but it grew easier over time and practice.
A picture of Lisa and Claire, two of BCArc’s Interns, handing out flyers for BCArc’s 2026 Buddy Walk Fundraiser.
I also worked on BCArc’s Timeline Page. Rummaging through old photos when working on BCArc’s Timeline Page — seeing beaming smiles and warm hugs, and colorful records of Halloween dances and Six Flags trips — I peeked through a snapshot of some stories that I may never get to know. This experience has taught me about not only the written word, but also the unspoken stories that lie beneath it.
I’ve truly gained so much.
Alongside hearing stories, I liked creating my own at BCArc. Raiding the storage closet for old pens, shooting photos of my boss, bantering about my parking struggles—it was all so much fun. At evening program and summer series with the individuals—from the mellow conversations and bellowed karaoke during long car rides across Berkshire County to the cheerful high-fives and intense races across the turquoise tracks of the YMCA — everything seemed to make me so happy. I’ve truly gained so much.
Lisa with Chris and Daryn at Evening Program.
To be honest, I’m not sure when my story here started. Maybe it was in BCArc’s Family Support Room, when I ran into the office late on my first day. Or when I wrote that first email to apply. Or maybe it had started way, way back, in the little second grade me, still enthralled in stories of the magic in friendship and everlasting memories.
And maybe, just maybe, this story is not quite over yet.
