The following groups although no longer meeting, are important to the history of Pittsfield:
Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary
In 1997, the VFW had a 40-person membership from the greater Pittsfield area, restricted to those who were veterans of any U.S. foreign war. The primary purpose of the organization was to help the widows and children of veterans. The group built a new hall in 1996, at which it held its monthly meetings as well as community suppers, teen parties, and dances. The VFW also sponsored a turkey shoot and managed a firing range. The group did relinquish its charter and members are now welcome at Newport Charter.
Pittsfield Community Youth Center
The Pittsfield Community Youth Center is an informal organization in business to promote baseball and softball for children ages 5-15 from Pittsfield, Detroit and Burnham. By amassing numerous volunteers as coaches, the Youth Center organizes teams, practices, and games in the following games/leagues: T-Ball (ages 5-6), Farm League (ages 7-8), Minor League (ages 9-12), Little League (ages 9-12), Girls’ Softball (ages 9-12) and Babe Ruth League (ages 13-15). Costs involve umpires, uniforms, equipment and field maintenance. Revenues are raised from registration fees, donations, business sponsorships, concession sales, and fundraising activities. The Town has assisted the effort by donating $500/year, providing field space at Manson and Hawthorn Parks, and making the part-time Recreation Director available to help with some activities.
Easy Street, Incorporated
Easy Street is a non-profit organization, which existed to provide and promote a safe place in the community for artistic expression. The group had a seven-member board of directors which met on the 2nd Monday of the month, and unlimited number of “Friends of Easy Street.” A coffee house, at which local musicians of all ages perform, was the group’s most visible activity. The coffee house has had to move to different locations in the region, but in late 1997, appeared to have found a permanent home at the First Congregational Church. Funding for the group came from coffee house admission, an auction and sale of promotional products. Easy Street shut its doors a few years later.
Sebasticook Valley Boys & Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Club was a membership-based organization without a permanent home. It was open to youth aged 6-16. An adult board of directors met on the first Wednesday of the month at the First Congregational Church to organize program activities, which included gymnastics, arts and crafts, roller skating, bowling, open gym and Hometown Video Nite. A supervisor was paid for one evening per week. The Club’s activities were funded through membership, donations and fundraising activities. The Town of Pittsfield made a generous annual donation to the Club, which eventually closed its doors in the 1990’s.
The Sebasticook Club
The Sebasticook Club offered people from the region a chance to get together, play beano and raise funds to donate to charitable causes such as the Pine Tree Camp, Community Christmas Project, people burned out of their homes and people who are shut-ins. Club members also donated their time to efforts such as the repainting of the Depot House Museum and Caboose. The group met on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from September to June and rotated locations between Newport, Detroit, Burnham and Pittsfield. There were 15 members when the Club closed in 2007.