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Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

September 2011 · 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 September 2011 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

I Believe in Celebrating A Sense of Place

By Julia Shipley

Reprinted from the Burlington Free Press, August 21, 2011.

Do you know the best climbing tree in your neighborhood? Or where wild leeks grow? Could you point out the perfect spot to watch the Fourth of July parade? Can you explain why Rural Route 1 was renamed West Hill Pond Road and then renamed Coits Pond Road? Which is the steepest sliding hill? Could you show exactly where the cows get out each summer and munch your roses? The people in Cabot, Vermont can answer all of these questions, and furthermore can describe and explain their intricate connection to the place they live. As part of a Community Mapping Project, sponsored by the Cabot Chronicle, a monthly newspaper dedicated to “publishing local news for the residents of the Cabot area,” citizens ages 5 to 75, have been making maps of meaningful places within their community for almost a year. They’ve charted everything from the scary spider that lives in their woodshed to the old town water pump at the far end of their front lawn to the best place to consume Starbusts bought from the Cabot General Store.

Wendell Berry, a farmer, writer, and philosopher put it succinctly when he said, “If you don’t know where you are, then you don’t know who you are.” In the fall of 2010 the Cabot Coalition sponsored three mapping workshops to recognize, celebrate and share personal stories about the fields, houses, forests, roads, rivers, barns, shops, schools and yards where they live their lives. Using markers and sheets of blank copy paper and poster-board, participants began to diagram the “places they know better than anybody,” those places where they make difficult decisions, those places where play and dream, those places where they realize the beauty that surrounds them. Then, each month, beginning in October of 2010, the Cabot Chronicle has featured one of these hand-drawn maps accompanied with commentary by the cartographer in a column called: Our Town—mapping a sense of place. What Cabot is creating, map by map, column by column, is a community atlas of their connections to place, or, in other words, a comprehensive, collective answer to where they are and thus who they are, and what matters to them. I believe, that armed with these beautiful documents, these tacit testimonies, this heightened awareness what makes a place special, people of Cabot will be stronger advocates and empowered decision makers about how to manage their shared and private territories.

From an environmental and ecological standpoint this is a crucial exercise. In his book, What are People For, Wendell Berry describes an experience in which he unintentionally damages his landscape (a newly dug pond gone wrong). He states plainly, “Until that wound in the hillside, my place, is healed, there will be something impaired in my mind.” This correlation between the health and wholeness of landscapes and the sanity of our minds is something I feel as well. I was born and grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania, a region with flat land and sweet soils perfect for raising pumpkins, tomatoes, melons and corn. Over the past 100 years however, developers have covered that soil in plaster cast of concrete, and now the place where I grew up is perfect for sitting in traffic, trying to find a parking place, and buying everything from George Foreman grills to Poison perfume in the gargantuan King of Prussia Mall. Vermont is my coping mechanism—one of the reasons I live here is because the rate of development occurs at a speed I can understand and process. In 2009 I learned of an organization in the UK called Common Ground. Founded in the mid 1980’s their work encourages community groups to produce their own maps of their towns and villages, essentially expressing in words and pictures what people think about the places they live. Called “Parish Maps,” they are collectively produced maps reflecting the unique qualities and character of the community; metaphorically they are kind of “Group Photo” of the town’s values and assets. Each map captures and depicts aspects that are distinctive to each locale. This collaborative act brings together folks who might otherwise duel each other at town meeting. Here, in the space of one page, the parties recognize and celebrate the shared territory, their actual common ground. Inspired by these vibrant expressions in a book called A Sense of Place: The Parish Maps of West Sussex (ed. Kim Leslie), I searched for a way to develop a similar project in collaboration with the Cabot Chronicle where I work as a citizen journalist. In less than a year, people in Cabot have made over individual and collective 40 maps and the ongoing conversation about special places continues each month in the pages of Cabot Chronicle. Change, progress, development are of course inevitable, but by celebrating our sense of place through mapmaking and interviewing each other about our neighborhoods, we stand to become clear with ourselves and others about what makes our place distinct. By naming and depicting what is sacred and special, we thereby distinguish what is worthy of stewardship and protection. I believe mapping our places helps raise our own awareness of the meaning and uniqueness of our locales, so that we know where we are, and who we are, and what we’ve got before it’s gone.

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David Book to Perform Historical Monologue

By Chronicle Staff David Book, Vermont Author, Vermont Civil War enthusiast and promoter and researcher of Cabot’s past has penned a first-person historical monologue featuring the Morrill Family, who once lived on the Flats in Lower Cabot. The monologue features Mr. Abel Morrill, Sr, who lost two sons in the Civil War, as well as suffered other hardships. The Morrills lived in the house which is now owned by Amanda Legare. The monologue will be debuted during the Foliage Festival, September 27, at 3:30 p.m. in Cabot’s Willey Building. The following is an excerpt from this monologue titled, “A High Price To Pay: A Heavy Burden To Bear”

You hadn’t heard about my boys? Well, if you have the time, I might just tell you their story as well. Why don’t you just plan to stay for supper? We got all this food from the church service left over and Margaret is cooking up some fresh biscuits! Would you like a cup of coffee? Margaret, put on a pot of coffee -

- - please! Abel, Junior, was the first to join up. He was only 20 when he answered the call for a new regiment to be formed at the fairgrounds at Johnsbury. He and 17 other eager lads from this little town became soldiers. He was elected a Corporal by his company, 3rd Regiment E. He was a fine boy, a handsome boy, as Lt. Abel Morrill, Jr.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 1 onward.

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Actual Cabot Coalition News

By Lori Augustyniak A recent headline in a neighboring newspaper sensationally announced the “Cabot Coalition Approaches Selectboard for Bailout.” While the end of federal funding for the Cabot Coalition is looming, and traditional programming will end this fall, the coalition is not in debt and has not requested a “bailout” from the town. The Coalition is incredibly grateful for the support the town has provided over the years and the notion of approaching the town for funding at this point in time was not ever discussed by the board or staff. Since the Coalition began in 1998, the Cabot Community has been generous with their time and financial support of the Coalition and its activities. In the past 13 years townspeople have approved the use of UDAG funds and town appropriations to support a school-based substance abuse counselor, Cabot Teen Center, Cabot Connects Mentor Program and the Cabot Chronicle. Local residents have also donated countless hours of volunteer support. The Coalition has spent this summer fundraising and grant writing. In early August we received very good news. A group of investors has approached the Coalition and would like to help support the Cabot Connects Mentor Program for the next year (a dollar amount has not yet been determined). These funders recognize the high quality programming of Cabot Connects and wish to sustain the program so it can serve as a model to other mentor programs in the State. The offer of this funding is an enormous compliment to the time and effort that Coalition Staff, the Mentor Advisory Board and mentors have dedicated to the program. Cabot Connects began in 2005 and today has 31 active matches – an adult and young person – meeting together to provide extra support to Cabot’s young people. Kathleen Hoyne, Cabot Connects coordinator, will be on the job another year and is always looking for new adults and youth to participate in the program. The Cabot Coalition is slated to lose its full-time paid staff person, as of September 30, but will maintain a presence in town with part-time staff until October 31. In the long-term, the coalition has decided to continue to meet monthly as a volunteer-run organization to discuss issues affecting youth and strategizing ways to help Cabot youth make healthy choices. The next meeting of the coalition will be held on Tuesday, September 20, at the Masonic Hall at 7:00 p.m. dessert will be provided. Everyone welcome.

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Scavenger Hunt

By Will Ameden This morning after dropping Wyatt off at Shakespeare Camp, I was walking up to the hangar from the sugarhouse thinking about the mama bear and two cubs that my next door neighbor had warned me she’d seen twice in her yard. She was worried about my sheep, but Zoey (the drafthorse) keeps a good eye on those sheep and wouldn’t let any bear hurt them. On the other hand, I was thinking, what would ‘I’ do if I came between the mother and her cubs? How fast could I run to the cabin? The question was particularly relevant since I had a camera in my pocket and would love to capture a picture of those bears. It didn’t take more than a few seconds to throw away the idea of bear portraits. Instead, my eye began wandering looking for other things to take pictures of. My family is descending tomorrow for a family reunion so I was seeing the farm through their eyes as much as my own. I was also thinking of another family gathering I went to this summer – a wedding, for the sister of my friend Helen, and I was signed up to play photogra- Administrative Advisor: Jeannie Johnson Will taking scavenger hunt photos

pher. I think the most interesting photographs were of an epic, seven and a half hour treasure hunt the day before the wedding that took guests all over the town where Helen and her sister grew up. That treasure hunt gave me a chance to really explore, see, and learn about Newbury, VT. .much more than I ever would have just driving through for a visit. What a great way to explore someone’s town or home. It occurred to me that I could do the same thing for my family when they came to visit. Using photographs I created a scavenger hunt challenge for them to find some of the unusual items I have here on the farm.

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Vermont State Budget Update

By Representative Kitty Toll

The fiscal uncertainty that has emerged in the last several weeks on both the national and international fronts has reinforced how prudent it was for the Vermont Legislature to be very cautious in developing the State’s budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. The good news is that FY 2011 revenues ended above expectations, providing additional resources to address problems that will inevitably emerge in FY 2012. Since many of these higher FY 2011 revenues were from one-time sources, they were essentially used to build reserves to give the State some capacity to deal with the many fiscal unknowns. The Appropriations Committees had already anticipated some of these revenues; however, at the end of the 2011 fiscal year in June, there was still about $35 million more than expected at the time the FY 2012 Budget was passed. Although these numbers are large, they are in the context of a FY 2011 Budget of nearly $4.9 billion, which really means that budget forecasts were very accurate. For the first time, nearly $4 million was allocated to the Revenue Shortfall Reserve. At a time when the impact of Congress having to grapple with reducing the federal deficit has yet to be determined, these funds, along with $61 million in the Human Services Caseload Reserve, will provide the State the ability to mitigate some of these federal cuts, particularly in the areas of fuel assistance for Seniors and low-income families and health care services. There has been some revenue weakness in the Transportation Fund because of higher gas prices. On the other hand, FY 2011 revenues from the Purchase and Use Tax, which is generated by the sale of vehicles, grew by over 10 percent. When the FY 2012 Revenue Forecast was adjusted in July, there was a slight downward adjustment to the Transportation Fund. With such a volatile fiscal environment, the Vermont Legislative budget committees will closely monitor the state’s revenues and spending to ensure Vermont continues to have a balanced budget. I look forward to returning to my work on the House Appropriations Committee in December.

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Explanation of Tax Rate Increase

By Tara Rogerson, Cabot Town Clerk

On the right is the tax rate chart depicting the split for the past five years. The municipal tax hasn’t changed much despite the anticipated road and bridge repairs. In fact, it’s closer to the norm than 2008 and 2009. Where taxpayers will see the big increase compared to last year is in the school tax. In 2009 the total tax rate was even higher than this year – there were slightly lower school rates, but higher costs in the general fund (GF). The same was true for 2008, but the school rate was much lower than 2009, so the increase was noticeable (a ten cent jump is always noticeable). The same thing basically has happened in 2010 and 2011. The general fund increased slightly (two cents), while the school tax went way up… especially for the residential portion. So, what affects the school tax? I can’t find a better way to describe it than the tax department has already provided….

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON EDUCATION TAX RATES Excerpts from the State of Vermont Tax Department website.

How are the school rates set? For tax year 2011 (FY12), the base education tax rate for homestead property is $0.87. It is adjusted by the district spending adjustment, and by the school district’s common level of appraisal (CLA). For tax year 2011 (FY12), the base tax rate for nonresidential property is $1.36. It is adjusted by the school district’s common level of appraisal. The nonresidential tax rate is not multiplied by the district spending adjustment.

What is the purpose of the common level of appraisal? The common level of appraisal is used to equalize education taxes statewide—to ensure that properties of equal value pay equal taxes. It wouldn’t be fair to use the locally established values and the same tax rate in every town without the common level of appraisal adjustment. If your town had just reappraised, you would pay at a higher rate than the owner of a property worth the same amount in a town that hadn’t reappraised in a few years. Let’s say you have a camp in East Overshoe that is worth $100,000. Your listers did a complete reappraisal for tax year 2011 and they’ve assessed you at $100,000. There’s a camp across the town line in West Overshoe that is also worth $100,000. The Town of West Overshoe is planning to reappraise for tax year 2012, but for tax year 2011 that camp is assessed at $85,000. It wouldn’t be fair if you were taxed at the same $1.36 rate. You would pay $1,360. Your West Overshoe neighbor would pay $1,156. Rather than thinking of the CLA as adjusting the tax rate, think of it as adjusting the listed value of the property to fair market value. The West Overshoe camp is adjusted by the common level of appraisal to bring its listed value into line with the market. The adjustment by the CLA means you and your neighbor in the next town pay the same amount of education tax on properties of equal value.

How does the spending level voted in my town affect the homestead tax rate? The tax rate levied on homestead property is adjusted upward if the residents of that school district spend more than the ―base education spending amount. The base is $8,544 per pupil for tax year 2011 (FY12). Keep in mind that some town districts are also members of union school districts or unified school districts. In those instances, the tax rate is a combination of the individual rates of the different districts of which you are a member.

Is the nonresidential tax rate of $1.36 adjusted to reflect spending over the ―base education payment? No. The rate for nonresidential property is the same for all property in Vermont. It is adjusted only by the common level of appraisal. If the CLA is 90.00% the rate becomes: $1.36 .9000 = $1.5111.

Will there be towns where the nonresidential tax rate is lower than the homestead tax rate? Yes. In towns with per pupil spending in excess of $13,356 the homestead rate will be higher than the nonresidential rate for fiscal year 2012.

Is there an additional adjustment for school districts whose per pupil spending is a lot more (excess spending) than the average statewide? Yes. If a town has ―excess spending,ǁ then the Department of Education includes that excess twice in the computation of its district spending adjustment.

Will the tax rates be adjusted to account for reappraisals? Yes. In those towns that have reappraised for 2011, the common level of appraisal used to calculate the rates will be the ratio of the reappraised 2011 education grand list to the equalized education grand list certified January 1, 2011. The Director of PVR is charged by statute with determining whether a reappraisal has occurred that warrants a new CLA. 32 V.S.A. §5406(c).

Towns also levy taxes for highways and other municipal services. Are there different rates for homestead and nonresidential properties? No. Municipal taxes that pay for highways and other municipal services are levied on the municipal grand list. With the exception of the few communities that have different rates in accord with their charter, municipal taxes are not subject to tax classification. The selectboard determines the amount to be raised from taxes and divides that figure by the total municipal grand list established by the listers. 17 V.S.A. §2664. There is no adjustment for the common level of appraisal as there is no need to adjust the municipal values to a single point in time. This is not a state tax requiring equalization across towns.

It says in the material sent with my tax bill that some people are able to pay their education tax based on income rather than on the value of their property. How does that work? There is a property tax adjustment worksheet on the Tax Department website. It can used to estimate the property tax adjustment credit. The classification of property as homestead assures that a Vermont resident will not pay more than the statutorily established percentage of household income for property taxes on his or her housesite (house and up to two acres). The difference between the taxpayer’s property tax bill and the property tax based on household income is paid by the State in the form of a property tax adjustment credit. The money is paid directly to the Town. The Town then issues the homeowner a property tax bill for the net due. The property tax adjustment calculation uses prior year household income and prior year property taxes.

For more information contact the Taxpayer Services Division at 802-828-2865 or toll free in Vermont at 866-828-2865. You can also send e-mail to: [email protected]

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UDAG Grant Requests Due October

By Jeannie Johnson Applications for Cabot UDAG Community Grants are due by October 1. Mail applications to Cabot UDAG Committee, P. O. Box 125, Cabot, VT 05647. The application form is available on the Town’s website: www.cabotvt.us; click on Boards, then Documents Library. The UDAG Plan provides funding to pay community grants voted on by Australian ballot at Town Meeting. This money can be granted to any Cabot community organization or Cabot governmental agency for capital projects that meet the goals of the UDAG Plan. Eligible applicants include community groups, non-profits, civic organizations, fraternal organizations, and similarly organized groups in the Town of Cabot, as well as such other committees, agencies, organizations, or commissions that are created by the Town of Cabot or the Cabot School District. Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants. The Committee will review grant proposals to determine whether a proposed grant meets the goals of the UDAG Plan. Applicants will be notified at which upcoming UDAG meeting the application will be reviewed so they may attend that meeting. Generally, applicants will be notified of the Committee decision within two weeks following the UDAG meeting. When such a determination is made for all grants proposed, a warned information meeting on the grants the Committee considers consistent with the UDAG Plan will be hosted by the Committee at its regularly scheduled meeting on the third Thursday of December. The grant proposals determined by the Committee to be consistent with the UDAG Plan will be voted on by Australian ballot on Town Meeting Day. The submission of the grant proposal to the voters does not constitute an endorsement of any grant proposal by the Committee. Each voter must decide if a particular grant proposal is a worthwhile use of UDAG funds, and cast their vote accordingly. Grantees are expected to purchase goods and services for their projects from Cabot vendors as far as possible and are encouraged to show estimates and bid documents from local vendors on their applications. The Committee may request such information if it is not shown on the application, and the Committee may find that an application does not meet the goals of the Plan if it fails to include local vendors. The Committee may request progress reports for granted projects and may withhold payment of granted funds if the project deviates significantly from its application description.

Grant payments will be made by authorization of the Committee after receipt of dated invoice(s) from grantee showing vendor, vendor address and phone and goods and/or services purchased. Neither in-kind donations nor volunteer hours are eligible for reimbursement.

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From page 3

1. Protect and enhance the quality of life and the character of the town by:

• Preserving agriculture

• Preserving and reusing historic and important buildings

• Conserving open and farm land

• Enhancing recreational opportunities

• Providing local amenities and community activities, and Preserving and protecting the environment and abating pollution. 2. Promote commercial development that is consistent with the scale and character of the community by

• Assisting existing small business, including agriculture;

• Providing incentives for new business development;

• Assisting in the promotion of local business;

• Creating and protecting local employment opportunities;

• Attracting public and private investment, and Encouraging the use of indigenous, renewable raw materials 3. Promote education by:

• Supporting the programs, activities and operations of the Cabot School;

• Assisting students who continue their education beyond high school, and Assisting adults who are pursuing continuing education and professional development that is intended to enhance their job skills and advance their careers. 4. Improve community infrastructure, facilities and services by:

• Supporting local civic and community service organizations and groups, especially those that address the needs of children, adolescents, the handicapped, or the elderly, and Supporting public works projects in the Town and Village. 5. Enhance the local tax base by supporting projects and activities that service to improve existing businesses and attract new ones. 6. Preserve the fund so as to be able to continue to meet the needs of the community for many years to come.

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Why Battle of Bennington Matters

Senator Bill Doyle On August 16, Vermont celebrated the Battle of Bennington. Edward Conant, in his History of Vermont, said the battle was “the first of a series that led to the surrender of Burgoyne's army. It was the turning point of the Revolutionary War, as it led to the recognition of the independence of the United States by France and other European countries and to a treaty with France, on account of which she assisted the new nation with money, fleets and armies. The victory of the Americans at Saratoga, NY, has been reckoned among the great battles of the world, but the victory at Bennington was necessary to that of Saratoga.” Despite declaring independence, 1776 was a difficult year for the new nation. Great Britain had never made a greater military effort abroad. Against 32,000 disciplined troops, General Washington could only muster 19,000 Continental and state troops. Under the circumstances, it was not surprising that the British forced the Americans off Long Island and out of New York City, and drove Washington across New Jersey into Pennsylvania. 1777 looked worse. The British planned a knockout punch designed to isolate New England. General William Howe, who had pinned down Washington's army at Valley Forge, would move north to Albany to meet General “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne coming from Canada, thus trapping the Americans in a giant pincers movement. Fortunately, Howe devised his own plan, took Philadelphia, which was then the capital, and never marched to Albany. Meanwhile, Burgoyne was making great progress along the New York- Vermont border, capturing a series of forts, including Ticonderoga and Mount Independence in Orwell, Vermont, and gaining advantage in Hubbardton. Burgoyne, however, was not prepared for guerilla warfare. Bridges were burned, axmen felled trees along the roads. The British army was forced to build 40 bridges, and at one point, it took the army 24 days to cover 26 miles. As supplies dwindled, the British decided that their best course was to send a diversionary force to capture Bennington, where the Americans had their headquarters and where supplies could be obtained. The actual battle would take place in Hoosick, New York, near the Vermont line. By August 15, 1,600 Americans under General John Stark had gathered at Bennington. The force consisted of New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts troops. The Vermont troops were led by Colonel Seth Warner and militia from Bennington and Wilmington. Last to arrive, wet with drenching rain, were volunteers from the Berkshires, led by Reverend Thomas Allen. After giving the attack signal on August 16, Stark was said to have exclaimed: “There are the Redcoats, and they are ours, or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow.” In his report to his commanding general, Stark stated that the battle was “the hottest I ever saw in my life--it represented one continual clap of thunder.” Parson Allen described the American attack of one of “ardor and patience beyond expectation,” and referred to the British fire as “peels of thunder and flashes of lightning.” The battle lasted until dark of the 16th with the British in full retreat. The Patriots took 750 prisoners, 1,000 muskets and 4 cannons. The Massachusetts Legislature, in thanking Stark for his leadership, paid tribute to the troops at Bennington: “The events of that day strongly mark the bravery of the men who, unskilled in war, forced from their entrenchments a chosen number of veteran troops of boasted Britons.” A few days after the battle, George Washington, camped near Philadelphia, paid tribute to the Bennington Battle by calling it a signal victory. Burgoyne continued to press on toward Albany, but did not have the supplies he needed, and the American forces grew daily. Finally, two months after Bennington, he was surrounded by a much larger force and surrendered with 5,700 men at Saratoga. Burgoyne developed a high appreciation of the fighting qualities of Vermonters: He described Vermont as “a country unpeopled and almost unknown, now abounds in the most active and most rebellious race of the continent, and hangs like a gathering storm upon my left.” The Battle of Bennington on August 16, 1777, was important in the quest of our nation’s independence. That is the reason we celebrate the event as a state holiday.

Senator Bill Doyle serves on the Senate Education Committee, the Senate Economic Development Committee and is the Senate Minority Leader. He teaches government history at Johnson State College.

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Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor, In the column "Our Other Towns" in the August issue of the paper, there was a guide to pleasant things one might do in Lyndonville, with a fair amount of emphasis on the Wildflower Inn. While the Inn is clearly a lovely place, readers should be aware of an event which occurred just after the submission deadline for the paper (so I am in no way faulting the writer of the article for not being able to see into the future). When two women recently attempted to reserve the inn for their wedding reception, they were told that innkeepers Mary and Jim O'Reilly "do not host gay receptions" because of their "personal feelings." Apparently, this has happened to other couples in the past, but Katherine Baker and Ming-Lien Linsley have filed a lawsuit through the ACLU to object to this overt discrimination. (More information about the case can be found on ACLU's website, or by searching for any of the relevant terms in Google.) So, before deciding to stay or eat at the Wildflower Inn, you should consider whether you wish to support a business which does not welcome everyone in Cabot equally.

Respectfully, Karen Mueller-Harder

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Cabot Resident to Climb in the Himalayas to Raise Money for the Red Cross

By Christina Deruzza Born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom, Christina DeRuzza has taken her love of the mountains and outdoors and accepted a company challenge to climb to Lunag basecamp in the Himalayas (Nepal). The company, Informa, is completely sponsoring her and 7 of her UK colleagues for this adventure. In return for this amazing opportunity, she is giving back by raising money for the Red Cross this summer. Christina’s goal is to raise $10, 000 for the Red Cross: $5,000 for their US Tornado Relief fund and $5,000 for their Japan Disaster Relief fund. To read more about these charities and to make a donation, please visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/christinaderuzza/tornadorelief http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/christinaderuzza/japandisasterrelief Saturday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 4th, Christina will be hosting a tag sale to raise money for the Japan Disaster Relief fund. The whole family is invited to come, there is sure to be something for everyone. There will be free local ice cream while supplies last. The event is at 6491 Mack Mountain Road, ¼ of a mile off of Route #2, in Cabot, VT. To follow Christina the next six weeks as she prepares for the trek and continues her fundraising, please visit her team’s blog; http://lunag.informa.com/. Contact Christina DeRuzza with any question, 802.563.2077.

FIRST RESPONDER NEWS:

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Birth Into Being ~ www.birthintobeing.org

Bonne Dunham weighs a newborn.

How and why did you decide to become a midwife? I was raised in a household that placed a lot of emphasis on moral kindness, the spiritual body, and its connection to the physical body. I believe I was 19, when a friend of mine passively mentioned that she wanted to be a midwife, and when I asked her to explain to me what that involved, it was like bells ringing in my head. I realized then that midwifery was the perfect marriage of body and spirit and science. I began gathering and reading as many books and magazines that I could about pregnancy and birth. After that initial year of interest, I attended a lengthy doula (labor assistant) course in Jerusalem, Israel and volunteered my services there in a local hospital. I moved to Vermont directly from that experience and soon after began my apprenticeship, training and schooling towards becoming a midwife.

What is your personal philosophy about pregnancy, labor, and birth?

I have a variety of philosophies surrounding pregnancy, labor and birth. One of the great things about being a midwife is that each and every woman, family and birth, brings new elements of surprise and enlightenment to my base of beliefs and philosophy. Just when I think I have a solid knowing about the why’s and how’s of pregnancy/labor/birth, I am presented with a birth or client that inevitably challenges or changes my views. So while I cannot really sum it up, some of the philosophies that I try always to align with are an inherent trust in birth, striving for open and honest communication which is the building block for strong relationships, allowing myself and my clients to listen to our intuitions and promising to never stop learning.

How do you support pregnant women, fathers/partners, and families? I really strive to get to know my clients; what their background is, their strengths and weakness, what it is that they really need from me. Every woman and her partner will encounter their own special set of hurdles somewhere within the pregnancy/birth/postpartum. I stay keen to these hurdles as they present themselves. I find that most everyone is in need of emotional support and encouragement, whether it be physically adjusting to pregnancy, relationships and roles shifting, diet and exercise, labor preparation….the list is endless.

What is unique about the care you provide for your clients? I’ve heard that my laugh is fairly unique and uplifting. I have a really great sense of humor, but can very quickly go to a place where serious emotions and events need to be addressed. Also, I myself have had three very different pregnancies, birth and postpartum periods. It is from these personal experiences that I know there is no text-book pregnancy. I have also studied and attended workshops surrounding the work of Marshall Rosenberg’s ‘Non-violent Communication’. I attribute this style of communication to the success of my work. As we all know, being heard goes a long way, especially when it comes to pregnancy and birth. What specific services do you offer and where are you located? I recently rented an office space in the Cabot Inn, moving in September 1. I see my clients in an office in Cabot, but attend births in the home of the client. I am a Certified Professional Midwife, licensed in the state of Vermont. I serve women and families in central and northern Vermont with personalized pregnancy, home birth and postpartum care. My services include: Complete Midwifery care including: Prenatal care, Home birth, Postpartum care, Water birth with portable birth tub rental, Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC), Newborn screening tests, Breastfeeding support and education, Herbal and homeopathic remedies for the childbearing year, Well-woman care. I know that homebirth is a very personal choice and is not the right choice for every woman and family. I also know that the care that some women receive when they have chosen a hospital birth can lack some of the individuality and thoughtfulness that I have described above. I am opening my doors to families who are choosing hospital birth, but would like to have the type of prenatal care that I offer to my homebirth clients. A full hour at each appointment to explore in-depth the myriad of topics that arise along the path of pregnancy: Comprehensive nutritional counseling, emotional support, discussions on prenatal testing options, tips to help with discomforts of pregnancy, opportunities to ask questions and prepare for labor and beyond. I offer a variety of healing modalities including herbal, homeopathic, and nutritive. I have a large lending library of reading materials and videos and vast resources of references within our community. This care is meant to compliment and parallel the care women are receiving from their hospital providers. I can be reached at (802)498-4247.

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Cabot Ambulance Service (CAS)

Meeting Dates CAS meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month. There is a training session at 6:00 p.m. and the business meeting is at 7:00. Feel free to come to either session. You will learn something you need to know even if you don’t join the Service. We are always looking for new members, so we hope you will want to join. House Numbers When we get a call, Dispatch gives us the road and house number. Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the road. On the mailbox in reflective numbers really helps when it is dark, foggy, snowing, etc., since calls are often under those conditions. Recent training The State is implementing an electronic record system for ambulance services. Your CAS volunteers have learned how to use the new computer patient care record. It is stored on a State database as part for the general move to electronic health care records. The subject at our last training was use of the cardiac monitor that is on board the ambulance. This monitor assesses heart rhythms and prints out an assessment. That enables us to communicate the result to the hospital en route. If indicated, we can get a paramedic to meet us on the way, get additional help by radio from the emergency department(ED), and it allows the ED to be prepared as the patient rolls through the door. Courses available EMT Basic – This course would enable you to be an ambulance crew member. We are hoping this course will begin in October. It takes place on Monday and Thursday nights and an ocassional Saturday. Date and cost TBD at this point. Venue is at the Northeast Regional Training Academy (NERSA) in Montpelier. You must be affiliated with an ambulance service to take a First Responder or EMT course, so contact Sheila Brown at 426-2064 if you are interested.

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DAVID BOOK A High Price to Pay: A Heavy Burden to Bear

David Book, Vermont Civil War enthusiast and author has researched and prepared a monologue about a family living in Cabot during the Civil War Era. The Morrill Family, formerly of the Lower Cabot Flats, suffered the usual hardships of the time and more. Book portrays Abel Morrill, Sr., a 66year-old man, and talks intimately with the audience as if they are a few neighbors stopping by his place. This performance depicts Abel and his family, as well as life in Cabot as it was in the 1800’s.

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YOU

By Chronicle Staff It has come to our attention at The Cabot Chronicle that in past years the content submitted for our August issue has been notably less than other months. We have considered having no August issue in the future, to allow for staff vacations, office housekeeping and for a rest from wearing reporting hats. In fact, last month, the Chronicle was lightly staffed, so lightly at one point, that Cia Considine likened the lack of office activity (phone calls, drop-ins, email replies) to that blackout time that the space shuttles pass through when reentering the atmosphere. Nobody seemed to be around! This was the inspiration for our September feature, “Where Have You Been?” and you will see from the several vacation photos submitted, that quite a few Cabot folk were out west., some even visiting the same national parks. No word if anyone serendipitously met though. It was during this time that the new underground gas tanks were being installed at the hardware store; blueberries and wild blackberries were weighing heavy on the bushes; a world record was set in Barton; and several new families to town began to register their children at Cabot School—so far _______ new students. So, WELCOME! All new Cabotians? Caboteers? Cabotonians? Cabotites? ….can anyone cite the correct term? Maybe Cabot folks are better qualified as, West Hillians, Ducharmers, Plainers, Thistle Hilliers, Lower Caboters, Village people and the list goes on. You will all want to learn your designation and get acquainted with Cabot and its strong community culture. We recommend visiting the Historical Society on September 27, during the Foliage Festival and of course, reading as many Cabot Chronicles as you can for the most accurate insider information. Even stop into our office in the basement of the Willey Building (that’s the big blue-gray building across from the hardware store). We are not the first to report on happenings in Libya, nor the debut of the Martin Luther King Memorial in D.C., nor the widespread east coast earthquake. We will however, hindsightedly and clearly, point out that the quake marked many things to many people. One teenager confessed that while reading a novel, the shaking of the earth seemed almost as an incredible ‘special effect’ to the book’s exciting plot. More notably, the quake on the day of the unveiling of Martin Luther King ‘s Memorial marked the importance of King’s powerful message of freedom and especially the long awaited freedom at hand for the Libyan people. What are your thoughts? Who are you new families? What should we call you by… And, who will mind not receiving an August issue. As always we encourage our reader’s input: [email protected] golf. You may only move left, right , down and diagonally down. And you may only have a single “hole-in-one” (pass by the number 1, once). Once possible path is shown below, but you can do better.

(Example Score = 75)

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Grieving Lost Relationships

By Wendy Heilig Grief is one of the most difficult emotions one can ever experience as a human. Almost everyone has experienced grief at some point in their lives – no one gets off for free. When we think of grief, we usually think of it in terms of someone who died – but what about someone who left us, or who we left behind? When someone we love leaves our life (whether by choice or not), it often sinks us to the very depths of the emotional pit and brings out feelings and thoughts we never knew we had. It rocks our world like no other, and we often think we’ll never get through it. Even when it’s us who chooses to leave, we still mourn the loss of what was or what could have been. How often have you or someone you loved (as a friend, lover, neighbor, co -worker) left to move on with life? Have you ever severed a friendship or relationship because it was unhealthy, even though you still loved that person? The emotions we feel can range from denial to anger to guilt to sadness, until we finally reach a place of acceptance. Depending on what type of loss it is, we may go through the full range of emotions, or just a few. We might also skip around the 5 or 7 stages of grief (depending on which model you go by), and go back and forth as time moves by, especially if we try to reason with it and re-live memories or the ‘what ifs’. Grief is not a one-size-fitsall kind of thing, and there’s often no rhyme or reason for how it affects us. Or when it will come back around to bite us in the butt all over again. Grief - regardless of who, what, when, where, and how - must be dealt with and worked through. It must not be brushed aside as if it doesn’t exist, for that will keep us from healing and finding life again. Understanding the process and knowing it will take time to go through it can help. Reaching out to others can help, too. If we try to ‘tough it out’ on our own, more often than not, it will take its toll and the pent up emotions will break us – one way or the other. For some, it might come out in a physical illness – for others, a mental breakdown. Looking at the person as a whole, we cannot separate the mind from the body, for the two are uniquely connected. The most difficult grief, to me, is one in which we left because we had to – whether to save ourselves from a painful or unhealthy friendship or relationship, or to make a better life for ourselves – simply because there’s no true ‘finality’ to it. When someone we love dies, we know it’s a part of life’s process, and there’s nothing we can do about it – they’re simply gone. But for those we left behind, there’s always that nagging - the wondering of how they’re doing, if they’ve changed, if things would be different were we to call to say ‘hello’. I have often faced those questions, wondering what the right answer would be. Do I reach out only to find they’ve fallen ill or passed on – or do I reach out and find trouble back in my life again? I never found an easy answer – just the wisdom to know that I had to decide what was good for me in the moment, based on where I was at the time

– and where I wanted my life to go. I have had more than my share of grief of every type – grandparents, parents, brother, relatives, boyfriends, pets, jobs, treasured friends – and it wreaked havoc on both my mind and my body. I just didn’t always know it at the time. It took years and years for the emotions to build to a crescendo, with the first hint of a problem being the continual loss of intimate relationships – then went the gallbladder and, finally, the mind. All because I hadn’t learned to deal with it, to let it out, to share what I felt when I was going through it. But, finally, I did – and things began to change. Life seemed brighter, less awkward and challenging, more in tune. So I continue to share, to speak or write words that were never spoken, and to heal pain experienced so very long ago. Grief doesn’t get easier – it only gets more frequent with age which. may be where wisdom comes in. Life is and always will be a series of beginnings and endings, and choices. We cannot predict where our life will take us or who will touch it in some way, but if we consider (as I do) that everyone comes into our lives for a purpose, to teach us something more about ourselves – whether it’s for a day, a season, or a lifetime – it makes loss that much easier to process, and acceptance that much easier to find. Cabot resident Wendy Heilig is a Recovery Specialist and Personal Empowerment Coach who writes a blog called, The Crooked Journey. To read more of her insightful blog visit, http://thecrookedjourney.com Solution on page 12

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FROM THE CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY

Yoga & Wellness Classes - Tuesdays 6-7:30 pm and NEW! -- THURSDAY MORNINGS 8-9:30AM with Alicia Feltus. For more information contact Alicia: 802-563-3220 or [email protected] Programs

Fall program flyers featuring programs from Sept-Nov will be available for you to pick up in the library so you can plan your schedule! We had a wonderful Summer Reading Program titled, One World, Many Stories, in which we experienced music, stories, games and activities from around the world. Thanks to all who participated and especially those who donated toward Heifer International, a global nonprofit helping to empower millions of families toward self-reliance through gifts of livestock, seeds, and trees to provide a source of food and income. Together we will be donating a flock of chicks to a family in need. Congratulations to those who participated in the Thousand Page Club, with their goal of reading at least 1000 pages this summer: Billie O’Connor, Jeremy Hoyne Grosvenor, Becky Blaisdell, David Moody, Leo Parlo, Toby Cooke, Carrie Harvey and our top reader Lyrica Stelle with 5,490 pages!! Food Fight! Tuesday, Sept 13, 6:30 pm

A conversation about risk, responsibility, and our right to good food, by Cabot resident Ben Hewitt, author of Making Supper Safe-One Man’s Quest to Learn the Truth about Food Safety.

David Book Monologue: A High Price to Pay, A Heavy Burdon to Bear. 1800’s life in Cabot Tuesday, September 27, 3:00 p.m. At the Wiley Building.

Girls Outdoor Leadership Program

- Wednesdays Sept 14th, 21st, 28th & Oct 5, 3-5:30pm An Earthwalk based program to explore nature, build community, leadership & stewardship skills. There will be games, nature observation, hikes, and circle time. Space is limited, so please sign up early. Suggested donation is $40.00. Scholarships are available through the Friends of the Library. This program is led by Alicia Feltus, who has attended Earthwalk teacher training, and has been teaching children and adults for over 20 years. Please call Alicia for more info at 563- 3220. Dungeons & Dragons This program will continue this fall and is hosted on Fridays from 3 to 5:30. All are welcome. Book Discussion Group Returning this Fall – Beginning Sept 26, 7pm Every 3 weeks, beginning Sept 26th, the Humanities Council Book Discussion group will meet to discuss the new series, Booker Prize Winners, facilitated by Cynthia Russell. Please visit the library to pick up a copy of these books. Established in 1968, England’s Booker Prize is awarded annually to a citizen of the U.K., the Commonwealth, Ireland, Pakistan, or South Africa who has written the year’s best novel according to a panel of critics, writers, and academics. Graham Swift, who won the Booker in 1996, singled it out as the finest accolade a writer can receive, “It’s the one which, if we’re completely honest, we most covet.” Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin (2000) J. M. Coetzee, The Life and Times of Michael K. (1983) Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things (1997) Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient (1992)

Vermont Reads- To Kill A Mockingbird

We have 10 copies of To Kill A Mockingbird from the Vermont Humanities Council to borrow and circulate amongst the community in preparation for a school/community event as yet to be determined. Please stay tuned for more information.

Entertaining on a Budget; Value Wines from around the World with Niall McCallum – Sunday, October 16th 3-5pm $20.00- Proceeds to benefit the library. Pick up your tickets at the library early! Saturday Story Hour – Sept 10, 10:30am

The 2nd Saturday each month, we will have special Story Hour beginning at 10:30 am featuring local readers. Come hear stories read by the colorful Jon Vara on Sept 10th!

Thank You!

Thanks so much to all who have helped financially with our programs this summer: The Friends of the Cabot Public Library, The Cabot Creamery, and The Jaquith Public Library. Without your support, Summer Programming would be extremely difficult.

See you at the Library!

Kathleen Hoyne and Anne Walker

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Cabot Recreation Department

By Libby Hale Summer sure does fly by, doesn’t it? The Cabot Rec. Dept. Summer Soccer Camp took place during the first week of August and was well attended. Coaches Michelle Delaney, Donna MacKinnon and Rebecca Nally as well as, helpers extraordinaire Laura Nally, Hugh Burke and Chris Younce did a great job with teaching soccer fundamentals, skills and strategy. Ages ranged from 4 to 15 and all had fun and were challenged to a new level. THANK YOU to all who participated and to the talented and generous volunteer coaches and helpers, without whom this camp would not have been possible. Now, by the time you are reading this, Fall Soccer will be under way. If you have children between preschool age and sixth grade who want to play soccer, it’s not too late!

5th and 6th graders please contact Coach Rebecca Nally at 563-3503 or [email protected].

3rd and 4th graders please contact Coach Michelle Delaney at 563-2427 or [email protected] or Coach Ben Jenkins at 607-279-1805 or [email protected].

Preschool thru 2nd grade please contact Libby at 563-3226 to get coach contact info. On August 13th the Cabot Flea Market on the Town Green provided a good opportunity to have our Used Equipment Sale. Even though we under advertised we were able to equip several folks for their sport. We will plan to take advantage of this very convenient venue next year. So, plan to clean out your closets and attics so you can donate your used and still usable sports items for our sale next year. In the past we have reached out for help and gotten limited response, possibly because you and your family are busy and you didn’t want to get roped into a never ending responsibility. Who knows? We all have our reasons. BUT…we know that you all have valuable skills, talents and interests and really do want to give back to your community. We are breaking down the areas in which we need help to form small groups so that we can have more people doing less. Sounds good, right? (Sounds good to us) SO… If you have interest in soccer, or baseball, or basketball, or fundraising/grant writing, or trail making/ maintenance, or the ice skating rink, or the concessions stand or bookkeeping, we would love to hear from you. In addition, if you have a talent or skill and you want to offer a class or workshop through the Rec. Dept. Please call Rebecca at 563-3503 or [email protected] or myself, Libby at 563-3226 or [email protected]

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

Hosts South African Visitors By Stacey Sharp

On August 5th Twin Valley Senior Center was honored to have two visitors from South Africa. Zabes Majokwen and Nontlantia Zamxaka visited the center to gather information about helping elderly residents in rural communities. Both women are from a small village in South Africa, in an area torn by fighting with dangerous living conditions. They are going to use the information gathered from our staff, volunteers and seniors to help start a day center for seniors in their South African village. They want to try and make a safe gathering spot with meals for their elderly residents. We wish them all the best and hope they keep in contact. Once again we learned that people are so much the same worldwide. Twin Valley wants to send a hearty thank you to Dennis Fortin of the Onion River Campground for the great tomatoes we have been having at the center; to Jerry Healey of Marshfield for superb blueberries; to the 4-H Group; to the Water Tower Riders, for the donation of green beans and other goodies from their garden, and to Earl Kalliosaari of Cabot for his garden vegetables. These folks are helping us ensure that our seniors have fresh garden fruits and vegetables as part of their diet. If anyone else has garden surplus, please consider sharing that bounty with our seniors. As summer winds down, it’s a good time to make plans to join us at Twin Valley. We have tasty nutritious meals for a suggested donation of $4. For those over 60, a free gentle exercise program, trips, picnics, speakers, games, blood pressure and other health clinics and numerous other activities. We share a whole lot of friendship and laughter. Stop in at our new expanded digs and see what we have to offer! We’re open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10-2 pm. 426-3447.

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Cabot Library Reminders

• Tues. 9-6 * No Story Hour in August

• Wed. 2-6

• Thurs. 9-6

• Sat. 9-2

• Closed Sunday, Monday and Friday

Passes, on a 3 day loan, that allow free entry or a reduced price to: Closed Sat Sept 3rd for the Labor Day Holiday

ο Echo Pass – Allows up to 2 adults and 3 youths, $4 per each admission price, entrance into the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington. ο Historic Site Pass – Allows one family or groups of up to 8 people free entry to the Vermont State Historic Sites. In the Library, for viewing, we have a state map that shows these sites. ο State Park Pass – Allows one family or groups of up to 8 people free entry, for day use, to the Vermont State Parks. In the Library, for viewing, we have a state map that shows these parks.

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Our Pets: A Walk In The Woods

By Andrea Gilbert, D.V.M.

Just out for a short hike and now... I found a tick attached to my dog! Remove the tick with tweezers by grasping the tick right where it is attached to the skin and pulling it straight out. Put the tick in a small vial filled with rubbing alcohol to kill it and wipe the attachment site with rubbing alcohol. Ticks have to be attached for at least 24 hours to transmit disease. So, if you found the tick shortly after attachment, you should be safe. You don’t have to worry if you left part of the tick in the skin. It won’t cause a problem. Fire and caustic chemicals are not effective or safe ways to deal with ticks. My dog met a skunk! There is not one perfect solution. Here are a couple suggestions for taking care of the smell and your dog. If your pet was sprayed in the face and his/her eyes are stinging, you can rinse them out with saline solution that is labeled to be safe for eyes. You can also rinse the mouth out with water if your pet is salivating. You can wipe the face off but it is hard to clean and will be a source of residual smell until it wears off. There is a product called ‘Skunk-Off’ that is available at some Agways, hardware stores and pet stores. It’s an enzymatic cleaner and is sold as a shampoo for your pet and as a liquid to treat furniture and bedding if needed. You can also try this recipe: 1 quart hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 baking soda and 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap. Wet your dog down, apply this mixture, work into the coat and let sit 5 minutes and rinse off. You can repeat it again if needed. Don’t forget to wash or clean the collar and leash. They can absorb the skunk smell too. My dog met a porcupine too! If there are just a few quills, you might have luck pulling them out, However, they are barbed at the end and often hard to pull. Seek veterinary attention, as soon as possible. Do NOT cut the quills.

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Cabot School News From Principal Karen Stewart

How wonderful that every fall offers a fresh start for our children’s educational journey ! At Cabot School, we freshened up the schoolhouse and student learning opportunities in preparation for the students’ arrival on August 31st. There are many new faces and classroom settings to introduce. As of August 27th, we had 41 newly registered students throughout the grade levels. That is a huge number for a community our size. In June, we said good-bye to 20 seniors and we will be welcoming about 12 new pre-schoolers. Sixteen students have moved or transferred. There will be 60 high school students on campus and another 8 who are in off-campus programs for all or part of the day. Overall, our enrollment has increased from 221 at the end of the, 10-11 school year to 233 as of August 27th. Lot of new friends to meet at Cabot School ! Retirements and teacher job changes have brought new faculty to Cabot School. Mr. Ian Burfoot-Rochford, a 1st year teacher from Bridport, VT, will join the grade 3-4 teaching team with Mrs. Kellett and Ms. Riley. Ms. Austin Fay, a 5th year teacher from Asheville, NC will join the 5-6 teaching team with Mr. Lewis. Mrs. Lindsey Rudaya, a new MA graduate of Middlebury College, is originally from rural New York State and is our new World Languages teacher. She will teach both French and Spanish in grades 7-12. Our 1st year science teacher, Meghan Hewitt Wilson, has married and will begin a teaching job closer to her new home. We believe we have found a superb replacement in Mrs. Ella Malamud who is originally from Ukraine and has been teaching in Brooklyn, NY for 5 years. Guidance counselor Sue Polen has announced that she has accepted a job with VT Technical College in Randolph. She will be with us full-time until September 9th and then 2 days/week for the remainder of September. She will also be available to meet with families of college-bound seniors on Saturdays as needed. We have advertised and expect to have a new counselor on board by mid -September. Our study and implementation of best 21st century practices has resulted in some growth in teaching teams and classroom settings. The 3-4 and 5-6 teams will live in the satellite bldg. closest to the wood chip plant where grade 6 and the Learning Center had typically been housed. The middle satellite will be home to the computer lab, special educators Ms. Riley and Ms. Lindert, our Speech & Language Pathologist, Mr. Barasch and Title I math teacher Mrs. Gulka. We will also use extra space in the middle satellite for much needed storage. Grades PK-2 will remain in their nice, dry classrooms in the far right satellite, the Primary Building. Mrs. Pike will move from PreK paraprofessional to the same role in Kindergarten where we are expecting 20 schoolchildren. Mrs. Pitkin will assist Mrs. Gulka in PreK on T, W and Th mornings.

The Barre Technical Center SEED program (Semester of Environmental & Entrepreneurial Discovery) for 9th and 10th graders will use re-furbished space in the industrial technology building as the 2-day Industrial Technology position was eliminated in the 2012 budget. Other students will also make use of this open space for big, creative projects. All High School students will have a home-base in the Humanities classroom which is now located upstairs in the former middle level classrooms. Each student will have a desk with drawers for storage and will share a new laptop computer with one other student. Humanities classes will meet in this room as well as in the art, music and learning areas. Students will be able to leave their work and materials in this room and avoid carrying huge packs or scattering their possessions along the hallway. Healthy Start 2011, a motivational beginning to the school year for many years, was planned to complement the student-centered Project-Based model of teaching and learning that is being introduced in the 2011-12 school year. A setting away from school represents the bridge between the industrial style of education that the students have known to the knowledge style of education that is required in the 21st century workplace. The 3-day retreat schedule includes a mix of project-based learning activities, personal growth opportunities, public service and recreation. Middle school classes have moved downstairs to a refurbished double room (formerly French & Math) with a divider curtain, new carpeting and yellow/white paint. High School math and world languages (French and Spanish) have moved to the opposite end and have fresh paint (green, blue) and cove base to spruce things up a bit. Flood damage to downstairs hallways and the guidance suite has been repaired with new waterproof wallboard, two-tone paint (green/white) and a chair rail with coat hooks. Contracts have been let for both drainage and roof repairs to be completed in early fall. Insurance coverage and a 2012 budget allocation for capital improvements have provided funds for some of these projects. All of the work has been accomplished by a tireless custodial team, headed by new Maintenance Director, Pete Ackermann, as well as a dozen community volunteers who painted, planted and hauled classroom materials to their new spaces. Every staff member contributed summer hours to moving and planning and many spent 2 or more weeks working on Title IIA supported curriculum revisions. Transforming education and facilities to serve 21st century learners is not simple and it can’t wait because a transformed world is calling and our children have to be ready to answer.

Dear Families, I Hope you and your Families have had a wonderful summer with lots of sunshine and meaningful experiences. We here at TLC are excited to be getting started on a new year. TLC will run every day that school is in session and we are ready to start August 31st, the first day of school! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or for registration information.. I am looking forward to seeing everyone very soon! Anthony Willey TLC Project Director. Phone: Cabot School 802-563-2289 ext.233 E-Mail: [email protected] Twinfield School 802-426-3213 ext.208

From the TLC Staff:

We are a group of energetic, passionate professionals who pride ourselves in

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

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Wayne Lumsden Retires

After 11 years of driving busses for Cabot School, Wayne Lumsden has retired. He now drives a Calais route for First Student. We will all miss him as the new school year begins. Best wishes.

Mazie O’Connor is a 15-year-old student at Cabot High School with a remarkable interest and scientific knowledge about how the universe works. From principles of Quantum Physics to the serendipity of finding four-leafed clovers, Mazie has a theory. The following view may or may not be based on actual scientific fact, but instead on science fiction, with the exception of the information about Io.

Consider the first-day concerns and possible back-to-school supplies if you were returning to classes on a spaceship!

- You may need a space suit for emergency deboarding drills and field trips

- You will need a universal translator of all spoken and telepathic languages, especially for the Universal Healthy Start meeting with students from every galaxy.

- Bring one backpack that is bigger on the inside than on the outside. NOTE: It is not necessary to have a pack that has infinitely large inside capacity. That only makes homework even harder to find.

- No transportation will be provided, since all students will use ‘worm holes’ for easy shortcuts between two distances in the universe. There will be no excuse for tardiness, since technically, using worm holes, you are NOT traveling in excess of the speed of light, students will get there first anyway. This year’s Universal Healthy Start field trip will be to Io, the innermost moon of Jupiter. Challenges for the students will be communication across the diverse student body, 110 degree surface temperatures, high levels of surface radiation, 3600 rem (way over the fatal dose for humans), volcanic lava flows and mountains higher than our own Mt. Everest. However, students will be encouraged to focus on the beautiful auroras, caused by the radiation interacting with the sparse atmosphere—very colorful and sparkly, and, the magnificent view of the largest planet in the solar system in the sky overhead—Jupiter.

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SLOW DOWN IN CABOT!

At a recent public hearing at the Willey Building, community members complained about speeding and other unsafe driving behaviors in town, especially on Main Street between the Creamery and the Recreation Field. Residents are concerned about their kids, pets and property. Road Commissioner Larry Gochey promised increased enforcement on town roads in response to public demand. Anticipate cruisers and don’t expect a warning—officers are issuing tickets. Save yourself time and money by knowing the posted speed limits and driving within them. Your neighbors will appreciate it. Remember:—increased enforcement is no problem if you don’t break the law.

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WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

Emma Kubiczki of Portsmouth, NH sent this photo she took on a recent trip over Cabot plains.

Johnny Maxfield volunteered one week for the Green Mountain Club Bryden Considine toured northeast Maine last month Wesley and Wyatt Ameden's View this summer of Mt. Hood.

The Hale family was on the road this summer for 6weeks out west. Pictured here are Gage and Eli Hale in Jasper National Park in Canada. The Family covered about 10,000 miles on this trip.

Gage and Eli Hale Bruce Westcott in Hyderabad, India... “ I work for a software company with a large group in Hyderabad, which is a center of high-tech growth in India. Flying overnight from London and Dubai to a place half-way around the world (10 hours difference in clock time), to a place in which all the sights and sounds are different, is an eyeopener. It was just before the monsoon season, so quite hot and damp. Very colorful, and very welcoming.”

Jan Westervelt spent some weeks this Spring at his camp in Quebec near Havre St Pierre. It looks out at the L'Archipel Mingan, a 50-mile chain of islands that are part of a national park off the coast.

Lynn Maxfield and her sister have a wild tube ride on Lake Oroville in California.

Rose and Skip Bothfeld also headed west where mountain peaks and apparently some vegetables are majestic in their size!

"HI, I just got back from Yellowstone. It was very fun. We saw lot's of Buffalo, a moose, 2 grizzly bears, elk, prairie dogs and 1 black bear." Mae Gale Dunham, 8 years old

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 11 onward.

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Cadillac Parade

When Lorie Seadale got the idea to have a record-setting Cadillac Parade in Barton, she had no idea that it would be such a huge event. She should have been cued when she contacted Guinness about officiating and found the cost to be over $6,000! The Cadillac Parade was in honor of Henry Leland the founder of Cadillac, who was born and raised in Barton. The record stood with a parade of 102 Cadillacs, the established record to beat. Seadale’s idea was adopted enthusiastically by the fair committee and they fundraised the money to hold a record-breaking parade as part of the Orleans County Fair attractions. The parade did indeed attract Cadillac owners, upwards of 200 cadillacs of all vintages converging at the Lake Region High School for a 2 ½ mile ride to the Fairgrounds. Cadillac enthusiasts lined the streets to watch the parade. To own a Cadillac and have an opportunity to be accounted for in setting a world record apparently had a great appeal. Perhaps there were registrants that borrowed Cadillacs to take part in the event. One Cadillac driver from Cabot made quick work to be able to be counted in the world’s longest Cadillac Parade. Joshua Maxfield bought a Cadillac just two days before the occasion, barely having time to get to know the idiosyncrasies of his new 1984 White El Dorado. When asked to pose with his car for a photo, Joshua was reluctant. One quirk about his new Cadillac is that it sometimes has to be coaxed to start. For more information about the Cadillac Parade, visit the WCAX coverage, wcax.com/story/15286499/Cadillacs-roll-to-newrecord-in-barton.

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LOST CAT,

7/21 off of Hookerville Rd. If anyone has seen a ~15 lb grey tiger with a black collar with a bell and a red tag, please call 426-2108. He is spooky-hard to pick him up. But we want him back home. If you see a new cat around, call and we'll come look.

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