EXHIBIT 99.1



        BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. AND WORONOCO BANCORP, INC., RECEIVE
                  SHAREHOLDER APPROVALS TO PROCEED WITH MERGER


April 12, 2005

     PITTSFIELD and WESTFIELD,  MA - Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. ("Berkshire")
(AMEX: BHL) the holding company for Berkshire Bank, and Woronoco  Bancorp,  Inc.
("Woronoco")  (AMEX:  WRO)  the  holding  company  for  Woronoco  Savings  Bank,
announced  today that they have both received  shareholder  approvals to proceed
with their merger.  Based on a preliminary  vote count, of the total votes cast,
approximately  95% of Berkshire shares and  approximately 86% of Woronoco shares
were voted in favor of the  transaction,  and a majority of each company's total
outstanding shares were voted in favor of the transaction.

     Commenting  on  the  approvals,  Michael  P.  Daly,  President  and  CEO of
Berkshire,  stated "With the shareholder approvals now behind us, our regulatory
applications  filed and in process,  and Berkshire's and Woronoco's  integration
planning teams working diligently, we believe we are on schedule to complete our
acquisition  of  Woronoco  in the  second  quarter  of this  year as  originally
announced.  We are  grateful  for our  shareholders'  overwhelming  approval.  I
continue  to  believe  that this  transaction  will  result  in great  value for
shareholders  of each  organization,  will help us extend our record of earnings
growth and will benefit the customers,  employees and the communities  Berkshire
now serves as well as those in Hampden and Hampshire Counties."

     Berkshire  Hills Bancorp,  Inc. is the holding  company for Berkshire Bank.
Established in 1846, Berkshire Bank is one of Massachusetts'  oldest and largest
independent  banks  and is the  largest  banking  institution  based in  western
Massachusetts. The Bank is headquartered in Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  with 11
branch  offices  serving   communities   throughout   Berkshire  County,  and  a
representative  office  and one  branch in New York.  The bank is  committed  to
continue  operation as an  independent  bank,  delivering  exceptional  customer
service and a broad array of competitively priced retail and commercial products
to its customers.  For more information on Berkshire Hills Bancorp,  Inc., visit
www.berkshirebank.com or call (413) 443-5601.

     Woronoco  Bancorp,  Inc. is the holding company for Woronoco  Savings Bank.
Established in 1871, and  headquartered  in Westfield,  Massachusetts,  Woronoco
Savings Bank provides a wide variety of financial  products and services through
its ten branch  offices  located in Hampden  and  Hampshire  Counties in western
Massachusetts.  Through its partnership  with Infinex  Financial Group, the Bank
offers access to a full range of investment products,  including stocks,  bonds,
mutual funds and annuities. The Bank's subsidiary, the Woronoco Insurance Group,
Inc.,  offers  property and casualty  insurance  products and life insurance and
group life,  group health and accident  insurance  products for  individuals and
commercial  clients.  For more  information  regarding  the Bank's  products and
services, and for Woronoco Bancorp, Inc. investor-relations  information, please
visit its web site at www.woronoco.com.

     This press release contains  forward-looking  statements within the meaning
of the Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of 1995.  This press  release
contains   certain   forward-looking   statements  that  are  based  on  certain
assumptions and describe future plans,  strategies and expectations of Berkshire
Hills Bancorp, Inc., Berkshire Bank, Woronoco Bancorp, Inc. and Woronoco Savings
Bank.  These  forward-looking  statements  include,  but  are  not  limited  to,
statements  about (i) the  benefits of the merger  between  Berkshire  Hills and
Woronoco,  including future financial and operating results,  cost savings,  and
accretion to reported  earnings that may be realized  from the merger;  and (ii)
Berkshire Hills' and Woronoco's plans, objectives,  expectations and intentions,
and other  statements  contained in this  presentation  that are not  historical
facts. These  forward-looking  statements are generally identified by use of the
words "believe,"  "expect,"  "intend,"  "anticipate,"  "estimate,"  "project" or
similar expressions.





Berkshire Hills' and Woronoco's  ability to predict results or the actual effect
of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Factors that could have a
material  adverse  effect on the  operations  of Berkshire  Hills,  Woronoco and
either's  subsidiaries  include,  but are not  limited  to,  changes in interest
rates, general economic conditions, legislative/regulatory changes, monetary and
fiscal policies of the U.S. Government,  including policies of the U.S. Treasury
and the  Federal  Reserve  Board,  the  quality  or  composition  of the loan or
investment  portfolios,  demand for loan products,  deposit flows,  competition,
demand for  financial  services in  Berkshire's  or  Woronoco's  market area and
accounting  principles and guidelines.  These risks and uncertainties  should be
considered in evaluating  forward-looking  statements and undue reliance  should
not be placed on such statements.  Berkshire Hills and Woronoco do not undertake
- and  specifically  disclaim any obligation - to publicly release the result of
any  revisions  which may be made to any  forward-looking  statements to reflect
events or  circumstances  after the date of such  statements  or to reflect  the
occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

     In  addition,  the  following  factors,  among  others,  could cause actual
results to differ materially from the anticipated  results or other expectations
expressed in the  forward-looking  statements:  (1) the  businesses of Berkshire
Hills and Woronoco may not be combined  successfully,  or such  combination  may
take longer to accomplish  than  expected;  (2) the cost savings from the merger
may not be fully  realized or take longer than  expected;  (3) operating  costs,
customer loss and business  disruption  following the merger,  including adverse
effects on  relationships  with  employees,  may be greater than  expected;  (4)
governmental  approvals of the merger may not be obtained, or adverse regulatory
conditions  may be imposed in  connection  with  governmental  approvals  of the
merger; (5) adverse  governmental or regulatory policies may be enacted; (6) the
risks associated with continued diversification of assets and adverse changes to
credit  quality;  (7)  the  risks  associated  with  a  proposed  balance  sheet
deleveraging;  and (8)  difficulties  associated with achieving  expected future
financial results.  Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed in  forward-looking  statements are discussed in
Berkshire  Hills' and  Woronoco's  reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K,
Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q and Current  Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  and  available on the SEC's  Internet site
(http://www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
concerning the proposed  transaction or other matters  attributable to Berkshire
Hills or Woronoco or any person acting on their behalf are  expressly  qualified
in their entirety by the cautionary  statements  above. You are cautioned not to
place undue  reliance on any  forward-looking  statements in this press release,
which speak only as of April 12, 2005.  Except as required by law or regulation,
Berkshire  Hills and  Woronoco do not  undertake  any  obligation  to update any
forward-looking  statement to reflect  circumstances  or events that occur after
April 12, 2005.

Media contacts:

Michael P. Daly                            Cornelius D. Mahoney
President and Chief Executive Officer      Chairman, President and Chief
                                                   Executive Officer
Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.              Woronoco Bancorp, Inc.
(413) 236-3194                             (413) 568-9141