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The Cabot Chronicle

August 2023 · 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 August 2023 pages (PDF)

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

In This Issue

Cabot School Director

How does a high school with an enrollment of 40 students even work? Given that most of Cabot’s current residents attended much larger, more traditional high schools, have no students now attending Cabot School, and also pay taxes to support the school, that question is a legitimate one. According to one recent (2023) graduate of Cabot High School, Declan O’Connor, the current program at Cabot works because of three consistent factors: the classes are small, students build strong relationships with their teachers, and much of the curriculum is built on interesting, well-designed projects. These “projects” are opportunities for students to develop essential, lifelong skills while producing something relevant and valuable. In order to complete the project, students also have to develop an understanding of concepts specific to the project. The projects can range from assessing the health of the Winooski River in town to creating and performing an original musical. The premise of this “project-based learning” approach is twofold: students will be more motivated to build an understanding of new concepts if it’s needed to reach a goal they see as valid, and the skills they practice and develop in research, communication, creativity, problem-solving, etc., will be absolutely critical to their success in their lives after high school regardless of the path they take. Vermont’s Act 77, passed in 2013, requires schools to ensure that graduating students demonstrate proficiency in specific skills and knowledge (rather than simply earning passing grades on a

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Coordinator: Jeannie Johnson

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Curriculum

entitled "It's All About the Bike" in 2021. menu of courses) and that students be provided with range of options (“flexible pathways”) to demonstrate those proficiencies. In 2018 Cabot restructured its high school curriculum to meet both of those requirements with a project-based learning approach, and in the years since has added to and refined that program. Rather than the traditional high school requirements for graduation (three years of science, four years of language arts, etc.) Cabot requires students to demonstrate proficiency in “Graduation Expectations” multiple times during their high school yearsthese “GX’s” include Global Citizenship, Creativity, Communication and Critical Thinking. year-long In addition to enrolling in courses in math, PE and world language, students can choose each trimester from a menu of “project studio” courses to earn proficiency in the GX’s. The project studios challenge students to answer a specific “driving question” through research, planning, and collaboration. Commonly, the work involved in crafting a product that answers that question involves hands-on research and experimentation, in addition to gaining an understanding of the concepts through reading, listening, and discussion. For many students, that hands-on work in building the final product is a strong motivator to fully understand the concepts involved. In one project studio entitled “Physics in Motion” students are challenged to build a 1,000 square-foot perpetual-motion machine in the CSPAC to demonstrate their understanding of the basic laws of physics. According to Cabot 11th-grader Camryn Hoffman, “There is no way I would have survived a textbook-driven physics course, but the challenge and

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The Cabot Chronicle is a home-delivered

excitement of building the machine so that it would reliably work made getting all the physics concepts and math down worth it.” According to Declan O’Connor, developing a product as evidence of proficiency in a project studio typically calls for a much deeper understanding of the underlying concepts than more traditional courses where students are assessed with tests and quizzes: “If you have to produce a solid bar of soap from several different oils and lye, you really have to understand the chemistry driving that process.” There are a number of foundational project studios that all students take during their 9th and 10th grade years to give them a start, and after that students have a great deal of choice as to how they earn their GX’s. For example, if a student demonstrates proficiency in “Creativity” in a project studio about film making during their 9th grade year and then demonstrates proficiency in that GX in a different way in a studio on creative writing during their sophomore year, then they can earn the remaining two “proficiencies” required for that GX through a wide range of options. In addition to arranging internships or enrolling in other project studios or full-year courses offered at Cabot, students can access more traditional-style courses offered through the Vermont Virtual Learning Collaborative, college-level “dual-enrollment” courses offered by Community College of Vermont, or by enrolling in “early college” their senior year. By giving individual students a great deal of choice on how they assemble the GX proficiencies needed for graduation, the Cabot system allows a student to chart a course through high school that’s in line with their individual interests while still developing a range of valuable, lifelong skills. In addition to the amount of flexibility and choice, Cabot’s high school program makes it easy for students to document the skills and knowledge they’ve gained by building a digital portfolio of their work. Each year students review the variety of work that they’ve completed to demonstrate proficiency for the various GX’s (that may take the form of a reflective essay, a podcast, magazine article or video or sound recording) and select several to add to their portfolios. As a student prepares to graduate from Cabot, the portfolio provides tangible evidence of their interests and capabilities to col-

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subscriptions $12.50 ~ www.cabotvermont.org

newspaper devoted to telling the lege admissions offices and potential employers. Cabot is part of the Mastery Transcript Consortium, an international group of public and private high schools which has helped Cabot develop a transcript that showcases students’ best work and that also connects directly with colleges to help them understand it. The restructured high school program at Cabot puts students “at the center of their education,” and the work they do in both charting and navigating their path to graduation gives them a lot of practice in talking with adults and asking for help when it’s needed. This “soft skill” of understanding there will be obstacles and being comfortable with seeking solutions from a variety of sources is often mentioned as a valuable outcome of students’ experience at Cabot. Although Cabot’s size definitely places limits on the number and variety of courses the school can offer on campus, the school puts a lot of energy into connecting students with learning opportunities off-campus. After completing a good portion of their “Foundational GX”’s on campus during the 9th and 10th grade, students are encouraged to identify their career interests and are actively supported by school counselor Jackie Batten in finding courses or internships in line with them. With a strong interest in biology, for example, Camryn Hoffman took both of the AP Science courses offered at Cabot as well as four additional online courses (earning college credit from two of them) over the past three years, and has enrolled next year in a no-cost “early college” program at the Community College of Vermont. Getting back to the original question of whether a high school of 40 students can adequately prepare its students for success after graduation, both of the students that I interviewed for this article answered with an emphatic “Yes.” Using its size as a strength, Cabot High School has developed a program that emphasizes developing the life-long skills that students will need, while at the same time providing them with the flexibility and support to tailor their education to match their personal interests and goals. Using this year’s graduating class as a gauge- heading off to study in fields as diverse as filmmaking, plumbing, computer science, veterinary medicine, fire sciences and welding-the program seems to be working.

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Performance

by Karen Mueller-Harder

Please join Cabot Community Theater on Friday, August 4, at 5:00 p.m., as the actors in our summer theater camp perform world premieres of two one-act plays by the wonderful writer Colleen Hughes, who has collaborated with CCT to create plays uniquely suited for our group! The plays will be performed at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, and admission is free! After a magic spell works a little too well, a group of kids is transported inside the world of their favorite game. Can they solve the puzzle and escape, or will they be trapped there forever? Find out in “Puzzles and Portals,” performed by our younger camp group.

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Multiple Awards to

The Board of Directors of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association (VMSMA) presented the 2023 Annual Maple Awards and announced winners of their first annual Maple Contest at their Annual Meeting held on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Vermont Technical College. Annual Awards include Outstanding Sugar Maker Award, Vermont Maple Person of the Year, and the Sumner Williams Lifetime Achievement Award. These award recipients exemplify the best of Vermont maple and the VMSMA Board is honored to recognize their contributions and achievements. The first annual VMSMA Maple Contest included categories for maple cream and three different grades of Vermont maple syrup. Ribbons were awarded for the best in each class as well as a best in show.

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VT

This award, previously called the “President’s Award” was renamed in January 20 in memory of Sumner Williams, then assistant director of the UVM Proctor Maple Research Center. Sumner was a sugar maker, a researcher, an educator and a true friend to the maple industry. The Sumner Hill Williams Memorial Cup is presented each year to

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Professional collision repair, associated

we’ll handle your claim from start The older actors will then perform “Backstage Pass.” Missing props, sudden stage fright, fights between friends... it's opening night of the school play, but everything's going wrong. The drama unfolding backstage needs to be resolved, or else the drama on stage may never happen! Both plays are suitable for all audiences, though if you have very young kids, you are welcome to stay just for the first play; each play is about 15 minutes long, and there will be a brief intermission. Come support these talented kids by seeing what they can do--you'll have a great time!

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Goodrich Maple

honor an individual for outstanding service and dedication to the maple industry. For 45 years Glenn has worked on improving quality, designing equipment and improving efficiency. He has mentored many within the maple industry, young and old, assisting them in their operations to increase yield, and has been a long-standing and important educator both within the industry and within the tourism world. He was one of the first sap tubing installers, doing work across the maple region in the country. He has held many county and state positions within maple organizations and is a sought after presenter on a wide variety of maple topics. Glenn works tirelessly to help others with their maple projects, is always uplifting others and always willing to go the extra mile. 2023 1st Annual VMSMA Vermont Maple Contest

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Fund-raiser

It may seem strange to open another fund-raising drive in the midst of a town catastrophe, when everyone is raising money to answer flood-related needs. But Cabot has a need that, while it isn’t related to the recent flooding, remains urgent and crucial to our future prosperity. The Cabot Child Care Center, a pro-

(CCA), hopes to start enrolling infants and toddlers very soon, and to open its doors by the end of September. The CCA has contracted with ABC/LOL, a licensed private day-care provider, to operate the Center five days a week in the Fellowship Hall of the United Church of Cabot, and work is already underway to bring the Church space up to the licensing requirements. And the Cabot School has generously made available a portion of the land between the Church and the School for a Center playground. The CCA has already obtained grants amounting to $78,000 towards the renovation expenses and the cost of purchasing furniture and toys for the Center, which will accommodate between 12 and 15 infants and toddlers, up to pre-school age. Cabot residents and those employed in Cabot by Cabot farms and businesses will have enrollment preference. More money needs to be raised, but a donor has stepped forward and offered a 5-1 match, which means that every $1 donated to the CCA toward the Child

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Center

Care Center will be matched by an additional $5. The CCA’s goal for this drive is $30,000, so you can see that it will not take much for us to achieve our objective. Every donation, however modest, will be multiplied five times to speed us over the finish line. Just to be clear, this is separate from the CCA’s GoFundMe drive, where donations for flood relief are being collected. Child care has long been a priority for us in Cabot. Home day care has become less and less available; local farms and employers, from the Creamery to the School, have found it hard to attract workers because of the lack of child care near their work sites; and working families have become overstressed as they struggle to cope with an increasingly uncertain economy. But providing safe, secure and educational day care for our youngest kids is a challenge we can meet, on our own, without waiting for outside help. You can donate toward the Cabot Child Care Center on the CCA website, cabotvermont.org, by clicking on the “Support the CCA” button at the bottom of the home page. Every donation between now and September 30 will be considered a Child Care Center donation and count toward our 5-1 match. Or you

245, Cabot, VT 05647. Just note: “child care” on the memo line.

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Betty J. Durkee

Betty J. Durkee, 55, a long- time resident of Marshfield, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Born on January 12, 1968, in Barre, she was the daughter of Gordon Durkee, Sr., and Connie (Dudley) Durkee. Betty graduated from Twinfield Union High School in 1986. She started her insurance career as a part- time file clerk at Noyle W. Johnson Insurance Agency during High School and achieved her goal of becoming a licensed insurance agent, and was eventually promoted to manager of the Personal Lines Department. She obtained both her CISR and CPIW designations. Throughout her insurance career, Betty loved working with people. She was genuinely concerned about their needs and always had their best interests at heart. She welcomed everyone with her infectious smile and kind words. Betty was proud of the history, integrity and reputation of the agency. She devoted herself to help ensure the agency was successful. She was honored to be an employee for 38 years and was extremely proud of the employees who worked there. She was often a sounding board for others and would lend an ear without judgement. She touched many lives with her big heart. She was a selfless person who loved to give and share what she had. Betty loved family time more than anything; especially Christmas Eve at her house and the annual Dudley Family Reunion. She loved to cook and feed everyone; going on the bus trips to the casinos, scratching lottery tickets and camping at Maidstone, Groton and Saco, Maine, while growing up. She and George loved to travel in New England and especially to Maine and their trip to Las Vegas. She loved spending time at their camp on Martin’s Pond and would often be found swimming out in the middle of the pond by herself. She loved dancing and listening to music. She

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EMORIALS

loved to take care of people and found comfort in helping others. Growing up, she was the local babysitter for so many families. Betty loved to put on a party and wanted everyone to enjoy themselves. She would work tirelessly until all the little details were complete. Most who knew Betty knew she loved to go to yard sales and flea markets. It was often a joke that you could always find Betty at an aisle at Price Chopper. She loved to have extra canned goods and supplies on hand and we all kidded that if there was ever an emergency, Betty had enough food to take care of us all. Betty met George Harris while they were in high school and they made their home in Marshfield. They were the love of each other’s lives, along with their “little girl” Reagan whom they adopted from The Humane Society. She loved to sit her porch and watch Reagan play. Survivors include her husband George Harris, along with their beloved Beagle, Reagan; her Mother Connie of Marshfield, her Brother Bill Durkee and his wife Robin of Woodbury, her sister Bobbie McAvoy and her husband Patrick of Ware, MA, her sister Becky Durkee of Marshfield, her sister Betsy Dutil and her husband Robert of Marshfield, her mother-in-law Lois Standen of Plasitow, NH, her brother-in-law Mike Horton and his wife Sandy of Leesburg, FL, her brother-in-law Steve Horton and his wife Sue of Milton, NH, her brother-in-law David Horton of Plasitow, NH, her sister -in-law Elaine Kimball of East Barre, her sister-in-law Cindy O’Leary of Springfield, MO, her brother-in-law Ansel Quintin of Danville., several nieces and nephews, godchildren, as well as great and great great nieces and nephews and friends. Betty was predeceased by her father Gordon, her father-in-law George Harris, aunts, uncles and cousins, her beloved dogs Holly, Jake, Jack, and Jill and her cats Abby, Blossom and Chess. The service to honor and celebrate her life was held on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at the Canadian Club. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Betty’s name

687 Montpelier, VT 05601.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice for their untiring dedication (600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641). Share memories at DGFuneralsVT@gmail.com. In honor of Jim’s wishes, services will be private.

Street, Plainfield, VT. In keeping with Jerrie's love of language, feel free to bring a poem, haiku or story to share.

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Patricia Ann Larrabee

Patricia Ann Larrabee ‘Pat or Patty’ 04/14/41 - 07/08/23 “A beautiful woman with the heart of an angel and the soul of a gypsy.” Patricia was born April 14, 1941, to Earl & Ethel Larrabee of Hardwick, VT. At the age of 82 she peacefully passed away at the Greensboro Nursing Home on July 08, 2023. She was a graduate of Hardwick Academy as well as the North East School of Hair Design in St. Johnsbury, VT. Along with being a mother, grandmother and great grandmother she wore many hats throughout her life. She was a homemaker, beautician, cook, farmer, care giver and much more. She spent time playing cards with family and friends and always enjoyed a good game of scrabble or bingo. Patricia had talent for writing poetry and spent her time doing so. Singing was also a favorite of hers and she sang with Barre Tones. She had a knack for making everyone laugh with her humorous nature. Her kind, Randy A. Lowe

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Randy Lowe

Randy was born on September 13, 1967, to Ralph and Barbara Lowe. He was one of five children. Randy was a logger by trade and could always be found in the woods cutting down trees for someone. He will be remembered as having a huge heart and would help anyone in need. He was always tinkering on some type of machine at home (be it on the living room floor or the dining room table) or helping his friends and family with their vehicles or whatever they needed. His love for animals was shown by the number of pets he had over the years. His dogs, Jake, Harley and Selena and his ferrets Coco, Squirt and Buddy were his companions. He was even known to take on strays. Randy loved fishing with his father and brothers at Marshfield Dam and Peacham Pond, loved snowmachine riding and Mustang cars. But his biggest joy was spending time with his daughter and granddaughter. He loved being grandpa to Alexis. Randy was

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loving, free spirit will be missed deeply by all. She is survived by her children; Audrey Billings, Reginald C. Allen (Penny), Douglas Allen and Marsha Allen (partner Mark McNally) as well as her grandchildren; Brock Billings (Christina), Brandy Chauvin (Marc), Brant Billings (Korina), Brooke Billings (Sean), Braden Billings, Skylar McNally (Becca), Autumn McNally (Isaac), Tiffany Gray Allen, Connor Allen (Shaylene), Mercedes Allen and 5 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings; Gary Larrabee, Dennis Larrabee (Betty), Richard Larrabee (Terri) and her many nieces, nephews, cousins, and her beloved cat Boots. She is predeceased by her parents Earl and Ethel Larrabee and her siblings; Larry Larrabee, Earl “Buddy” Larrabee, Robert Larrabee, Shirley Brochu, James ‘Jimmy’ Larrabee. A Celebration of Life was held at the American Legion Hall in Hardwick, VT on July 23. A graveside service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are with des Groseilliers Funeral Home, Hardwick VT. Online condolences and memories can be shared with the family at dgfunerals.com.

an avid country music fan and would always have country music playing. He was also a fan of Clint Eastwood and loved watching his movies. Clint was his idol. Anyone who knew Randy knew he was a "Mountain Man" at heart. He loved the comfort of the outdoors and the freedom it gave him. He would rather be walking in the woods with wildlife than attending any social gathering that involved lots of people. Randy leaves behind his daughter Samantha "Punk as he called her" (Mike) Cormier of Berlin, his granddaughter Alexis May Cormier, and four siblings. His sisters Mary (Robert) Kelley of Berlin, Patty Ryan of Barre Town, and brothers William (Bill) Lowe of Cabot, and Robert (Veronica) Lowe of Washington, as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. Randy also leaves behind his special nurses Jenny and Bonnie, who he also considered family. Randy is predeceased by his parents Ralph and Barbara Lowe of Cabot Per Randy's request, there are no calling hours. A private graveside service will be held at a later date for family and friends. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Central Vermont Humane Society.

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Cynthia Pender Robbins

Cynthia Pender Robbins, age 82, died with her family at her side on June 22, 2023, in her Cabot home. The cause of death was lung cancer which she and her family were quite stunned to learn of in late 2022. Born in Bridgeport, Cindy grew up in Litchfield, CT. Her parents, Daniel and Frances Pender, emphasized the importance of family and service to others. Cindy’s life’s efforts mirrored her parents’ teaching. She will be remembered best for her exceptional listening and for helping family members, friends, colleagues, and the children and families she worked with at Mitchell School sort through the complexities of life. After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University, Cindy’s work included child welfare, adoption placement and teaching young children at The Children’s School, a nursery school she helped found. Reading and researching constantly, Cindy continued her education, earning a Master of Social Work from the University of Connecticut. The final 25 years of her career were spent in the Woodbury Public Schools as a school social worker. In addition to her work, Cindy helped organize The Fresh Air Fund, volunteered for Meals on Wheels, and was a Cub Scout den mother. In Vermont, she was a hospice volunteer and through the Cabot School, she promoted literacy and served as a mentor. Cindy and Irving Robbins married in 1965. After the births of their children, they settled in Cornwall, CT. Cindy would be the first to say that she loved being a mother. Caring for others was in her nature, and no one benefited more than her children. She fostered the inde-

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Marcia Schlee

Marcia Schlee, 9/27/1941-7/1/2023, passed peacefully in her Dexter MI home after an extended infirmity, in the company of her family. She is survived by her husband of 60 years Jim Schlee, daughter Susan (Michael) Socks, and grandchildren Luca and Jonah. Marcia graduated from the University of Michigan in 1963, and worked as an art teacher on a long-term care wing of a children's hospital. After a long period as a stay-at-home mother and community volunteer, she attended Washtenaw Community College and received an Associates Degree in Graphic Design, and worked as a freelance graphic designer.

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We Couldn’t Do

pendence of each family member. excellent cook and welcoming host, An there were many fun gatherings shared with family and friends. After retiring, Cindy and Irv moved to Cabot. Cindy relished all four seasons, enjoyed both cultivated and wild flower gardening, kayaking, Nordic skiing, Pilates, and photography. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, and shared her love of nature with them. Cindy’s creative side surfaced as a grief response to her granddaughter Madeline’s death. She honed her knitting and felting skills, crafting whimsical creations, each fairy cottage, bowl, or gnome intricately designed. Eventually she became active in local artisan guilds. No matter where she was, Cindy developed lasting, meaningful relationships. From the Cornwall roads which she walked for 25 years, to the halls of Mitchell School, she made many friends whom she cherished dearly up until her death. The messages she received during her illness soothed her heart. Cindy was predeceased by her granddaughter, Madeline Robbins. Cindy is survived by her husband of 57 years, Irving Robbins of Cabot; her daughter, Leslie Robbins (Nick) of Littleton, NH; her son, Luke Robbins (Taeryn) of Cabot; her beloved grandchildren, Crawford, Hudson, Silas, and Alaina; her sister, Betsey Pender Hunter of Midlothian, VA; her cousin, Ann Griswold of Old Saybrook, CT, as well as many nieces and nephews, including especially dear niece and nephew, Meredith Stakes and Bill Hunter. A celebration of Cindy’s life will be held in Cabot, Vermont on Saturday afternoon, August 5, 2023. In lieu of flowers or donations, Cindy always hoped friends and family would visit Irv on the hill. Condolences can be shared online at saylesfh.com.

Marcia was a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, and spent many years as a volunteer teacher of sailing and boating classes. She was an active member and volunteer with the First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor, singing in the alto section of the choir, doing design and layout for the monthly newsletter, and leading a Kappi Phi chapter (a national organization of Christian women in university). She was also active with the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club, including a term as president. Marcia was a sailor, with most of her time spent on Lake Erie on the family sailboat. She was also an avid gardener, landscaping the Dexter home with flower beds, shrubs, and trees. A private service will be held at a later date. Donations can made in Marcia's honor to the First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor, the Humane Society of Huron Valley, or the charity of your choosing.

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Consulting and Gardening

On a hot summer day, do you find yourself mowing & trimming your lawn, sweaty, and reeking of gas fumes? Well, I can offer help for part of your woes! Electric lawn equipment has come a LONG way in the past several years. Gone are the irritating cords, replaced by long lasting rechargeable batteries. Power output is on par with most gaspowered units. Our farm uses an electric Ryobi zero-turn riding mower for our work pathways and yard; it does the whole property on a single charge. In my gardening business, I use an electric string trimmer, brush cutter, leaf blower, and pruning chainsaw. With a pair of spare batteries, I can easily run these tools all day. I love electric tools for several reasons: Powerful Quiet No smell Little to no maintenance Cheap to run (no gas) Zero emissions Of all the gas powered tools to replace, I recommend starting with trimmers and blowers. Electric versions are relatively inexpensive, while gas-powered versions are some of the worst polluting machines you can own. String trimmers and leaf blowers typically use two-stroke engines, because they are cheap and lightweight. They also burn fuel very inefficiently, spraying about 30% of their fuel as unburnt aerosols, emitting tremendous amounts of pollution. In a study conducted by Edmunds' InsideLine.com , the company subjected a high-performance pickup truck and a two-stroke leaf blower to automotive emissions tests. They found that under normal usage conditions — alternating the blower between high power and idle— the two-stroke leaf blower engine emitted nearly 300 times the hydrocarbons of the pickup truck. The blower emitted many times as much carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides as well. These emissions make smog and acid rain and contribute to climate change.

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you can!

Cabot Chronicle , but the references at the article out of respect for the author. Of course, electricity is only as green as the generating source. Fortunately for the Cabot area, both Washington Electric and Green Mountain Power get most of their electricity from renewable, carbon-free sources. To go electric, check out these companies offering electric lawn care tools: Ryobi, Craftsman, Dewalt, Makita, Toro, Worx, SunJoe, Greenworks, and DR Power Equipment. For commercial scale equipment, try Mean Green Electric Mowers. If you hire out your lawn care, look for services that use electric equipment. This garden article is brought to you by Susan Socks, aka the Garden Goddess. Stay tuned for upcoming articles on green lawn care, pruning, garden tools, edible landscapes, and more. For gardening help, visit www.SocksFamily

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December 6 2011

https://www.edmunds.com/about/press/leafblowers-emissions-dirtier-than-highperformance-pick-up-trucks-says-edmundsinsidelinecom.html

Seven Days legal notices “City of Burlington: An Ordinance in Relation to Leaf blowers” May 12 2021 https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/city-ofburlington-in-the-year-two-thousand-twenty-onean-ordinance-in-relation-to-bco-offenses-andmiscellaneous-provisions-express-pr/Content? oid=32956333

Scientific American “How to pick a lawn mower that’s easy on man-- and nature” June 17 2008 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-topick-a-lawnmower/

Leafscore “The Environmental Impact of Lawn Mowers”, April 19 2022, Leigh Matthews https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-gardenproducts/the-environmental-impact-of-lawnmowers/

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New Highway Equipment

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Sid Griggs was present at the June 20 meeting to discuss the status of the Highway Department. Sid talked about what was currently in progress and then went on to talk about new equipment he recommended the town obtain. He recalled he had previously discussed the need for a trailer to haul the skid steer, and mentioned there was one in Irasburg with a tilt deck. He noted the tilt deck would allow them to spray the underside. He also talked about a road roller for the front of the chloride truck. He mentioned it was $7,500, but would be very useful to prevent erosion. Instead of waiting for cars to pack the road after grading, they could pack the road with the roller. He said the process would be grade, chloride, then roll. He added that when it rains after grading a road, the road would be a lot harder, creating less mud. Sid felt the roller could save the town a lot, they could grade the day before it is forecasted to rain.

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Cabot Trails and Parking

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Gary Gulka presented a draft contract to the Selectboard at the June 20 meeting for the Burtt Orchard Trail, which needed a lot of fencing because of the animals on the farm. Gary said that the trails committee had three inquiries, but only received one bid by Greg Burtt. Gary said the bid was in the ballpark they had estimated for the grant and then went over the contract. He said there was a requirement for liability insurance. He added that the trail was to be eight feet wide and would be walkable and bikeable. The goal was to have the trail completed by August. Mike Hogan said he had already looked through it and thought it was fine. Karen Larsen asked Gary about the ten-year permission clause and Gary said that was part of the grant. He said that Burtts need to sign a ten-year agreement for the trail. The board approved the contract. Gary appeared before the Selectboard again at the July 5 meeting. This time the topic was grant funded trailhead parking. He said there were a total of four parking areas, and all related to town property, so he wanted to review the proposal before it was sent out for bid. First, he described a parking area in the old center of town in an area that had already been cleared as a parking area in the past. He said that all they wanted to do is some landscaping and grading, plus adding gravel. An information kiosk would also be added. Gary then described a parking area for the town forest, at the end of Slim

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CCA promotes their mission to enhance

is to empower Cabot residents to participate writer to cover selectboard and other meetings, be able to attend. Most meetings are available are posted regularly on Front Porch available on the Town website, CabotVT.US

Mike Hogan asked if the town has ever had rollers before, and Sid said towns are starting to go this way. He noted that East Montpelier saved one whole grading a year because of rolling. Sid added that it just took them five weeks to grade the 52 miles of road in Cabot. Sid also talked about the concrete apron in front of the salt shed. He said he got a quote for a 20’ x 20’ x 6” pad for $14,015. He described that now that they have the side dump on the trucks, the spinner is in front of the rear tire, and when they get back and dump the salt, the spinner is usually outside the salt shed. He said the pad would help it not make a mess. Sid then talked about a carbide bit system for the grader, with the plates that prevent the gravel from getting inside the bits, to extend their life. Sid had talked about the carbide bits at a previous meeting, and said it was just under $7,500 for the system. He asked if all these purchases could be made using the surplus from last year. The board approved all four purchases.

Payne Way, which is technically on private property. He said they would just like to expand the existing area to 30’ x 30’. The project would be landscaping, tree removal and gravel. He said the existing road is fine. Then Gary said the third one would be by the Elm Street Cemetery. He hoped they could put parallel parking for three spots about 50 yards in. He said the Cemetery commission was fine with it, and only included grading and gravel. R.D. Eno asked about people driving up the old center road to the parking area by the cemetery, and wondered whether traffic on that road would have any impact on the adjacent field. Gary said that it's a town road, and Mike said it's a class 4 road. Fred concurred that the town has the right to have that as a road. There was discussion of people partying, and cutting fences. Gary said they have plans to monitor the trails and parking areas. Gary went on to talk about winter access to the town forest. He speculated about the possibility of accessing the town forest through the town garage, as long as there was permission from the landowners between the town garage and the town forest. Kris Schmitt asked about the width of the right-of-way on Old Center Road for the placement of signs. Skip mentioned the left side was a diversion ditch, and sign placement there would not interfere with anyone. R.D. suggested that fencing be installed on old center road to prevent people from driving into the open field. the quality of community life for those in the governance and management for the purpose of keeping community via Zoom for those who would like Forum, or you can call the Town Clerk's by clicking on "Selectboard Meetings.

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First Emergency Flood

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

On Friday, July 12, the Selectboard held its first emergency meeting regarding the historic flood of July 10. Mike Hogan gave an overview of the meeting by stating they would discuss the status of the roads, volunteer help, state and federal assistance, local businesses, farms, communications, and emergency operations. Mike thanked everyone who helped over the past couple days, and talked about how hard people worked. He then went over the status of the roads. He mentioned that he and Sid Griggs, the Road Foreman, drove around all the roads the previous day and attempted to evaluate them and prioritize what needs to be fixed. He continued by talking about the undermining on Main Street, and across from the demolition site, and down by the lower Cabot store. He also mentioned that the bridge was damaged. He reviewed the status of most of the roads in Cabot and then turned to volunteer help. He asked Fred Ducharme and Jenn Miner to coordinate the volunteers. Mike then talked about state and federal help, and said he expected there would be a lot of aid. He talked about communications, and said that he and Karen Larsen would be the lead in the effort to keep everyone informed. He emphasized communication will be key, but admitted that people without internet access would be at a disadvantage. Karen asked about an assessment of residences that are isolated on roads that have been washed out, and are beyond the reach of road services. She expressed concern about elders and those with medical needs. Mike turned to Jenn Miner, the emergency management director, to address this question. Jenn said they know of one person on Menard Road and the need to use a UTV if they had to reach that household. She said that Vermont has a system that people can register. Karen interrupted and related that people like her dad would not know about the need to register. She expressed that the town should

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Second Emergency

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer On Friday, July 14, the Selectboard held its second emergency meeting regarding the historic flood of July 10. Mike started the meeting by noting the focus of the recovery effort today was dealing with a situation on Route 215 across from 2466 Main Street. He said that the road was severely undermined and the town is dumping stone trying to re-enforce the bank so it doesn’t give way. He said the road would be restricted to one lane. Mike went on to describe that the previous day, an engineer had done a residing, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues to listen in person. Instructions for

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Meeting

be going door to door and do a needs assessment. Jenn answered by describing the ongoing process, and affirmed they are working towards something like that. Karen also talked about food security when the roads are closed longer than expected. She suggested some sort of road captain for each of the isolated roads. Mike said that they would not be able to make all these decisions during the meeting, and suggested that people meet offline. Ruth Goodrich then spoke about using ATVs and UTVs to get to isolated people and learning their needs, with one person coordinating that outreach and separating it from other volunteering coordination. After a discussion of the need for fuel for ATVs and UTVs, Johanna Thibault told the board that Harry’s Hardware’s fuel tank was completely washed out and wanted to find ways to keep the fuel in town, which had to be pumped out before the tank could be removed. Dean Deasy, Fire Chief, talked about the number of phone calls the Fire Department is receiving regarding pumping out basements. He talked about submerged electrical panels and oil tanks tossed onto their sides. He explained that they are trying to be careful about where they are pumping the water, too, but added that if there is oil floating on top, the FD is not pumping the water. Towards the end of the meeting, R.D. Eno spoke about how this is the second time that the town has had a disaster arising from the culvert that runs under Main Street. He said he realized, when he saw the picture of his car in the river, that he should have remembered the last time. He talked about how the same conditions created the situation, with trees and branches coming down the stream to block the culverts. He suggested the town needs to be proactive and station heavy equipment there to keep the culvert from being blocked when heavy rains are forecasted. Mike noted that there were some volunteers there that night, which prevented a worse disaster.

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Flood Meeting

brief assessment of all the bridges they were worried about. He then went on to talk about volunteers. He referred to an article in VTDigger about Montpelier, and that they don’t want a lot of people in harm’s way. He said volunteers should wait, and they will be contacted. Mike added that people wanting to donate things should follow the link on the town website and click off stuff. The form populates a spreadsheet, and they will be in contact as needed. The board then got down to business and authorized Mike, as board chair, to sign any documents or emergency (see ‘Second Emergency’, page 7)

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Second Emergency

(continued from page 5) requests pertaining to the July 10 flood. This was done to avoid the need for calling additional meetings. R.D. Eno commended Mike for the work he had done thus far. Then the board talked about the need to borrow money. Mike noted that all the businesses that are helping with repairs are not doing it for free. He is hoping FEMA is going to pay the town back, and suggested a million dollars was a place to start. He said they might need to borrow more. Betty Ritter said that she did go out for bids and received three offers from three banks: Community National Bank, Union bank, and Passumpsic Bank. The lowest rate was from Community National Bank for a line of credit at 4.95% for 12 months, with an option to renew at maturity. The board approved obtaining the line of credit, and Mike said the town would manage all flood related expenses in a separate account. The board then discussed the need for dumpsters for people cleaning out their basements. He felt they should be strategically placed around town, and would only be for debris related to the flood. Betty said she had talked to John Cookson and relayed that there are no dumpsters available anywhere. Betty suggested that people go to the transfer station at Casellas, which will take wood, couches, etc. She said John can only take garbage bags at the recycling center on Saturdays. Later in the meeting one dumpster was found that could be obtained for a week, and it was decided to place it on the common. Mike then told everyone that there were two pipes in the wastewater system that had become disconnected; one at Harry’s Hardware, and the other at

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ALL the Neighbors

by Elizabeth Vitale July brought huge changes to Cabot. The rain and floods were devastating to so many residents, businesses and our infrastructure. But as those waters recede into our history, I hope the thing that will stand out most in our memories is the image of our community coming together to support one another and rebuild our beautiful townA. From the first moment the town reopened, we saw community members lending a hand, a shovel, a tractor and a pickup truck wherever one was needed. We were so fortunate to have wave after wave of volunteers showing up to help us clean up the building at 39 Main Street, organize meals for the town, and help us serve over 2,000 meals in just ten days! In addition to the delicious home cooked meals Cindy Brown and Jana Welters served up, many community members stepped up and brought everything from quiches and bagels to blueberries and baked goods. We were especially thankful to the World Central Kitchen, who swooped in and connected us with several local restaurants such as Mo’s Backyard BBQ and the Cabot Village Store to bring in hot meals. All these lunches and dinners were offered for free to the dozens of volunteers takthe north end. Johanna Thibault added that it's not just the wastewater line, but the foundations and sidewalk are also undermined. She asked that the repair work be coordinated so the pipe was fixed before the ground was backfilled. Mike went on to talk about bridges and said the bridge on Route 2 had been damaged. He then talked about the recreation field and Larry’s ballfield, which he said were a mess. He mentioned that he and Dean will talk to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) about how to clean it up. The subject then changed back to the roads, and Mike reviewed which roads were open or being worked upon. He said the town has ordered a “ton of culverts” and that the key is to get the roads ready for winter. Then in the spring, the town will tackle the big projects. There was some discussion about volunteers, and the difficulty of coordinating everyone. Then Dean Deasy, the Fire Chief, said there were four teams that are going out to roads that are blocked off and knocking on doors. He went on to say that the Fire Department (FD) has operations in place to be able to reach the residences. Dean said that the Danville Fire Department has special equipment to reach isolated locations. He added that the FD will go out whenever the ambulance is called to help with access to residences. The meeting concluded with a discussion about a shelter. Jenn Miner, the emergency management coordinator, said the school is all set up to host a shelter in the cafeteria, should the need arise. She noted that there are strong storms forecasted for the weekend and into next week. Rory Thibault noted that the town should have some generators, especially one for the shelter.

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in Action!

ing part in the cleanup efforts, residents affected by the floods, and community members needing to connect with each other during this devastating event. While this amazing show of community spirit was absolutely beautiful to see, it really did not come as a huge surprise to us at Neighbors in Action. Over the past few months we have witnessed our community coming together to support a huge endeavor we have been undertaking – the effort to buy our building at 39 Main Street. Through numerous generous donations by our community members, combined with an outstanding Community Facility Grant from the USDA, a grant from the Pleasants Fund of the Greensboro United Church of Christ, the Hoehl Family Foundation, the Pizzagalli Foundation and a National Life Group grant, we have met our goal of raising $150,000! “Access to fresh, nutritious food is at the heart of our mission to improve quality of life for our rural neighbors,” said Sarah Waring, State Director of Rural Development in Vermont and New Hampshire. this purchase, Neighbors in Action will be able to improve its food shelf operation by using previous rental expenses to acquire new supplies and equipment. The USDA, (see ’All the Neighbors’, page 14)

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Selectboard Suspends

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Since the last regular Selectboard meeting on July 5, the board has held two warned emergency meetings. At the regularly scheduled meeting on July 18, Mike Hogan, chair of the Selectboard, spoke during public comment about open meeting law. Mike said, “What I would like to do with the board's approval is to, because we are in an emergency situation signed by the governor, and declared by the president, I would like to suspend the open meeting law requirements for meeting with the Selectboard on an as-needed basis.” He went on to say that it would not be for regularly scheduled meetings, but clarified by saying “if I want to call the board together for an emergency meeting in the next 20 minutes, I want to have to not worry about the open meeting laws, and if anyone takes issue with it, then they can take issue with it.” He added, “I think we have to have the ability to meet as needed and deal with situations.” Mike then asked the board if there were any objections. Skip Bothfeld asked about minutes, and Mike responded that there would be cursory minutes, but not a public called meeting as required under statute. The following is extracted from State Statute, https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/

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Right to attend meetings of public agencies

1 V.S.A. § 312 (a)(1) All meetings of public at all times, except as provided in regulation, appointment, or formal action taken or made at such open meeting, except of this title. A meeting of a public body is quirements of 9 V.S.A. chapter 139. A public lic hearings held to provide a forum for public ant to 3 V.S.A. § 840. The public shall have cordings as described in section 316 of this NOTE : section 313 refers to executive sessions.

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Cabot Honorees:

2023 Ag Innovator: Those in consideration for this category have demonstrated a fresh and forward-thinking approach to agriculture. They are making or have made a significant, positive impact on Vermont, in areas such as but not limited to growing the local economy, promoting stewardship and conservation, improving community health and nutri-

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Open Meetings

R.D. Eno queried, “doesn’t the statute allow the Selectboard to call emergency meetings?” Mike responded, “It does, but it's real fuzzy”, and added “in this situation there are a lot of exceptions.” Mike went on to clarify that they just need to be able to say let's get together real quickly, and R.D. concurred. Karen Larsen questioned transparency, and suggested that they take some running notes. There was then some discussion about who would take the notes, and Betty Ritter said she had been taking all the emergency meeting notes. Mike then asked the board if there were any issues with his suggestion, and the members of the board said there were none. Betty asked if there would be a motion, and Mike said if the board wants to do that, they can. Fred Ducharme responded that they don’t need to make a motion. Michelle Leclerc read a question from Sandy Pond who had sent it through Zoom. Sandy Pond wanted to know how long the open meeting suspension would be in effect. Mike responded “only for a couple of weeks, or something. This is for a period of time… get a handle around things.” He added that he already sees things easing back a bit. full content of the statue can be found at:

may be held without public announce24-hour notice to members, provided as possible before any such meeting. necessary to respond to an unforeseen attention by the public body.

a public body are declared to be open to the section 313 of this title. No resolution, rule, shall be considered binding except as as provided under subdivision 313(a)(2) subject to the public accommodation rebody shall electronically record all pubcomment on a proposed rule, pursuaccess to copies of such electronic retitle.

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in Ag Hall of Fame

tion, developing new tools and practices, and using alternative models in business and land ownership. They are notable for their unique perspective and unconventional approach. (Age is not a factor for consideration in this category.) Jed Davis , Agri-Mark VP Strategic Engagement & Sustainability , South Burlington, VT 2023 Lifetime Achievement: This category recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement, improvement, or development of Vermont agriculture over the course of their long career. Nominees shall have played an active role in Vermont agriculture for at least thirty years. Diane Bothfeld, Former Director of Administrative Services IV and Dairy Policy Cabot, VT Jake Folsom of Cabot was a 2022 Hall of Fame inductee.

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Persist

the town in its recovery.

“Everybody was very supportive and understanding,” Alberts caringly said while addressing people’s response to the postponement. “But I think at that point, everybody had seen the damage across Vermont and was totally respectful about that decision.” Alberts said he hopes to reschedule the event in Cabot for a future date but wants to wait until the town and road systems are ready. This was the Jerry Jam’s first time leaving the state of New Hampshire, but Alberts is grateful that he can help Cabot. “It gave us an opportunity to meet all the really nice people in town, and even though it didn’t happen, and we were bummed out about that,” Alberts said in a hopeful tone, “in the big picture, being able to help out a town, it was, you know, really meaningful.” The Jerry Jam is a conglomerate of contributions from its artists, members, and participants. Alberts said that all the bands play for free, and that all the sound equipment is donated: He believes that the Jerry Jam’s response aligns with the festival’s values. “I feel like even though we weren’t able to have a music festival, we were able to keep the spirit of the Jerry Jam alive.”

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Agency of Agriculture,

Governor Phil Scott declared a State of Emergency in Vermont on July 9, 2023, due to heavy rainfall, significant localized flooding, washouts, and road closures across the state. The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) has been activated, and emergency management officials are working around the clock to deploy assistance to communities damaged by the flooding. Our top priority is life and safety. If you need immediate support, please dial 2-1-1 and speak to a Community Resource Specialist that can connect you to help. Vermont 2-1-1 has a list of drying centers and shelters on their website for anyone that needs a place to go. Emergencies and life-threatening situations should still be reported to 9-1-1. President Biden has declared that an emergency exists in the State of Vermont and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local response efforts. The President’s action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deploy assistance and resources to Vermont. Read the full Vermont Emergency Declaration at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefingroom/presidential-actions/2023/07/11/ president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approvesvermont-emergency-declaration-2/ . Additionally, Vermont will be working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on a disaster declaration. Once it is safe to do so, please document any damage or crop loss and estimate the cost of damage. Farmers should assess damages field by field and crop by crop, then reach out to their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Office (https://www.fsa.usda.gov/stateoffices/Vermont/index). Producers with private crop insurance should call their crop insurance agent to report losses. Producers with FSA NAP coverage should reach out to their local FSA Office to report losses. Limited Resource, Beginning Farmer, SDA Farmer, Veteran Farmer individuals may have been automatically enrolled in FSA NAP

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Raising Funds for Recovery

coverage. Please reach out to your local FSA Office. Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) – This program may assist with both feed and livestock losses (including bees). Producers can reach out to their local FSA Office. Farms without crop insurance can still report losses at their local FSA

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www.CabotStrong.com

Office. If you are interested in volunteering to assist with recovery efforts, you can register for the State of Vermont Volunteer organization (https:// www.vermont.gov/covid-staffing/ volunteer#gsc.tab=0). . As a reminder, please reduce travel speeds, exercise caution, do not drive into standing water and allow additional time as you travel. Everyone is encouraged to check 511 or for the most up to date information on road conditions and route selection and register for a Vermont Alert (VT-ALERT) account to help keep you up to date on emergency situations in your area. Additional information regarding road closures can be found here: https:// vtrans.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ dashboards/1895a922e8b148afb3d1309 4cfd68d93. We recognize that recovery from this emergency will take significant time, energy, and resources. Farmers and their families can contact Farm First (https://www.farmfirst.org/) for access to resources including technical, legal, or financial assistance as well as to a counselor or trained peer. Designed by April Borrelli from a photograph of Cabot village by Seth O’Brien, tee shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs and tumblers are available to raise funds for flood relief efforts. Buy local/support local.

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Vermont Strong Plates Returning

At his press conference on July 19, Governor Scott announced plans to bring back the Vermont Strong License Plate. No price is set and the design will be slightly different. According to the Brattleboro Reformer, the plate earned over $1 million for Tropical Storm Irene recovery efforts after August 2011.

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HARDWARE AND THE DEN

1. Can you tell us briefly what you thought when you first learned about the damage? Would you be willing to tell us a little about that night? Rory and I happened upon the store just as the flood waters began. Rory went to check on things and called me immediately when he saw a trickle across the street. I was there within minutes and the flood waters had already blocked that portion of Main St. I managed to get to him and the two of us used the little time we had to stack mulch and soil from the front porch against the door in the hopes to prevent floodwaters entering the building. In ten minutes, the waters had raged high enough that we were no longer safe and needed to find higher ground. The store had become an island and the ground to either side had already eroded away. We found our way to the stairs leading up to the balcony and watched the flood waters surround the building. We were trapped in the building with Lisa, the tenant, until we were rescued in the bucket of a tractor just shy of 2 hours later. While we were inside, we were able to access the main floor of the store. Seeing that water was not entering the store, Rory piled every bag of feed he could against the door and windows and set up tables in the hopes to hold back any water that might enter. We checked the basement as well and were surprised that the water was only a couple feet deep. Within minutes of the water receding, volunteers jumped in to help. Tractors were scraping mud from the streets and the storefronts, and the fire department used the tankers to clean debris and mud from the front of the buildings. I ventured back into town after making sure my kids were ok and secure at home, and people I barely knew from the community were shoveling mud from the store doorway. At this point the VAST bridge had broken free, the sides of the building had completely eroded away, and the gas tanks were exposed. 2. How bad is it? How were you able to open so quickly after the flood? When the sun came up (I say this because we didn’t really sleep), we ventured back to town to survey the damage and to get to work on clean up. Somehow, the efforts to block the doorway with mulch and soil during the flood, while foolish in hindsight, ended up keeping the flood waters at bay. Not a drop of water or mud on the main floor of the store. While coordinating some volunteers, Rory found me and quickly took me down cellar, where my jaw dropped. The river had moved a good 20 -25 feet towards the building and the earth was simply gone as was a good 5-6 feet of the cement floor. Any support for that part of the structure was lost to the river, including all supports for the shed on the side of the building. We knew the structure was severely compromised in the back of the building. Jina was finally able to get to the store after being trapped on Route 215 between sections where the road had flooded. Other volunteers showed up to help. I would say that at one point in time we likely had 25-30 people in the building helping with clean up. It was incredible. Folks helped us bring up any merchandise that was salvageable to the main floor and another crew worked insanely hard in the heat to clean out the mud from the cellar. It became clear that the community cared and needed us here, so we accepted all the help they were willing to give so that we could open our doors. The biggest setback to opening ended up being the loss of our sewer line. With the town’s help, we got a Porto Potty placed in the parking area adjacent to the store, and at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, we opened our doors. We knew that the community needed a place to come share stories of the flood with their friends and neighbors and to be provided a little piece of normalcy. 3. I understand you have had a vital role in community members' recovery efforts - supplies and food. Could you give me a snapshot of that? Harrys Hardware quickly became one of the places in the community where volunteers could meet up, pick up supplies that were dropped off, and coordinate efforts. We really can’t take any credit for food as Neighbors in Action handled that effort like champions. We redirected folks to NIA for food and other essentials so that we could keep things in a central location. 4. What is your assessment now of what lies ahead for the store? What do you want people to know? We are going to remain open as we rebuild. Our store feels mostly the same inside, but there are noticeable differences. Our fuel tanks are gone and we are unsure if or when those will be returning. We have some major obstacles to overcome to bring gas back to Cabot. It is a goal because we know how vital it is for the community. We have also lost our kitchen. The back of the building is currently being torn down for safety, and the entirety of the kitchen is sadly a part of that loss. We also lost our plumbing and electric section, and a significant portion of our hardware merchandising area. As soon as crews have finished removing the undermined part of the structure, and the new walls are up and secure, we will start rebuilding from the inside out with merchandise to bring missing sections back to the store. When our full service kitchen will return remains an unknown, but we are hoping to be back in action by the end of this year. We want people to know that we are still here. Cabot is still awesome and the businesses are here to support the community whether it’s food at the Cabot Village Store, car repairs at Cabot Garage, or hardware needs at our store. But we will also remain a community gathering place for friends to meet and for neighbors to catch up with each other. Music will continue on the weekends and the sky is the limit on what we can become. We hope that our town continues to support Cabot’s local businesses so that we can rebuild stronger than ever. To support recovery: GoFundMe.com Rebuild Harry’s Hardware & The Den.

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HEADWATERS RESTAURANT

(Former Goldie's Gathering Location) 1. Can you tell us briefly what you thought when you first learned about the damage. I first learned about it through our sous chef, who lives near the restaurant. Initial reports were frightening. My first thought was about the people who live and work in Cabot. It's such a special community that has welcomed us even before we've opened. It hurts to see the damage downtown. 2. How bad is it? Thanks to the amazing efforts of all the people who pitched in, not too bad for us! Of course, we took some damage, but the cleanup and repairs are well underway. We're still moving forward. 3. What is your assessment now of what lies ahead for the restaurant?

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What do you want people to know?

Headwaters will be open soon! We want people to know that they will be able to enjoy fine food and drink on our deck and in our restaurant soon. And we especially want people to know how grateful we are for the warm welcome we've received and for all the help during this event.

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CABOT VILLAGE STORE

1. Can you tell us briefly what you thought when you first learned about the damage? I got the call that the town was flooding again, ran to the truck and like the last time, had to make my way around Houston Hill , down Churchill, down Elm Street to try to get to the store. As far as I could get was the Willy Building, and shock and dismay left me repeating to myself "I can't do this again." 2. How bad is it? How were you able to be open the very next day after the flood? At 9:30 p.m. the current was slow enough for me to walk through Main Street, barely, to get to the store to assess the damage. Like last time, mud and water had come through the door and seeped down into the basement, luckily not high enough to damage any product. I went home to put on some dry clothes and get a shovel and went back to the store, and with some immediate help from close friends and townspeople, began shoveling mud and vacuuming water. I worked until 3:00 a.m. to make sure the store was ready to open on time. In this disaster, people need to see the store open, and ready for some normalcy. I looked over to the hardware store and it had not been cleared of mud on the front walk, what was left. I gathered any remaining volunteers and headed over there to clear their walk, so they could have the opportunity to open if possible. People and tractors joined in quickly until it was clear as the fire department came through with hoses. The basement at the store was bad. Like before, walls, ceilings, and floors were mud and waterlogged, all having to be ripped out and rebuilt again. 3. I understand you have had a vital role in community members' recovery efforts - supplies and food. Could you give me a snapshot of that? While we were cleaning the store, I made pots of coffee and made my way to Dean Deacy and the other fire fighters and volunteers and let them know the store was open, come in and get whatever you need at no charge. On Tuesday, I began making breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, sandwiches, all day distributing it to anyone and everyone in need, especially those affected by the flood and those volunteering (free of charge). Later in the week the World Central Kitchen called and asked us to make 100 meals a day for dinner to be distributed by Neighbors in Action. To this day we are still giving food and drink to anyone who has been volunteering through this clean up. 4. What is your assessment now of what lies ahead for the store? What do you want people to know? This has been hard to do the second time. My original assessment that "I can't do this again" has passed and turned to determination. The store will survive. It sustained much more damage than it appears. The basement replacement will come at a greater cost than anyone should have to bear twice. The most helpful things people can do is SHOP HERE. And other flood affected businesses. That is our path forward. That is the income it will take to rebuild. I want people to know, when I say " I " in all of these statements, I mean "WE". Stephany is the most amazing person to ever stand by my side and I couldn't do it even one day without her. She may not be out front all the time being seen, but we share the same drive and passion for this town and this community. As I am the front person, she is very much my unwavering support, and partner. I also want to acknowledge my kids. Wyatt jumped right into service with the fire department, working tirelessly. Louis was a huge help at distributing food and water to the volunteers as well as helping at the library and assisting in making meals for Neighbors in Action. And Eyrne and Oliver stepped up to help out in the store so that I could be freed up to do what needed doing. It took all of us to get this far.

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SETH’S COMPUTER SERVICES

1. Can you tell us briefly what you thought when you first learned about the damage? Would you be willing to tell us a little about that night? Or next day? Monday evening I was in my shop and closing up for the day about 30 minutes before the water flooded over Main Street. As I was leaving, it was (See ’Flood Stories’, page 11)

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Flood Stories

(continued from page 10) down pouring and the culvert between me and Harry’s Hardware and the Den was roaring, but looked to be handling the water fine. I debated grabbing some equipment in case of a flood but figured it would get damaged with the heavy rain if I took it out to my car - I would have felt stupid if I ruined the equipment by taking it out of the shop if we didn’t get any flooding. Fast forward about 45 minutes when I am sitting at home and see Rory Thibault post on Facebook that the water was coming over Main Street. I knew at this point it was going to be bad. I had thoughts of trying to rush down and grab equipment, but upon logging into my security cameras saw an insane waterfall of water rushing by the windows of my shop. I knew it was too late at that point and I would have ended up washed down the river myself if I tried to get anywhere near. I watched on my cameras for about 15 minutes in a helpless state of shock as the floors started getting covered in water, then water started dripping from the ceiling and the suspended ceiling tiles started falling. I saw one laptop get crushed and a monitor flash a bunch of times before dying. My server then shorted out and I lost connection to the cameras and anything else in the shop. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep very well that night! 2. How bad is it? How much was your business affected? It is bad, but honestly not as bad as I was expecting. After seeing the volume of water going across the street and right by my shop, I was expecting to come in next morning to feet of water inside. What caused the most damage for me was water dripping through the ceiling. I lost a lot of electronics, many of which belonged to customers and were in my shop for repair. Ironically, three of the laptops that were complete losses were originally brought to me to repair liquid damage from a spilled drink! Due to the corrosiveness of the flood waters, almost every component in the equipment that got wet almost instantly rusted/corroded, making the computers/tablets/phones a complete

3. You've been very active online in the recovery effort. Could you give me a snapshot of that? Helping with the recovery effort online has been a great way for me to feel helpful and also take a break from the physical labor of cleaning up. Cam North, Chuck Talbert, and myself are admins for the Cabot Connects Facebook group. We all tried our best to approve posts quickly and get information out that needed to be seen to keep people safe, find help, etc. I have also been helping out the town by making webforms that allow people to request help or offer to volunteer. I was able to quickly throw together a form that feeds this data into an Excel sheet that the Town Clerk’s Office, Fire Dept, and Emergency Management Personnel could all access and update. I also assisted with updating the town website when urgent info needed to go out or notices needed to be posted. I hope this freed up town personnel to do the more important work and not worry about the technology! am also setting up CabotStrong.com as a fundraising site to sell merchandise to support the flood recovery effort. 4. What is your assessment now of what lies ahead for your shop?

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What do you want people to know?

I am recovering. I would like to sincerely thank all the people who came out to help. At around 1:00 a.m. the night of the flood, Bobby Searles and a crew of four-to-five people (I wish I knew their names so I could thank them personally) were down in my space mopping as much water out as they could, putting computers up on tables and moving as much as they could to dryer areas. The next morning people were helping me shovel mud and get the massive four-foot hole filled at the bottom of the stairs. I would also like to thank everyone for the generous donations to my GoFundMe campaign this has relieved a lot of stress in knowing that I have some funds to replace both my own and customers’ equipment. This village has really come together in this time of need and I hope to be able to be back supporting everyone’s computer and electronic needs shortly! Thanks to everyone who has helped with physical labor, hot meals, financial or equipment donations, and simply stopping by to ask how I am doing, WE ARE CABOT STRONG!

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CABOT GARAGE

1. Can you tell us what you thought when you first learned about the damage? Would you be willing to tell us a little about that night? Déjà vu, here we go again – we’ve been through it before. I didn’t know about it until we got home from Woodbury Lake, rescuing the dock and a boat, and I thought maybe I ought to get down to the village and see what was going on. I couldn’t get to the shop with the water rushing so fast; I wanted to move the flatbed, but needed to get into the garage to get the keys to move it, and that wasn’t happening. We turned around to get home, knowing we’d have to deal with whatever the damage was in the morning; didn’t get much sleep. 2. How bad is it? How were you open so quickly after the flood? How has it affected your services? We had to close for a week. The water pushed open the back door, bending the bottom of the door in the back and running out the front. We lost the wrecker. Eight vehicles were involved, and we’re still in the process of determining their status. I lost a brand-new plasma cutter, hadn’t even been used yet, and the waiting room and that end of the shop were submerged under about a foot of mud. All three front doors have a water line. We lost some parts we had delivered to put on customers’ vehicles. Our hired man, Greg Moore, bought the business July 1 – but the lawyer hasn’t got the paperwork signed. That’s pretty tough. But

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WE HAVE AS OF NOON ON 7/20

To help the State of Vermont apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance, please report flood-related damage to your home or business either by calling 211 or by going online to vermont211.org, where you will find both residential and business forms. You can do this at any time. It’s complicated, but FEMA distributions in each state depend partly on the nature and extent of damages, so it’s important that you log in every instance of damage, even if, in the end, it isn’t eligible for FEMA aid. What may count is the aggregate of damage within the state.

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MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)

This is our principal source of disaster relief for homes and businesses. The Vermont Small Business Association (SBA) has set up a temporary BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTER (8 AM to 5 PM, closed Sundays) at the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, 751 Granger Road in Berlin, near the hospital and Berlin Mall, and the staff there (which includes FEMA representatives) will help you file a FEMA claim. But it’s not complicated. You can apply on your own online at https://www.disasterassis tance.gov/, and if you run into trouble, or if you have no computer, phone 1-800-

sist you. Further, Kathleen Hoyne at the Cabot Public Library has assembled a group of volunteers to help you file an online application. Call R.D. Eno at 802-

to set up an appointment during the Willey Building’s extended hours.

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SEPTEMBER 12! This gives every-

one a little more breathing room.

people have been very helpful, telling us how important it is to them to have a garage in town. Two customers came in this week and gave me a check to help with damages – that was pretty overwhelming. We’ve benefited from wonderful volunteers. People I didn’t even know worked unbelievably hard. Ry Hoffman was amazing, and some young people came to help and did a fantastic job, one of whom was the new school secretary, Jennifer Tidd’s son Jacob. We are grateful to all. 3. What is your assessment now of what lies ahead for the shop? What do you want people to know? We’re beaten but not broken, and outrageously grateful for the outpouring of support. We’re trying to get some funding together because we’re worried about the insulation in the walls and underneath the floor of the waiting room; the foundation out back has

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BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTER,

751 Granger Road, Berlin SBA loans are available to small businesses and private non-profits, but you should register with FEMA at https:// www.disasterassistance.gov/ first. SBA and FEMA personnel at the Center can assist you in applying, and they can also provide help and guidance to homeowners, renters and the “unhomed”.

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NEIGHBORS IN ACTION (NIA)

NIA has been providing free meals throughout this crisis and also manages our local food shelf.

taken a beating, and I’m concerned how that will play out. I’m hoping for grants to help address these many problems. But I want to give a huge thank you to everyone for the support; we feel very blessed with what happened and what didn’t happen. much worse. It could have been

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Cabot Gofundme

by Lori Augustyniak

Some community volunteers just keep on giving no matter how dire their own situation is. One such Cabot resident is Jess Derick. While flood waters continued to enter her Main Street home, she was not able to stop thinking of others. Jess is comfortable in the social media world, and she started spreading the word that Cabot needed help – big help. Then she created a Go Fund Me* site so that folks from near and far could contribute to the recovery efforts. At press time, the fund raised more than $23,000, with donations ranging from $20 to $4,000. There are donors who have a connection to Cabot: “I've been in Cabot many times over many years visiting my sister and it's like a second home to me. Wishing you a full recovery, Cabot!” “I graduated from Cabot and hate to see the community suffering like this.” “I am contributing in honor of the awesome volunteers who are doing what needs to be done. I wish I could give more.” "I am from Texas. I took a rug hooking class, in Cabot, from Sandy Ducharme in June. I found the people so pleasant. I especially liked the hardware store and grocer there on the main street. I was shocked to see the pictures of the destruction. Hope you guys are up and running again very soon!!" And other donors have no connection to Cabot: “I saw your community on the news and want to help.” “Sending ❤ (cid:1) from Portland,

“Sending love from Texas.” Donations are still being accepted at

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Rug Hooking Hall of

Sandy Ducharme, who has a rug hooking shop in town, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for Rug Hookers this month at Sturbridge Village, Ohio, at an annual international weeklong celebration show. We understand Sandy will make a special rug for the Hall of Fame, and Rug Hooking Magazine interviewed her for their Hall of Fame Profiles . The Cabot Chronicle requested permission to reprint the interview but it has not yet been approved; we hope to publish it in the September edition. If you don’t want to wait, you can Google Rug Hooking Magazine then either search Hall of Fame or pick her out from the “What’s Hot” banner on the right. https://www.gofundme.com/f/cabotcommunity-flood-cleanup-fund.

is serving as fiscal agent for the Flood Clean Up Fund and will work with the Fund team members (Jess Derick, Jenn Miner, Seth O’Brien, Neil Bainton, and Lori Augustyniak) to award funds to address community needs. “We are still working out the details of distributing the funds, but the team wants to get money out to community members in need as soon as possible,” said Jess Derick, the team captain, “the only requirement to request funds is that you are a Cabot resident and your request is directly related to a flood related loss.” If you experienced a loss because of the July 10 raining and flooding and need financial assistance, please email

*Go Fund Me is an online platform that harnesses the power of social networks and the internet to give people the means to raise funds, help others overcome hardship, and meet aspirational goals. The core principle behind the crowdfunding definition is that you can help a friend or help an entire community.

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Coming together as a community

It’s a strange thing in life, how wonderful and challenging events can follow each other up so closely! On 4 th of July, we enjoyed a wonderful Harvest Hub Market after the parade! The Neighbors in Action parking lot, where the event took place, was buzzing with local vendors and visitors. From freshly prepared food made by NEK Catering to red-white-and-blue flower bouquets from our new producer Providence Hill Farm - a great variety of food and artisan goods was offered. We also raised over $250 in raffle tickets and donations from vendors! The money will help non-profit organization Neighbors in Action in buying the building they are currently renting. Thanks to everyone who came and supported the Harvest Hub and our producers! But just one week later, the rain and flood came and we had to close the Harvest Hub for one week, in order to help with repair and community support at Neighbors in Action. In times like these we experience how important community and mutual support is. The Harvest Hub is a way to connect with Neighbors by sharing what they make, supporting those who make it, and sustaining our local economy. The Hub is way more than just an online store. It really is a place to get together and share with neighbors and friends. Our monthly farmers markets are a great way to get to know our vendors and their products. In the month of August we are actually going to host two in-person markets: on the 12 th and the 26 th of August. Both markets take place on a Saturday, The Community Day at Neighbors in Action. Harvest Hub producers, such as Sandy Pond from Back Roads Farm, Carol Fairbank from Broadfork Farm and many others are regularly invited to teach workshops and share their knowledge with their community as part of those Saturdays. If you or someone you know has specific knowledge in the gardening and homesteading realm, such as making your own compost teas or dying fabric with plant material – please let us know at cabot@neighborsinaction.org. We would love to have you teach a class as part of our Grow What You Eat and Capture The Harvest workshop series! We want to encourage you - local gardeners and homesteaders - to become a producer with the Harvest Hub! A lot of our producers sell just a handful of items on the Hub. If you have a surplus of vegetables or fruit from your garden this summer - consider selling it on the Hub! Or if you are a craftswo/man or artist and you are looking for a platform to showcase and sell your work – contact us! Simply send an email to Harvest Hub Manager Sarah Spletzer at cabotharvesthub@gmail.com and let her know what you would like to sell. And last but not least, we want to give everyone the chance to try out the Hub for free this month! Just go to www.cabotharvesthub.org and use code RECOVER23 for a free 20-week membership with the Hub. You will also receive a free Harvest Hub cooling bag with your first order.

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Out in Marshfield After the Flood

Thank you to Justin, our new Emergency Response Coordinator, for losing hours of sleep coordinating the emergency response. Thank you to our new maintenance person, Scott Franks, newly hired and having to deal with this huge disaster. Thank you to the Marshfield road crew. They are amazing. Thank you to the Marshfield Town Selectboard for all of their hard work during this disaster. Thank you to the Town Clerk, Bobbi Brimblecombe and the new Assistant Town Clerk, Alex Johnson who just started her job in April 2023. Thank you to Michelle McCormick and the Marshfield Village Store for organizing supplies for the Village and storing them for the town. Thank you to all of the volunteers who have been working to get the water out of the Old Schoolhouse Common and for ripping out the walls and sheetrock as per Servpro's direction. Thank you to the many community folks who stepped in to help, too numerous to name. Thank you to Onion River Food Shelf for continuing to provide food. YOU ROCK MARSHFIELD!!

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Summer Concert Series Thursdays

from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Come on down to the Old Schoolhouse Common gazebo for six free summer concerts! Enjoy great food from local food vendors, the bake & book sale by the Friends of the Jaquith and bid on fantastic items in the Silent Auction. l August 3 Larkspur (blend of folk, rock, blues and country) The Larkspurs are a Burlington and Montpelier ensemble-based trio who spontaneously came together in August of 2018 performing impromptu harmonies, emotional vocals and otherworldly guitar solos. They have since honed their sound, bringing originals and creative covers

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Summer Fun Nights for people of

all ages: with presenters to amaze and amuse us all! l Wednesday August 2: Movie 1985 G A pushy social worker sends a very large bird from a very diverse neighborhood to live with "others of his kind" in Oceanview, Illinois. He just wants to go back home, and his friends from the old neighborhood pitch in (in their various ways) to bring him back. This movie is aimed at kids, but is full of humor that will amuse people of any age. l Wednesday August 9: Southern VT

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T-shirt and a prize!

Here’s how: Come to the library and sign up to read! We will give you a reading log and stickers so you can keep track of your own progress. For every 15 minutes you read, or you are read to, put a sticker on your reading log. Jot down the title of your book. Earn 25 stickers-- WIN a “All Together Now” t-shirt and a prize of your choice.

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Thursday noon - 6 p.m. and Satur-

day 9 a.m. - noon. Curbside library service is still available during regular library hours. Thank you for your patience and understanding during the temporary closing of the library in July due to the flooding in and around the Willey Building. Thankfully the library itself was not affected by the flood. Please feel free to contact the library if you need assistance filling out the FEMA Disaster Assistance forms. We have volunteers set up to help with this process.

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SRP has been extended through the

end of August. If you haven't signed up yet, come to the library to pick up your reading chart and stickers to earn prizes. It's easy! All you need to do is read or be read to for 15 minutes a day for 15 days. Participants will earn a t-shirt, book and an additional prize of their choice! Sign up for the 1,000-page club and earn a free pint of ice cream from the Cabot Village Store!

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ALL the Neighbors

(continued from page 7) Neighbors in Action, and the people of Cabot worked together in partnership to create this opportunity, a heartwarming example of grassroots initiatives and federal programs finding mutual purpose in our rural communities. Updating infrastructure to streamline the food supply chain is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration, and we are proud to carry out that mission through-

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Board Chair/ Acting Executive Dir.

Twin Valley Seniors could not deliver Meals on Wheels the week of July 10 with the center closed, as friends, neighbors and board members cleaned up flooded areas in the basement. There are not enough words to thank those that gave their time and muscle to help us recover and re-open July 17. The center is open Mondays, Wednesstorywalk to the Cabot Rec Field. days and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 from Vermont Afterschool. From left p.m. to serve all residents of central VerHoffman and Lorelai Bastress and mont with a variety of activities. Lunch each day is at noon, so stop in in August. Please check FPF, Cabot Connects and cabotlibrary.com for the most up to date information.

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Seasonal Sing and Potluck with

Heidi Wilson - Come sing songs to celebrate the season together. Heidi will lead the group in simple, engaging songs that fill our bodies with harmony! All voices welcome. The singing will be followed by a potluck. It's time to connect with our neighbors and friends again by sharing music and food! All Ages! Thanks so much to the Library Trustees for their hard work and support to the library: Grace Hoffman, Niall McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert and Erin Ruddell and our student representative, Ila Steinert.

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Additional Thanks!

Thanks so much to Lorelai Bastress, Camryn Hoffman, Eric Smith, Harper Smith, and Marco Welters for all their hard work setting up the new slide at the rec field – it was happily put to immediate use. Many thanks also go out to all the volunteers that helped the Friends of the Library with the July 4th Book Sale! We couldn't have done that work without you. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian

out Vermont and New Hampshire.” Now we begin the long process of updating our building, adding new capabilities such as additional food storage, and maintaining the building. To this end, we will be continuing to fund raise for our building through several more raffle drawings and bingo nights! We hope you’ll stop by and enjoy our FUNdraising efforts! Thank you, neighbors, for making Cabot the most special place to call home! and enjoy a nutritious meal. Suggested donation for meals is $6.00 if over 65 or $7.00 if under $65. Grab and go meals are also available. In addition to on-site meals, Twin Valley Seniors delivers

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PDATE

Meals on Wheels to residents in communities from Montpelier to Cabot. Please call if you or someone you know might need this vital service. Health clinics offered are foot care and blood pressure. Several types of exercise classes are held weekly, that include Bone Builders, Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, TaiChi and chair yoga. Other activities include a monthly book club, sing-a-long gatherings and bingo. You may also come in for a game of cribbage or cards. The center is a friendly place to see old friends or make new ones. Twin Valley Senior Center is located at 4583 US Route 2, East Montpelier, a non-profit organization run by a small staff and about 30 volunteers. Call 802-

our website, Twinvalleyseniors.org , for more information on activities or to donate your time.

Caleb Domey, Jeanne Johnson, Robyn Susan Domey Allen and Paul Allen on Preserve.

exchange student Nika Marshania, in just off the coast of the Black Sea.

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← From the Cabot Chronicle