Page 20 - BusinessWest February 21, 2022

Tara Brewster
Vice President of Business Development, Greenfield Savings Bank
She’s Put Her ‘Superpowers’ to Use to Help Those in Need
TBy George O’Brien
ara Brewster says she’s probably bought more than 100 copies of the children’s book — and given them all away. She joked that she’s wait- ing for the author to call and thank her for her consistent support.
It’s called The Three Questions, and it’s based on
a story by Leo Tolstoy. It’s about a young boy named Nikolai who sometimes feels uncertain about the right way to act. So he devises three questions to help him know what to do:
• When is the best time to do things?
• Who is the most important one?
• What is the right thing to do?
He then commences asking several different animal
characters for the answers, and by book’s end he’s still asking, although one of those characters, a turtle, points out that, through the course of some recent actions — and especially his efforts to save an injured panda and its child — Nikolai had answered the questions himself.
Those answers are: ‘there is only one important time, and that time is now,’ ‘the most important one is always the one you are with,’ and ‘the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side.’
“I can honestly say that I have
never met anyone so dedicated to
helping those that are less fortunate
in our community than Tara. I’ve
seen so many people join local not-
for-profit boards for networking
opportunities or to strengthen one’s
résumé. Unlike anyone I’ve ever met,
Tara works tirelessly to gain support
and funding for the organizations
that she serves.” Leah Martin Photography
And these, the turtle notes, are the answers to “what is most important in this world — why we are here.”
Brewster says the book and its message are more than a fun, informational, and inspirational story. The Three Questions sums up quickly and effectively how she has lived her life to this point — and what drives her, if you will, to lend her time and talents to several area nonprofits as a board member, cheerleader, and relentless fundraiser.
“These are questions that I really fall back on a lot in a day,” she explained. “They’re really simple, and they just help me think about what am I doing, who am I impacting, and when am I supposed to be doing the thing that matters most. When I get really stressed out and start thinking, I should do doing this, and I should be doing this, I realize that I can only focus on one thing at a time, and it’s the thing that you’re doing that you should be putting your heart and soul into.”
Brewster, who seems to possess enough energy to power all of Northampton by herself, is involved as a board member with several nonprofits in that area, ranging from the Downtown Northampton Assoc. (DNA) to the Hampshire Regional YMCA; from Double Edge Theatre to Cutchins Programs for Children and Familes.
But she also volunteers for, and helps fundraise for, the Food Bank of Wester Massachusetts and Monte’s March, Tapestry Development
Brewster
Continued on page 22
20 FEBRUARY 21, 2022
BusinessWest