April 14, 2010

Dear Friends,

The financial crisis exposed the weakness of banks too big to know their
customers, too distant from the realities of their borrowers to understand
the risks in their investments.

As a result, citizen activists like Arianna Huffington are shining new
attention on the role of community banks. These local banks provide
financing and payment services for the independent businesses that are the
backbone of our rural towns. Banks small enough to know the character of
borrowers by reputation, involved enough in local commerce to know when a
new product is right for their market, and generous enough to share their
time and profits with the local non profits building a richer social,
ecological, and cultural environment in their regions.

In the Berkshires we are lucky to have a number of stellar community banks.
You will know them because they are flexible enough to adopt innovative new
programs in response to local citizen initiatives. You will know them
because they have volunteered staff time and office space to facilitate your
transactions in BerkShares. They are:

In Great Barrington:

Berkshire Bank's Main Street Branch
Berkshire Bank's Stockbridge Road Branch Lee Bank's Main Street Branch
Pittsfield Coop Bank's Main Street Branch

In Sheffield:

Salisbury Bank and Trust's Main Street Branch Berkshire Bank's Main Street
Branch

In Egremont:

Salisbury Bank and Trust's Main Street Branch

In Stockbridge:

Berkshire Bank's Main Street Branch
Lee Bank's Elm Street Branch

In Lee:

Lee Bank's Park Street Office
Berkshire Bank's Park Street Branch

In West Stockbridge:

Berkshire Bank's Depot Street Branch

In Lenox:

Lenox National Bank's Main Street Office

Just as you have learned to bring your commerce back to neighborhood
businesses, we encourage you to bring your banking back to your neighborhood
banks. They're there for you when you need them.

Best Wishes,
The BerkShares Team
P. O. Box 125
Gt. Barrington, MA 01230
www.berkshares.org
413 528 1737