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Cabot Historical Society

Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

January 2013 · 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 January 2013 pages (PDF)

Automated extraction, spot-checked. Advertisements, the business directory, and puzzles are omitted; obituaries appear as individual entries.

In This Issue

New Farm

blog, at http:// catamountaviation.wordpress.com . Big cedar posts, hand split granite, recycled roofing and Under Orion Farm lumber combine to form the beginnings of the new Farm Store. This past August we opened the farm stand for selling our maple syrup, grass fed beef, Canopy Coffee and baked goods, as well as vegetables from Shane & Christy and Alden Tebbetts. The farm stand was a success! Not only did we sell these fine produce, it also added a fun meeting place to the neighborhood. Stories were swapped, hot coffee was shared, sweets were enjoyed, and folks stocked up on vegetables. As the stand grew, we realized there was need for a little more space, and the idea of the Farm Store was born…

The little farm stand that started it all. The Cedar— My friend Graham built the exterior shell of the Farm Store and had requested 16′ long “big” cedar posts. The structure itself is pole barn construction – no foundation, just poles sunk 4-6′ into the ground – and the exterior siding came from the woodlot below the house. We do not have much cedar. I am always having to look elsewhere for cedar fence posts and lumber, but the little I do have I save for special projects. These fine big cedar logs measure about 14″ at the base, which is big for cedar in my woods. They will make up the corners of the building and be left exposed.

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The Cabot Chronicle Submission

The Chronicle welcomes letters written with an mended to be no longer than 400 words. Letters may author with suggestions for re-submittal. All letters represent the opinions of the authors and not necessarily The Cabot Chronicle reserves the right to reject readers. Letters will not be considered for publication ber. We will gladly consider articles and photographs The Cabot Chronicle is not responsible for errors assume responsibility for claims arising in connection If you have editorial questions or would like advertising

DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior

Coordinators: Jeannie Johnson Cia Considine

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Hand split granite - I assume this

piece was left over from the building of the farmhouse foundation in 1903. The stone was quarried from a granite outcropping in the woods, just off our north pasture. One piece was used for our fireplace mantle almost 15 years ago. The piece we needed for the Farm Store was to support the face of the building which needed a window and a door. Graham, who works in the granite industry, feels right at home working with stone. He borrowed some “feathers and wedges” to split the granite piece to the desired length, the same method used in 1903. He started by drilling holes around the area to be split off, then insert the “v” shaped feather in each hole, insert the wedge in each feather and, continuously working around each hole, tap in with a hammer. Eventually you hear a crack and the whole piece just breaks off! Cool beans!

Recycled roofing -The roof is metal and red! It came off a barn in Marshfield. The sheets were long and did not have an over abundance of old holes to fill. I love to ponder the sights and stories these inanimate objects could tell if they only could – the lives of the folks who built the first barn it covered, or the animals that it housed.

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Guidelines

economy of words. The maximum length is recombe edited for clarity and length or returned to the and commentary published in The Cabot Chronicle the opinions of staff. letters that may contain unsuitable material for our unless signed and accompanied by a phone numfor publication. in submitted material. Nor does The Cabot Chronicle with products or services advertised on these pages. Letters and other inquiries Cabot, VT 05647. beams and braces, and the white pine is for siding, the door, and trim.

In the left corner you can see the cedar posts The Farm Store -Built on to the side of the existing farm shop, the Farm Store will take over the duties of the small farm stand (not quite as cute, but I hope more useful). It will house a washing station for vegetables, a walkin cooler (a “Coolbot” cooler – more on that later), freezers for meat storage,

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The Cabot Chronicle is distributed the first

and is provided locally free of charge. ~ Mission Statement ~ The mission of The Cabot Chronicle is to regularly publish local news Our purpose is to share information that will help readers become

Printed in Vermont ~ Copyright 2011 by The

No part of this paper may be reproduced without express written permission from Cabot for typographical errors. Acceptance of advertising is contingent upon publisher’s advertiser to indemnify publisher from loss or expense on claims based upon contents liability for errors in any advertising beyond the cost of space occupied by individual on

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hronicle

and more amenities for our visitors; coffee makers and dispensers; retail outlet for farm products sold by Under Orion Farm, Dancing Carrot Farm, as well as from friends and neighbors. The Grant - We have applied for a grant through the Farm Viability Program of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board to help finish the Store. It still needs an insulated concrete floor and the walk-in cooler construction. The cooler will be a super efficient cooling system that links an in-window air conditioner with a Coolbot that reprograms the air conditioner to cool at lower temperatures for longer periods of time.

We find out about the grant in January. While we are keeping our fingers crossed, we will continue to keep the farm stand open for beef, coffee and syrup pick-ups. We might also offer hot drink specials for snow travelers!

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Past and Present

activities are scheduled each month by the program, but these are optional. Mentors have done some meaningful things with their mentees, such as, visiting places outside of Cabot, biking, playing games, doing arts/crafts Peter Ackermann Cedric Alexander Susan Alexander Sarah Antoniello Todd Jones Rachel Kellett Amber Ksepka Ashley Ksepka projects, baking, riding horses and even doing farm chores. They go apple picking, do personalized projects, hike, picnic, fish, watch movies and sometimes just hang out together and talk. Mentors and mentees are carefully matched according to interests and personalities. Mentoring is as rewarding to the mentor as it is to the child, if not more!

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Letter from a Mentee

For most of my life Cabot had been a rather stable place, my sensitivity was more of an asset than a liability. I have a pretty good support system of friends, and teachers and my family is quirky but well-meaning. The perfect storm I faced in 9th and 10th grade came in the form of peers. While I'm comfortable talking with adults and family and a rather small group of friends I see most people my age as either 50 -foot, city destroying monsters or paradoxically ants in a colony, sometimes simultaneously. I sometimes wished that I could have home schooled. The combination of more Lori Augustyniak Raquel Bigelow Sheila Booth Amy Bothfeld Deb Bothfeld Judy Boucher Mark Bromley Greg Burtt Steph Burtt Richard Bushey Tammy Christman Melvin Churchill Mark Christensen Jennifer Churchill Cia Considine David Creighton Ben Davis Michelle Delaney Ken Elmer Alicia Feltus Jim Goodrich Gail Greaves John Hammer Ernie Howard Kathleen Higby Theresa Lay- Sleeper Cathleen Maine Billie Marcotte Tracy Mauck Donna McSweeney Stacey Mudgett Karen Mueller-Harder Suzy North Roland Payne Ed Pcolar Leonia Pike Chris Riddell Cindy Robbins Lynn Rockwell Tara Rogerson Cynthia Russell

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By Tobias Cooke

Inspired by Ray Bradbury I enjoyed the Kingdom Trails mentoring trip a great deal. I personally think it is a good thing to have a local program for kids that provides something to do, whether it be just playing pickup hockey in the town common, or an allexpense paid ticket to ride for a whole evening on the local bike trails in East Burke with your mentor. It was probably one of the best biking trips I’ve ever gone on, partially because of the trails and also because I was riding with a lot of people I knew. I know my mentor Jim, particularly liked the long downhill switchbacks, where as I preferred, the trail called, Kitchel, because of the jumps and banked corners. Mentors and mentees spend time together doing the things they love to do emotionally stressful material (The Crucible, Of Mice and Men for instance) and classmates who didn't seem to care about anything but socializing created a lot of anxiety for me. I couldn't cope with the juxtaposition of characters facing wrenching choices and the callous attitude of my classmates. It took a lot of work and like hanging out on tractors!

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M ONTH

meetings and finally taking English and history classes as an independent study. About this time I also began working with a mentor in town. She encouraged me to write newspaper articles for our local paper, we spend a lot of time together, and she's become one of the best and most supportive friends I know. She reminds me that being sensitive really is an asset, because you notice more. 4. Join "I Am a Mentor" Day on January 10. 5. Think about the mentors in your life, post a tribute to them online, then tweet about them using the #NationalMentoringMonth hashtag. 6. Give us a good idea for a fundraising event. 7. When you see these folks in town who are mentors, thank them - they are making a difference for our community. 8. Support a match for a month or a year! 9. Go to YouTube on Thank Your Mentor Day™ (January 17) and make the National Mentoring Month videos the most popular of the day. 10. Explore ways to help children succeed academically through mentoring.

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Daniel D. Corey

Daniel David "Danny" Corey, 60, of Walden, died unexpectedly Monday, December 17, 2012, at his residence. He was born October 8, 1952, in Hardwick, the son of Alton E. Corey and Thelma (Rathburn) Corey. He was a member of the last class to graduate from Hardwick Academy. Danny had been married to Cathy DeGoosh. He was a self-employed painter. He made his home in Walden with caregivers for more than ten years. He enjoyed motorcycling, snowmobiling, camping, auto racing, water skiing and music. Survivors include his mother, Thelma Corey of Montpelier; a brotherin-law, Lennie Stockwell of Braintree; aunts and uncles, Clifton and Ruth Rathburn and Delma and Kenneth King, all of Woodbury; a niece, Megan Beachum and her husband, Curt, of Woodbury; a nephew, Kip Stockwell and his wife, Amanda, of Randolph Center; grandnieces and grandnephews, Kagan Beachum of Woodbury, Howard Stockwell, Avery Stockwell and Grace Stockwell, all of Randolph Center; and his caregivers, Carl and Roxanne Corrow of Walden. He was predeceased by his father, Alton Corey, in 1998; a brother, Wayne F. "Joe" Corey, in 2000; and a sister, Elaine Stockwell, in 2011. A memorial service was held on Saturday, December 22, 2012, at the Northern Vermont Funeral Home, 60 Elm Street, Hardwick, with the Rev. Ernest Machia of the Hope Community Church in Walden. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Brain Injury Association of

05676. Arrangements were under the direction of Dian R. Holcomb of Northern Vermont Funeral Service, 60 Elm Street, Hardwick.

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Peter Garofolo, Jr.

Peter Garofolo, Jr., 85, died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones in South Walden on November 26, 2012. Mr. Garofolo was born January 4, 1927, in New York City. He was the oldest of three children by Peter Garofolo Sr. and Filomena Leone Garofolo, and he was a former resident of Copiague, Long Island, NY, for more than 50 years. He graduated from John Adams High School, Ozone Park, NY, and received both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degree from New York University in New York City. Mr. Garofolo became a member of the Boy Scouts of America in 1939, becoming an Eagle Scout in 1945. He received the Order of the Arrow and, in highest recognition of distinguished service, the Silver Beaver Award in 1968. Peter served as Boy Scouts of America district commissioner and assistant council commissioner for Pwamas District, Suffolk County, N.Y. He joined the U.S. Army at the close of World War II in 1945. He served at Camp Blanding in Florida and also served in the New York National Guard at Camp Smith. Mr. Garofolo taught industrial arts for 38 years at Island Trees High School, Levittown, NY, and for a time served as department chairman. Upon his retirement in 1984, he expanded his work in stone, fine metals and jewelry, establishing Panache Studio with his wife, Emelyn, an established fiber artist. Both Peter and Emelyn continued work under the Panache Studio name for 22 years.

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EMORIALS

Peter was a talented craftsman, metalsmith and dedicated educator and teacher. He was a longtime member of the Long Island Craft Guild and had served as past co-president of the guild with his wife. Peter and Emelyn both taught at the NY Guild for the Jewish Blind in Manhattan, where they first met, and later at Buck's Rock Work Camp in New Milford, CT. Together, they participated in numerous residencies at Haystack School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, and Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Peter taught and participated in numerous workshops through the Long Island Craft Guild. He taught jewelry and metalsmithing classes at Garvies Point Museum, Glen Cove, NY, for over 15 years until 2008, when he moved to Vermont. He is survived by his daughter Pia Lyn Loeper, of Orinda, CA, her husband, Gerald Kurt Loeper, and their daughter, Lindsey Ellyn Loeper; his daughter Lian Brehm-Lavelle, of South Walden, and her husband, Douglas P. Lavelle; his sister Mary Ellen (Garofolo) Bourne, of Coram, NY, and her husband, Fred Bourne; his sister-in-law, Barbara (Reiss) Garofolo, of Copiague, NY; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his loving wife of 53 years, Emelyn (Brehm) Garofolo, and his brother, Louis Leone Garofolo. A memorial gathering will be held at Peter's apartment and studio in South Walden on Saturday, January 19, 2013, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. All friends are welcome. Memorial contributions may be made to the Long Island Craft Guild, c/ o Lynda Katz, 41 Quintree Lane, Melville, NY 11747-1832. Arrangements are in the care of des Groseilliers Funeral Homes, Church Street, Hardwick.

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Robert A. Gauthier

Robert A. Gauthier, 68, died Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin. He was born October 10, 1944, in Montpelier, the son of Wilfred and Katherine (Ruel) Gauthier. He graduated from Montpelier High School and attended Goddard College. He married Alberta Prentice on Dec. 24, 1965, in Franklin, N.H. He was a veteran of the United States Marines, having served during the Vietnam War. He worked in road construction for many years, managed the Cumberland Farms Store in Northfield, and worked for more than 10 years at Cabot Hosiery in Northfield doing facility maintenance. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and working on automobiles as well as other motorized machines. Survivors include his wife; his mother, Katherine Thurber, of Woodbury; five children, Robert Vachon, of Franklin, N.H., Terry Gauthier, of Concord, N.H., Lisa Gauthier, of Northfield, Melanie Perry, of Middlebury, and Heidi Fleury of Plainfield; five siblings, Wilfred "Bill" Gauthier, of Franklin, N.H., James Gauthier, of Cabot, Marion Morrison, of Florida, Barbara Prentice, of Pennsylvania, and Nancy Durgian, of Woodbury; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service was conducted Monday, December 3, at the Kingston Funeral Home in Northfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society,

1460.

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hronicle

a lifetime resident of Walden and Cabot, died after a short illness Tuesday, December 4, 2012, at Central Vermont Medical Center, surrounded by family. He was born May 14, 1924, in Walden, the son of the late Carrie (Greaves) Lawson. Upon the loss of his mother at the age of 12, he and his brother were raised by his grandparents, Frank and Pauline Greaves, and their children. He was educated in Walden and Hardwick schools. He married Anna Pike and had Marvin Jr. (Hazel), Rebecca Pinette (Frank), Cherry Gochey (Larry), Tim (Gail) and Connie Gould (Peter Lanoue). He later married Georgette Brosseau and had Jeannine, Brian, Laurie Coolbeth (Warren), Randy, Bonnie Bellavance (Brett), Jeremy (Kandi). He farmed with family from childhood until 1978. He picked up other farmers' milk to deliver along with his own to the Cabot Creamery. He enjoyed being a member of the Walden Volunteer Fire Department. In 1978, he and his son Tim purchased Greaves Building and Farm Supplies in Hardwick. He retired in 1985. He and Georgette wintered in Chipley, Florida, for fifteen years, making lasting friendships with people who shared his love of John Deere tractors and draft horses. Marvin raised Percheron horses and enjoyed driving them in local town parades and giving wagon and sleigh rides to family, friends and school children. He is survived by his wife, his children, 20 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, his brother and best friend Malcolm Lawson and his wife Dorothy of Wolcott, and his sister Marilyn Greene of McMinnville, Oregon. He was predeceased by his mother Carrie and stepfather Ralph Lawson, sister Myrna McAllister and his beloved aunt and uncles. Funeral Services were held Monday, December 10, at the United Church of Cabot. He will be buried at the Walden Heights Cemetery at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the United Church of Cabot, Cabot, VT 05647. Arrangements are under the direction of des Groseilliers Funeral Home.

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Mathew Paul Watkins

Sara and Stephen Watkins of Marshfield, VT, announce the birth of their son , Mathew Paul Watkins, at 12:45 p.m. Oct. 25, 2012, at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital. Mathew weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Mary Linda and Mathew Anoniello of Peabody, MA. Maternal greatgrandmother is Jacquelyn Frederiksen of Salem, MA. Paternal grandparents are Gloria and Dale Watkins of Cabot, VT.

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Domey/French

Valerie (Anne) Domey wed Thomas French on December 14, 2012, at The Chapel at the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, Ohio. Anne is originally from Cabot and is a Cabot High School graduate. Tom is originally from Springfield, Ohio. They currently reside in Barre Town.

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By Gary Gulka

The Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development (DEHCD) awarded $14,867 to Cabot in state Municipal Planning Grant funds for comprehensive revisions to local zoning regulations. Cabot successfully competed against 61 communities and was one of 46 funded. Annually the Municipal Planning Grant program supports a range of locally identified initiatives to improve the quality of life and promote efficient growth and economic development in Vermont. “Cabot has recently completed major revisions to the Town Plan, and it’s been a long time since we’ve addressed zoning comprehensively so that we can be promoting the type of development desired by the community,” according to Gary Gulka, Cabot Planning Commission Chair. regulatory “Clear standards and a process understandable to

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Tree-Sitting volunteers

The holiday season is upon us and I hope everyone has a happy season. It just doesn't seem like it - no snow - no cold. But, we get what we get. I am about ready to start on the back road hazard tree survey to identify unsafe trees. Information to be collected on hazardous trees includes: 1. Tree type 2. Tree Condition 3. Rotten - dead - broken - laying on wires - split, or whatever. 4. Hazard level: Low- Medium - High Global Positioning System (GPS) reading, latitute/longitude and which side of the road will be loaded into a Geographic Information System (GIS) and plotted on a map. This system is just being set up by the University of Vermont Extension Service with the State of Vermont Department of Forests, Parks

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VT Gas Prices More

Websites to find best prices U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders announced a new website to help consumers track gasoline prices in Vermont, where prices in the northwestern part of the state are 30 cents above the national average. Sanders also said he plans to work with Vermont state lawmakers to hold hearings and draft state legislation on gas prices. Some fuel dealers in Vermont, Sanders said, “are keeping gas prices artificially high simply because they can.” In addition to highlighting the best gasoline pump prices in Vermont, Sanders’ website,“Consumer Watch: An Eye on Gas Prices,” explains how prices are set by tracking wholesale gas prices, profit margins, taxes and transportation costs for fuel haulers. Gas prices in northwestern Vermont are significantly more expensive than in the rest of the state and country. For seven consecutive weeks from midSeptember through October, northwestern Vermont was one of the ten most lucrative markets to sell gas in the 13state northeastern region of the United States, according to the Oil Price Information Service, one of the leading national organizations that track fuel prices. So far this year, the region comprising Chittenden, Grand Isle and Franklin counties ranked as the tenth most profitable market in the United States to sell gas. “We are in the midst of a terrible recession and many working families

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Planning Grant

the public are priorities.” have a year and a half to Cabot will complete this project and intends to issue a Request for Proposals in the coming weeks for consulting services to assist with the effort. Noelle MacKay, Commissioner of the Department of Economic, Housing, and Community Development added, “These planning grants help turn the residents’ aspirations for their community into action and are critical as we all work hard to revitalize our downtowns and villages, prepare for our economic future and build stronger neighborhoods.” Since 1998, the Municipal Planning Grant Program has provided over $9.1 million to over 227 cities and towns across Vermont. Click on the link below to learn more about the Municipal Planning Grant Program. http://accd.vermont.gov/ strong_communities/opportunities/ funding/municipal_planning_grants

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By Roland (Slim) Payne

and Recreation. The information will be available to anyone with access to a computer. I went to Berlin to meet with representatives of UVM Extension Service to kick this thing off. I didn't know it wasn't already up and running. Now I get to help start it up. If anyone is interested in volunteering some time to help with

will be a windshield survey, so it won't need a lot of walking. Just drive slowly and stop near a hazard tree, take a GPS reading and take notes of tree type, condition, and hazard rating. If there is enough interest, I will have a meeting at the town office to go over this with more detail. I only have two GPS units, so this won't go too fast, and no-one will have to do a lot. Maybe one or two roads, then I will go to Berlin and download it into the program. So if you have any inter-

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Competitive

who drive long distances to and from work are hurting. Gas station owners have a right to make a profit, but they don't have a right to rip people off,” Sanders said. Sanders, who serves as a member of the Senate energy committee, held a Senate field hearing in Burlington last August to continue his investigation into why prices are so much higher throughout northwestern Vermont. The central finding: the concentration of ownership of filling stations in that region results in limited competition and prevents prices at the pump from falling as wholesale gas prices decline. One of the reasons for the lack of competition may be directly related to the fact that the three largest gasoline distributors in northwestern Vermont (S.B. Collins, Champlain Oil, and R.L. Vallee) own more than half of the filling stations in the region. Sanders invited the head of each company to speak with him about why they are charging upwards of 30 cents a gallon more than in other parts of Vermont. He has called on them to be more competitive. “No one is disputing that gasoline distributors have a right to make a profit,” Sanders said. “In my view, however, they should not be ripping people off in these tough economic times.” To read “Consumer Watch: An Eye on Gas prices,” enter www.sanders.senate .gov/consumers/ into your web browser. You can also search for lowest gas prices by zip code at www.VermontGas Prices.com. WOULD WORK IN CABOT

suggestion of a townsperson to develop a workout hear from Cabot residents before making a 1. Would you use a gym in Cabot? 2. What equipment would you want 3. What hours would you like to see 4. Would you work out there if it access through a card entry system 5. Would you pay $50 per month 6. If not $50/ month, what would 7. Would you be interested in having

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Cabot Church

(Continued from page 1) The building blocks of community, of making a place more than a cluster of buildings on a map, comes from a sense of shared values, and from ways of caring for each other that go beyond family ties. The values that shaped Cabot back in time, and that continue to guide us today, are rooted in the ancient Christian-Judeo traditions in ways people don’t even see. You don’t need to be a religious person to agree that laws protecting people from overwhelming debt are important to have on the books, for example. If you attend local service clubs like Rotary or Lions or Elks, the volunteer spirit and commitment to community service they represent have deep roots in faith and wisdom traditions, even as the expression of it has become almost completely secular. Coming together in a place where people can feel confident they will be heard, where they feel safe and cared

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Editorial; New Year

The New Year is a traditional time for rededicating ourselves to doing better. My resolutions usually revolve around losing weight, saving money and using my time more wisely. And I certainly do need to do those things. But, seeing what's going on in the world, maybe it's time to go a little deeper and reach out a bit farther to improve the world we live in. I believe we could see a positive change if each of us just took the time to: First, accept yourself for who you are, flaws and all. Yes, we all have ways we'd like to improve. But we also have strengths and attributes. It's easy to put little value on the things we do well or easily, and common to put a lot of weight on our weaknesses. But recognize the imbalance in that. We are the way we are for a reason - nature and nurture. Accept it and work from that base. Love your friends and family members. Forgive past slights and move on. Remember past kindnesses and shared history. Realize that other people think and feel differently, and believing you understand why they do something is folly. Have you read about how men are from Earth but women are from Venus? Similar differences in perspective stem from different life stories. Don't imagine you know what someone else is thinking. Give them a chance to tell you, if you can. And don't expect others to be like you. Think how boring the planet

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January 2013 ~ page 5

YOU LIKE TO OUT VILLAGE?

considering acting on the anonymous facility in the village. We'd like to commitment. Specific questions are:

in the gym? it open? was not staffed at all times and you had (like hotels use)? for a membership? you pay for a membership? healthy breakfast options available? that is most convenient to you. include:

Forum

them at the Willey Building. what you think.

for, and where group endeavors can easily happen, these are important elements of community life. The little white churches in our midst foster this community spirit – they need our support to keep going. Losing a church is a sad moment for a town, no matter what you feel about a particular religion. In Cabot, there is a chance this will happen if people don’t contribute to the life of the church. I have faith that we can rally to maintain the United Church as a place that serves as a sacred center, where we celebrate important life events, and where we come together in a spirit of sharing and community. Gwendolyn Hallsmith is the Director of Planning and Community Development for the City of Montpelier, the founder of the Headwaters Garden and Learning Center on Danville Hill Road in Cabot, and the “substitute preacher” for the month of December at the United Church in Cabot.

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Resolutions

would be if we were all the same, anyway. Easier - but boring! Lose the phrase: "It's none of my business." Women have been beaten, children abused, and elderly taken advantage of within eye-and-earshot of other people. We've seen what's been going on around us in the world. And, yes, we all have enough of our own problems to handle. But remember that there's usually some forewarning before disaster strikes. You don't have to handle the problem, but you might be able to help by letting someone else know about it. Don't think of it as turning someone in - think of it as assisting someone who can't ask for help. To the extent you can, help out. Maybe it's just allowing a child a safe place to spend time in a loving environment and having a cookie; maybe it's donating things you don't need to the toy or clothing drive; or maybe just calling the neighbors to make sure they're okay. Trust your gut if you sense something doesn't feel right, and make sure someone knows. It's the start of a new year, an opportunity for a fresh start. We are the stuff of which this world is made. It is said, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Try to be a positive force in the world. It is your choice. The world can be better for you being here, no matter your circumstances.

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Places

and Things —Vermont Weather, 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Vermont History Museum, 109 State Street, Montpelier. From the “Year without a Summer” to the “Flood of 1927,” Cost is $5 per child per class. Pre-registration required; space limited.

vhs-education@state.vt.us. Cabot Food Share , noon-2:00 p.m., Cabot Masonic Hall. Information: 5633322.

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Homebuyers Workshop , 8:30 a.m.-

4:30 p.m., RuralEdge Office, 48 Elm Street, Lyndonville. Learn about homebuying process, choosing a home, types of mortgages, closing costs, talking with a lender, possible incentives. 1-888MyVTHome, www.myvthome.org. Women’s Nordic Expo , 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center, Stowe. Information and registration: www.catamounttrail.org/news/5thannual-ladies-nordic-ski-expo or jfredericks@catamounttrail.org.

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Alternative ADD Solutions: Begin-

ning of Workshop Series, 10:00-11:30 a.m., $12. Presenter: Kate Lanxner, Holistic Support for Kids, producer of VCAM cable talk show, “Holistically Speaking.” 5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne. or holisticspeak@gmail.com for information. Winter Trails Day A celebration of snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Free rentals and short instructional sessions for first-time snowshoers and cross country skiers. For participating locations: http://www.snowlink.com/ wintertrails.aspx.

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Jaquith Public Library Big Benefit

Book Sale, 9:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tour the Kingdom : Leaders Choice, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., $10 per person. Introductory ski tour. Appropriate for experienced recreaters who may be new to the backcountry skiing, Requires backcountry skis with skins, or snowshoes resourced for ascent. NorthWoods Stewardship Center, East Charleston. 7236551 x 115 or www.northwoodscen ter .org.

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By Australian Ballot

(petitions due January 28): 2 Selectpersons 2 School Director Those who wish to be considered Candidates for upcoming elections at the 2013 Town Meeting must submit a Petition for Nomination with signatures from 1% of Cabot voters (15-20 signatures to be safe) to the Cabot Town Clerk's Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 28, 2013. A Consent of Candidate form must also be submitted, no later than Wednesday, January 30, 2013 by 5:00 p.m. The petition will be reviewed by the Town Clerk for duplicate signatures.

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From the Floor

2 Listers (3 years) 2 Auditors (3 years) Delinquent Tax Collector (1 year) Grand Juror (1 year) Law Agent (1 year) Cemetery Commissioner (5 years) Library Trustee (3 years) UDAG Committee Member (3 years) Willey Committee Member (3 years)

While no action in advance of Town Meeting is required to be elected from the floor, it is a good idea to advise the Town Clerk or Select Board member(s) of your interest and arrange for someone to nominate you.

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Saturday, March 16, 2013

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. • Pancake Breakfast 9-11 a.m. (registration fee includes 2 tickets for pancake breakfast-special vendor seating at 8:30 a.m.) • Craft & Vendor Tables • Silent Auction • Maple Cotton Candy • Sugar on Snow • Maple Delectables • Signature Cheese Sandwiches • Great Family Entertainment Download Maple Fest Vendor Form 2013 at:

Vendor fee $25 before February 28 $30 after March 1

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Must the show go on?

Starring Ben Scotch, Elizabeth Wilcox, experiences to date related to closing their school and to answer any related questions. Patti Casey, Nicholas Hecht, Ellen Keene, Rachel Isaacs-Falbel, and Brooke Pearson All residents interested at any level in offering School Choice in Cabot, or think they might be, are welcome to attend. Please feel free to share this with any interested persons...hope to see you there!

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School Board Chair

The Cabot School Board held a forum at the CSPAC on Monday evening, December 10th to present and discuss their first draft of the 20132014 budget for Cabot School. The Board also presented a comparison of the estimated cost of keeping the high school open versus shutting it down next year. With the assistance of WNESU superintendent Nancy Thomas, WNESU business manager Rob Billings, and Cabot School principal Karen Stewart, board members highlighted areas in which the draft budget varied from the school’s present budget. The draft version presented at the forum was $212,000 (or 5.85%) larger than the present 2012-2013 budget. Contributing to the increase is a new contract agreement with Cabot School teachers and support staff as well as increases in technology, health insurance, and facilities maintenance. According to Superintendent Nancy Thomas, the new teachers’ contract was negotiated jointly with Twinfield and Cabot School staff, and brings the salary schedules of the two schools closer together. The presentation also included an overview of how the town’s homestead property tax rate would be affected if the draft budget was eventually agreed upon by the Board and approved by Cabot voters. If the draft budget presented at the meeting were to remain at its present size, it would increase the residential tax rate from 1.3799 to 1.5775, an increase of 14%. In addition to the budget figure, a drop in the number of students from 208 to 202 and an increase in the state-set base education tax rate are working to raise this year’s tax rate. After a good deal of discussion among school officials and the twenty community members in attendance about specific features of the budget as well as the rationale behind specific changes, a number of people expressed concern about the size of the projected budget and its potential impact on property taxes. The discussion turned next to the potential financial impact of closing the high school. According to estimates made by school administrators and presented at the meeting, closing Cabot High School and tuitioning the 65 students elsewhere next year would cost taxpayers more than keeping the high school going in its present form.

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Dear Editor:

Re: Project Based Learning (PBL) and the Student: Project-Based Learning is a studentdirected approach to education that is designed to engage students in investigation of authentic problems. Projects are intended to be realistic, not schoollike. However, the implementation of PBL in classrooms presents a number of significant challenges and in turn issues. Project Based Learning initiatives can quickly dissolve into unfocused chaos. Some educators believe that PBL has the ability to address students' various learning styles or "multiple intelligences" (Gardner, H. (1991). The Unschooled Mind) but in fact there is no research to support this hypothesis. Research has shown that students who performed well in traditional class-

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10, 2012

WNESU business manager Rob Billings described in detail the figures that he used to make that estimate. Mr.Billings outlined that closing the high school next year would save $585, 674 by eliminating one support staff position and 6.7 teaching positions, as well as a variety of other services, coaching salaries, and equipment. However, in closing the high school, the school would no longer receive income from students now tuitioned in to Cabot High School from other towns; that figure is estimated to amount to $130,575 next year. Mr. Billings also presented a list of the “announced tuition” costs of neighboring high schools, and explained that he had used the average figure of $12,381/year to calculate that the cost of tuitioning Cabot’s 65 high school students next year would work out to $804,751. Mr. Billings cautioned that the rates he used for his calculations were for the present school year, and that schools can legally raise their “announced rates” within a given year if their actual costs rise. In summary, according to the estimates and calculations presented by Mr. Billings, the $804,000 cost for tuitioning out Cabot’s high school students combined with the projected $130,000 loss of revenue from tuition students would mean that it would be $405,658 more expensive to tuition out Cabot’s high school students next year than it would be to keep Cabot High School open and continue to educate those students in Cabot. More discussion followed this part of the presentation, with a number of participants drawing attention to the need for increased and ongoing communication between school officials and community members. Additional public forums, town-wide mailings, online postings, and informal neighborhood meetings were all mentioned as worthy options. Several speakers spoke of general concern about the future cost of maintaining and renovating school buildings, and encouraged school officials to address those concerns as part of a larger discussion about the school’s future. At the end of the meeting, school board members and administrators expressed their appreciation for the valuable input provided by the community members in attendance, and announced that the final draft of the Cabot School budget for the 2013-2014 school would be approved by the school board in early January.

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OMMENTARY

rooms typically are less successful as part of a PBL initiative, and students who perform poorly in traditional classrooms can do well in “well executed” PBL activities. (Rosenfeld, M. Rosenfeld, S. (1998). Understanding the "surprises" in PBL: An exploration into the learning styles of teachers and their students.) There is also a great deal of research that strongly relates individual differences in students' self motivation to student success as part of PBL. Students with little self motivation will do poorly as part of a project based, student-directed program. Project based learning is just not for every student and has the utmost potential to fail a majority of our students by not adequately teaching them the critical skills (math, science, literature, writing) they need to succeed.

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By Rebecca Nally

How many of you remember your school days quotes, such as “When will I ever need to know this or “ I will never use this in real life?” I know I said some version of those more than once while I was in school. Cabot High students don’t need to say these sayings or anything like them. Cabot School students are using the skills and knowledge learned in the classroom in the real world. Recently the 10 th grade biology/ chemistry students were invited onto the UVM Lake Champlain research vessel to take water samples from the lake and then go in to the laboratory to study the samples and see how the information could be used to help make plans to protect the lake. Last year, Cabot High School implemented project- based learning. Unlike creating a project at the end of a unit study like we did in school, project based learning uses the process to enhance a student’s knowledge, skills and demonstrate learning. Project based learning also uses many different avenues to educate students thus being able to reach all students not just some of them. Instead of learning subjects in isolation; math, sciences, history and English are used to create the projects. This mimics real life; such as when a lawyer is researching a case, a mechanic is diagnosing a vehicle’s problem or an engineer is designing a new de-

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Posted on Front Porch Forum,

by Karen Mueller-Harder I'm truly sorry some Cabot residents have not found that Cabot School works for their kids. Most of the parents I know have found it to be an excellent "choice" for our kids. It's hard to ignore anecdotal experiences when looking at the big picture. Here is some objective data to take into account when thinking about sending kids to Cabot School versus another nearby option: A recent report by the Vermont State Department of Education ranks Cabot School highest in the state for the postsecondary enrollment rate of Vermont high school graduates, surpassing the statewide enrollment rate by nearly 20 percentage points.

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By Brigitte Codling

There was a post on the Front Porch Forum on December 11, 2012, that brought up the subject of college enrollment rates for Cabot graduates; specifically for students that graduated with the 2010 class. The information presented appeared incorrect to me, so I decided to calculate the college enrollment rates myself. I have personally known most of the students who have graduated from Cabot High School over the past five years and would like to offer a local perspective on Cabot’s college enrollment rate: • In 2009 – 2010 Cabot High School had 15 students that graduated, 10 of them went to college; 2 immediately dropped out leaving 8 enrolled in a postsecondary program. That means of the 2009 - 2010 Cabot graduates 66.6% enrolled in college (53.3% if you count the drop outs). • In 2010 – 2011 Cabot High School had 16 students that graduated, 10 of them went to college. That means of the 2010 - 2011 Cabot graduates 62.5% enrolled in college.

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is the Choice

vice. In all of these cases the professional needs to use skills and knowledge from different areas to solve a problem or create a finished product. Cabot is a leader in this area of learning. Cabot students and staff have been invited to present at conferences around Vermont and New England. They were the inspirational speakers at the Vermont School Boards Association Meeting in the Fall of 2012, presenters at the New England League of Innovative Schools in March of 2012, and at the Vermont Superintendents Conference in the Spring of 2012. Cabot is also one of 6 schools to be charter members of the League of Innovative Schools. Earning an award of a $50,000 grant to begin project based learning and an additional $10,000 to continue implementing this program of study. Additional real life skills that the students develop include poise in public speaking situations, critical thinking skills, asking probing questions and confidence in different situations. This article is the first in a planned 3 part series to support keeping Cabot High School open. Closing Cabot High School actually starts to limit school choice. As small high schools are closed it limits the number of educational opportunities available to students. There is already choice in Cabot. Through the regional lottery students can apply to attend other high schools at no additional cost to their families.

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In Vermont

The Department of Education report indicates that the report "represents Vermont students who graduated in SY2009-10 with a regular high school diploma and enrolled in an institution of higher education within sixteen months of their high school graduation date. These percentages were derived using post-secondary data collected by the National Student Clearinghouse."

Here's the full Department of Education Report: http://www.washnesu.org/cabot/ wp-content/uploads/2012/ 12/2010_High_ Grads_-_Post_ Secondary_Enrollment-1.pdf

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Enrollment Rates

• In 2011 – 2012 Cabot High School had 15 students that graduated, 6 of them went to college; 1 immediately dropped out leaving 5 enrolled in a postsecondary program. That means of the 2011 - 2012 Cabot graduates 40.0% enrolled in college. (33.33% if you count the drop out). To remain consistent with the Department of Education report (the report cited on December 11, 2012) I excluded proprietary trade, vocational, international institutions, military, and apprenticeship programs from my numbers. I believe the reality is that Cabot does not have the highest college enrollment rate in Vermont (certainly not 80%) and in fact the number of students enrolling in post secondary programs has dropped dramatically over the past three years. As a parent, this is of great concern to me, and I felt that it was important to provide a more realistic view of how many of our students are actually enrolling in post secondary programs after leaving Cabot High School.

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By Ruth Kaldor

The Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative (VTVLC) online program is an arrangement among schools across Vermont. Cabot School was one of the first partner schools. A partner school has at least one teacher who facilitates online courses in addition to their regular teaching assignment. teaching online three years I started ago. In return, a partner school may enroll up to 25 students each semester tuition-free. The $300 per course fee is waived for students from partner schools . Students may enroll in online courses taught by partner school faculty from any participating school in Vermont. Cabot students took 73 online semester courses over the past three years at no expense, for a total savings of $21,900. A listing of VTVLS.com course offerings shows: seven advanced placement courses; foreign languages such as Chinese, Latin and Spanish; and numerous math, English, science, and history courses, as well as many electives. What are the advantages of taking an online course? There are quite a few. Students can take courses not offered by their school at times that do not conflict with their other classes. Toby Cook, age 12, said, “I wanted to take Latin and it was available online.” Online courses also meet the learning styles of many students who don’t

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Second Honors

Grade 12 Grade 11 Grade 10 Grade 9 Grade 8 Grade 7 Jay Deasy, Mazie O’Connor Lars Hammer, Carter Maxfield, Gage Sironi, Emma Stecker Tiger Bastress, Clementine Alisha Celley, Jeremy Hoyne-Grosvenor, Clara Mueller-Harder, Helen

Joseph Ambroz, Olivia Bellavance, Timothy Mueller-Harder Madeline Morse Caleb Maxfield, Galadriel Sam Carpenter, Tobias Cooke, Jeremy Maxfield, Isabelle Lauren Bellavance, Natalie Samantha Villeneuve, Abigail

Camden Celley, Maelilly Robison Donaghue Burke, Darren Kyle Celley, Heidi Cookson, Seth Herrick-Trombley, Ian Wyatt Amaden, Henry Burke, Taylor Abbott, Michaela Gokey

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CABOT KIDS

A little birdie told us - Yankee Magazine's a story about mapping places you love, which third graders and Cabot Chronicle contributer Julia's articles about community mapping at the public library and school in past editions In addition, the January/February issue news stands) features Rusty Churchill (the keeping Cabot's roads drivable, also by Julia

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for Cabot Students

function well in group learning environments. Some students are unable to attend school for health or other reasons. Others may only need one or two credits to graduate. Online courses teach learners the importance of being independent learners. Heidi Cookson, grade 10, is taking Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics. She confirmed the importance of independent learning, saying, “It’s really important to have a good support system, to be interested in the subject, and to be a responsible learner.” Although course requirements are clearly explained, students must rely on themselves to accomplish course requirements in a timely manner. This is an important life skill to develop. However, should learners need extra help, there are several available resources, including the online teacher as well as counselors and technical service people at the student’s home school. Alex Yu, grade 10, is taking Physics, and offered this advice, “Ask questions when you need help.” This experience has been wonderful for me because I learned a lot about online teaching while earning 15 graduate credits and Online Certification from Marlboro College, a VTVLC partner. The opportunity for Cabot students to take online courses without expense is icing on the cake.

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Roll

who earn high grades and are on the Honor marking period and announced in the The Record, The Hardwick Gazette and in Cabot School and we encourage all stu-

requirements are: grade below 90 grade below 85 grade below 80

Kassandra Morse

O’Connor, Megan Walker Isabella McCallum Sawyer

Cypress Ellen,

Morse Rowan Lanxner, Yu Mudgett-Fox, Walker

Celley, Adlai Feldman, Ashley Maurice John Miner, Lyrica Stelle Lewis Jasiah Fay, Jordan Hale

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By Frank Kampf

The Middle School basketball season has gotten off to a busy start. Both the Cabot boys and girls have had four games in their first week of play. The first game was against Washington in the St. Monica’s gym. A first game is always challenging, and made more so in a gym with an unfamiliar rubber floor. Both the Cabot boys and girls stepped up to the challenge with wins, the girls won 23-17 and the boys won 26-16. Next up was Waterford, just three days later, the first home game of the season. Both teams were scheduled to play in the Waterford Tournament the following weekend, so this game would be a preview of the next game. The Cabot girls may have been tired due to the short break between games, or in need of more practice, and it became evident that Waterford was a talented and aggressive team. Cabot girls struggled to keep up and lost 36-23. The Cabot boys were more than prepared and came out flying up and down the court, manhandling their opponent for a win, 23-20. Then, the weekend was upon us, and Friday night started the Waterford Tournament. The girls had a rematch against Waterford and the boys would be up against Good Sheppard. Before the game, the coaches were informed of a rule change: pressing would not be lim-

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By Amber Bothfeld

The ice rink will be up and running soon. The border is in place and plastic is ready to be laid down. We are just waiting for some constant cold weather. We are starting this basketball season with three teams up and running! The teams are formed and they are ready to

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By Michelle Delaney

The Northeast Kingdom Warriors Soccer Club is taking registration for players between the ages of 6 and 18 (children born from August 1998 forward) through the spring. We serve all young soccer players in this area, as the closest clubs to Cabot are Morrisville and Barre. Games are played in May and the first half of June. Practices will begin as soon as we can get outside in

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Basketball

ited to the last two minutes of a half. This changed how the Cabot girls would have prepared for the game, and suited the defensive strengths of the Waterford girls in a very small gym. The Cabot gym is cavernous compared to the Waterford gym. Alas, the girls struggled again with poor shooting, and lost 30-13. The Cabot boys faired little better, and found it hard to execute their offense in such a small gym, resulting in a loss of 48-20. On the final day of the tournament, the Cabot girls and boys were playing for third place, each against Gilman. After two losses in a row, the Cabot girls were hungry for a win and came out on their toes, making every effort to get the ball. The scoring was spread across more then half the team, and many turnovers were forced as they won 43-22. The Cabot boys played next, and the game started out evenly matched, ending at half time with a one point lead, 11-10. But, at the beginning of the second half, the Cabot boys were firing with all cylinders and took a commanding lead, driving to a win, 4027. Alisha Celley and Jordan Hale were named tournament MVPs. The Cabot Middle School basketball teams play next on January 3 at 5:30 p.m. in Craftsbury. Then, on January 8 at 5:00 p.m. in Cabot against Good Sheppard, and again on January 11 at 5:00 p.m. in Cabot against Twinfield.

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Department

go. Pre-K-second grade basketball will be starting in January. Check your child’s backpack for sign ups. If you don’t have one and would like to sign your child up, call myself or Rebecca Nally for a sign-up sheet. As always, we are looking for members. Whether your child plays sports is NOT guaranteed unless we have members to help.

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Warriors Soccer

We are still looking for a relatively flat piece of land (around 200 X 120 yards) that can be used for a ten-year period for a soccer field. The US Soccer Foundation offers grants for field improvement and equipment and has helped countless new clubs get established. However, in order to get a grant, we need a piece of land to use. We are always looking for other soccer enthusiasts to help with coaching and other club responsibilities. If you would like to enroll your child for next spring or volunteer for the Northeast Kingdom Warriors, please contact Michelle at or mpsoc-

mackinnon.dm@gmail.com.

forum has been a great resource for neighbors to on the proposed all terrain vehicle ordinance in up, see what your neighbors are saying, and voice

more than 750 postings to date

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Friese – Tuesday, January 15, 6:30-

8:30 p.m. Join us for an evening of Italian food at the Cabot Public Library. We'll make risotto and talk about method and some variations. And we'll have an Italian salad and maybe even a sweet treat. While cooking, I am happy to share information on the Italian language.

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February 4, 10:30 a.m.

All are welcome to join in! We will be meeting monthly on Monday mornings and the first book will be The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed by John Vaillant. Copies will be available in the Cabot Library. John Vaillant takes us into the heart of North America's last great forest, where trees grow to eighteen feet in diameter, sunlight never touches the ground and the chainsaws are always at work. When a shattered kayak and camping gear are found on an uninhabited island, they reignite a mystery surrounding a shocking act of protest. Five months earlier, logger-turned-activist Grant Hadwin had plunged naked into a river in British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands, towing a chainsaw. When his night's work was done, a unique Sitka spruce, 165 feet tall and covered with luminous golden needles, teetered on its stump. Two days later it fell. The tree, a fascinating puzzle to scientists, was sacred to the Haida, a fierce seafaring tribe based in the Queen Charlottes. Vaillant recounts the

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On Wednesday, January 16 from

10:30-11:30 a.m. , join Neighbor to Neighbor AmeriCorps member Peggy Ramel for an hour spent sipping tea/ coffee and sharing travel stories through photographs. Bring five photos depicting some of your favorite travel adventures—local, international, recent, or long ago. Contact Rita Copeland at 4263447 to RSVP .

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M ILITARY C OUPLE T O W IN A F REE

W INTER W EDDING I N V ERMONT

A Salute to Our Soldiers honors our servicemen and

women with a complimentary Vermont wedding valued 6 – 7:30 p.m. at $70,000 for one deserving couple. Welcome the changing seasons! Nour-

ish your body, mind and spirit! Please The contest to find that couple began December 15 and is organized by three contact Alicia Feltus for info about yoga. Vermont businesses: VT Enchanted Events, VermontWeddings.com and The

Mountain Top Inn & Resort.

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Helen Sawyer, Beth Wade, and

Megan Walker for a really fun Holiday Crafts workshop. Thanks so much to all who participated in our special Holiday story hour, especially Raymond and Amber Bothfeld . And thanks to Cynthia Russell for helping to facilitate our new Community Book Group. We are truly lucky and thankful to have so many people willing to help out in our library.

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Reminders:

ο HOURS • Tuesday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ** Story Hour 10:30-11:30 am** • Wednesday 2:00 a.m.-6:00p.m. • Thursday 11:00 a.m.-6:00p.m. • Saturday 9:00 a.m.-2:00p.m. • Closed Sunday, Monday & Friday • Echo Pass – Allows up to 2 adults and 3 youths, $4 each admission price, entrance into the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington.

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ENIOR C ENTER

Entries will be reviewed and one couple will be selected to receive a wedding package for up to 200 guests, hosted on December 15, 2013 , at The Mountain Top Inn and Resort, in Chittenden, VT. Couples nationwide are encouraged to submit their love stories at VermontWeddings.com between December 15, 2012, and April 1, 2013. The contest is open to engaged and currently active, reserve, or retired members of the United States Armed Forces – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or National Guard. Often, our country’s military personnel miss out on life’s most precious moments due to deployments, casualties and injuries. In gratitude for their service, A Salute to Our Soldiers wedding give-away enables Vermont’s wedding vendors to give back just a little to one worthy couple. Due to the generous spirit of Vermont businesses, the growing list of donating vendors includes: • 822 Weddings • Lake Champlain Chocolates • Barrie Fisher Photographers • LoveBuzzPhoto • Carman Brook Farms • New Leaf Organics • Cuisine Lucette • Perennial Studios • Creative Muse Floral • Shear Heaven Salon and Day Spa • Cynthea’s Spa • SuperSounds DJ • Dayve Huckett • The Linen Shop at Occasions • Five Elements Salon and Day Spa • Truly Noted • Hawley’s Florist • VickeryHill.com • Irene’s Cakes by Design • Vermont Bride Magazine • Keepsake by Nana Several of these Vermont wedding vendors also extend military discounts to couples planning their weddings. About the Organizers: VT Enchanted Events: Wedding planning that ranges from the bare basics up to complete wedding services tailored to fit all budgets. Each individual has their own unique style and flair that they will want for their wedding; the goal is to gain insight and bring it to life and present it like a page turning in a book. After all, this is a love story being told to family, friends, and most important of all, to each other! The Mountain Top Inn & Resort: Just 11 miles from Killington, The Mountain Top Inn & Resort is the ideal location to host a Vermont destination wedding. The Resort’s Barn accommodates 250 guests, with a lake and Green Mountains as the back drop. Classic lodge accommodations, menu planning to meet each couple's personal tastes and an array of activities for friends and family complete the package for couples to create perfect memories for their wedding. Visit mountaintopinnweddings.com. VermontWeddings.com: Vermont’s largest, most comprehensive online directory of wedding resources including locations, professional services, guest accommodations and activities. VermontWeddings.com provides couples with online tools to research, plan and share information about their picture perfect Vermont wedding. Visit us at VermontWeddings.com, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Assistance Please

class will be held on Wednesdays from If you are out on the roads and see a 1:00-2:00 p.m. at the Twin Valley Senior disabled vehicle with a sign that says Center. Rooted in Chinese tradition, Tai "TWIN VALLEY SENIORS VOLUNChi is a low-impact form of exercise conTEER", please stop and offer your assissisting of a series of gentle, fluid movetance. Our dedicated Volunteers are on ments performed in rhythmic slow pata mission and may have car trouble. As terns; benefits of practicing Tai Chi inyou know, cell service in our area is not clude further development of muscle good, and we worry about our volunteers strength and flexibility, pain and stiffon the roads they travel. If you cannot ness reduction, and balance improveassist them, please place a call to 426ment. To sign up for the free class, 3447 so we can. Through the generosity please contact Rita Copeland at 426of United Way, we were able to purchase 3447 by January 30. these signs to identify our drivers as

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Growing Stronger - Cabot Com-

mons Starting January 29, Growing Stronger—a free 12-week strength training program for older adults—will be held in the Community Room at the Cabot Commons Senior Housing complex. The program consists of exercises tailored to strengthen all major muscle groups in the upper and lower body. The class will be held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00-3:00 p.m. and all equipment will be provided. An introductory meeting at Cabot Commons will be held on January 8 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. for all interested individuals. To sign up for the free course, please

December 31.

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Public Presentation:

Wednesday, January 9, 7:00 p.m., at the Willey Building Options for Main Street : This will be a public presentation of the Scoping Study Report, reflecting work done over more than six months by the committee and participating community members. This Scoping Study was necessary in order for Cabot to be eligible to apply for VTrans construction grant funding. The plans to be presented as part of the Scoping Study Report will be conceptual in nature and do not necessarily reflect actual projects to be constructed. All projects pursued as part of any VTrans construction grant in the future will be subject to public input.

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Grant Approval Meeting:

Wednesday, January 16, 6:30 p.m., at the Willey Building VTrans Alternate Grant: This will be a public presentation to the Cabot Select Board of the application and associated documentation related to the first project to be pursued as part of a VTrans Alternate Construction Grant. The area to be focused on is the intersection of South Walden Road and Route 215 at the north end of Main Street. There will be no public input at this meeting, as the application is only an attempt to secure grant funding. If Cabot is selected, there will be many meetings at which the public will be given opportunities to help guide the development of actual construction plans and design details.

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WORKING FOR CABOT

The following groups are working to carry on the projects identified by Cabot residents through the Community Visit Program of the Vermont Council on Rural Development during September, October and November. Please consider joining a group working on a topic that interests you. Call the chairperson or just show up at a meeting.

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First Projects:

• Identify the best bulletin boards to post for the offline members of the community • Identify the best calendar tools to cover all users but avoid redundancies • Identify contacts for all types of events and organizations—school, theater and the arts, business events, community festivals, etc., from whom we can receive news and to whom we can send questions • Each committee member will participate on Front Porch Forum to share news and build discussions

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LOVE NOTES

The Cabot Chronicle is creating a special section in February. If there is someone special you’d like to send your valentine’s greetings to in the next issue of The Cabot Chronicle, simply send us your greeting along with proper payment before January 15, 2013 .

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By Doug Morin

“That’s a downy. No wait, it’s a hairy – definitely a hairy. Well, hang on...maybe it is a downy.” I admit it: I’ve had this happen to me more than once. With the onset of winter, downy and hairy woodpeckers become more apparent– knocking away in our woods and stopping by our birdfeeders. With strikingly similar feather patterns, the two can be hard to distinguish if one only catches a glimpse. Both have black wings with white markings; white bellies, sides, and backs; and distinctively white- and black-striped heads. Males of both species have red patches on the backs of their heads, which females lack. While seasoned birders can tell the difference between the two birds’ calls and the shade of white on the tail feathers, the most reliable visual differences are that hairies are larger (by about 1.5 inches and 2 ounces) and have more solid, longer bills than downies. Because of such striking similarities, one might assume that downies and hairies are very closely related, even that they’re probably each other’s closest relatives (“sister species” in evolutionary biology lingo) – just like our white tailed deer and the west’s mule deer are. Evolutionary biologists had reached exactly the same conclusion – that is until DNA sequencing allowed them to bypass comparing traits like weight, size, and color and go right to the source when determining evolutionary relationship. What the genes show is that downies and hairies aren’t evolutionary sisters. The two species are related: they are both in the genus Picoides . But, the genus is separated into two branches. In one group is the downy woodpecker, with its closest relatives: the Nuttall’s, the ladder-backed, and the lesser spotted woodpeckers. The other branch contains the hairy woodpecker and its closest relatives: the Arizona, white-headed, and red-cockaded woodpeckers. But how can two species look almost identical without being immediate relatives? One theory is convergent evolution. Think of bats and birds, which both have wings, but aren’t close relatives, or crocodiles and hippopotamuses, which both have eyes on the tops of their heads, but also aren’t close relatives. When species evolve from different backgrounds toward a similar state, it’s called convergent evolution. So, if this is the cause of

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They’re Not

the woodpecker similarity, then the ancestors of these two species looked different, but slowly evolved to look similar to each other over time. Support for this idea comes from the observation that hairy woodpeckers living well outside the range of downies (in Central America) have begun to morph in color: they have brownish underparts, as opposed to the white found on birds in the northeast. It’s almost as if they are free to change appearance when downy woodpeckers are not present, but when the two live together, they are constrained to look the same by some force of evolution. What could that force be? Convergent evolution occurs for a variety of reasons. For instance, our harmless eastern milk snake evolved to look like the venomous northern copperhead snake. This similarity benefits milk snakes, which predators may confuse for venomous copperheads and avoid, losing out on an easy meal. In the case of our woodpeckers, however, we have no evidence that either species is venomous. Instead, some scientists suspect that the similarity between downies and hairies could be related to territoriality. Both woodpeckers compete for limited resources: food and trees that provide nesting cavities. Converging on a similar look may be a way for birds with brains the size of a pea to identify competitors more easily: all they have to do is shoo away any bird that looks like them. The territoriality hypothesis hasn’t been tested yet, though, so we don’t know the full story. What we do know is that even some of our most familiar birds hold riddles that we have yet to decipher. Doug Morin is an ecologist living in Burlington, Vermont . llustration by Adelaide Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation: wellborn@nhcf.org.

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← From the Cabot Chronicle