Above, mementos and flowers have been left near where Burke was found. Left, an outpouring of grief and condolences have been posted on her Facebook page.
DALTON, Mass. — Tributes and benefit efforts have proliferated this week throughout central Berkshire County, as part of a widespread show of solidarity by a community powerfully affected by the sudden loss of a well-loved young woman.
Dalton resident Theresa Burke, who would have turned 24 this coming Thanksgiving, was known to many as a bright face around the area, an athlete, an enthusiastic fan of local music, a kind friend and a loving mother to her 5-year-old daughter.
Reactions first of concern, as word of her missing status reached thousands through social media Sunday, then grief and shock Monday, have since coalesced into organization and generosity as numerous fundraising and benefit events have emerged to help Burke's family cope with the unexpected tragedy.
An array of options has been created for those wishing to contribute to help alleviate the cost of funeral arrangements.
An account at Berkshire Bank has been set up, and donations can be made there to the Phoenix Inferno Memorial Fund, a name chosen in honor of Burke's roller derby name. She was a player and major organizer in the area's newly emerging roller derby league. Additionally, an online campaign had already raised more than $600 in the first 24 hours since it went live.
A growing lineup of events and performances is also taking shape, from this weekend through the rest of the year.
A concert this Saturday with the T-Bone Daddy Trio, beginning at 9 p.m. at the GEAA's Back Nine bar, had originally been planned as a live album recording that had already been booked months in advance.
"Then this past weekend, when we heard that Theresa had died, we opted to take any of the money we'd get from the show, and any additional money we could raise, and let's just turn it into a fundraiser," said guitarist and vocalist Tyler Fairbank, who said Burke's mother, Catherine "Catie" Burke, has been a longtime friend of the band. "The poor family is traumatized, and [Burke] had a young daughter, and we understood they didn't have enough funds for a funeral. It was kind of a no-brainer."
"I cannot believe the amount of response, it's remarkable, it's just wonderful," he said. "It's really kind of a beautiful thing, to see the community responding so strongly."
Fairbank echoed sentiments expressed by others involved in fundraising efforts, describing an outpouring of response that extended well beyond Burke's family and friends.
"There's obviously a lot of people that knew her, that have been unbelievably positive in response," he said. "What I'm really blown away by is the number of people who didn't know her but were so compelled by the story that they have really put their shoulder behind this whole thing. It's been very heartwarming the midst of a very sorrowful and tragic event."
In addition to a requested donation at the door, there will also be a raffle and other fundraising efforts. Donations also will be collected at the show by Flavours of Malaysia proprietor Chin Lee. Lee will also be accepting donations at his own restaurant on an ongoing basis through the holiday season. Checks can be made out to Catherine Burke.
Proceeds from a show already held Thursday night by the QLC Acoustic Duo at Mill Town Tavern in Dalton, are also being donated, augmented by matching donations by the band and the tavern, for a total of almost $800.
Another event, planned for next month, was to have been a joint birthday party for Burke's mother and a friend, but has been converted into another fundraiser.
"When we found out what happened to Theresa, my friend and I, who are doing the entertainment for the event, decided that we were going to give Theresa's mother our pay for the night to help cover costs of the funeral and for a college trust fund for Theresa's daughter. We don't make much but whatever we make would go to her," said Paul Oleskiewicz.
A 50/50 raffle and auction of items donated by local businesses will also be held as part of the benefit, to be held at V's Doghouse in Lanesborough from 8 to 11 p.m., Dec. 21. Items donated thus far include goods and services from Ronnie's Harley-Davidson, Tropical Raze, The Clip Shop, Solomon's Furniture, Olo's Entertainment and Ideal Event Management.
Berkshire Band-Itz Roller Derby, which Burke was instrumental in organizing, has said it is dedicated to raising money on a more long-term basis, to benefit Burke's daughter, Madison.
"As a league, we are interested in putting together our own future benefits, to raise fund directly for Madison's future, to support her in the long run, as we believe Inferno would have wanted," the team announced via its Facebook page,, which also has been filling up with posts about Burke. "We will also make a plan, that each year a percentage of our worth will be donated to this cause, and will make a annual event to add to this fund, and honor Theresa as well."
"I am devastated by the loss of Theresa," said Team Captain Cheryl Bassett. "I knew the moment I met her, she would be perfect for derby. She was my first recruit, the first to step up as a BOD, and I was training her to handle media, and to be my assistant coach."
Other tributes to Burke have been ongoing throughout the week, from a photo slideshow celebrating her life being shared through various social media, to a small shrine of flowers and other objects being left the past two days at the base of a tree, a few yards from the Dalton American Legion playground area where she was found early Monday.
"It seemed like that girl always had a smile on her face, no matter what," longtime friend Regina White said, at the scene of these offerings. "Theresa had sun that radiated in her heart and through her face in a way that is so very rare to see."
A continued stream of messages, photos and condolences to her family have continued to be posted to her personal Facebook page over the past few days, now numbering hundreds of posts.
"We all were blessed to have such an amazing shining soul... thank you for the time and love you gave everyone," reads one such post. "You were such a beautiful person inside and out," wrote another friend, and another, "You always greeted everybody with a warm hug and a smile."
Calling hours will be Sunday, Nov. 17, from 1 to 5 at the funeral home, at 890 East Main St.
Writer's Note: This correspondent encountered many more expressions of love and loss in conversation and messages from friends and relatives who did not wish to be quoted or deem their words eloquent enough for publication, but made known the depth of regard and affection in which Theresa was held. There is no doubt she will be deeply missed.
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