Dear Friends,

BerkShares thrives as a vehicle for helping our local economy because of
your participation. It then grows through word-of-mouth, face-to-face
interaction with you and your employees, and easily accessible information.
To that end we want to make sure we have correct details about your
business.

The Berkshares Team is currently working on a new edition of the BerkShares
User's Guide & Directory. The booklet will provide important information
about BerkShares and how they work, along with full directory listings for
each BerkShares business.

In order to better serve and support local businesses, the new directory
will also include a Business-to-Business Directory, which will capitalize on
goods and services that are especially relevant for the business community.
The Business-to-Business Directory may be previewed online at

http://www.berkshares.org/directory/btob.htm

In this way, businesses can find more ways to be the type of customer they
want to see in their own businesses: one who demonstrates their values with
their purchases, shopping locally whenever possible.

The User's Guide and Directory will be available at all participating banks
as well as other convenient locations in the area. With Directory in hand
when customers exchange federal dollars for BerkShares and head out to shop,
they can plan their spending with the 300+ BerkShares businesses.

In advance of this new printing, please take the time to review your listing
for accuracy. There are a few different ways to view your listing. You can
look it up in the alphabetical directory online at

http://www.berkshares.org/directory/dir_alphabet.htm

or you can email us at info@berkshares.org requesting an emailed word
document of the directory listings. Lastly, you can give us a call and we'd
be happy to read your listing to you over the phone. Please let us know of
any changes. Monday, July 21st we will assemble all corrections into a
final document for layout and printing.

The publication of a new directory also provides a great opportunity to
reach out to local businesses that you'd like to see accept BerkShares. If
you purchase goods from a local supplier and would like to spend your
BerkShares there, encourage them to sign up using our online sign-up form

http://www.berkshares.org/signup.htm

or have them call us at (413) 528-1737. Be sure to mention that they must
sign up before Monday, July 21st in order to be included in the new
directory.

Thanks in advance for your help,

The BerkShares Team
BerkShares, Inc.
P. O. Box 125
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413 528-1737
www.berkshares.org