Daily News

Berkshire Bank Raises $2,500 in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank and its foundation challenged bank employees to take part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge on Aug. 14. The Berkshire Bank Foundation donated $50 for each of the first 50 employees that took part in the challenge and shared their videos on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/berkshirebank.

More than 50 bank employees completed the challenge within the first three days, including Berkshire Bank President and CEO Michael Daly; Executive Vice President, Retail Banking Sean Gray; Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Linda Johnston; Executive Vice President, Chief Risk and Administrative Officer Richard Marotta; Executive Vice President and CFO Josephine Iannelli; and Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking George Bacigalupo. To date, more than 150 bank employees throughout Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont have participated in the challenge, in addition to several of Berkshire’s vendors and business partners.

The Berkshire Bank Foundation will make a $2,500 contribution to the ALS Assoc. as a result of employee participation in the challenge. As of Aug. 25, the ALS Assoc. has raised $79.7 million through the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, compared to just $2.5 million during the same period last year.

The association’s mission includes providing care services to assist people with ALS and their families through a network of chapters working in communities across the nation, and a global research program focused on the discovery of treatments and eventually a cure for the disease. In addition, the association’s public-policy efforts empower people to advance policies in the nation’s capital that respond to the needs of people with ALS.

“We have been inspired by the overwhelming response of our employees to both participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and support the important cause behind it,” said Lori Gazzillo vice president and foundation director. “We are proud to take part in this initiative, provide financial support, and share in the hope that one day we will find a cure for ALS.”