PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Feb. 16, 2016—Hillcrest Educational Centers’ 15th Annual Robert ‘Bees’ Prendergast St. Patrick’s Celebration will take place Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Country Club of Pittsfield from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Tickets for the celebration are $50 each. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs at Hillcrest Educational Centers. The lead sponsor for the event is Greylock Federal Credit Union with additional support from Berkshire Bank and Rowley Fuel.  

In keeping with the event’s Celtic traditions, Hillcrest will honor President of the Massachusetts State Senate, Senator Stanley C. Rosenberg as their Irish Person of the Year.  

Senator Stanley C. Rosenberg was elected 93rd President of the Massachusetts Senate by his colleagues in January, 2015. Throughout his career in public service, he has remained steadfastly committed to Massachusetts values - like supporting working families, protecting our environment, increasing government transparency, and ensuring all students have the opportunity to succeed.  Stan's attention seldom strays far from fighting for working families and growing our economy from the bottom up. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means, he passed a long-overdue wage hike for the Commonwealth's lowest-paid human service workers. His tireless work to increase funding for education from early childhood to college has driven the creation of an innovation economy which keeps Massachusetts competitive. In 1998 he secured passage of the first Massachusetts Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) with a state match of 15% of the federal credit. In 2015, he spearheaded the first EITC increase since its inception, helping over 400,000 working families by increasing it to 23% of the federal level.  

Additionally, Hillcrest will present the Judge John A. Barry Community Service Award to UNICO of Pittsfield.  The group is very active and lives by the National motto “Service Above Self”.  They have provided assistance to the sick and needy and grant educational scholarships to local high school seniors as well as continuing education students.   

Hillcrest President and CEO, Gerard Burke, said, “This annual event honors Robert ‘Bees’ Prendergast, a founding board member of Hillcrest Educational Centers. Bees was a modest, optimistic and generous man who was a strong advocate of children and education. Hillcrest’s legacy of treating and educating children and helping those in need is firmly rooted in his beliefs and commitments. In the spirit of Bees and to honor those who today encapsulate these same traits, we carry on his love of hosting Irish celebrations”.

The reception features, heavy hors d’oeuvres, buffet selections, door prizes, a silent auction, and Irish entertainment provided by The Brodie Mountain Boys.   To purchase tickets, you can go online at 15thannualstpats.eventbrite.com or contact Tim Gallagher, Hillcrest’s Director of Development and Community Relations, at 413-499-7924 ext. 133 or email tgallagher@hillcrestec.org to be sent an electronic invitation.

About Hillcrest Educational Foundation, Inc.: A top area employer, Hillcrest Educational Foundation is a local, private not-for-profit parent company of three subsidiaries and one affiliate agency. They include:
 
Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. providing therapeutic treatment and     special education to children and adolescents with unique psychological     and learning needs in Berkshire County, Massachusetts and the     Northeast.  Their campuses include a     day student academy, and autism program, and three residential schools.  

Hillcrest Community Support Services offers a broad range of psychological     services, counseling and evaluations for individuals, families and schools     in Berkshire County through Hillcrest Community Support Services.  

Hillcrest Dental Care, Inc. is a complete general family     dentistry practice and the largest provider in Western Massachusetts of     oral healthcare services to MassHealth recipients and special needs     patients. Hillcrest Dental Care has two locations; one in Pittsfield, MA     and one in North Adams, MA  

Berkshire County Kids’ Place and Violence Prevention     Center, Inc., an     affiliate of Hillcrest, is a fully accredited Children’s Advocacy Center     for child abuse victims and their non-offending family members located at     63 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA.  

Hillcrest’s Administrative Offices are located at 788 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.  More information is available at www.hillcrestec.org or by contacting Katrina Cardillo, kcardillo@hillcrestec.org or (413) 499-7924 x114. Hillcrest can also be found on Facebook.  

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Media Contact:
Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc.
Katrina Cardillo Director of Communications
413-499-7924 ext. 114
kcardillo@hillcrestec.org