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Cabot Historical Society

Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

October 2017 · 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 October 2017 pages (PDF)

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

In This Issue

Commerce and Workforce Develop-

ment: Every year, approximately 30 young Vermonters enter the workforce with weak or no job skills. Data shows that fifty percent of Vermont’s high school seniors do not seek higher educational opportunities after graduation and twenty-five percent of the prior year’s graduating classes leave postsecondary education after the first year. Workforce readiness, ranging from very basic skills to higher level marketable skills, is at a crisis level in Vermont. In 2016, the Workforce Development workgroup reported that “… having now conducted over 40 workforce needs assessment visits with employers representing more than 20,000 Vermont employees, it has become clear that the state has neither the breadth nor depth of talent in place to meet its business demands. The critical implications of this issue should prompt stakeholders— including government agencies, economic development practitioners, employers, and educators—to rethink the alignment of its talent and workforce development strategies.” The Economic Development Bill that was passed by the Legislature this year and signed into law by the Governor creates important initiatives to address this critical issue. First, the Commissioner of Labor and the State Workforce Development Board will convene a working group to assess current workforce education and training and develop a comprehensive strategy that meets the needs of employers and employees. Secondly, a Career Pathways Coordinator position has been created within the Agency of Education to work across agencies to develop a Career Pathways System to link students to careers and workplaces. The bill funded career training and planning for younger Vermonters beginning in middle school. Apprenticeships are an excellent and proven pathway to future employment. The bill directs the Agency of Education to work closely with the Vermont State Colleges/Universities and the University of Vermont to strengthen partnerships with Career and Technical Education Centers (CTE) and increase recognition of the academic and technical course work completed by CTE students

DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior

Coordinator: Jeannie Johnson

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Affordable Workforce Housing :

The Vermont Housing Needs Assessment found building a substantial number of new housing units would reduce housing as a constraint to economic success and produce the homes and communities that Vermont needs in order to attract and build an able workforce. The Economic Development bill streamlines and sets permitting priorities to encourage both affordable and workforce housing. The Governor and the Legislature joined forces to support $35 million in bonding capacity to develop ownership and rental housing for working Vermonters who find housing to be a challenge. Priority for funding will be based on need, areas ready to proceed with projects and areas designated for growth. Eligible projects include the construction and rehabilitation of multi-family rental properties and single family housing units. The goal of this initiative is to create and improve 550 – 650 units of housing. Applications will be considered by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) and made over the next 3 years.

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TIF Districts :

Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) Districts are one of the State’s most effective economic development tools. The Legislature voted to lift the cap on TIF districts and six new districts were created statewide. Structural changes were adopted to address concerns regarding the effect TIFs have on the Education Fund. To enable smaller projects, a new municipalonly TIF district was created. To further ease the application process, legislation clarified the criteria for establishing these districts and important language was included giving economically depressed areas preference. In 2016, $2.25 million in state tax incentives supported 21 projects in downtown and village center construction and rehabilitation in the amount of $47 million dollars. Tax credits available have $200,000. been increased by

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The Cabot Chronicle is distributed

~ Mission The mission of The Cabot for the residents of the Cabot that will help readers become

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No part of this paper may be reproduced for typographical errors. Acceptance of advertising indemnify publisher from loss or expense for errors in any advertising beyond the

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www.cabotvermont.org

than 2,000 Vermont businesses by low and moderate income Vermonters and additional investments have been added to this highly successful program. The Legislature also authorized the creation of the Climate Economy Business Accelerator Program to foster climate economy startups. Additionally, the Small Business Development Centers’ business advisors have been expanded to cover underserved regions of the state subject to available resources. In 2016, the SBDC was responsible for 403 new jobs, $26.5 million raised in new capital and 66 new businesses started.

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Consumer Protection :

Home repair is an area where some Vermonters fall victim to contractors charging for repairs that are either never completed or completed in a shoddy manner. This bill asks the Secretary of State's Office of Professional Regulation to conduct a sunrise review that will determine whether construction contractors should be licensed. As part of its review and report, the Office will compile information on how other states address consumer protection in home improvement contracts including whether contracts should be in writing and if so, at what threshold amount. The Office will recommend how such protections should be incorporated into any regulatory structure.

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Escrow Accounts :

At the present time lenders with escrow accounts are only obliged to make reasonable estimates on total annual charges for escrow accounts. This bill requires an annual recalculation of escrow charges with consideration of the borrower's current tax liability after any applicable adjustments for a State credit on property taxes. Further, upon receipt of a revised property tax bill, the lender shall review and verify the reduction and conduct a new recalculation analysis. The legislation also allows lenders to increase the escrow from one month to two

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The Cabot Chronicle Submission

The Chronicle welcomes letters written with recommended to be no longer than 400 words. Letters turned to the author with suggestions for re-submittal. Cabot Chronicle represent the opinions of the authors The Cabot Chronicle reserves the right to reject our readers. Letters will not be considered for phone number. We will gladly consider articles and The Cabot Chronicle is not responsible for errors Chronicle assume responsibility for claims arising tised on these pages. If you have editorial questions or would like advertising visit our website, www.CabotVermont.org or email other inquiries can also be sent to: The Cabot Chronicle,

the first day of the month and is

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Chronicle is to regularly publish local news Area. Our purpose is to share information better involved in their Community.

05647 2016 by The Cabot Chronicle 1942-0943 without express written permission from Cabot is contingent upon publisher’s approval on claims based upon contents of advertising. Publisher cost of space occupied by individual item in which per year ~ Half year subscriptions

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Study:

The 2016 Vermont Livable Wage was calculated to be $13.03 an hour for a single person in a two person household on a basic needs budget. The wage increases to $21.97 per parent in a two parent/two child household in an urban setting and $20.30 for those living in rural areas of Vermont. State and federal taxes subsidize the difference between earnings and need. A study on the impact of an increased minimum wage to $15.00, to be increased over a set period of time, will be completed and submitted to the legislature by January 2018. In tandem with the minimum wage study a detailed analysis of the loss of benefits due to increased wages will be included. This loss is known as the benefits cliff. It is a term that describes what happens when state or federal benefits programs phase down or out and lead to reduction or loss of benefits for families as household earnings increase. As seen, many cannot risk accepting a higher wage because the increase is not enough for self-sufficiency to be reached and many families find themselves in a worse economic position. For additional information on any bill or action taken by the House or Senate or standing committee please visit: www.leg.state.vt.us. These are live pages and are updated regularly. Please contact me directly with your questions and concerns. As always, it is an honor to represent our communities at the State House. kittytoll@live.com ktoll@leg.state.vt.us

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Guidelines

an economy of words. The maximum length is may be edited for clarity and length or reAll letters and commentary published in The and not necessarily the opinions of staff. letters that may contain unsuitable material for publication unless signed and accompanied by a photographs for publication. in submitted material. Nor does The Cabot in connection with products or services adver-

provided locally free of charge.

Chronicle. Publisher is not responsible and agreement by advertiser to does not assume liability the error appeared. $12.50

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Cabot Historical Society Archivist

The Town of Cabot is six miles square, give or take. Jesse Leavenworth built mills at the outlet of what is now known as Joe’s Pond in 1785, believing he was in the Town of Cabot. Jesse missed the mark by only about half a mile. When the area was surveyed and lotted the following year, Leavenworth found his mills were actually in Deweysburg Gore, a boot-shaped tract of land southwest of the pond. Deweysburg was later divided between Danville and Peacham, with Danville getting land along the southern shore of the pond that included Leavenworth’s mills. When Cabot was lotted in 1786, it was divided into 72 numbered lots, each one mile wide by one-half mile deep, measuring 320 acres. Lots 10, 11, and 12, in the southeastern corner of the town, had only a small amount of land, mostly shoreline and swamp. The rest was water. Old maps show the town line between Cabot and Danville going straight across the pond from where Barre Avenue is today to the eastern shore approximately where Brown Road is now, and extending east a few rods to meet the Walden town line. That strip of land on the eastern shore of the pond was not connected to the rest of Cabot, and the only way it could be reached was by going around the pond through either Walden or West Danville, several miles either way, except in winter when travelers crossed the pond on the ice. As more settlers arrived in the region, the trails that connected communities became roads that each town was expected to keep passable. The road that is present day Route 15 from West Danville north on the eastern side of Joe’s Pond, crossed Cabot’s small triangle of land about a mile from West Danville. For a number of years, Cabot paid Danville to take care of the short stretch of dirt road. However, the land was of little use to Cabot and the expense of keeping the road was a burden to the town, so in 1887, Cabot and Danville reached an agreement, the state legislature approved it, and the road and land became part of the Town of Danville. What Cabot gave up – a small amount of farmland and a long, irregular, swampy shoreline – was considered mostly worthless at the time. Today that shoreline between Brown Road and the Walden town line is packed with summer homes on North Shore Road, Cove Road and Clubhouse Circle, including the Joe’s Pond Association recreation area and pavilion, plus several homes in the wetlands area on Channel Drive and Island Drive. Cabot also forfeited Toll’s Island, the larger of the two islands in Joe’s Pond, but the smaller island that Sim Whittier built, now called Pearl’s Island, remains in Cabot. And that is why the Town of Cabot is “six miles square, give or take.”

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Water system upcoming bond vote .

As we plan for replacement of the Danville Hill Water line, we will be starting field work and preparation of construction documents. You will see folks out in the field measuring and surveying for this project. We anticipate scheduling a bond vote in November, with the vote for next year’s six month municipal budget. Costs for the project are posted on the Town’s web site and will be at the Town Clerk’s office for review. We are third on the priority funding list for this important project and are anticipating spring construction.

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Hazard Mitigation projects

Family Emergency preparedness guide. Copies are now available at the Town Clerks office. For those not registered on VT Alert, information is included in the guide and on www.vtalert.gov. . VT Alert is an emergency notification service that will send you notifications of events that may impact Cabot. You can choose the notifications you wish to receive and if you would like those notifications by phone,

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Notes

cell phone, text or email, or a combination of these. Porter Road is proceeding and will be a spring construction project. Town funds to match the project will be held in reserve, no additional funding will be required from the Town to complete this project. Green Mountain Power has also contributed towards completion of this project. Easements and permitting will be completed this fall. A spring bid followed by construction will wrap up the last of our large culvert projects identified in the May 2011 flooding. Sawmill Dam removal. We are pursuing a variety of funding sources to complete this project and intend to finish the necessary work at no cost to the Town. Both FEMA and CDBG are working with the Town to remove this structure and the accessory buildings on site. Completion of this work will modify the flood plain area in Lower Cabot and mitigate risks to properties in the area. Purchase of the property should be completed this fall once the environmental assessments are completed, we anticipate dam removal and the structures to be removed in the spring.

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Rena Y. Rogers

Rena Yvonne Rogers, 79, of Barre Town, passed away on Thursday, September 7, 2017, at home with her loving family by her bedside. Born Nov. 14, 1937, in Colebrook, New Hampshire, she was the daughter of Gerard and Yvonne (Gosselin) Lamoureux. Rena attended elementary school at St. Monica's and graduated from Spaulding High School with the class of 1955. After high school, she attended nursing school at Trinity College in Burlington. On Jan. 4, 1958, she married the love of her life, John M. Rogers Jr., in the St. Monica Catholic Church in Barre. After they married, they built their current home and lived there for 59 years. Rena was a bookkeeper for many years for the family businesses, John Rogers and Sons, Rogers Brothers, and Rogers Sawmill. She was a member of the Bible Baptist Church in Berlin. In her spare time, she enjoyed traveling, gardening - espe-

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W A

cially growing her own flowers - reading, going to camp in Cabot in the summer months and Florida in the winter months, boating on the Suwannee River. Most of all, she loved spending time with her family. Survivors include her husband, John Rogers Jr., of Barre Town; her sons, John Rogers I, of Calais, Jeffrey Rogers and his wife, Lisa, of Barre Town, James Rogers and his wife, Lynn, of Cabot; her daughter-in-law, Kathy Rogers, of Barre Town; nine grandchildren, eight greatgrandchildren; her sisters, Jacqueline Isabelle, of Barre, and Lucille Laprade, of Georgia; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her grandson, Christopher Rogers. The service to honor and celebrate her life was held on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, in the Bible Baptist Church of Berlin. For a memorial guestbook, visit www.hookerwhitcomb.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641

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Acchione and Goodrich

Maria Acchione and James Goodrich were married Sunday, September 10, in a private ceremony at their home. The ceremony was presided over by Christina Findlay, pastor of the Cabot Church. The marriage was followed by a small gathering of family and the couple’s “Friday-Night Group.” It was professionally catered by Miss Lorelai Bastress of Cabot. Flowers were provided by Amanda’s Greenhouse.

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By Ben Davis

As we head into the fall recycling season, here are a few thoughts on using the Cabot recycling Center, and other recycling services. Disposing of your old summer tires is now simple and low cost. You can bring your tires to the Recycling Center. A fee of $4 per tire is charged to cover disposal and transportation costs. Some tires may have a higher fee. Check with the Center attendant for more information. If you still have household hazardous materials to dispose of, you may do so at the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District (NEKWMD) Recycling Center in Lyndonville. Call ahead at 626 -3532 to be sure an attendant will be on site to process your wastes. The NEKWMD continues to generate a significant share of its operating revenue from the sale of recyclable materials.

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Requirements and Terms

Property must be managed according to the approved forest or conservation management plan and according to state standards. It will be inspected at least once every 10 years. The main objective in requiring a management plan is to assure that the land is managed carefully. It is not intended to force a landowner into a particular type of management. A private consulting forester may be asked to prepare, or help prepare, a management plan which meets the landowner's objectives as well as the state standards. A management plan for forestland and conservation land also includes maps that meet the Current Use Program Mapping Standards. Agricultural land does not require a management plan, but does require maps that meet the map standards. These maps are typically prepared by a consulting forester. The Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI) has a number of shapefiles that are available for creating these maps. A Forest Management Activity Report must be filed by Feb. 1 with the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation to report any management activity which occurred in the previous year. For further details on Use Value Appraisal of Forestland in Vermont, visit the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation website.

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Development and Penalties

Once land is enrolled, it is subject to a lien. If this land is ever developed, the owner at the time of development must pay the Land Use Change Tax. The land use change tax is calculated as 10% of the fair market value of the developed parcel or portion of a parcel. When a portion of a parcel is withdrawn or developed, the fair market value of the portion is determined by valuing the portion as a stand-alone parcel. In this program, development includes any of the following: • Subdivision so that one or more of the resulting parcels is less than 25 acres • Construction of buildings, roads, or

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hronicle

remain strong. Cardboard is selling for around $180 per ton. Office paper is down slightly, but stays strong at around $95 per ton. Steel is up at $35 per ton. Plastic at $70 per ton remains low due to low oil prices. Electronics are worth $.09 per pound, and the District is shipping about three tractor-trailers a month. Finally, the district has procured a new market for ag plastic, which is being made into plastic lumber and other plastic products. In addition to recycling services, trash is collected at the Center for a fee. An attendant is on site during hours of operation (8:00 a.m. to noon on Saturdays) to assist you. The Center is located on Sawmill Road in Lower Cabot. Keep up the great work of keeping a clean flow of materials coming out of Cabot and Marshfield. More information on recycling is available on line at www.nekwmd.org.

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Corner

structures not used for forestry purposes • Commercial mining, excavation or landfill activity, or cutting timber contrary to the management plan or contrary to state standards The obligation to pay this tax runs with the land in perpetuity. The tax is not due unless and until the land is developed; however, it may be prepaid if the landowner wishes to clear the lien.

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CURRENT USE IN CABOT –

61% OF CABOT ACREAGE As of April 1, 2017, Cabot had 145 parcels enrolled in Current Use, representing 13,832.67 acres of land valued at its state-set use value rather than its grand list valuation. This represents 61% of Cabot acreage. The State will reimburse the Town approximately $91,666 for lost tax revenue due to this reduction. For next tax year, we currently have 149 certified parcels and 4 parcels pending approval by the State Current Use Program.

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CABOT’S GRAND LIST

There are a total of 22,643.86 acres accounted for in the Town of Cabot Grand List, which are divided into 887 taxable parcels this year, of which 25 are business personal property. The total number of parcels fluctuates as lots are subdivided and merged with changing ownership. Also included in the Grand List are nine veterans qualified by the State for the Veterans Exemption ($10,000 reduction in property valuation for tax purposes legislated by the State and an additional $30,000 reduction approved by Cabot voters), and two parcels owned by Cabot Historical Society (a non-profit organization) exempted from paying taxes until 2019 by Cabot voters. Cabot’s Grand List also includes 24 town-owned parcels (town garage, cemeteries, town hall, recreation field, school, Masonic Hall, water system, etc.) and four State parcels (Mollys Falls State Park and fishing and boating accesses at Coits Pond, West Hill Pond and Molly’s Falls State Park).

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School Board

Since our community forum in August, the Cabot School Board has continued to gather information about the options available to Cabot School to meet the requirements of Act 46. Enacted in 2015, Act 46 requires school districts in Vermont with fewer than 900 students to increase opportunities for students and improve efficiency. Districts can meet those requirements by either merging with other districts or by developing an “alternative governance structure” proposal (AGS) to remain as an unmerged, independent district. In either case, the Vermont State Board of Education must approve a district’s plan. In Cabot’s case, we’ve focused our research in the past month on two options. Under the first option, Cabot would close its high school and would pay tuition for its high school students to attend the high school of their choice. Under the second option, Cabot would keep its high school. During the month of October, we will share what we’ve found out about these two options with the Cabot community, and gather community members’ input on them before making a decision as a board on which option to pursue. The most likely route to option one above would be for Cabot to merge with the school districts of the “Caledonia Cooperative” (Walden, Waterford, and Barnet). These districts voted to merge together in May: as a unified district they would go from having three separate school boards to one, and the costs of educating students in the three towns would be shared by taxpayers across the new, unified district. If Cabot joined as a fourth member of the Caledonia Cooperative unified district, Cabot and the other three towns would also qualify for financial incentives from the State of Vermont. These include reductions in the Homestead Property Tax rate for the first four years of the unified district’s existence (FY 2019-FY 2022), and a continuation of the Small Schools Grant that has for many years been provided to small schools by the State of Vermont. The tax rate reduction would start out at eight cents for the first year, and decrease by two cents in each of the three years following. Cabot School received a Small Schools Grant of $147,000 in support of its program in this current year. In order for Cabot to join this Caledonia Cooperative, we and the other three districts would have to craft a new proposal. That proposal would have to be both approved as meeting the goals of Act 46 by the VT State Board of Education, and be approved by voters in each of the four towns (Walden, Waterford, Barnet, and Cabot). In order to qualify for the state incentives, voters would have to approve the four-way merger by November 30, 2017. Prior to beginning the work of discussing and crafting a new proposal that would add Cabot to the Caledonia Cooperative, we’ve forwarded financial information for Cabot School to the members of the Caledonia Cooperative’s 706b (merger) Committee, so that group could get a sense of how Cabot’s entry might impact the unified district’s cost-per-

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Update

pupil and potential savings. We hope to hear in the coming week if that Committee would like to continue discussions with us about Cabot joining the Caledonia Cooperative District. Our board has also been working on the second option for Cabot - to continue operating a preK-12 school in Cabot. In order to have that option approved as meeting the goals of Act 46 by the State Board of Education, our school would have to begin some major improvements. Among those improvements is an investment in staffing to enhance the program available for students at Cabot High School. With the help of the Act 46 Working Group and discussions with our Principal Dave Schilling, we have been gathering information on the kind of programs that would best serve our Cabot students into the future. Beyond bringing all four core high school staff back to full-time positions, discussion of other potential program additions has included design technology, connecting students with learning opportunities in the community, and using existing community resources to build a program focused on agriculture and sustainability. We have also been researching how the high school program could be enhanced by collaborations with other schools. We are scheduled to meet with the Danville School Board in late September to discuss ways that students in each of our schools could access strong programs in both schools. We have also begun looking at the pieces that need to be included in the Alternative Governance Structure (AGS) proposal that would have to be filed with the State of Vermont prior to December 26, 2017. That proposal would present how our Cabot School District is planning to meet the goals of Act 46 as a nonmerged, independent district. Some of that information was already gathered as part of our Cabot/Danville/Twinfield merger proposal, and we’re starting to gather other needed information in the event that we decide to file an AGS proposal.

In October, we will share the information that our board has gathered on these two options with Cabot residents and will solicit feedback on them prior to making a decision on which option to move forward on. We will hold a community forum to present information and answer questions on these options on Thursday, October 5, at 6:00 p.m. at the CSPAC. We hope to see you there! Chris Tormey Cabot School Board

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Out Of Options,

What would you say if you were told that a reasonable option exists ensuring a robust high school program for Cabot students while creating economic opportunities for Cabot families and it does not rely on increasing the tax rate for Cabot residents? Intrigued? Well, then, read on. The premise of this option, simply stated, is to create a non-profit entity to run a residential boarding and enrichment program for out-of-state students who would live with Cabot families while attending Cabot’s incredibly unique educational institution. Broken down into individual parts, it looks like this: First, the non-profit would be established, independent from the school, with its own governing board. The Cabot School Board and the non-profit board would operate separately, yet collaboratively, through a contract that clearly delineates roles and responsibilities. Second, the non-profit would create the structure for recruiting students, place those students in homes with Cabot families, and develop a comprehensive enrichment program ( e.g. visual and performing arts, music, field trips, workshops, courses, and speakers) for all high school students. Unlike international exchange programs, Cabot host families would receive a generous stipend for room and board under this scenario. Hosting families would also enjoy many of the same benefits of an international exchange program, such as expanding their family circle, engaging and exploring different ways of doing things, creating new friendships and experiences, all while sharing the myriad attributes and advantages of the rural community lifestyle. Any good idea needs to be backed with a solid business plan, and the framework

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Students Through

This August, two international high school exchange students arrived in Cabot on the CIEE High School Exchange program. Tanyatorn (Num) from Thailand is staying with the Kampf family and is most excited to improve her English and try new things, like camping in the woods and participating in events like Halloween and Thanksgiving. The Kampf family has hosted once before with CIEE, and they are eager to have a new family member join their household this summer. Cabot is also welcoming Rodrigo from Mexico, who is staying with first-time host family, the Lehoe’s. Both students are attend the Cabot School and will stay for a full academic year. Each year, international high school students representing more than 70 nationalities come to the U.S. to experience American culture as part of CIEE’s High School Exchange program. Students attend local high schools, live with American host families, and participate in extracurricular activities and athletics. During their stay, students also give

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Yet

for this option has already been thoroughly crafted. The boarding and enrichment program would be funded though the fees that sending parents pay each year. The fees would be allocated proportionately to cover admin and staffing, tuition to the Cabot school, host family stipend, and funding curricular and extracurricular enhancements for the high school. The first years of developing the program would be supported by a combination of grants and zero interest loans from the UDAG fund. First year grantfunded expenses include staffing, marketing, and recruitment. Assuming success in recruitment, a UDAG loan would bridge the gap years between initial enrollment (two to four students) and full capacity (perhaps as many as 32 boarding students) at which point revenues from fees would not only sustain the program but also pay back the loan in full within 10 years. This is not a new idea, but one that has not been well aired until recently, as Cabot is faced with the real possibility of closing the high school. If you believe there is still something very special about Cabot high school, if you think economic activity and additional revenues are beneficial to the town and to local families, if the investment in your home and property values are worth protecting, if you want to see spirited young people turned out on the common at recess, then plan to attend the upcoming public meetings this Fall and learn more about this option. Information announcing these meetings is forthcoming and an outline of this option along with a proposed budget will be available at the door. Susan Alexander Jack Daniels Fran Voight Karen Alexander

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CIEE

back to their host communities by participating in volunteer projects and community service activities. Through the High School Exchange program, CIEE provides life-changing cultural exchange opportunities that help students, families, and schools gain new perspectives and develop lifelong relationships that cross borders and cultures. Interested in hosting an international exchange student next academic year? Contact Susan Kuegel, CIEE Local Coordinator, at susankuegel10@gmail.com,

learn more. Founded in 1947, CIEE is the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization, serving over 300 U.S. colleges and universities, 1,000 U.S. high schools, and more than 35,000 international exchange students each year. CIEE operates 60 study centers in 40 countries, sponsors international faculty training programs, teach abroad programs, and various specialty and custom programs for secondary, post-secondary, and international students. Visit www.ciee.org.

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Accordion Book making with artist

Elissa Campbell. 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Calais. Create a accordion book using recycled papers and books at Kent Museum. Each participant will leave with a completed book and basic knowledge of bookbinding techniques. No previous experience required, great class for a beginner. $45.00 registration plus $10.00 material fee. WORDS OUT LOUD 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Calais. At the Old West Church the reading series Poets Greg Delanty and Madeleine May Kunin, former governor of VT. Readings by authors with Fall's Art at the Kent exhibit REFUGE.

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Monday, 10/2

WALDEN Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage day 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Begins with registration, coffee and donuts at 9:00 a.m. Walden Church in Noyesville village (signs-just off Route 15).Local crafters, driving caravan tours to local artisans. Soup and sandwich lunch ($5.00). Musical entertainment and family style barbecue beef supper starting 5:30 p.m. ($12.00). For supper reservations and information, call Judy evenings 802-563-

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Tuesday, 10/3

CABOT Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage day 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Coffee, donuts, crafts and entertainment at the Willey Building from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Sign up for tours and make lunch and supper reservations. Tour historical locations , Cabot Creamery, visit local craft shops, and a hayride to a sugar house. Hike up Nichols ledge and take the scenic shutterbug tour. Lunch of Corn chowder or chili and dessert. ($6.00 adults, $2.50 children) at the Cabot church 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. Turkey supper ($12.00 adults, $5.00 children at the Cabot Church 5:00 p.m. and 6:15. Ticket reservations Rose Bothfeld 802-

Willey Building, 7:00 p.m. Adina Gordon calling.

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Wednesday, 10/4

PLAINFIELD Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage day 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. A full day of activities starts with Coffee Hour at 9:00 a. m. and registration at Grace United Methodist Church. Foliage tours available 10:00 a.m.a nd 1:00 p.m. Tours of many places, some available on a selfguided basis, check on them during coffee hour. Cafeteria-style luncheon from

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ALENDAR

11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. $5.00. Barbecued chicken, mostaccioli and baked bean supper 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. $12.00. For reservations contact Joanne 802-454-

Stories of the Stars: Myths of the Zodiac with Kelley Hunter . 7:00 p.m. Marshfield. Come hear tales of the twelve constellations, including the magical 13 th constellation! Zodiac is the path of the sun, moon and planets, if the sky is clear we may do some star gazing!! Jaquith Public Library.

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Thursday, 10/5

PEACHAM Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage day 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Welcome to Peacham!! Arts and Crafts Sale 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Town Hall. Tickets for bus ride, lunch, ghost walk, and dinner available there. Exhibits at the Blacksmith Shop, the Roller Barn and Historical House. Library book sale 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Scenic bus tour 10:15 a.m. $5.00. Lunch at the Elementary School 11:00 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. $7.00. Northern Skies Observatory (near the school) open 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Harp music concert at the church 4:00 p.m.6:00 p.m. Spaghetti Supper church social hall seatings 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Adults $10.00, children $5.00, under 6 FREE. Tickets available at the door. Kids Cartooning Club 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Marshfield. A six week program for kids ages 8-12. Each session will start with a mini-lesson or drawing challenge and then kids will free draw and create their own comics. Supplies and snacks provided. Jaquith Public Library. Pink Martini Night 5:00 p.m. South Barre. October is Breast Cancer Month. Public Welcome. Hosted by Wilkins Harley-Davidson.

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Friday, 10/6

BARNET Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage day 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Pancake breakfast at Barnet Center church for 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Arts and Craft sale in the church vestry all day. Free Bus tour at 10:00 a.m. Soup and sandwich lunch served at 11:30 a.m. and European Coffee hour 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. at church. Ham dinner $10.00/take-out available at 4”00 p.m. For reservations

35 th Stowe Foliage Art Festival . 10:00 a.m. Stowe. 160 juried artists and artisans in warm tents. rain or shine. Food tents/food courts, live music. craft demos, Vermont craft beers by Idletyme Brewery and more. Adults $10.00, kids free. Topnotch Field on Rte 108.

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Saturday, 10/7

GROTON Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage day 7:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Lumberjack breakfast in the Methodist church 7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Library book sale 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Annual parade 1:30 p.m. led by the Blue Mountain School band. Old Fashioned Hymn Sing at the Methodist Church 8:00 p.m. Again serving our World Famous Chicken Pie Supper servings 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30p.m. Tickets $12.00 adults, $6.00 children under 12. For reservations contact Peter 802-5843020 for breakfast and supper. Live Music at The Den 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Cabot. Sean Kelly Murray a 12 string guitarist out of Williamstown. Sean plays originals to classic rock of the 60s and the present. Come and enjoy a beer and this talented musician at Harry's Hardware on Main Street. 2 nd Annual Central Vermont Brew Fest 2017 3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Randolph. Enjoy Fall in the heart of Vermont. Local music, food, local farms and the best local craft beer. Hosted by Ayers Brook Goat Dairy. Presented by One Main Tap and Grill and one man filling station.

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Sunday, 10/8

MARSHFIELD Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage day 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Free activities face painting, cider pressing, arts and crafts, field games, music from local bands. Book sale, bake sale, horse and wagon rides, flea market. Chili-Cook-off 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. $8.00 adults and $4 children. Salads and corn bread. Jaquith Public Library grounds, Old Schoolhouse Common, 122 School Street.

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The World Famous Glenn Miller Or-

chestra 7:00 p.m. Colchester. Performs at the newly renovated Colchester Performing Arts Theatre at the Colchester High School. 2 hour concert concluding with CHS Jazz Band. Join them on-stage for their signature tune “In the Mood”. Orchestra will be selling souvenirs and more, Snack concession will be present.

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An evening with Sam Bush. 8:00 p.m.

Barre. Mandolin player of gleefully picks and chooses from jazz, blues, folk, reggae, country swing, bluegrass. Many of the songs are true stories. At the Barre Opera House. Price tickets $35-39.00call

Rocktacotoberfest 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Danville. Get down with Chad Hollister and Primo and chowing down on Caja Madeira tacos!! Hosted by Red Barn Brewing, 2170 Oneida Road.

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Cabot Historical Society 18 th Annual

Apple Pie Festival 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Cabot. Apple pie contest in the adult and junior categories. Entry fee is either a second donated pie to sell or $5.00 adults and children $2.50.Registration 9:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. Entered pies sold after judging. Craft show, lunch and pies made by

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Randolph Road Rally. 10:00 a.m.-12

noon. Randolph Center. Check in at 10:00 a.m. Vermont Technical College parking lot, 124 Admin Drive. $5 per person. All proceeds go to The Tara Stratton Memorial Nursing Scholarship at Randolph Tech Career Center. Keith Greeninger 8:00 p.m. Lower Cabot. Concerts at the Schoolhouse of the home of Dana and Susan Robinson. Keith Greeninger is bringing deep engaging guitar rhythms and husky, heartwrenching vocals to the schoolhouse. A concert not to miss!! $15.00 suggested donation. Seating is limited. Reservations advance are required. Contact

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Celebrate Art Fall Gala at the Wood.

5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Montpelier. Includes dancing with the CBT band, piano music with Andy Christiansen, silent auction (including original artwork of Vermont artists, gift certificates and more. Art action stations, mask decorating, selfies and printmaking cards, global soul food, beer and wine. $50.00 a person will support all gallery programs. Tickets

going to eventbrite.com. T. W. Wood Gallery, Barre Street.

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Country Club of Barre Bridal Show

and Company Event Expo 12 noon2:00 p.m. Barre. Newly renovated banquet room and function space. Connect with local vendors including caterers, bridal shops, tux rentals, DJs, photographers, jewelers, bakers, and florists. Win fantastic door prizes. Book a wedding reception or company event on October 15 th at the show and get 20% off your event rental fee. Beautiful Tree Walk 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Marshfield. At the Stranahan Town Forest with Brett Engstron. Contact Jaquith Public Library for more information. (Continued on page 7)

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Movie Night at the Jaquith Library .

7:00 p.m. Marshfield. An eclectic selection of movies that deserve a big screen with perspective we do not usually see, and humor. Tito and Me (1992) This film centers on a quirky 10 year old in 1950s Yugoslavia who worships Tito, the country's president. The movie is one of the last films made before the war split Yugoslavia.

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ERS!!

SEEKING VENDORS for Marshfield Harvest Festival October 8. We would like to invite any local vendors to sell craft items, antiques, flea market items, or local produce. Bring your own tables/ tent. To reserve a space email kathyfiske@gmail.com or call Kathy at 4263708. Fundraiser for library, $10.00 a space, limit two tables. We are listed on the Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage Festival calendar . Visit our website for more details, or stay tuned on Front Porch forum.

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Holiday Pop-up Art Shop Needs Lo-

cal Artists Work. Submit samples of work for the T.W. WOOD Gallery in Montpelier.. The Gallery Annual Holiday pop-up art shop hallway shop will feature artwork, crafts, prints, cards, pottery, jewelry, etc. All work will be sold on a commission basis and must be made by residents of Vermont. The shop will open October 31, so contact us soon!! email gcallan@twwoodgallery.org subject Holiday Pop-up Art Shop.

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FALL FOLIAGE FESTIVAL 2017

Seven festivals in seven days, each in a different town, each has something unique to offer, music, crafts, tours, history and great food. Walden, Cabot, Plainfield, Peacham, Barnet, Groton, Marshfield. Please be sure to check them out. You will be glad you did!! Will be listed in the calendar of events!!

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By Karen Mueller-Harder

I was recently talking with someone from Cabot who had seen the publicity for the Cabot Old Time Family Contra and Square Dance, but hadn’t been inclined to come, because she didn’t really know what contra dancing was. I thought others might be in the same boat, so I thought I’d explain a bit. Basically, contra and square dancing are the same thing, but in two different shaped sets. If you’ve ever done a square dance, with four pairs of people in a square shape, with circles, stars, and dosi-dos, you’re already in the right ballpark. In contra dances, you stand across from your partner, in a longways set of dancers--the Virginia Reel is a contra dance many are familiar with. In most contra dances, you do a few figures with one other couple, then end up switching places with them, and dance the same figures with the next couple. No special footwork is needed, and the dances are easy to learn. In New England, both square and contra formations have co-existed since colonial times, but the long, narrow town halls led to contras being more popular, while in the American south and west, square dances have predominated, due to the wider formats of their dance halls. At the Cabot dance, we do a mixture of both formations, with dances from New England and other places in the U.S., plus occasional opportunities to do a polka or waltz.

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By Jane Youngbaer

Destination Imagination is a nonprofit for creativity and teamwork. Kids from preschool through high school (and college in other locations) work together to develop creative solutions to complex challenges that involve the arts, service learning, engineering, science, and more. Each team of up to seven students has an adult facilitator, but all the ideas and hands-on work must come from the kids. Teams work on Instant Challenges that last less than ten minutes, and a Central Challenge that is developed over several months. Challenges are presented at the

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SECURE DROP BOX

The Town Clerk’s office now has a secure drop box where you can drop off your payments for taxes and water/wastewater. This is located in the entryway to the back entrance. We also have the capability of taking credit or debit cards for these payments. charge that that your card. There is a 3% will be charged to

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Anyway?

You can come to the dance alone, with a friend or spouse, or your whole family. Each dance is taught without music, then is “called” or prompted while you dance with the music, until everyone has it down. People typically change partners between dances, and anyone can dance either part (usually called “ladies” and “gents” for convenience). The Cabot dance is particularly beginner-friendly, so we hope you will give it a try! In October, there are two opportunities to dance, both in the Willey Building, with its nice resurfaced floor! On Tuesday, October 3, at 7:00 p.m., there will be a special Fall Foliage dance, with Adina Gordon calling, and she will also be the caller for the regular November 11 monthly second Saturday dance. Adina brings clarity and enthusiasm to her teaching and calling, and is always a favorite caller at the Cabot dance. And on Apple Pie Festival day, October 14, at 7:30 p.m., the regular second Saturday dance will feature a special caller: the renowned Dudley Laufman, from Canterbury, New Hampshire, who has been calling contra, square, and barn dances for 65 years! Famous for his dry wit, and his ability to get everyone dancing with a minimum of fuss, he rarely calls in Vermont, so take advantage of this great opportunity to dance to his calling! Hope to see you at the dance!

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Imagination

State Tournament in Burlington, this year on March 24. This is a competition for grades 3 and up, and non-competitive for grade 2 and younger. Teams are starting once again in Cabot and throughout the state, the country, and many nations around the world. New members are always welcome, including homeschool and community groups. Cabot has participated in Destination Imagination since 2001, and it looks like this will be another great year. Previews of this year's new challenges and other info at: www.destinationimagination.org. For more information, please contact janeyoungbaer@gmail.com.

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Projects

pairs to water damaged tiles at the basement level at an additional cost of $ 565. We are extremely happy with the result of the exterior painting, carried out by the Dunham Brothers Painting, Inc. The Willey Building again presents itself as a beautiful Cabot landmark. The bid price was slightly less than the budgeted amount. The door of the old refrigerator in the kitchen would no longer close. It was replaced and the wiring serving it brought up to code. Finally, the piano on the auditorium stage is again made playable by piano tuning expert Eric Brinkerhoff of Melody Hill Farm in Danville This project was funded by the

recommendation of Cabot Arts. The piano will be made available to individuals who would like a piano for practice, possibly for someone interested in teaching Cabot children and for musicians performing in the auditorium. The Town Clerk keep a calendar of auditorium bookings and should be contacted to reserve a time. The Dunham Brothers was also engaged paint the west and north walls of the Masonic Hall at a cost approximately $ 4,000 below the estimate, because the contractor was able move the equipment directly from the Willey Building location to the Masonic Hall. As a result we will also install a gutter on the north wall to help keep the basement dry, reconfigure the ductwork, install a new door on the parking lot side and possibly get other minor projects done this year.

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By Amanda Legare

The cool spring temperatures and abundance of rain this growing season made gardening more of a challenge than usual for those of us in northern Vermont, yet Charlie Bothfeld’s Cabot garden has thrived. The four varieties of sweet corn were easily knee high by the fourth of July and the beets and carrots had terrific germination. He claims he battles the weeds, but he is clearly the victor. What makes his gardening prowess particularly outstanding is that Charlie is 98-yearsold. Raised in Sherborn, MA, Charlie was the second oldest in a family of seven. In 1936, most of his family moved to Cabot to farm. They had 2,000 layer hens in Massachusetts and he and his older brother Ted stayed behind to tend the farm, which included 25 dairy cows, an apple orchard and 2,000 layer hens. Egg deliveries were made to Wellesley and Newton, and in the fall they harvested 2,000 bushels of Baldwin apples. They also had a three-acre garden, and Charlie was active in 4-H gardening groups. He was awarded a gardening medal by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. He attended Stockbridge School of Agriculture in Amherst MA, where he had “placement training” for the Medfield State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital that, at its height, had a capacity for 2,200 patients. He was hired there as soon as he graduated. “They had 35 - 40 acres of vegetables, along with dairy, poultry and pigs,” he remembered. Every three weeks they butchered 15 pigs. The farm supplied the hospital patients and sometimes other institutions in the area. In 1937, Charlie had a blind date with a 19-year-old named Norma Sayer. “In those days, you didn’t think about marriage until you were financially stable,” he said. They dated on and off for four years before they married, a marriage that remained strong for 72 years, until Norma passed in 2013. Six weeks after Charlie and Norma got married, Pearl Harbor was attacked and Charlie was no longer a farmer. “I got the notice from the draft board to report within 24 hours,” he recalled. “We were in the process of buying a farm. We lost it all.” After training and working in several areas, he was assigned to the 10th Armor Division in Fort Benning, GA. “The army decided I had an adequate IQ for officers’ training,” he recalled. He reported to Officers’ Training School as a private. Upon graduation, he became a second lieutenant. He ended up in a tank battalion in Fort Knox, KY, training soldiers about the tanks. On December 13, 1944, he set sail with troops from New Jersey. The convoy was bombed en route. They landed in Liverpool and went to France, where they drove tanks to Belgium where the Battle of the Bulge had taken place. There was snow on the ground… and bodies to be picked up. Charlie spent four and one-half years serving the US as a soldier. He had several near death experiences and was awarded the bronze star medal “…for heroic or meritorious achievement or service.”

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and a Gardener

“A tank had been hit by a panzerfaust,” (a recoilless anti-tank weapon), he said. “The Germans were shooting and one person was killed. The rest of the crew got out. I made sure the guys were dead in the fox hole and I got the medics up there.” Like so many veterans, for years Charlie did not discuss his war experiences. “There’s lots about me that nobody knows,” he said. “On July 4, (1945) the war was over in Europe and I was in San Luis Obispo in California, getting ready to invade Japan, when they gave up.” He went back to New York and got Norma for a seven-day drive across the country in a 1940 Mercury. “We had a grand time,” he said. He was discharged from the Army as a Captain. Eventually, he purchased a farm in New Albion, NY. “In those days, you could make a living milking 20 cows,” he remembered. They produced maple syrup and, of course, had a huge garden. He was offered a job at the Medfield State Hospital, where he had worked before the war. They sold the farm and moved back to Massachusetts. The pigs were gone, but as assistant head farmer, he still tended more than 35 acres of garden, 70 cows and a couple thousand laying hens. The farm played an important role in the lives of the patients and the economy of the hospital . “We often worked with patients, “ he remembered. “They liked it and it kept them from being bored.” “We had good river bottom land,” he recalled. The farm ran along the Charles River. Among the crops were more than three acres of carrots. He worked there for 20 years. In 1974, he retired from the hospital and moved to 14 acres in Cabot. “There was an old house in disrepair that we burned. Hunters had poked a hole through the roof and used it for hunting deer,” he explained. A new house was built, a small greenhouse went up and gardens were created. The property includes a pond and a huge lawn which Charlie maintains himself. He also cuts down trees and uses the wood for his furnace, which is located in the basement. This made life briefly difficult when he was 95-years-old and had both of his knees replaced. Charlie and his “little” brothers, Walter, 90, of Cabot, and Clark, 86, of North-

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Cabot School Literacy Interventionist

This summer, all Cabot incoming First, Second, and Third Graders had the opportunity to participate in a Summer Reading Bingo activity with me. Students could choose from a Bingo board of reading activities to get a Bingo, all in a row, or to fill the ENTIRE board out. Our vacation time, while so important for relaxing and recharging, often results in what is called the “Summer Slide” where students can lose some of their developing reading skills. My goal was to encourage students to keep reading this summer. The following students got Bingo and received a note and a surprise from me: Chandler Bothfeld, Losada Stoddard, Owen Maxfield, and Freya Van Deusen. Great job, readers! There were also three readers that chose to fill the WHOLE Bingo board out, so they completed either 16 or 25 reading activities, based on their grade level. Meeting that challenge meant that I would bring a picnic meal of their choice to enjoy with them at their home. They could invite their siblings to join us, too. The students who worked extra hard this summer are: Addison Goodrich, Chandler Bothfeld (yes, again!), and Kasey Greaves. We enjoyed our picnic meals sitting outside while talking about summer activities, and, of course, books. These students also received a hand selected book for each of them and a fun activity. It was so great to spend time with these students who did a LOT of reading this summer. I hope that next year there will be even more students that choose to participate. If anyone has questions about encouraging more reading at home, please contact me at school or via email: mjwright@cabotschool.org.

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Will Walters

in

field, enjoy attending the Vermont Mountaineers baseball games in Montpelier. He also likes caning chairs, something he does during the winter months. Gardening remains his favorite activity. “I like to see things grow,” he stated simply. A large patch of blueberries yield well every year and he also has a separate asparagus patch. He grows raspberries and likes “thimbleberries” (black berries). The climate makes it difficult for him to grow some of his favorite vegetables that he liked to grow in Massachusetts. “I always try to grow lima beans,” he explained. “And I loved growing popcorn, braiding it and hanging it up to dry.” Charlie makes his own compost for his gardens and does the first tilling with a hand driven rototiller. After that, he clears between the rows with his favorite stirrup hoe. From the beginning, he has ordered from the Harris Seed Company, and still plants some of the same varieties: Kentucky Pole beans, Lincoln peas, Detroit Dark Red beets and Ithaca head lettuce. “I won’t plant any zucchini,” he said. He does like yellow crookneck squash. He also likes the more recent hybrid tomato, Juliet, which is a sweet-flavored grape tomato that grows in clusters. He used to grow blue hubbard squash, but has switched to butternut and buttercup. His green thumb yields far more than he, neighbors and area family can consume. One of many benefactors of his gardening skills is the Twin Valley Senior Center in East Montpelier. “Charlie is unbelievable,” said Rita Copeland, director of the center. “He brings us produce from his garden for every meal and we couldn’t have such great vegetables without him. He is such a sweetheart.”

This article appeared previously in The North Star Monthly.

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T WIN V ALLEY S ENIOR

4583 U.S. Route 2

East Montpelier, VT 05651 Twin Valley’s recognizing National Senior Month has been a very hectic and wonderful time. I hope you all got a glance if you drove by Route 2 the sign that was hanging on the TVSC sign in front of the center. It stated National Senior Month and Everyone Welcome. That is every day we are opened and not just the month of September. There are some folks who faithfully each month donate monetary gifts to the Senior Center whom I will not list by name. You know who you are and I very much want to thank you personally for your donations. I do not seem to stay ahead of the “Thank You notes” to you, but I am sure you know how grateful we are for your support. To Steve & Emily Rappold and Pat Boyle for overseeing the TVSC Float and table at the Plainfield Old Home Days. I also thank them for overseeing the September 30 Craft Fair and Flea Market. There is a lot of hard work and preparations that go into these events, so know it is very much appreciated. To Bill Wheeler, our volunteer from Cabot that delivers Meals on Wheels a very big” Thankyou” for hanging the signs at the center. To Fred Wilber volunteer for Meals on Wheels and at the center a big “Thank You” for making the dividers for the shelves that has been wanted for a very long time. October 20 is Twin Valley Senior Center’s fundraiser Dinner Raffle at the Canadian Club. Tickets are on sale now. $100 dollar ticket buys dinner for two and a ticket in the evening’s festivities. Cash Prizes are as follows: 1 st place takes $2500, 2 nd place is $1,000 and 3 rd place is

of good food and fun. My most appreciative gratitude for all our guests that helped celebrate National Senior Center month with informative presentations. Some of the month’s highlights were Scammers presented by David Gold from Edward Jones of Barre, Ellie Hayes from Central Vermont Council on Aging with information and assistance with 3 Squares VT, Attorney Michael Caccavo with estate planning and Advanced Directives, Annette (Boo) Smith for doing Blood Pressure checks. Registered Physical Therapist who did all the screenings for Fall Prevention September 22. To our Elected Officials who delivered Meals on wheels and visited the senior center, we thank you for listening to our concerns. To everyone who submitted letters for the officials, I thank you. Registered Dietician Pat Harrison from CVCOA we thank you for your most informative program on proper food and preparations for one to two people.

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C ENTER

On Grandparent’s Day, I had the pleasure of working with Fred Ducharme, Steve Davidson, Jay Copeland, Andrea Blanchard and Jean Lawson. On Sunday, September 10, these wonderful people went Above & Beyond, preparing a Grandparents Breakfast that was a fundraiser for the center. This was our first breakfast (except Deer Hunters) and I am truly interested in hearing from folks that attended or did not attend to get your feedback about having occasional breakfasts or brunches here at the center. I ask this of you as it is difficult to find volunteers to handle everything that is needed to host the events and do not want to pursue if there is no interest. I am always open for suggestions and would love feedback from you on existing events or new ones you would be interested in. I can be

neiors@myfairpoint.net. A huge Thankyou to the Maple Fields Corporation for their generous donation of supplies to our Grandparents Breakfast held on September 10. Supplied by the Maplefield’s store in Plainfield were all the ingredients to make a delicious breakfast. I want to say working with the Store Manager Samantha Greaves, Assistant Manager Trish Chounard and District Manager Willey Pacheco was wonderful. Samantha and Trish were so courteous and helpful and a follow up call to me from Willey asking if I had everything needed and to feel free to contact them if anything else was needed was a great customer experience for me. Maplefield’s should be very proud of these three employees and I certainly salute them. CVH & TVSC ANNUAL FLU CLINIC at TVSC: October 6, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. No appointment needed. Bring your insurance cards. Flu shot charges: Medicare part B, BC/BS & MVP– no charge to individual; CVH will bill your insurance. What do you use at your doctor visit? No insurance, but meet high risk criteria (age, immune system issue, etc.) - $15. Everyone else - $35 PNEUMONIA VACCINATIONS: We will no longer be providing this vaccination and recommend you contact your PCP due to the complexity of the timing of these injections, Prevnar 13 & Pneumovax.

Bingo is back. October 3, Doors open @ 5:00 p.m., Games Start @ 6:00 p.m.

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Program Coordinator

Cabot Connects Mentoring Program seeks a coordinator for its community based mentoring program. The desired candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and/or experience in youth services, volunteer coordination, and basic digital literacy. A high priority will be placed on strong organizational and interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style. A flexible schedule will include some fund raising, and occasional weekend and evening hours. The position is part time with a minimum of 15 hours a week at $20.00 an hour. For more information and a job description, please

Send a letter of application and resume by October 15, 2017 to:

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Fall Foliage Festival – David Car-

penter – Tuesday, October 3 – 11:00 a.m.-noon David will play old time fiddle tunes of Vermont and tell stories of Vermont history and any topic pertaining to Vermont – bring your questions! Some topics for discussion might be fiddle and violin, dairy cows, beef cows, milking cows, what’s a tedda’?, growing vegetables, potatoes, maple syrup, the Republic of Vermont, other Vermont history…the range is limitless. David Carpenter has played traditional Vermont fiddle tunes and farmed for many years in Cabot.

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Feltus– Tuesdays, October 10 – 31 -

5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Class will be a blend of yoga, active isolated stretching & strengthening, relaxation & breathing techniques! Learn simple exercises to practice anywhere. Naturally free your body from stress & tension and breathe more deeply! All levels & ages welcome! Wear comfortable clothes & bring a mat if you have one. Contact Alicia for more info 802-563 -3220 or aliciafeltus@gmail.com. Donations welcome.

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Wednesdays, October 4 and 18 – 6:00

– 7:30 p.m. Daria Babbitt has been teaching meditation for over 25 years and will introduce different meditation techniques designed to reduce stress. There will also be time for discussion about various healing techniques and inner spiritual growth. This workshop is open to all and donations are gratefully accepted.

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P UBLIC L IBRARY

Billie traveled to area daycare centers and kids and left bundles of books for them. (inset) and Jonathan Mangan (front) - all wearing "Build a Better World". Carpenter and friends. This month’s caller will be Dudley Laufman, dean of New England contra dance callers. The dances are taught and are easily learned by young and old. The contra and square dances are traditional Vermont and New England social dances that have been danced for many generations in the town halls, barns, and kitchens around Vermont. The music is provided by piano and an assortment of fiddles, mandolins, guitars, and the occasional surprise instrument. Musicians are always invited to sit in and join with the fun of playing traditional dance tunes. There is a small suggested donation to help cover the cost of the caller. For more info, please call David Carpenter at 802-

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Hope – Wednesday, October 18 –

6:30 – 8:30 p.m. A documentary by James Redford. This fascinating documentary explores and explains how toxic stress during childhood impacts lifelong health. More importantly, we learn what can be done to mitigate the damage and build resilience for lifelong health and recovery. Movie showing by Elsa Ingpen, doctoral student at UVM in the Family Nurse Practitioner program.

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OUNTRY

Puppies are hard to deal with in the beginning. All the late night pee and poo time. Watching to make sure that the cats and the other dog don't sit on her or kill her OY! I love babies but they are a lot of work. So worth it in the end but sometimes there seems to be no end in sight when you are lacking sleep and cleaning up the accidents. MY GOODNESS. The family is doing fine but it looks like we are going to have an early winter. I hate to say but do because we should be prepared just in case it unfolds that way. Nothing worse than prepared. Life is lively and we are drying kale and freezing blueberries the last of them were picked a while ago but the memory of them never fades because I love blueberry pancakes in winter. Hot and buttery with lots of maple syrup. YUM! I am reconnected with an old friend whose husband committed suicide due to his chronic pain and the Drs. wouldn't let him have the pain meds he needed to deal with the pain. He just couldn't take it and it is all due to the new opioids laws a crackdown on opioid usage. Suicide rates of people suffering from chronic pain has significantly increased due to this situation. Sufferers of chronic pain are lumped in with addicts and it just isn't right. It is like comparing apples to oranges, not the same.

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By Roland (Slim) Payne

It’s time to finish stump treatment of bush honeysuckle if you haven’t done it yet by the end of September. If you are going to plant garlic, time is getting close, plant at the end of September or first of October. As a lot of you know, I cut the spruce tree on the Green and put another one in its place. The big tree was getting too tall to put the lights on without some kind of equipment, so I put one in that is about ten feet tall. That is about what the big one was when it was planted there, because I used to shear it until it got too tall. So, hopefully, this one will live and grow to be enjoyed by all for some years to come. I donated the tree because I had it. I want to thank the Road Crew for removing the stump. And thank whoever rake cut the area that was disturbed. I went to do it, but it was

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No Matter who you are

or where you are on life’s you are welcome to travel for as long as you need. The church is available for weddings, concerts, and anniversary celebrations and social 2278 and leave a message. *FYI: the church Pastor: Christina Findlay, Mdiv Music: Erma Perry, Bruce Westcott

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OMMENTARY

My friend is an advocate for chronic pain sufferers and she is doing a bang job! I am so proud of her. It can't be easy but I bet her husband would be proud...at least it keeps her busy and moving forward. We all have to have something after such a great loss. I am proud of her. Life isn't the same without a spouse that you have had a good relationship with for over twenty years. It is amazing all the little things you find you miss about them. I am so fortunate to have my partner in life still with me. I thank God for him every day. He is my light in a dark tunnel that life sometimes can be and I am his. Life is strange and tricky but it can be navigated with time, patience and dignity and really that is all we can do to make the best of the worst. In this case it brought my friend and me even closer! I hope if you know someone who suffers chronic pain that you will speak up and out for them! They need our help! On a happier note having two dogs has its ups and downs but mostly ups. They are such great companions and the cats like them too. Many happy dog licks to you and loving purrs.

In Peace and love, Laura Lee Smith

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T REE W ARDEN

already done. But I don’t know if it was seeded. I will try to find out. I have seed, if it wasn’t done. Things to come: Cabot Fall Foliage Festival Tuesday, October 3, 2017 Apple Pie Festival Saturday, October 14, 2017, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Enjoy the Foliage Season.

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Humor from the HELPER

Farmer Jones drove by little Timmy’s house, towing a load of manure. “What do you have in the trailer?” asked Timmy. “Manure,” replied Farmer Jones. “For what?” the boy asked. “To put on my strawberries,” the farmer explained. “You really ought to come eat at our house,” the boy said. “My Mom puts ice cream on our strawberries here.”

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← From the Cabot Chronicle