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The Cabot Chronicle

June 2009 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

Original issue: Download the June 2009 pages (PDF)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

Town Has Two Special Meetings

By Allison Joyal CABOT A special school meeting and a special town meeting held May 14 packed the Cabot school gym with about 250 voters. The school meeting was held at 7 p.m. , with Article 1 requesting a rescission of Article 5, school budget question #2, approving additional education spending of $50,999. Discussions began with Dale Newton asking how many towns voted over state allotted funds for schools. Judy Pransky answered, saying 11, and six passed. Newton asked how many school districts were in Vt. The answer was 280. Newton noted that he felt he was in a, “parallel universe with a different financial reality.” He noted the current financial crisis nationwide, “we live in incredible times . . . I do not believe we are anywhere even near the middle as far as average incomes in Vt. but we are acting as if the people we tap to do this have extraordinary incomes in extraordinary times.” Larry Thompson spoke from the floor, “I think we have to support this school, I, myself, my kids and grandkids came to this school and were happy here. I used to say to people if you can’t support Cabot School or Cabot Creamery, you oughta go live somewhere else. I’m listening but I feel we should support the school.” Jessica Miller asked, “I’d like to ask the school board when you present the budget at Town Meeting, do you know exactly where all of that money is going?” School Board Chair, Chris Tormey responded, “Yes.” Miller asked, “When we get the flyers and there are letters in the paper regarding where this $50,999 was to go, how do you know that?” Tormey replied, “With a budget that’s over $3,000,000, obviously there are lots of pieces to that. Our administration looks at where the $50,000 would affect the school the least. The administration made some real careful and measured decisions about where those cuts would affect the least.” Miller asked, “So all that money is devoted to those projects that you have stated?” Tormey; “Yes.” Pat DiStefano asked, “What areas would be affected?” Tormey answered, “As a board, the process of building a budget is; administration comes to us and says this is what we need in the fall, then through fall and early winter we take a good amount of time figuring out what we need if you remember the last couple of years we reduced the staff. This year the number of students has risen unusually compared to the state as a whole and we found it important to keep the staff. We did find things to reduce specifically because of tough economic times. .” A question from the floor asked if the school was utilizing state accounts for discounts on supplies. George Burlison, WNESU Superintendent answered, “Yes, when it’s the best deal.” Rick Smith asked, “Does the current budget include raises for teachers?” Tormey answered, ”Yes.” Judy Pransky also commented, Ken Gokey asked a question, Russ Brown commented in favor of the school and R.D. Eno asked a question. Moderator Ed Smith and Burilson explained that there is a new state law put into effect which requires a cap on budgets based upon the per-pupil state average and a new formula needed to be applied. Thus, the amount above and beyond the average had to be voted on separately. Ellen Voight noted that part of what Cabot was trying to do is to attract other (tuition) students. Walt Ackermann requested the Moderator call the question with a second. Article 1 was called and voted on with 243 voters submitting ballots the article did not pass. No 147, Yes 96. Article not adopted; no rescission. ARTICLE 2 – asked for the percentage of voters required on a petition to request a reconsideration or rescission be increased from five to ten percent of registered voters. There was little discussion but, Jessica Miller commented about the difficulty of circulating a petition and get signatures especially in the ice and snow and this article, if approved, would make it more difficult to get signatures. “And I think it’s wrong” Article 2 was voted on with results of Yes 85 No 128. Not adopted. Article 3, changing the time and day of the school meeting did pass by voice vote. The annual school meeting will be at 6 p.m. on the Monday preceding town meeting day next year. No other business was transacted and the meeting adjourned.

The Cabot Creamery circa 1919. This year marks the Creamery’s 90th anniversary. See our special section on pages 8 and 9. Photo courtesy Anne Nadel.

Special Town Meeting At the March 2009 town meeting Cabot’s library budget was defeated. Voters noted at the March meeting that the country, state and town were all facing deficits and expressed concerns regarding Cabot library’s request for an increased budget. Also noted during that meeting was Paula Davidson’s statement at 2008 Town Meeting that the library would not seek another increase in 2009.

Cabot’s revote came on the heels of announcements that the regional library in St. Johnsbury would be closed, as would the library in Berlin. The state library in Montpelier is consolidating its collection in reaction to the economic crises. Alternately, libraries nationwide have reported increased patronage and speculate this is due to the current economic crises and people’s inability to pay for entertainment such as movie rentals. The Special Town Meeting was called to order at 8 p.m. on May 14. A lengthy power point presentation by newly appointed Library Trustee Karen Alexander explained services provided by the library, and how the money voted upon by the town was spent and budgeted. At 8:40 p.m. the presentation concluded and multiple questions from the floor followed. One issue discussed was programs offered by the library including belly-dancing. Trustees stated 70 people attended this program, with Alexander remarking, “Who knew?” Trustee Paula Davidson noted the importance of keeping their budget so the library would be able to hold onto our librarian. R.D. Eno requested the library budget be amended to increase the request from $50,068.32 to $53,668.32 and the amendment passed. Article as amended was voted upon and the budget passed with 93 voting yes and 71 voting no. A follow up call to Trustee Alexander regarding how they ascertained statistics presented in their presentation was not returned. The Chronicle has received confirmation that Cabot’s long time librarian, Connie Koeller resigned the day after the special meeting.

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Legislative Update

By Kitty Toll MONTPELIER The Legislature adjourned on Saturday, May 9. The Governor has called the Legislators back on June 2 to address his concerns with the 2010 budget. The deficit the Vermont Legislature must tackle in this budget for Fiscal Year 2010 totals $281.5 million. In Vermont, during Fiscal Year 2009 and 2010, we have the advantage of federal stimulus money funds to help fill the General Fund gap. This extra support will help to keep critical services for Vermonters and will allow the state to begin repairing crumbling roads and bridges. This money will also help to keep Vermonters working. However, the relief is temporary and still leaves a substantial hole to be filled on the state level. This will be done by cutting programs and services, finding efficiencies, increasing taxes and/or fees, collecting unpaid taxes, adjusting transfers between funds and by using the state’s reserve funds (referred to as the rainy day funds). The state has already made over $100 million in cuts and adjustments to spending. The proposed budget passed by both the House and Senate includes an additional $59.3 million in cuts to state programs and services. The proposed budget does temporarily reduce the transfer from the General Fund to the Education Fund by $18.4 million. The homestead (property) tax rate and the base per pupil grant for 2010 will remain the same as school boards anticipated when they passed their budgets at the beginning of the year. This means it will be set at 86 cents, down a penny from last year, and the base education payment will be set at $8,544 per pupil. Under the legislature’s budget, the base education payment for Fiscal Year 2011 will be frozen at the same $8,544 per pupil. This gives school boards advance notice of the rate and work can begin now to craft budgets to compensate for the freeze in per pupil spending. The proposed closing of the Northeast Regional Correctional Center was of great concern to many in this region of Vermont. Over 75 jobs would be lost if the facility closed and there would be a significant negative impact on area businesses. The present budget does not call for the prison to be closed; however, much is up in the air until the legislature and the governor agree upon a budget in June. Vermont’s roads and bridges will be getting some much needed attention. Currently, there are over a billion dollars in needed repairs to the state’s transportation network. Stimulus money will cover over $120 million of these projects. To address the additional needed repairs, the Transportation Bill imposes a 2 percent assessment on the retail price of gasoline and a three cent per gallon assessment on diesel fuel. This money will put into a special fund and its only use will be limited to transportation capital projects or future bonding for these purposes. Local municipalities had a roller coaster experience this session. In the end, funding was protected less a 15 percent reduction taken at the beginning of the year. Towns have access to an additional $10 million in stimulus funds and enhancements grants. Town highways will be level-funded for the next year with no make up for the 15percent lost.

Other end of the year highlights: The legislature held a public hearing on the upcoming deployment of our National Guard to Afghanistan. Approximately 1800 Vt. Army Guard men and women will be deployed in November and December – the largest call-up of our Guard since World War II. The legislature strengthened S.125 by responding to the federal Adam Walsh Act which calls for extensive addition to the Internet sex offender registry. Also addressed in the legislation is the practice of “sexting,” the transmission of indecent pictures on cell phones by teens. Those participating in sexting will be held accountable and educated as to the consequences of their actions, but will not be placed as a first time offender on the Internet sex offender registry. S.48 bans most gifts that pharmaceutical companies give to doctors and increases transparency in the marketing of pharmaceuticals and other prescribed products. H.444 allows farmers and other selfemployed people applying for Catamount Health Care to include depreciation as an allowable business expense for income purposes, and it exempts self-employed people who lose their insurance from the 12 month waiting period. This bill also bans the flame retardant known as “deca” because when it burns it is highly toxic. H.125 allows for the sale of raw milk. This bill creates rules for safe handling, animal health and consumer education. H.435 works toward expanding access to palliative care services to children and adults when experiencing serious illness or at the end of one’s life. This includes a variety of types of care given to improve a patient’s quality of life, and it involves addressing physical, cognitive, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. I have thoroughly enjoyed my work this year in the Legislature and am grateful to the people in Cabot, Danville and Peacham who have given me the opportunity to serve. I look forward to the resolution of the budget in early June and helping Vermont to move forward in these very difficult economic times. Please be in contact with me if you would like specific information on a bill introduced or passed this session. I can be contacted at [email protected] or by phone at 684-3671 or 563-2627. Congratulations to the 2009 High School Graduates. Best wishes as you begin a new journey! Congratulations to Cabot Creamery for 90 years of quality products and business success!

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Listers School

By Will Walters Cabot’s newest listers, John Christman, Sr. and Richard Hourihan have been attending training sessions offered by the state to municipal listers. Town Clerk Tara Rogerson has also attended some classes relating to computer software for town records. There are seven basic courses covering different topics relating to the position of lister and advanced courses are available beyond the first seven. Although they are not required in order to hold a municipal position, they are, according to Christman, necessary for a lister to do his job correctly. While the sessions train people about the responsibilities of being a lister, a large part of the coursework is understanding the computer software the state uses in transferring local information from the town to the state. Christman said the state pays for the classes so there is no expense to the town. Zoning administrators and town clerks are also eligible. He said in addition to new lister training and use of computer programs for evaluations, courses cover current use rules and APEX sketching for charting a property’s footprint. The coursework is taught at multiple locations around the state, and Christman has attended classes in Newport, Morrisville and Lyndonville. Zoning Administrator Carlton Domey has also attended some classes. Christman said “I like doing it, I’ve learned a lot already.” He said the most important part to him is it makes him better able to respond to property owners questions about their assessments. The listers have the greatest responsibility for raising tax revenues for the town. By maintaining accurate assessments they keep the grand list close to the Common Level of Appraisal as the state requires for the town to receive state funds. If the grand list is not within specifications the CLA calls for, the state will reduce its financial assistance to the town until a reappraisal is done. The amount of time needed for lister work varies throughout the year. Only a small amount of time is needed for computer entry in the off season but after appraisals are done it can be short term full time work. Lately Domey and Christman have been working 35 hours a week and Hourihan comes in to concentrate on computer entries. The new computer programs is only part of getting the job done. Christman noted Domey is familiar with the records and can, “find a folder without even looking hard” because he has been utilizing the records for so long. New

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Greenup Day: Best Year Ever For Cabot

By WILL WALTERS Nearly 60 people participated in Green Up Day activities clearing refuse from 30 miles of town roads, estimated Gary Gulka, chair of the Conservation Committee which supervised the event. In addition, members of the town road crew worked the collection site next to the recycling center. A road crew member said about eight cubic yards of trash was collected in the town’s dump truck. The road crew used a bucket loader to compact metal, but an estimate of the amount collected was not available. Gulka said about 100 tires that were dumped in the Hookerville area and these were stacked for later removal. Gulka said the town agreed to remove them. Additionally, over 250 tires were brought to the collection site according to Selectperson Larry Gochey. “This was really one of the better Green Up Days in terms of number of participants and miles of roads cleaned and I hope the enthusiasm continues next year” said Gulka. “But there are several serious dump areas that are a real eyesore and I can understand how residents in the area are frustrated that nothing gets done to try to stop it. It is always disheartening to see what people toss out the window of their cars near their neighbors' houses.” While Green Up Day “shows tremendous community spirit” according to one conservation committee member, “we need to spend the rest of the year convincing people not to litter. What will work?” Gulka said, “Thanks to everyone who helped.”

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We want to hear from you!

Send us articles, letters to the editor, photos and press releases. Let’s keep our

community communicating!

Editor: Allison Joyal Circulation & Advertising: Will Walters Pagination: Todd Jones

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A story about Pearl Alexander as told to Joan Alexander

My Uncle, Warren Alexander, was twenty in 1942, when he married Pearl Whalen, and just two days later left Barton, Vt., for the U.S. Army Corps. Pearl remembers that she stayed with different relatives after he left. “I weren’t 19 yet. I was carryin’ Gloria; it was before she was born. Gloria must’ve been about seven months along. She was born in May, so it had to’ve been about February or March; somewhere in there. I think there was snow on the ground, come to think of it. I was stayin’ down to my sister Marion’s, and I got this telegram. It was very simple. It said, “I’m coming home on leave, meet me in Boston.” at a certain date and time; it was on there. Well, what would you do? Well, I took the old train, and came back up here, and said goodbye to all the family. My mother had a fit about it, ‘cause she said, “It can’t be Boston, it has to be Barton!” I didn’t know anything. What I should of done is probably called down there, but I didn’t. I got all my stuff ready, took a suitcase – it was a big suitcase – and I put on a brand new pair of shoes, which was synthetic, you know, they were hard shoes. During the war, you had to get ration stamps, you know, to get ‘em. My last pair I had, I’d gotten them soaking wet, walking back and forth to work, and so I put them in the oven -- Mama had a wood stove -- with the oven door open, but she had a warmer fire there than I’d thought, so it curled them right up. And I had on nylons, I remember that. And my nylons rubbed so much against my shoes, there, them shoes, that I had big blisters on my feet. And I had on a girdle. Of all times to wear a girdle! Oh, I used to wear a girdle when I was going anywhere! All the family, by golly, they took me to the train, out to Barton, and headed me back down. I went alone. I took the train down through. When we got down there I got off at what’d be North Station, and there was no Warren. I went up to the . . . can’t remember the name, I’ve tried all this time to think of it, and I just can’t. There’s an organization there special for us service wives. And I went to them because they were wonderful about looking for people, and they said no, they hadn’t seen anybody or heard anything. So I went from the North Station to the South Station. I didn’t know at which station he’d come in. And so I went. I had brains enough and money enough to go back to a taxi. I kept going back, and I’d go back to the South Station, to the North Station, thinking he was in there, and go through the same process, and I done it three or four times, thinking I could find him. I was so upset, I was tired, I was a nervous wreck! And it seems to me I got the same taxi with the same guy all the time! I don’t know how come! Isn’t it funny? I was lucky. Luck was with me, I think. He said, “You know, lady, I don’t want to use up all your money. Ma’am, I don’t know what your problem is, but you need help. Have you got a problem?” I was getting low on money. I said, “I sure have! I don’t know what to do!” (I wouldn’t trust nobody like that now, but being 18, I didn’t know no more, or I didn’t care!) I said, “I’m looking for my husband! I came from the North Station. He said ‘Meet me at the Station in Boston’ he didn’t say North or South. He says, “You sure you got the right telegram? Ma’am, we’re going in, there should be some message somewhere.

This is not right.”

And so we went in and saw this organization, and he said, “This lady’s got a problem. Her husband’s supposed to come here.” And, no, they hadn’t got any such message. So I thought I should probably go back home. I tried to call home, and Warren’s folks, but there was nobody there. I don’t know, I left some kind of message there, I don’t know what it was; I can’t remember how I worded. And he said, “Well, we’ll go back to the North Station, and we’ll see when the train goes back.” I went back, and I just missed it. Just missed it!!! By the time I’d run back and forth, it was gettin’ dark. It must have been 5 or 6. I was getting’ scared. I’m not a city person. I hate the city. And I went up to the desk, and I said, “When does the next train head?” And so I found out when the next train was goin’, it weren’t going ‘till about 11 o’clock, at night, or the early, early hours of the morning. It must’ve been 5 or 6 o’clock. Here I am, and I was big, too, out to here! And a girdle on of all things!!! And brand new shoes. Oh, I was really rigged, you know!!! And, anyhow, along comes this man, you know, I always find somebody! Along comes this old man. He was standing right beside me, and he asked for that same train, and he says, “Oh, Lord, I just missed it!” I says, “Well, I did too.” And he says, “Where’d you want to go?” And I says, “I’m headed back home to Barton, up that way.” And he says, “I’m going right by where you are. I’m headed for Newport.” And I says, “You’re from Vermont?” “Yeah.” Well, of course I perked right up, right there. I said, “Yeah, I got to wait.” He shrugged over towards me, there, walked over where I was. “Well,” he says, “we got one long wait, haven’t we?” I says, “I guess we have.” He says, “We might as well go together. Well, have you got anything to eat?” And I says, “No.” I hadn’t had a damn thing since morning. “I’m not even hungry.” He says, “You’ve got to eat.” I told him I was supposed to meet my husband there and somethin’ had happened, but I was gonna go home. And he says, “We’ll go find something to eat. I got to go and get a shave and a haircut,” he says. “You can go to the bathroom and clean up and get ready, and then I’ll meet you out here, in the waiting room there. First, we’ll check the suitcase in, to go on the train.” That stupid damn suitcase! Good thing he helped me, ‘cause I didn’t know nothing. I was green as grass. A greenhorn, as they tell about. We went in this nice restaurant, a big one. Course we had to walk to get to that, you understand, ’cause he didn’t have a car. During the war, you didn’t have cars to amount to anything. He knew his way around. I used to be able to tell you what I had to eat, but I can’t now. I wasn’t hungry, but I ate, and talked to him. His name was Chonneau. He was a cattle dealer. He evidently went down to Boston to sell beef, or something, or buy beef. I had money, but he paid for my meal. He was very nice to me, he was a gentleman. Then he said, “Would you like to go to the movies?”

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Pearl (Whalen) Alexander

CABOT

Born in Irasburg, Vt., on March 19, 1924 to parents Joseph N. Whalen and Namoie Elvira (Bean) Whalen. Pearl attended school in Orleans and Bethel, Vermont. After school she married Joseph Warren Alexander on November 11, 1942 before Warren went to World War II. Her beloved Warren passed away December 30, 1996. She and Warren bought the Burt Smith farm in Cabot and moved there and raised their five children. Gloria E. Clubb, of Holiday, FL, Judith L. O’Brien of Quincy, MA, Joseph N. Alexander of Cabot, VT, John H. Alexander- Deceased, Rhoda M. Neader of Phoenix, AZ, & Jill C. Alexander of Cabot, VT. Pearl worked as a housewife raising her children on the farm and later started working at the Cabot Creamery in 1960 where she worked in the lab for 25 years. Pearl was known for her jams and jellies and for her cookies. She was a past Eastern Star, and a past member of the Cabot Skylighters club. She was a member of Faith in Action, homemakers club, and the senior citizens. She loved her Bingo, Poker & cards. She was a member of Cabot United church. She especially loved swimming at Lyford Pond. After Pearl and Warren retired they sold the farm in Cabot and lived their summer months at their home at Lyford Pond and winters in their home in New Port Richey, Florida. After Warren passed Pearl sold the house in Florida and moved back to Cabot. She still enjoyed her residence at Lyford Pond during the summer. Pearl will be greatly missed by a large family and many friends. She was survived by one sister Ruth Young, and Ruth’s husband George, her five remaining children, her ten grandchildren, one step-grand-child, her twelve great-grand children, and four step-great-grand-children. She was greeted in heaven in the morning on May 6, 2009 by her halfsister Thelma Shepard, her half-brother Gerald Keith, her adopted sister Marion Kennison and her & adopted brother Theodore Whalen. Her memorial service was held at the Cabot United Church on May 24. As Pearl would say “And that’s the way it is, and don’t you forget it.”

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Beatrice V. Robertson

CABOT Beatrice Violet Robertson, 93, died Friday, May 15, 2009 at the Greensboro Nursing Home. She was born July 24, 1915 in Calais, the daughter of the late Bernard F. and Eva Blanche (George) Jack. She attended Calais and Marshfield public schools. She married Leslie Hatch and for more than 30 years she was married to Harold Frederick Robertson. In her earlier years she cared for young children. She later worked in a mill, making chair seats and was a domestic. She retired in the early 1980’s. She attended the United Church in Hardwick, and was a member of the Vermont Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired. She enjoyed reading poetry and attending senior meals. Other enjoyments include: horses, dogs, collecting dolls, knitting shawls and crocheting. Survivors include: 2 sons, Earle “Butch” Hatch and his wife, Linda, of Greensboro and Lloyd Robertson of Marshfield; a daughter: Cyrena Celley and her husband, Walter, of Cabot ; 11 grandchildren; many great grandchildren; several great grandchildren; and two nephews. She was predeceased by her husbands, Leslie Hatch and Harold Robertson; a son: Bernard Hatch; a daughter: Winona Lamphere and two brothers: John Jack and Lloyd Jack. To honor her request there will be no visiting hours. Memorial Services are being scheduled for a later date. In lieu of flowers contributions in her memory may be made to the Central Vermont Council on Aging, 30 Washington Street, Barre, Vermont 05641. Arrangements are under the direction of Dian R. Holcomb of Northern Vermont Funeral Service, 60 Elm Street, Hardwick .

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Nicholas Ransom Churchill

CABOT “It is a Boy!” Andy and Tara Churchill welcomed their son, Nicholas Ransom Churchill on May 4, 2009. He was born at 6 pounds 8 ounces.

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Friends Of The Winooski River

June 2nd and June 3rd 5 to 8 p.m.

At the blacksmith shop on Rte 2 & adjacent property We will be installing willow wattles to stabilize the banks. On June 2nd, there will be a workshop on how to make and install the wattles. Light refreshments will be available. Please bring a shovel and bucket if you have them. Wear long pants and sturdy shoes or boots. Bring water, sunscreen and insect repellent. Volunteers are welcome for any portion of the volunteer sessions. It would help our planning if you could sign up in advance with Ann of the Friends of the Winooski River. Contact info: (802) 655- 4878 fwr@sove r.net or at www.winooskiriver.org. The Friends of the Winooski River is a predominantly volunteer group that works to protect and restore the Winooski River and its watershed. The Friends' efforts focus on developing organizational capacity; outreach and educational programs; restoration and protection projects; and planning, assessment and monitoring activities. This event is part of the Winooski Headwaters Community Project, a collaborative effort of many organizations, to help the residents to restore and protect the ecological integrity and increase enjoyment of the Winooski River. Event sponsors include: Marshfield, Plainfield & Cabot Conservation Commissions, Cabot Creamery, Friends of the Winooski River, Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District., Dept. of Environmental Conservation Join the Friends of the Winooski River Headwaters email list Website; [email protected] Phone -802-655-4878 PO Box 777, Montpelier VT 05601

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CABOT COMMUNITY Destination Imagination?

Destination Imagination is a program designed to bring out the gift of creativity in children, and adults. Destination Imagination sets up “challenges” for teams to solve, then brings them together for a state wide competition. This year there were five different competitive challenges and one non competitive. The challenges are broken down into different levels by grade; from rising stars, a noncompetitive participation level that generally is made up of children ages four to seven, to adult teams made up of people age 18 and older. The winners of the state finals then are given the opportunity to represent their state in the world finals in Tennessee where they compete against teams from around the world. The challenges are diverse and range in type from engineering and building to improvisational theater. Key to the program is a policy of non-interference. Parents and team managers promise not to interfere in the formation, construction, execution, or design of the team’s solution. No level of interference is tolerated. The challenge is solved entirely by the children. Whatever solution children come up with stands or falls on its merit. Cabot has had “D.I.” teams for years. The Cabot Destination imagination teams are headed up by coordinator, and team manager, Jane Youngbaer. This is the fourth time since 2002 a Cabot team is competing at global finals in Tennessee. The elementary team from Cabot will be competing in the “Private DI” challenge at global finals in Tennessee. This is an improvisational challenge where the team receives challenge specific information a half hour before they perform. They are limited to a set amount of materials, and from these, make props. They also in this time come up with a play, practice, then go out and perform in front of the challenge masters and audience. The kids and parents have been working hard on fundraising; including a spaghetti dinner and auction. Jane Youngbaer said of fundraising, “It's going well we have a week to go and have raised most of the money.” The team is flying to Atlanta May 19, where they will encounter other teams from around the globe. They will then take a bus four hours away to Knoxville. Then the real fun begins. They will settle into their rooms and prepare for the spectacle of creativity that is the Destination Imagination global finals. Global finals aren’t just about competing. It boasts a schedule of events for all participants, such as pin trading, where teams from around the world trade team pins for pins from different places. There are workshops and seminars, games and events all week, not to mention opening and closing ceremonies. Our Cabot team did a great job in state finals and we would like to wish the team: Tyler Abbott, Wyatt Ameden, Christopher Chadderton, Zachary Coolbeth, Eli Hale, and Fox Winters as well as the chaperones: Alison Ameden, Warren Coolbeth, Gina Laveroni, and Jane Youngbaer success in Tennessee.

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Meet Me...

And I said, “Well, if you’re from Vermont, you must be all right.” I had this thing in my brain: If he’s from Vermont, he’s okay. Anything from Vermont was okay, in my brain. And course, we walked some more. People were knocking you down and everything on the street. He was wonderful to me. He says, “Grab hold of my arm, here,” and so we walked arm and arm down the street just like we owned the place, you know. I had blisters on my heels. I went to the movies with him. It was a late movie. I can’t even remember the movie; I don’t know as I got any in my brain, I was so worried; I was a total wreck! I used to remember the name of that movie, but I can’t no more. We got out of the movies and went over by the station and stayed there in case they left early. We went back and set in the waiting room and waited ‘till it was time to come north. I got on the train with the old man, and we visited. He was very kind to me. He was wonderful to me; he really was. He told me not to worry, and kind of looked after me. He ordered pillows for our heads, to lay your head back, to rest. He said he had a daughter about my age, so it made me feel good. You know, I would no more dare do that nowadays, you couldn’t do that! I was desperate! I was all worn out, anyhow. We got half way up into New Hampshire, Concord or somewhere in there, and they called ahead on the train about a POW train coming through. And all of a sudden the engineer got word back through that there was going to be a two hour delay, he had to warn all the people. And the hair raised right up on everybody, you could of heard a pin drop. We were terrified! We pulled over to the side on a side rail, and we set there for over an hour or more. And when they came, they were doing . . . oh, weren’t they driving fast! Driving like the devil, I never heard a train go so fast! All them troop trains were coming back from Canada, the German POWs, they were bringing them somewhere, don’t ask me where, but it was scary. I was nervous. What if they went off the track, and they attacked us? That’s all I could think of!! Then I gets up to the station, to Barton, to get off, and I said goodbye to the man, and I thanked him for what he’d done for me. It was daylight, I don’t know, it must have been five, six o’clock. I got to the door, and there was nobody there to greet me! I had this stupid old suitcase. I don’t know; they didn’t get my message! I don’t know what happened. I walked down from the station, down the long route, with this dumb suitcase; I walked down to the house, got there, got in – nobody home! Not a soul! Nobody there. It was awful. You know, I’d had no sleep, no nothing! I started to cry, off came them synthetic shoes, off came the stockings, off came the girdle! I had great big blisters on my heels. They were all over to my mother’s! Warren, Warren’s mother and father; they were out looking for me – deciding they were going to call the State Police

– they were going to put the police on the trail. Good thing I got there when I did! What were they gonna do? They thought I was a missing person! Well, they could never of found me, the way I was traveling, you know! Finally, somebody appeared. They finally came. Everyone was wild!! The telegram. There had been an error on the telegram. Warren had said “Barton”, but someone had typed “Boston.” I was gonna sue the company. I saved the gall darned slip! I went to Thelma’s. I was working at the Creamery, then, and I sat down and I said, “Thelma, I’m gonna sue them!” She says, “Good!” I wrote them this nice letter. Thelma was helping me with it, and telling me what to do. I was gonna make the telegram company pay for my shoes, my stockin's, my girdle. I went on with all this stuff, everything, lack of food, and everything, and I itemized it. It came to something like twenty-three dollars and so many cents. I’ve still got the slip. She thought I asked too much. I told them that I’d gotten a lawyer. I got a check for whatever it was. Oh my God, they must of thought I was crazy! So, anyhow, that was the story of that. It’s a funny story. ‘Cause I could’ve got in the wrong hands, easy. I met the right people. I noticed later in the paper where Mr. Chonneau died, in the Newport paper. I wished I’d cut it out and saved it. He was so good to me. I was glad I run into him, really. And I told Warren, you know, I owe that man a lot. How often do you meet somebody like that? And the taxi driver was wonderful to me. I owe him a lot. I’ll tell you right now. I would no more dare let one of my children do what I done, at 18 years old, and pregnant! It was scary! I don’t like to see anyone traveling alone anymore. I don’t want to ever go through that again. It was quite an experience, really.

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A Dad’s Unspoken Lessons

By Connie Hourihan The glorious month of June is full of wonderful occasions …, happy times! Graduations, weddings, barbeques, getting out of school for the summer vacation! Yet one day evokes wistful emotions for me. Because my father is no longer on this earth, Father’s Day brings bittersweet feelings and in thinking them through, I realize that perhaps they should be shared. The joyful part of this holiday to celebrate fathers is shared with my children in honoring their dad; showing love and appreciation for the wonderful, unselfish man he is and has always been for them. I can’t help but think of all the wonderful lessons my own dad taught me, without always verbalizing them or preaching, but just by the way he lived his life. I appreciate now that many of the traits he exhibited were those of a true Vermonter, hopefully not a disappearing breed, and that this is all part of the reason I migrated to this part of the world where values are still a part of the culture: honesty, community mindedness, integrity, dependability. My dad was an independent spirit, with strong moral values and a strong faith in our Creator. A friend, teacher and advocate to so many, he was generous of his time and resources and always put other’s needs before his own. There are some things taken for granted as a child; the thinking that this is how things are for everyone, not having the understanding of the value of your good fortune. To all fathers and to future fathers; may you all leave such unspoken lessons. As you live your precious lives, remember that those who call you “Dad” will be noticing. Happy Father’s Day.

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CABOT COMMUNITY

8) Shane’s winning streak in Skip Bo (without resorting to the cheating ways of his colleagues.) 9) Eli pretending to misplace his passport. 10) Dore’s snoring (just kidding.) 11) Ella’s unique watercolor renderings of whoever happened to sit near her. 12) Colin probing the ocean depths in scuba gear like he was born wearing it. 13) Julia celebrating her 18th birthday in the jungle. 14) Caitlin’s unyielding quest for the goliath hermit crab. 15) Sam Talbert yeah, Sam Talbert yeah! 16) Katie’s perseverance in being asked multiple times each day by her chaperones “how are you doing Katie?” 17) Nick’s boundless energy for racing up to the top of the mountain in near record time in the sweltering heat, jumping off the dock for hours, and playing endless games of Bandits. 18) Whitney, aka the fish, going from shallow water wader to last one out of the water after a snorkeling expedition in the dark with headlamps. 19) Theron’s ability to be consistently silly for 10 days straight. 20) Meriah hunting down and capturing a giant frog (and I mean a really, really huge frog.)

Finally, the amazing category includes Tim Gochey’s capacity for positive chatter and great stories despite a horrific ear infection, Sally Rushman’s supreme command of the card game Quiddler, Mike Celley’s drive to win at soccer against bare-footed children in knee-high grass, Lee Penniman’s love of the Mayan culture and crafts, Ceclia Gulka’s fierce loyalty and defense of Cabot School in the face of overt criticism, and Mike Crocker’s knowledge and interest in the underwater world. So, just in case you were wondering, there really wasn’t anything about this trip that would fall into the annoying category (that was just a cheap trick to make sure you read all the way to the end) except maybe all those %^&*$#@ buses.

The entire crew poses for a group shot in the jungles of Belize.

Mike making friends in on of the villages.

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Belize It, Or Not!

By Susan Alexander What can be said about spending ten days with 20 students, six adults and two stowaways (Gumby and Troll) in a tropical country? Well, frankly, volumes! However, I can only provide here a mere distillation of the Cabot High School trip to Belize. Upon reflection, I have divided my thoughts about the trip between two categories: incredibly amazing moments and incredibly annoying moments. The amazing category includes the sights, sounds, and smells of Belize. The color of the water is indescribable because it changes hue just when you think you have found a word for it; the birds singing in the morning and the cicadas chirping as evening closes in are sometimes so loud you almost need it to stop in order to hear it; and the scent of corn tortillas and beans seasoned with annatto is omnipresent. What else I found truly amazing was the generous spirit and engaging demeanor of 20 of the greatest teenagers I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with, whether it be on buses, in airports, in underwater rivers, on buses, on jungle mountains, in caves, in restaurants, on buses, snorkeling coral reefs, in tiny planes, and did I mention on buses? The amazing highlights include, in no special order:

1) Lillian offering Mike $12 to swallow live minnows from Blue Creek. 2) Mike turning down Lillian’s offer only after I offer him $20 NOT to eat live minnows from Blue Creek (I won’t even mention the hermit crab — oops I just did.) 3) John washing his socks in Blue Creek (hence bad idea to eat the minnows.) 4) Amber taking out a soccer player on the opposing team in a none-too-subtle fashion. 5) Jese’s bathing suit which has a built in bottle opener. 6) Brittany making peace with the spider population (at least temporarily.) 7) Rachael taking advice from Gumby on how to beat me in cards.

The sign at the location of the Mayan ruins in Belize.

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Curds & Whey

By Bonnie Stevens Dannenberg

CURDS to Paul Sicely and the Twin Valley Senior Center. Paul recently tilled many gardens for area Senior Citizens, free of charge.

CURDS to Washington County State Senators Bill Doyle, Ann Cummings and Phil Scott and to Cabot/Danville/Peacham State Representative Kitty Toll. All four voted in favor of the milk bill, H-125, which passed.

CURDS to the Cabot Little League Grounds crew of family and friends who have put in tons of hours and labor to make Larry's field the gem of the league.

CURDS to Larry Gochey and his family for providing a great place for Little League in Cabot. We promise to get the torn up spots reseeded.

CURDS to Garry Gulka. At their annual meeting in February, the Friends of the Winooski presented Gary with an award for outstanding volunteer service to the Winooski River Watershed, for water quality sampling and tree planting work in Cabot and surrounding towns of the Upper Winooski.

CURDS to everyone who participated in Green up day.

CURDS to Cabot Creamery on their 90th anniversary.

CURDS to the high school students who recently organized a dance.

CURDS to the Cabot High School graduating class of 2009.

CURDS to the students who recently wrote letters to the editor regarding the school budget.

CURDS to everyone who sent me items for this column over the past six months. Thank you.

CURDS to Connie Koeller for 8 years of excellent service to the Cabot community as librarian of the Cabot town library. Thanks for the wonderful variety of programs, books, tapes, etc. We will miss you!

CURDS to the Cabot community for generously giving, time and time again, for our 8th grade class trip to Washington, D.C. We had a great time, learned a lot, and are so appreciative that we were able to go.

CURDS to all the folks who donate their time, vehicles, and energy to create and sustain a food bank in Cabot for anyone in need. Special thanks to Bill Cobb, Cabot Coalition, Joanna and John Christman, Cia Considine, Richie and Connie Hourihan, and Diana Klingler. There will be food pickups at the church on the 2nd Wednesday and the 4th Thursday of each month.

CURDS to Cabot senior Rachel Pitkin who was awarded the Peter Welch Choice award at the Congressional Art Show.

CURDS to Anson Tebbetts for his appointment as the news director at WCAX.

CURDS to Chris Tormey, on his receipt of The Governor’s Community Service Award. And Thank you Chris for all you do for Cabot!

NO WHEY this month. Apparently all is well, here in Brigadoon.

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4th of July and the PTSO

Tuesday June 9th at 7:00 pm in the preschool room, Cabot School.

We need reliable/dependable volunteers to help with:

-Food preparation before the 4th of July -Cook and serve food on the 4th of July -Donate food -Run games -Help to set up the evening before -Help take down the afternoon of the July 4th

PTSO is an organization that helps to pay for your children's field trips, classroom equipment, scholarships and other non-school structured student activities to name a few. If you have questions or can volunteer, please contact Wendy Barnett 563-9907 or Jamie Gokey 426-2019. The Fourth Of July Celebration is approaching and we would like evryone to know that we need your help. The following things are what we would like too get: clean clothes in good condition only, and yard sale items, NO BOOKS or COMPUTERS Please!. The person in charge of the Sale this year will be Mary Capenter- 563-9965. Items can be brought to the Gym the week prier to the 4th. If people need to get rid of items before then please contact Wendy Barnett at 563-9907 for arrangements. A schedule of events for the July $th Celebration will be printed in the July issue of the Chronicle. As always Volunteers to keep this event going are needed in all departments, so if you are able please join us at the next meeting which will be on June 9th @ 7pm in the preschool building. Or contact Wendy. Thanks the Cabot PTSO

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CHILDHOOD REFLECTIONS

Reading Harper Lee’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel To Kill a Mocking Bird remains a rite of passage for teenagers at Cabot School. Set in Alabama during the 1930’s, the novel deals with racism, tolerance, courage and compassion. The story, a tale of one momentous summer and fall, is recounted through the eyes of the endearing six-year-old “Scout” Finch. To begin this novel unit, students in Ms. Giroux’s ninth grade Composition and Literature class read poems of childhood reminisces. Students were then asked to vividly describe a memory from their childhoods and use poetic form. Their challenge was to narrow the memory to one scene. As do our memories, the tones of their poems varied from elation to fear to awe. Some students chose rhyme; most wrote in free verse. Punctuation was optional for this creative assignment. Completed in April, the assignment coincided with National Poetry Month. A selection from the student-poets follows.

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Memory

The dust flew in my face as I revved the engine of my dirtbike Then I faced my dream to conquer.

I slipped my clutch slowly and Spun my tires, headed right at it.

I stood up right before I hit it.

Suddenly, I was in the air. I kicked my foot out, Then landed.

I never felt so happy. I had cleared the jump.

Shannon Grier

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Bloody Summer Day

Middle of summer ‘Bout quarter to noon.

Mom’s at the table Watching me climb a tree.

Air smelling like pine, Trying to grab a limb,

Finding nothing ‘Cept a thin one. SNAP!

I’m falling, More like a slide ‘Cept a twig gets me From that moment I knew I was going to die.

From my chest ‘Bout half a bucket of blood. I see bright orange lights And hear screams.

They told me, “Don’t scream. Your little brother is asleep.”

Still, I screamed Hoping not to die, Hoping I was okay.

Patrick Houston

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Shock

A highly efficient machine Smooth and fast Smell of gasoline and wood Sound of splitter and chainsaw Piles of logs crunched into pieces One small mistake, and a Hole in my hand. My feet miles away, Clouds racing by, Ground blurred, My world stopped. Shock. Complete shock.

Matt Nally

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Basket Case

Hot summer day in August My birthday party Becca, Cassidy and Shannon Messing around, running around Leaning, leaping, then smash My mom’s basket hit the floor

Breaking into pieces Hid the mess Put another in its place Does she even know?

Kelly Gochey

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The Death Ride

With sun beaming off my white alloyed tubing

I gazed upwards, always upwards, For that would be the end.

As the meandering path leads to the unknown I feel myself slip into a daze: my senses mesmerizing, creating a steady pulsation of my heart.

With every drop that falls from my forehead

Salt stings my withered tongue. I reach for the cure, But my soft bottle is empty - - My dehydrated body must suffer more.

The heat lashes relentlessly across my burned face,

lungs pound against their restraining bars, legs numb from continuous pumping. How long can I last? How much can I endure? This is true biking.

Aaron Bushey

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My First Coonhunt

They drive,

I sit. They stop,

I wait.

They unload them,

I’m confused. They unleash them,

I’m scared. They strike them, I wonder. They tree them, I get excited. They leave, I follow.

Cassidy Kittredge

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That Night

That night my little brother was born That night I saw him for the first time

That night the hospital was quiet That night he looked so sweet and innocent That night I looked into his little blue eyes That night my little brother was born.

Amanda Nash

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Worst Trip of My Life

Down the giant slide fast Cool air blowing in my face. I stand up at the bottom.

BAM!

Another person hits me. Blurred visions, blackness, hot sand

grinding in my hands. Ankle hurts. I open my eyes. Blood. Running blood, Downward, from my knee. A sharp, murderous pain, I can see bone, And blood. 2001: worst trip of my life Also the deepest cut I’ve ever seen.

Mike Garfield

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Payback Time

When you least expect it

They will just pop out Giving no warning And no mercy Whether by taking your clothes Or cutting your hair While you sleep. You can get no revenge;

They are too strong And too experienced. There is just no hope - - Your older siblings Will get you every time.

However, the future and turnabout is mine.

Rebecca Rossell

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CABOT CREAMERY’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY! Come Celebrate Cabot Creamery’s 90th!

A 90th birthday is a cause for celebration, and in this economy, nine decades of survival of a business is almost unheard of, but that is just what Cabot Creamery will be celebrating in June. And everyone is invited to the birthday party. Come rain or shine, the Cabot Creamery Dairy Festival will take place on June 13, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., in the lot in front of the visitor’s center. According to Kelly Littlefield, the creamery’s organizer for the event, Tents will be set up to house the many facets of the event. “We’ll have live music all day, and a lot of the companies we do business with in the visitor’s center, state agencies, the Cabot Historical Society and the Friends of the Winooski,” she said about event participants. She added that the village green and the recreation field will be used for parking, with shuttle service courtesy of a Cabot School bus. “There will also be hay and tractor rides,” Littlefield added, explaining that John Clark will bring his team of horses for the event. Among the performers slated for the day are the Northeast Fiddlers Association, Patty Casey, Banjo Dan and the Midnight Plowboys, and the Radio Rangers. Littlefield said the hope is that people from all over the state, as well as visitors, will come to the village for the festival. Food will also be available for visitors, for a price. All proceeds will benefit the Cabot School. “We will be doing a barbeque lunch, and the kids will also be doing a bake sale and a 50/50 raffle, as fundraisers,” she said. Cabot Creamery has a rich, almost creamy history. In 1919, farmers from the Cabot area joined forces to turn their excess milk into butter and market it throughout New England. The original 94 farmers purchased the village creamery (which had been built in 1893) and began producing butter under the Rosedale brand name. In 1930, the group first made cheddar cheese. Late in the 1950s, the United State’s dairy farming industry was in steep decline, as more people moved to urban and suburban areas, yet in 1960, Cabot's membership reached 600 farm families. Despite a continual reduction of dairy operations in Vermont, Cabot’s membership grew into the 1980s. By this time, the co-operative had changed its brand identity from Rosedale to Cabot. In 1989, Cabot’s Cheddar won first place at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest held in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This sort of accolade has continued to be part of the company’s identity, as the company’s cheeses have gained a reputation for excellence. In 1992, Cabot's farmer-owners merged with the 1,800 farm families of Agri-mark, a southern New England co-op dating back to 1918. Together, the combined companies represent more than 1,500 farms, and operate four processing plants. In 2003, Agri-Mark merged with the Chateaugay Cooperative in Upstate New York and acquired the assets of McCadam Cheese. Today, Cabot Creamery operates state-of-the-art facilities with an entrepreneurial spirit, and is still 100% owned by its farm families. Cabot’s products are not limited to cheese, as the company also produces yogurt, sour cream, dips, butter, cottage cheese and whipped cream. The creamery public relations department has hung posters advertising the Dairy Festival in the company’s Waterbury Annex as well as the location in Quechee, and advertising is being placed in newspapers, hoping a lot of folks will come help celebrate the company’s 90th year. According to Littlefield, some of the many regional companies that will take part in the festival include Vermont Butter and Cheese, Ben and Jerry’s, Green Mountain Coffee, Vermont Smoke and Cure, Vermont Pure and Lake Champlain Chocolates. Numerous state and regional commerce agencies will also be represented, including the Vermont Department of Agriculture, Vermont Farms Association, Faith in Action Northern Communities Partnership, the Cabot Coalition and the Vermont Historical Society. “Now we are just keeping our fingers crossed for good weather,” she laughed.

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Governor’s Workplace Safety Award

The Governor’s Workplace Safety Award was established in 2005 to recognize employers that have made outstanding achievements in Workplace Safety and Health. These employers and their employees make a commitment to improving their health and safety records, and make eliminating hazards and reducing injuries a top priority. This award recognizes those companies that have decided that workplace safety and health is a core value and the profitability and viability of the business is inextricably linked to this value. The Governor’s Award on workplace safety is the highest honor given by the State of Vermont to recognize an employer’s commitment to excellence in workplace safety and health. Sponsored by Governor Douglas, VDOL, the Vermont Health & Safety Council and SBDC, this is the 5th Annual Governor's Award for Outstanding Workplace Safety.

Several criteria served as benchmarks for the decision making process, including the business’s experience modification (MOD) rate, whether there had been workplace fatalities or catastrophic injuries, an active safety committee including both management and employees, and a written workplace safety policy. Cabot Creamery Cooperative of Cabot received the award in the General Industry Category. Cabot Creamery began its aggressive approach to workplace safety five years ago and has dropped its MOD rate from .89 to .66, significantly reduced their OSHA Recordable injuries and illnesses, reduced lost time accidents, and reduced their severity rate. Their workplace safety program has also saved Cabot nearly one million dollars in Workers’ Compensation Claim dollars over the five year period.

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CABOT COMMUNITY

By Anne Nadel and instant messaging and a built-in digital camera. For the environmentally conscious, T-Mobile just introduced the MOTO W233, a greener option in cell phones. The W233 is a standard phone with an average appearance, but also features an MP3 feature, and its 100% recyclable housing is made using recycled water bottle plastics. Motorola ’ saliancewith Carbonfund.org offsets the phone's carbon footprint, a long-life battery allows the user to charge it less often than traditional cell phone batteries to conserve energy, efficient packaging reduces both materials and transportation emissions, and all in-box materials use 100% post-consumer recycled paper and vegetable-based inks. In all cases, pre-paid minutes can be purchased in numerous increments, from $20 up, and the phones are available in almost any price range. For traditionalists, the Day Runner and Day Timer personal organizers are great options, as they can be customized via accessories than can be purchased individually, including calendars, address books, zip pouches, calculators and notepads. They are available in handy, portable sizes, or desktop formats. Like many such items, they have the added benefit of being refillable with a new calendar annually. These items are reasonably priced, starting at approximately $40. Digital planners are a nice alternative to paper ones, but they can be prohibitively expensive, and the nicest of them require a contract with a cell service carrier, as many, like the po pu l ar B l ac k be rr y, o ffe r communication options. Both dorm-dwellers and students who move out on their own after high school will appreciate the new wave in single-cup coffee makers. These make coffee by the serving, and can be as inexpensive as the Black and Decker Cup-at-a-Time, which retails for approximately $13, and as featureheavy and costly as the stainless steel Breville Gourmet Single Cup, which has an imposing $300 price tag. Microwaves, too, come in a variety of prices, as well as assorted sizes. Commemorative jewelry and locally made crafts are a nice option for giftgiving. For graduates who will be setting up a household, Vermont made foods and kitchen gadgets are great gifts. Local silver and gold artisans can create lovely wearable gifts, too. Sometimes the best gifts are ones that offer flexibility, and in that case, gift cards or certificates to retailers are wonderful. While it is tempting to offer the graduate a card he or she can go shopping with, consider the option of buying locally with certificates for services. Local entrepreneurs offer everything from oil changes to massages, and certificates for these make great gifts. Of course, in a bad economy, it may be that cash is king, and what new graduate, college or work-force bound, couldn’t use a little extra spending money?

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Gifts for the Graduate

CABOT and all across America – In just a few days for many, academic careers will be ending, or suspending, as young people graduate from high school and college. Tradition holds that this is an auspicious time to give the graduate a gift. With so many ideas from which to choose, it seems a daunting task to pick the right gift, so here are a few helpful ideas. Many young people graduating from high school will be off to college in just a few short weeks, and there are a variety of items which will come in handy for the post-secondary student. Music storage, digital cameras, prepaid cell phones and both digital and bound paper organizers are popular electronic choices. For dormitory-bound college students, compact coffee makers and microwaves can be dietary lifesavers. Gift cards and certificates for services are also nice ways of congratulating the new graduate. The seemingly obligatory MP3 players without which so many young people cannot seem to function make a nice gift for those who haven’t got one. They are all compatible with any computer system, although the iPod, made by Apple Corporation, is truly most able to interact with Mac computers, while there are a wide variety of MP3 player that interact well with PCs. This writer highly recommends the Zune by Microsoft, which not only stores and plays music, videos and photos, but can also allows users to send music and video from Zune to Zune. Like the ubiquitous iPod, it comes in several data storage sizes and colors. Both have their fans and detractors, and both get consistently high ratings from the people who use them. An 8 GB iPod lists at one major retailer for $229.99, while the comparable Zune lists for $139.99. Cell phones are hot items for both the college bound and those who intend to join the work force upon graduation. While nobody giving a gift wants to be responsible for a long-term cell phone contract, there are numerous great options in pre-paid cell phones and service. This option allows someone to buy a phone, load it with its first bundle of airtime, and give it as a gift, or to allow the recipient to set it up by giving the phone with an airtime card. The phones that can be used in this manner vary widely, from the simplest unit to fancier Bluetooth enabled phones with built in cameras and advanced texting keypads. The Trac Fone is perhaps the most familiar of these, and can be purchased at very low prices, while Verizon offers a no-contract Motorola RAZR among others, and Virgin Mobile offers a wide array of pre-paid phones, including the Slash, which is Bluetoothenabled, features mobile web browsing with e-mail capabilities, multimedia

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 10 onward.

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