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The Cabot Chronicle

November 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 November 2023 pages (PDF)

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

In This Issue

Walter Bothfeld Appointed to Vermont Fire Service Training Council

Walter Bothfeld, Jr., of Cabot was appointed to the Vermont Fire Service Training Council. Governor Phil Scott announced he’s appointed 180 Vermonters to State boards and commissions during the months of May-September. Boards and commissions serve an important role in state government, giving Vermonters numerous opportunities to serve their state and communities. The Governor’s office is currently soliciting applications to fill vacancies and upcoming term expirations. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the Governor’s website at https://governor.vermont.gov/boards_and_commission to apply.

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Cabot Arts - A Year Full of Programs Please Remember for Giving Tuesday

Hello Folks, Dana Robinson here, from Cabot Arts. I just wanted to reach out and express thanks to the citizens of Cabot for your participation in Cabot Arts programs this year. It's been a whirlwind of concerts and festivals and it wouldn't have been possible without y'all showing up, volunteering, and expressing your support. Our goal at Cabot Arts is pretty simple - it's all about creating meaningful experiences and strengthening connections among Cabot-area residents in an accessible and inclusive way. Hopefully, we can make life better for everyone here in the process! It was affirming to see so many people come out for this September's Cheese and Culture Festival. Cabot Village had more visitors sustained through the day than there had been for decades! To witness area merchants and local producers have such a great day selling their wares confirmed that Cabot's Revitalization Strategy of 2018 (https://www.cabotvermont.org/uploads / 1 / 4 / 0 / 3 / 1 4 0 3 4 7 4 5 2 /finalreport.pdf) is alive and well. In 2024 Cabot Arts will continue on the track we have been on. Our programs will include:  The Cabot Village 12th Night

Celebration (January)  The Cabot Folk Club (8 concerts)

Winter, Spring, and Fall Seasons)  The (weekly) Old Time Jam Session

at Harry's Hardware  The Cabot Arts and Music Festival (July)  The (free) Summer Concert Series

on the Village Common  The Cabot Cheese and Culture Festival (September)  Plus, several Special Concerts and dances through the year  Workshops, lessons and group music classes  Continue pursuing project-based partnerships with area organizations, including Cabot Community Theater, Cabot Contra Dance, Cabot School, Neighbors in Action, and The Civic Standard (Hardwick), and others.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Cabot Arts's Board of Directors, R.D. Eno, Karen Mueller-Harder, and Susan Robinson for their time, steadfast support and guidance through 2023. It is thanks to their support as well as the time that many of you have spent volunteering for Cabot Arts programs that makes Cabot Arts possible in the first place. 2023 has been a great arts-year for Cabot. Let's do it again in 2024! Dana Robinson, Executive Director, Cabot Arts, Inc., www.cabotarts.org

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Coming up on November 28 is

Giving Tuesday. Your donation will be channeled specifically to the Cabot Village 12th Night Celebration. It costs Cabot Arts $10-11K to run the 12th Night Celebration. About half is covered by grants, and the rest by business sponsorships and donations. For the last two years the 12th Night Celebration has been offered free-of-charge. Free to kids, families, seniors... everyone! Our Giving Tuesday goal this year is $4,000. Please consider making a year-end, Giving Tuesday donation to Cabot Arts at https://www.cabot arts.org/donate - Thank you!

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FRED DUCHARME IS ASKING

 Gasoline: How important is it to you that we have gas pumps in the village?  How much should the Town do to secure and retain a full road crew?  Sign-on bonus  Stipend for mandatory on-call months December-March  Increase base pay to more than $30/hour

Please weigh in with your opinion. Call or email any selectboard member or town clerk’s office or stop us on the street.

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NY State Fair and Big E Net 19 Awards for Agri-Mark

Agri-Mark, the dairy cooperative that owns the Cabot Creamery and McCadam brands, received high marks at the NY State Fair in Syracuse, New York and The Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition in Massachusetts. At the NY State Fair, only products made in New York state were eligible to compete across 25 categories. Cheese classes were judged by local experts in the agricultural industry at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. "We've been making cheese in this location for over a century," said Corey Desranleau, plant manager of Agri- Mark's Chateaugay, NY cheesemaking facility. "The team here takes a lot of pride in continuing this long-standing tradition of making award-winning products that celebrate the North County and farming community. Agri-Mark's Chateaugay, New York McCadam facility won the following awards at the NY State Fair  Silver, McCadam Adirondack Reserve

Cheddar  Silver, McCadam Horseradish  Award of Excellence, Cabot NY Vintage  Award of Excellence, McCadam NY

Extra Sharp  Award of Excellence, McCadam NY

Sharp The awards were celebrated on September 1 at the New York State Fair's annual Dairy Day celebration. The Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition, held in West Springfield, Massachusetts, received 131 entries from 20 cheesemakers throughout New England. All entries were judged on individual merit rather than best in class. Each cheese was evaluated by a panel of judges—aesthetic and technical. A point system was used to determine the total score. Entries needed a minimum of 80 points to qualify for a medal. Agri-Mark's Cabot and Middlebury facilities won the following awards at the BIG E: Cheddar Aged over 12 months:  Gold, Cabot 3 Year Cheddar (Only

gold awarded)  Silver, Cabot Farmhouse Reserve

Cheddar  Silver, Cabot 2 Year Cheddar  Silver, Cabot Private Stock Cheddar  Bronze, Cabot White Oak Yogurt  Gold, Cabot 10% Plain Greek Yogurt  Silver, Cabot Triple Cream Vanilla

Bean Greek Yogurt Cheddar Aged up to 12 months:  Silver, Cabot Extra Sharp  Silver, Cabot Medium Cheddar  Bronze, Cabot White Oak Cheddar  Bronze, Cabot Sharp Cheddar Alpine Style  Silver, Cabot Alpine Cheddar (No gold

was awarded) Colby, Monterey Jack, Brick & Muenster  Bronze, Monterey Jack (No gold or

silver was awarded) Flavored Semi-Soft Cheese  Bronze, Cabot Pepper Jack offer, such as community meals and workshops. Financial contributions are also much appreciated. (Remember Neighbors in Action on Giving Tuesday, for example!) You can also support us by attending one of our community suppers (donations appreciated) or by joining us for bingo on Thursday nights in Cabot. From all of the participants and volunteers I would like to extend much gratitude to our outgoing director, Elizabeth Vitale, for seeing Neighbors in Action through many exciting changes over the past couple of years, including the expansion of our local farm and producer connections through the Harvest Hub and the purchase of local meat and produce for the food share boxes. Elizabeth

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Update on the Cabot Youth Council

The Cabot Youth Council has reconvened! We met for the first time this fall on September 26, and during that meeting we reviewed our work from last spring and made plans for this fall. Many of the young people who worked with the council last spring returned. A few new folks also attended. Since that meeting, I’ve been talking to various people in town about some of the proposals in progress, and these folks have provided a great deal of information and support. A huge thanks to all those I’ve met with or talked to thus far about further developing project ideas, including Kathleen Hoyne, Amanda Otto, Dean Deasey, Cameron North, Amy Hornblas, Elizabeth Vitale, Lori Augustyniak, and Stef Burtt. Thank you, also, to homeschooling families and to Cabot School for supporting young people in Cabot to work on their project ideas. (If I’m forgetting anyone, I’m so sorry! Thanks to you, too!) It’s so clear to also oversaw the successful fundraising campaign which raised the money we need to purchase our building, and also expanded the involvement of young volunteers to help on food share days at both the Cabot and Lyndonville locations. There are ways for everyone who is interested to be a part of the sharing network we are building, and we look forward to seeing you at one of our Neighbors in Action events! More information about our programs and ways to get involved is available on our website (www.neighborsinactionvt.org), and we also post frequent updates to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/neighborsinactionvt).

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Alden Tebbetts Scholarship

Alden Cabot Tebbetts (left) received a full Army ROTC scholarship to Middlebury college. Alden was sworn in by Vermont Adjutant General Knight (right). Rollin Tebbetts photo

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 3 onward.

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Neighbors in Action: November Announcements

As the newly appointed Executive Director of Neighbors in Action, it is my job, and honor, to update you on the amazing activities we have going on that bring neighbors and food together. Human connection and the spirit of sharing and teamwork is alive and growing through our food share programs and community meals, offered at both our Cabot and Lyndonville locations. We also offer a variety of other group activities people can join to improve health and community connection, such as our weekly walking group, yoga class, knitting and creative art groups, and bingo. It’s the joy and enthusiasm of our staff and volunteers which makes all of our work possible. It all begins with Cindy and Gale, the program coordinators in Cabot and Lyndonville, who place the orders and organize the dozens of volunteers who pack the food boxes. Every two weeks each location packs between 100 and 300 boxes in the morning so they are ready for loading into participants’ cars. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of these teams, the number of people served by the food share program has increased by over one-third in the past year!

Amy and Elizabeth If you would like to get a box of food for your family or are able to deliver a box to a neighbor, you are welcome to sign up any time. The only information we need is your name, address, and a signature assuring your income is not above the limit. The income limits for the program are very generous. For example, a family of four is eligible to participate if their income is less than $90,000, and an individual is eligible if their income is under $43,000 a year. You can support the work we do by volunteering to help with one of our food share programs or other activities we me how much people care about Cabot and the young people who live here. In the next few months we’ll try to complete our proposals. Before or soon after Cabot School’s winter break, we’ll hold our vote, during which youth in Cabot will decide which proposals to fund. Because of the size of the Vermont Afterschool grant, $40,000, there’s a good chance more than one proposal will be funded. Our October meeting will be on October 24 from 2-3 p.m. at the Willey building, and we haven’t yet scheduled our November meeting. As a reminder, the Cabot Youth Council is always welcome to new members, and anyone ages 11/12- 22 who is interested in joining can contact me at [email protected]. Any adults who are interested in the process or who want to provide support for proposals can also reach me at that email. I’m excited to see what the next months will bring, and to continue to work with the fabulous young people of Cabot.

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

Gwendolyn Lee Douse Gwendolyn Lee Douse, 70, of Cabot, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, at her home. Gwendolyn was born in St. Johnsbury, Vt., on December 23, 1952, to Arthur and Arlene (Nunn) Miller. She graduated from Danville High School, Class of 1970. In June of 1972, Gwen married Louis E. Douse. She worked at St. Johnsbury Trucking as an office clerk. Following her husband’s death in 1972, Gwen raised her two children on her own. Gwen was community oriented. She was a Boy Scout leader from 1981 – 2006 and a St. Johnsbury baseball couch for her daughter’s team. She was very involved in Neighbors in Action in Cabot. Gwen’s favorite color was red. She was a huge Miami Dolphins fan and enjoyed Bingo. Survivors include her children: Jessica Lee Hagan and husband John of Connor Scott Garrison of Cabot passed away Thursday, September 21, 2023, peacefully at home, due to medical complications, with his family by his side. He was 16 years old.

Connor was born May 31, 2007, in Burlington, Vermont. From the moment of his birth at 23 weeks gestation, he was a courageous fighter. He surpassed all expectations, beating the odds and graduating home from the UVMMC NICU, formerly Fletcher Allen, after 133 days. Life was not easy for Connor. He experienced countless hospitalizations, surgeries, procedures, and tests, all related to complications of his prematurity. Despite all he had gone through, Connor held all the strength. He persevered and bounced back with a smile that only Connor could give. Connor was lucky enough to receive a wish granted through Make A Wish® Vermont. Connor went to the ocean in the Outer Banks so he could experience all its glory and splendor. The experience not only infused Connor with a sense of inclusion and vitality for life but gave his family memories to cherish for a lifetime. Connor spent most of his years living in Shelburne, VT, where he attended Shelburne Community School through sixth grade. After moving to Cabot in June 2019, he attended Twinfield Union. If you ask his friends, they might say Connor was the class clown, always interrupting his teachers during lessons, perhaps trying to get kicked out of class. His love of music was known to all and was a great comfort to him. Special thank you to Debbie LaFlam, Jacki Franks, and Alice Day for being shining lights in his life.

Littleton, NH, and Jace Shay Douse of Abbington, MA; a brother: Herbert Miller of West Burke, VT; sisters: Elaine Noyes and husband Bradly of Concord, VT, and Leslie Miller-Brown and husband Steven Brown of East Burke, VT; two grandchildren: Brett J. Hagan (Jaymi Foster) of Littleton, NH, and Josslyn L. Norris (Kyle) of Littleton; two great-grandchildren: Jamison Ralph Norris and Emeri Laine Hagan. She was predeceased by her husband: Louis Douse, and her parents: Arthur Henry Miller and Arlene Lillian Miller. A Graveside Service will be held Thursday, September 28, 2023, 1:00 p.m. at Danville Green Cemetery in Danville, VT. Immediately following, all are invited to a gathering at the Neighbors in Action, 3339 Main Street, Cabot. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Neighbors in Action, P.O. Box 157, Cabot, VT 05647. Memories and condolences can be shared online at www.CaledoniaLife Service.com.

Connor spent the last years playing with the TOPSoccer program at the Essex Tree Farm. The adapted soccer program paired athletes with buddies, high school soccer players, and they would practice drills. The season would end with a ceremony where participants got awarded certificates and trophies. Connor is pre-deceased by his favorite partner in crime, his MeMe Carol Martin, formerly of Hinesburg, VT, and her husband Robert “Slugger” Martin Sr. He is pre-deceased by his paternal uncle and namesake Scott Garrison and grammy Lynne Garrison of Claremont, NH. Connor is survived by his mother Victoria Garrison and her partner Rodney Simpson of Cabot, his father Alexander Garrison JR and his partner Jena Chandler of St. Albans; siblings Devin Garrison of Manchester, NH, Aysha Russell, Ethan Garrison, Calleigh Garrison and Acadia Simpson, all of Cabot, as well as his maternal grammy Robin Kirby of Essex, and paternal papa Alexander Garrison, Sr., of Claremont, NH, and countless aunts, uncles and cousins. Connor leaves behind a legacy of love. He taught all who knew him the true meaning of life, and that is love. His contagious laugh gave strength to all who heard it.

Suzanne Gilbert Willams and Marilyn E. (Clausen) Giauque. Growing up, Suzanne fell in love with horses, 4H tournaments, fashion, music and friends. Suzanne graduated Class of 1985 from Spaulding High School. Shortly after that she started her family. Suzanne found a passion for holistic care, leading her to attend the Vermont School of Professional Massage, graduating class of 1999. She then opened her own Therapeutic Massage Health Spa and worked as a Massage Therapist throughout Vermont's resort industry. She also loved helping others through her education and practice of Reiki, Craniosacral and spiritual healing. Throughout all of Suzanne's life she was an avid animal lover, always having a pet or two by her side. Suzanne leaves behind her daughter, Danyle Gilbert of Morrisville; her son, Justin Gilbert of Cabot; her brother, Charles Williams of Burlington; her father's wife, Mary Ann Williams of Keene, NH, and her two sons Christopher Holden of St. Johnsbury and Stephen Holden of Bristol, NH; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. A Celebration of Life was held at Barre Town's Recreation Picnic Shelter on Sunday, September 10. Our family also invites you to share your memories and condolences by visiting www.awrfh.com. To plant trees in memory, please visit legacy.com.

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Solitude’s Abundance

by Alexander Anlyan

Bird songs grace the day, coyote voices ripple through the night.

The Sibilant sounds of tires approaching, crackling gravel and dirt. The anguish of power steering forced into obtuse angles.

Rain drumming on the metal roof, snow sliding toward the edges, the whomps as sections fall piling snow up to window sills.

The whisk of slippers on bare wood floors, A chorus of water from: kitchen faucets, the porcelain WC, and fiberglass stall. The scratchy sound of broom bristles, their short staccato strokes, sweeping; The rattle of china and silver bathing together; the whispering stove burners breathing flames, the bubbling of boiling broth, and the ladle's scrape in the Dutch oven.

Later: Hot water hums in the baseboard pipes, creaking bedsprings, the rustle of sheets, the sound of my heart beat and slow breaths, slipping uninterrupted into sleep.

So my home accompanies me through the day, embracing me with familiarity, I move, surrounded by the songs of the days; each act, individually articulated, familiar, Welcoming me again.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 4 onward.

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From page 4

DID YOU ENJOY READING THE CABOT CHRONICLE? DO YOU VALUE OTHER CABOT NONPROFIT ACTIVITIES?

CONSIDER KEEPING IT LOCAL ON GIVING TUESDAY

Every year, on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, people take the time to kick

donating money to a charitable cause or volunteering, Giving Tuesday is a day set to benefit the community. If you are choosing to celebrate Giving Tuesday on November 28, please consider keeping your donation local and supporting one of Cabot’s Not for Profit efforts. Or, if you are looking for a great gift idea, how about a donation to one of these organizations in honor of a friend or family member?

 Cabot Child Care Initiative  The Cabot Chronicle  Cabot Mentoring  Cabot Community Association  United Church of Cabot  Cabot Arts  Neighbors in Action  Friends of Cabot Public Library

Donations to most of these entities are tax-deductible. You can find donation information on-line or simply send your donation to the CCA (P.O. Box 245 Cabot, VT 05647) and we will direct your contribution to the organization of your choice.

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Livestock Ordinance Discussed

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

At the October 3 meeting the Selectboard returned to the subject of an ordinance regulating livestock runningat-large. Mike Hogan emphasized at the beginning of the discussion that they were only considering the potential of an ordinance. He noted that Marshfield had an ordinance. R.D. Eno reviewed the Marshfield ordinance and said there wasn’t “much to say about the ordinance.” He noted that it provides for the impoundment of animals. He added that it lists some animals he had never seen before, and that it does provide for penalties. He noted that the ordinance does not provide for the creation of a pound, and if the board were to adopt it, they would have to deal with the question of where to impound animals. Mike added that someone would also have to transport the animals. At this point, someone from the public spoke without identifying themselves. They said they had spent time looking at the ordinance and talked to people in Marshfield on how it came into existence. She said the ordinance is largely not enforced. She said that they consulted Rural Vermont (a non-profit advocacy group) and there were questions about the legality of the ordinance. She said the state governs agriculture. She went on to say that their problem is with the definition of running at large. She said the ordinance doesn’t differentiate among cows, pigs or chickens. She said they saw some chickens running in the village, and that she is fine with that, but under the Marshfield ordinance, they are running at large. She added that there should be a difference if a tree falls onto a fence. Mike agreed with her that there is a state statute, which was last amended in the 80s. He noted that it has a $10 fine, which isn’t much of a penalty. The discussion spread to others regarding fines, and whether or not they would be a deterrents as well as a difference between people who care and have good fencing versus people who do not maintain fences. Mike tried to quiet the discussion by telling everyone that the board is not “chomping at the bit” to make an ordinance. But the discussion delved into other subjects regarding the ordinance. Johanna Thibault noted that an ordinance is not supposed to deter people from having livestock but encourage good behavior when one has livestock. Eric Smith asked what the timeframe would be for considering an animal at large. Someone else agreed with Johanna, and hoped that anyone keeping livestock would drop everything if they hear their cows or pigs are out. Ellen Cairns said she thought it would not be about a cow that gets out, but rather if it’s the third time the cow gets out. Fred Ducharme said the board doesn’t want to get involved, but would rather neighbors talk and resolve it. Mike concluded that the discussion had been good, and the board will need to revisit it in the future. R.D. noted that the lack of an ordinance does not mean people do not have any recourse.

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Public Safety Building (Part 1)

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The Selectboard has been discussing the future of the firehouse at many meetings, and the saga continued at the October 3 and 17 meetings. On October 3, Mike noted that the July 10 flood did a lot of damage to the current fire station. He added that the building had been “red tagged” by the state fire marshal due to the bank behind the building. He noted that they are working with FEMA towards a new temporary and permanent building because the firehouse falls under public assistance. Mike went on to say that FEMA wants the building razed as soon as possible. He then asked Dean Deasy to talk about the site for the temporary public safety building. Dean said the soil samples taken at the proposed site for the temporary structure went down 15 feet and hit peat. He said that once they hit peat, it created a whole number of issues. Dean also said they hit the water table five and one half feet down. He explained that the site engineer said the location would not work for a building and they decided upon another location nearby, the basketball court at the other end of the upper parking area near the pavilion. Dean said they are trying to work with FEMA to move the basketball court down to the first site, the lower parking area. Karen Larsen asked Dean if he had spoken with anyone from the Recreation Committee, and Dean responded with no. She said that she had spoken with Cam so the recreation committee wasn’t blind sided with this proposal. She added that the basketball courts are in poor shape and they had already been looking at fundraising for improvements. Mike then asked Dean to give the folks an idea of the building’s size. Dean said it would be 60 feet wide and 82 feet long. He also said there would be a unisex bathroom, a hand sink, and a couple other sinks. He added that there would be a ten foot by ten foot room to contain the base station radio and paperwork, as well as a back section for training and table top drills. He concluded that the building is basically a shell. Mike then asked about the variance for sprinklers. Dean said that when fire trucks are stored inside a building, there must be a sprinkler system and an offsite fire alarm notification. He said they got a waiver for 24 months, which saves $200,000. He noted that since the permanent building is scheduled to be complete in about 16-18 months, the timing would work out. He also said that a sprinkler system could not be installed because the water line going up South Walden Road is only one-inch black plastic and could not support a sprinkler system. Mike then asked Dean to talk about the end of the process, and if the town can own it for the fully appreciated cost. Dean responded that after the fire department is done with the building, FEMA will run a program and come up with a figure for the town to buy the building back. He added that as long as the building is single occupancy, it doesn’t need a sprinkler system.

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Public Safety Building (Part 2)

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

At the October 17 meeting, R.D. Eno informed those present that both the temporary and permanent structures will be funded by FEMA at 90%, and the state may pay up to an additional 10%. He said that both structures will be built with very little cost to the public. R.D. then informed everyone that there will be two parts in the evening’s discussion of the Public Safety Buildings, the first being about the footprint of the permanent building, and the latter being about the location of the temporary building. Joel Paige, of Scott + Partners Architecture attended to present the footprint of the permanent Public Safety Building at 2466 Main Street. Joel had a poster board diagram of the building site, with the black image of the building to show the location and angle of the building. Joel described the building as being about 10,000 square feet, with three double loaded bays. He said the design would meet both the current and future needs. He went on to explain that they are still working on fine tuning the interior but are comfortable with the footprint. He showed that the public entrance to the building would be on the side facing the pond. Joel also noted that due to the wetlands, there were some limitations on where the building could be located, and how large it could be. Dean Deasy then spoke about the building. He said that due to the wetlands they could not make the building single story. He added that the angle and entrances of the build are situated with consideration of where the headlights will shine. Dean also said that by having drive-through bays they can avoid backing up the fire trucks at night, and avoid the reverse beeping sound. The members of the public asked a few questions about the proposed buffers, which are to be made of berms and trees, and the pond. Dean explained that they are looking at putting a dry hydrant in the pond, and that they are also looking at a holding tank so they can fill trucks inside during inclement weather. The board approved the footprint for the permanent Public Safety Building, and then moved onto the topic of the temporary building. R.D. mentioned that the original intent was to locate it at a lower parking area adjacent to the north side of the recreation field, but the soils proved to be prohibitive. He said that they are now looking at the location currently occupied by the basketball courts. Dean said that soil samples were taken in the middle of the basketball court and the results proved the area to be viable. He added that “Wetlands” looked at the site, and to his surprise, determined the building could be moved another 5 feet to the north. He said that keeping the building as far to the right as possible, there would be 18 parking spots available, and when the basketball courts are relocated, another six spots would be available in the lower parking area. Dean added that there will be a small slice of grass on the north side where a propane tank and the generator will be located. Dean explained the timeline for permit approvals, and authorizations from the state. He added that the basketball courts would not be started until spring. He went on to explain that FEMA is looking at the cost of moving the basketball courts being the result of a “domino theory” and are including it in the costs. R.D. asked Dean to clarify that FEMA would pay for a new basketball court, and Dean said that “as of right now, yes.” Dean added that they are also looking at putting in a small stone path between the parking lots, and two street lights. He noted that due to the lateness in the year, the apron for the building will not be paved until next year. So they are looking at how to deal with spring runoff. Dean then told everyone that the siren had been taken off the existing building and placed into storage. He said it will not be installed at the temporary or the permanent buildings. He noted that if it is reinstalled, it would be on a pole at the old fire house location. The board approved moving the location of the temporary Public Safety Building to where the basketball courts are situated, as well as the movement of the basketball courts from their current location at 151 South Walden Road to 121 South Walden Road.

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Cabot Ambulance

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Mike started a discussion regarding Cabot Ambulance (CEAS) at the October 3 meeting of the Selectboard by stating that they had a long discussion about the future of Cabot Ambulance at the previous meeting. He then turned the floor over to Jenn Miner, Cabot Ambulance president. Jenn told the board that Cabot Ambulance had a business meeting the prior Thursday. She said that she had spoken to the membership about the possibility of being an independent department reporting to the Selectboard, rather than being part of the Fire Department. She went on to say that there were eight or nine members present and they did express interest in becoming part of the municipality as an independent department. She added that the equipment would need to be part of the discussion, and the money could go into a 501 (c) 3. Jenn went on to say that they tried to create a 501 (c) 3 but hit a snag. Mike then talked about times when towns need to make decisions and lots of people air things out on social media, and tear people’s reputations up. He said that people should come to the Selectboard to air their issues. He also noted that Cabot Ambulance is not part of the town, and the town only gives them an appropriation each year. R.D. Eno asked Jenn if there had been a vote at the meeting, and if it was to become an independent entity within the municipality. Jenn said there was a vote, but it is not in their minutes. R.D. then made a lengthy motion describing the issues related to the proposal which said to the effect that the Selectboard would create a Cabot Ambulance Department (CAD), similar to the Fire Department. The motion contained the following conditions: 1. that all the books and accounts of the CEAS, for all years that they exist, shall be made immediately available to the Selectboard for inspection and shall become the property of the CAD upon the dissolution of the CEAS; 2. that all current assets of the CEAS be preserved, with no expenditures made except to cover ordinary operating expenses, and all assets, cash and material, transferred to the CAD upon the dissolution of the CEAS, excepting such sums as the Selectboard may allow the CEAS to donate to one or more local nonprofit charitable organizations, which may include a non-profit established to benefit the CAD; 3. that the leadership of the CEAS acknowledge immediately that the membership has authorized the dissolution of the CEAS; 4. that the dissolution of the CEAS shall take place simultaneously with the securing of such licensure as will allow the CAD to begin providing, within six (6) months of the inaugural date of the licensure, such ambulance and/or emergency medical services to the Town of Cabot as has hitherto been provided by CEAS; 5. that the leadership of the CEAS shall henceforth report regularly to the Selectboard about the progress of obtaining such licensure; 6. that no further action shall be taken by the leadership or membership of the CEAS respecting its commitment to dissolve itself and become the CAD other than such further action as legal counsel or the State of Vermont may direct to effect its dissolution. The motion was seconded by Mike with the intent to start the discussion. Karen Larsen said that it is Cabot Ambulance’s prerogative to become part of the town, and asked R.D. about his thoughts on the merger and where it might eventually land. R.D. explained that he knows there is resistance in Cabot Ambulance to becoming part of the Fire Department. He noted that he can’t foresee the future but is not proposing a backdoor to a merger of the departments. Karen said the proposal does not allow for the possibility of changing the structure. R.D. responded that the possibility is still there, and that the Cabot Ambulance Department would have a say regarding a merger. Mike turned the discussion towards Cabot Ambulance and asked Jenn how many people can respond to a call. Jenn said that it is 14 right now, and pointed out they have had some resignations lately. Mike said he is trying to get a handle on the situation, and noted that there was a call recently and there wasn’t anyone from Cabot that showed up. He said that it has been proposed to contract out the service. Jenn noted that in her research, Barre charges $76 on a per capita basis, and Cabot Ambulance rate is about $25 per person. Karen then talked about a piece on social media that detailed staffing and questioned the availability of the three certified EMTs on the roster. Jenn said that they have Ruth Goodrich, and some are inactive for personal reasons. Karen then added that she understood that two EMTs will soon be receiving certification, but they are 17 and won’t be able to practice until they are 18. Jenn said one just turned 18, and the other is mid-30s who failed the test but is retaking it. Fred asked how many times have you not been able to respond to calls in the past six months. Jenn responded that they have responded to the majority of calls. Rory Thibault spoke as a member of the public and said that Walden contracts to Calais and Hardwick at $14,000 a year, and budget $5,000 for fast squad. He noted that they spend $20,000 and are two-thirds our size. The discussion then turned to where the monies held by Cabot Ambulance would go, and Jenn said the bylaws state the membership would vote on it. R.D. pointed out that the motion states the money would come to the town. Karen then said she wanted to speak to liabilities, and said the town would absorb the potential liabilities. She said she looked up Cabot Ambulance’s Non- Profit Form 990 filings with the IRS, which is public record. She went on to say that Cabot Ambulance is a nonprofit, and filed 990s regularly until 2010. She noted that the IRS revoked the non-profit status in 2013. It was then reinstated in 2015. Then revoked by the IRS and later revoked in 2023 by the state. She pointed out that on the previous day, the state had reinstated the non -profit status and then said that it all might amount to tax fraud. Jenn responded that they had reached out to an accountant to straighten out the non-profit status. She said the change in leadership caused the issues, and they are trying to straighten it all out. There was a lot of back and forth among Karen, Jenn and Ruth over fillings and non-profit status. Mike concluded that the situation is unfortunate, but a common occurrence in a lot of organizations. He remarked that this happens all the time. Rory and R.D. then discussed whether the town would take on the tax liability, and Rory suggested consulting the town’s attorney. Karen said that Cabot Ambulance’s cash flow in 2020 was in excess of $200,000 and she is concerned about federal tax fraud. Fred Ducharme agreed that the board should seek town counsel. R.D. asked Cabot Ambulance to share their books and Ruth responded that she didn’t think it was proper for a company to review their books in public. R.D. asked how Cabot Ambulance would deal with its aging equipment if it remained a non-profit company. Jenn responded that they would look for grant opportunities. Mike asked where the ambulance would be stationed. Dean Deasy spoke, and said that as a taxpayer he is concerned that if he gets hurt, he is not going to get an ambuthe additional work to make the soccer field more usable during wet weather. Currently, depending upon the weather, the field is not usable at times. Chris went on to say that Tim McKay from Peacham volunteered to lay out a plan for drainage of the field. The plan calls for four parallel drainage lanes under the soccer field. They would be three feet deep and 120 feet long. There would be ditches at both ends of the field to connect the lengthwise ditches, and the water would be drained behind the softball backstop. Chris thanked the board for approving the $10,000 matching funds for the grant about a month ago so the town could apply for another $10,000 for the project. R.D. noted that there is a shortfall of about $8,000. Chris agreed but said that they need to start the project in order to be done before it starts snowing and the ground freezes. He mentioned the seeding would happen next spring. Chris went on to talk about another series of grants that could help with the shortfall, but he won’t hear the result for them until January. Rory Thibault spoke from the public and informed the board that youth sports are continuing to consolidate in the schools, and that Cabot is a central location. He suggested that improving the field with drainage might allow for more usage. Karen also added that youth took a big hit due to the flood and emphasized the board should address their needs too. After the discussion concluded, the board accepted the bid unanimously.

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Rec Field Drainage

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The Selectboard opened bids that had been submitted for installing drainage at the Recreation (Rec) Field, at the October 17 meeting. Unlike the recent opening of bids regarding the temporary and permanent Public Safety Building which were done in executive session, this bid opening was done in open meeting. Betty opened the single bid and read it to the Selectboard. The bid was from Ben Ackermann, and was for $27,875. R.D. Eno asked Chris Tormey to refresh everyone on the proposed project before the board took action. Chris went on to explain that when he brought the proposal to the board, he had a ballpark figure of $20,000, and expressed that he didn’t think the bid was unreasonable. He said that he had walked over the field with Ben and he thinks Ben has a good idea of what needs to be done, He also talked about the funding for the project. Chris said that he was expecting to hear from the state on Friday regarding the $10,000 grant for which they had already applied. He added that there are other grants that are being considered and he is going to keep working to get more state dollars to help pay for the work. Karen Larsen asked Chris to talk more about the project, and Chris then described how the field is often wet. He added that because of the flood, and the amount of work needed to get it into playable shape, it would be helpful to do lance. He expressed concern about Cabot Ambulance’s stability and said they don’t have a plan for the rest of winter. Mike cut Dean off, and said he didn’t want any personal accusations. Mike called the question, and the board voted on the motion. R.D. voted yes, then Skip, Karen and Fred each voted no. Skip expressed the need to go to legal counsel. R.D. spoke before Mike voted and said “before you certify the vote, I suggest you table the motion.” Mike tabled the motion. The Selectboard had decided not to discuss Cabot Ambulance at the October 17 meeting since Mike Hogan would not be in attendance. Therefore, the subject was not on the agenda. However, Jenn Miner, Cabot Ambulance President, spoke during public comment and read a letter she had sent to the Selectboard. The letter started with “Cabot Emergency Ambulance Service is hereby notifying you that we the leadership of CAES will uphold the CAES squad vote due to the SB vote & inaccuracy of the Resolution presented. We will not be moving forward with the discussion of becoming a municipal service.” The letter went on to explain inaccuracies in minutes and noted that when the Selectboard’s motion was tabled at the prior meeting, it was moot because the vote had already been taken. The letter also stated that CAES took exception to the accusation of tax fraud. The letter ended “Therefore: “BE IT RESOLVED”, CAES has chosen to remain a private business and continue to serve the Cabot community. This matter is hereby closed.”

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CABOT COMMENTARY

Literacy Crisis Letter to the Editor:

At the risk of having my argument twisted by the School Board or others, and thus being publicly smeared and lied about like I was on FPF, I’d like to share my observations about the literacy crisis in our state anyway. Literacy has been on a downward slope across the state for at least two decades. It turns out that the number one reason for this is because students have been taught incorrectly for at least two decades!! To be clear: This is not the teachers’ fault; it’s the system’s fault. Schools and teachers get their directives from the Agency of Education, who directs the entire system that is failing us. Most students get the LD label slapped onto them because they are reading below grade level. But it’s becoming increasingly apparent that most of these children aren’t deficient in reading BECAUSE they have special learning needs. Instead, most have special learning needs BECAUSE they are deficient in reading. The more kids with special needs you have labeled, the more funding is secured for the school system. Which begs the question: are schools really incentivized to have most kids reading at grade level? Could there be an unintended incentive for the school system to NOT prioritize teaching kids to read well? If a student isn’t reading proficiently by third grade, prospects are not good for academic success. 74% of third graders who read poorly still read poorly in 9th grade. Third grade reading scores can even predict the likelihood of graduating high school. Illiteracy also creates demoralizing feelings such as frustration, inadequacy, resentment, anxiety, and shame, which impact mental health and behavior. Could illiteracy be contributing to the increasing classroom behavior disruptions? 85% of juvenile offenders are functionally illiterate. 70-75% of incarcerated adults cannot read at a 4th grade level (however, once given literacy instruction, the return-rate drops from 70% to just 16%). “The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure.” -The Department of Justice. According to a recent article, when students with LD were given intensive phonics instruction, “two-thirds were able to leave special education entirely and only a handful still showed signs of a reading disability.” (Seven Days, “Reading Reckoning,” October 4 Issue, page 30). If schools started to prioritize reading at grade level, we would see a significant reduction: in the number of students with LD; in the cost of public education; AND in behavior and mental health problems at schools. So, please join me in encouraging our school board, superintendent, and school administrators to prioritize increasing Cabot students’ reading proficiency rates above 47% (pre-COVID-19 number). All students have the right to learn to read well.

Sharon Kulsick

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Flood Resiliency Task Force Begins Work

by Gary Gulka Eno on the upper reaches of the tributary draining to the bridge and rec field. Note the recently eroded stream bank with exposed tree roots.

The Flood Resiliency Task Force had its first meeting in September and has begun examining the two tributaries to the Winooski River that severely damaged Cabot Village in the July flood. The first order of business is to get out and walk the two tributaries and their many branches and drainages from high up in the watersheds down to the mainstem of the Winooski in the village. We are doing as much of this as we can before snow season, taking photos and making observations. Walking the streams is a slow and arduous process but has given us a much better understanding of field conditions as we move toward identifying strategies to slow and reduce the flows and the energy of the waters coming off the hills. We have generally started our stream walks at the top of the subwatersheds (or drainage areas) on each major tributary, making our way down to the village. We have observed many areas of streambank erosion, including exposed tree roots, small-scale landslides on steep, high banks, large boulders moved downstream by the force of the water, and fallen trees. But we have also observed many beautiful, spectacular, and resilient areas including gorges that held up exceedingly well and natural wood additions (fallen trees) anchored across the streambeds that slow and divert flows out of the stream channel. Mature trees and their extensive root infrastructure prevented further erosion, suggesting the important role of wide, forested buffers along streambanks and drainage areas.

Flood Resiliency Task Force members observing erosion of streambanks above Menard Road.

Thomas Dunbar, Cabot High School science teacher, and his Winooski River class discuss the condition of one of the tributaries in the upland reaches.

Cabot High School teacher Thomas Dunbar and his Winooski River class are helping to document the stream conditions of the major tributary draining to the middle of the village. In this early phase of walking miles of streams and documenting conditions, we are reserving judgment on remedies and solutions to village flooding until we learn more and consult with experts, but we are confident that we will eventually get to this point. This will also inform us on other areas of the watershed in town that were damaged and would benefit from slowing and reducing stormwater runoff. Task Force members include the Conservation Committee (Gary Gulka, Chris Duff, Dawn Andrews, Roland Payne, Jr., and Cedric Alexander), Michele Braun, Executive Director of Friends of the Winooski River, RD Eno, Karen Deasy, Jenn Miner, Thomas Dunbar, Peg Elmer Hough, and Brittany Butler. Monthly meetings of the Task Force are on the first Wednesday of each month.

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Walden Memories

by Chrystal Fox

I wrote this book to show the many changes that have occurred in my hometown in my lifetime. Walden has gone from about sixty dairy farms shipping milk in 1953 to three today. There were no camps on Coles Pond or Lyfords Pond. Now there are year-round homes on both ponds. The population has doubled. There was not a Wildlife Management Area. There are pages from the 1953 Town Report and corresponding pages from the 2022 Town Report. Vintage Aerial Photos from 1966 and photos from the same farms that I took in February of 2023.

Available for purchase at the Corner Stop Inn Shop or the South Walden Schoolhouse Gallery, both in Walden.

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Cabot Athletes Thriving on the Soccer Pitch

by Rory Thibault With Cabot’s recreation fields still covered in silt and debris and the transition over the years from independent to unified teams, it is not as easy as it once was to keep up with varsity boy’s and girl’s soccer. The good news is seven young athletes who call Cabot home continue to make huge contributions to their teams – Twinfield-Cabot Union for boys, and a combined Cabot-Danville-Twinfield team for the girls. Other competing sports and interests, combined with the multi-year disruption of youth athletics from COVID-19, have led to fewer students among all three communities committing to the intense and sometimes grueling schedule of high school sports. The union and multischool approach to high school athletics is likely here to stay. Chloe North, a freshman from Cabot who attends Twinfield, summed things up nicely: “This season, the three schools formed a soccer team due to the lack of players at all schools. At first I was skeptical to join with another school that I didn’t know too well, but it turned out to be the best soccer team I've been a part of.” Chloe plays midfield and striker for the team – under the coaching of her father, Cameron North, a former Cabot soccer star himself. On the field, Chloe is joined by Camryn Hoffman, a Cabot senior, currently enrolled in early college. Camryn plays sweeper for the team and has been on the soccer field her entire school career. Camryn is pleased with the season so far: “Despite not having ever played together before, the team seems to have really good communication and is working really well together.” She added that “Our coaches are spectacular, and it’s really just been wonderful to be a part of a team that cares about soccer, but also knows how to have fun.” Camryn is a leader on the team, currently holding a 3- 6-2 record. The Cabot-Twinfield boys team is coached by Peter Stratman, Cabot School’s 8th grade teacher. Five boys on the team call Cabot home – senior (early college) Silas Robbins, a team captain who plays as defensive midfielder, senior Dominick Hale, goalkeeper, sophomore (at Twinfield), Sean Lehoe, full-back/defense, freshman Oliver Searles, goalkeeper and defense, and freshman River Thibault, right-midfielder. At the time of writing, the Cabot- Twinfield boys have a 5-7 record – coming off of a riveting double overtime win over Northfield-Williamstown (Paine Mountain). When asked about the season, Silas commented, “We started off slow this year, but with a signature win under our belts, it’s time to dominate the playoffs.” The season has been marked by impressive victories over Lyndon Institute, Danville School, and Blue Mountain – outscoring those teams 31-0 in four matches – and narrow losses to powerhouse teams such as People’s Academy, Winooski, and BFA-Fairfax. In the shut-out victories, Dominick has shone in the box, while Oliver has proven his skill and potential in multiple starting appearances this season – against some of the toughest teams. Sean, historically a midfielder, has proven to be an incredibly effective defensive player, and with Silas, they have brought speed and vision of the whole field to the backline. Silas has been an offensive threat as well, adding to the goal total against Danville this season. Finally, River has earned his place as a freshman starter, scoring in multiple games and tallying multiple assists to the team’s other offensive players. Both coaches have a lot to be proud of and are building their players’ skills and confidence as the season goes on. Of Coach Stratman, River said, “He has taught me a lot and has made me a much better player.” He also shared a widely held sentiment, hoping that no matter the season’s outcome that Coach Stratman returns in 2024. Looking to the rest of the season, Camryn shared a sentiment that both teams can appreciate: “We’re better than our record is showing, and I’m excited to prove that in playoffs in the upcoming weeks.” Cabot’s hometown athletes clearly have a competitive drive and will continue to make great contributions to athletics in our broader community.

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100th Anniversary of Willey Building Granite Bench Dedication 10/14 Remarks

by Amanda Legare “This building is here today because of the determination of a small group of women more than 100 years ago. The Judith Lyford Woman's Club was founded in 1912 by twelve Cabot women. Meetings were held once a month in members' homes. Initially, it was created to offer a social and educational outlet and to support worthwhile charities. Their real goal was to have a permanent library and meeting rooms for their club. At the time, there was a small library on the second floor of a private home in the village. By 1916 the club had raised $515 towards their goal. Charles Willey had a carriage shop on Elm Street. He wanted to expand, and he borrowed $2,000 from Cabot resident Gertrude Wiswell Wells. He went to New York City, where he became very prosperous. As a member of the woman's club, Gertrude then asked Mr. Willey if he could help support the woman's club financially towards creating a permanent library building in town with a space for entertainment, meeting rooms and a kitchen. He offered to double any amount of money the women could raise in one year. The challenge began on October 18, 1916. The women bought a plot of land on Main Street at the site of a former inn that had burned in 1914. The club had 63 active members at the time and fund raising was constant and persistent. They had suppers, put on entertainment, took subscriptions, and went door to door asking for donations. If townspeople could not contribute money, they promised to volunteer to help with the building for two or three days. At the end of the year, the women had raised $3,573.15. (This would be more than $85,000 today). Mr. Willey matched this with a check for $7,646.36. Dr. Burbank was named head of the building committee and Maude Walbridge was president of the Woman's Club as the building was constructed. A contract was let in 1920 for $13,000 for the building. Frank A. Walker of Montpelier was selected to do the design. He was also the architect for the Supreme Court building in Montpelier, the Lincoln School in Barre and the Stowe town hall. Bud Bruce of Lower Cabot was general contractor. Local lumber came from his mill in Lower Cabot. The women did all the finish work in the building. The first meeting of the woman's club in the Willey Memorial Hall was held in 1921. The Willey Building became the location for all kinds of events, including town meetings, plays, movies, dances, card parties, and basketball. They put nets around the walls so that windows would not be broken. Jennie Donaldson said some people did not approve of the card parties. The woman's club was dissolved in 1971 because of dwindling membership. The building was deeded to the town from the Woman's Club with the condition that the town maintain and support the library and the building. Areca (Gamblin) Urban remembered in an interview in 1989 when the woman's club stopped meeting. She helped to write the deed transferring ownership of the Willey Building. "I don't know of anything that was harder on me than that was. Margaret Gould and I did it. We couldn't get enough younger people to join. Women work out now, then they didn't use to.” In 1966 a $300,000 renovation brought the building up to Federal standards for public meetings, but it is still essentially the same building made possible by a group of persistent Cabot women, the Cabot community and one particularly generous donor.”

We’re planning a casual free lunch on Saturday,

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 9 onward.

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FREE VETERANS LUNCH

The Cabot Chronicle and Cabot Historical Society are collaborating to thank veterans for their service and collect veterans’ stories, an important component of the fabric of our community. If you are a veteran or have a loved one who has told you about their experience, we’d like to hear from you. Wives, siblings, children – we’d like your tales. Memories about wartime activities at home in support of our service members are welcome, as well. But don’t feel you have to tell a story to attend. You can just eat and listen.

November 11, noon to 1:30 p.m. It’ll be an opportunity to talk with other veterans, listen to a few stories and receive our thanks for your service. You are cordially invited, and we hope to see you there. Join us for lunch, an expression of our appreciation & shared stories.

SPONSORED BY THE CABOT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE CABOT CHRONICLE

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What was Cabot Like in the 1920’s?

After the dedication of the granite bench on the front lawn of town hall, David Book sat down with community members to provide a glimpse of what it was like a hundred years ago, offering a few “snapshots” to help identify the character of Cabot in the years 1916-1922:

 In 1920 the population of Cabot was 30% less than 2020, a mere 1,036 souls, most of whom were Caucasian agrarian Republican conservative individuals, regularly attending either the Methodist or Congregational churches facing each other across the town common. Most were poor but did not know it.  Horse sheds stood where the Cabot School now stands and the High (see ’Cabot 1920’s’, page 10)

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We Heard From Our Veterans

The Cabot Chronicle and Cabot Historical Society asked veterans to share their stories. Military history is an integral component of the fabric of our com- BACKGROUND: After graduating from Danville High School in 1962 and Kansas Wesleyan University in 1966, I entered the Peace Corps in June, assigned to Nigeria in West Africa, where I served until November of 1968. I worked on an experimental dairy farm, introduced rabbit farming in my area, and started Young Farmers Clubs, what we would call 4-H. The Biafran War started in April of 1967, ending in 1970. Living in a country experiencing a Civil War solidified my understanding as to how critical a strong military is to the continued existence of a country.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ARMY: I started graduate school at the University of Arizona in January of 1969. In February of 1969, I was drafted, so I joined the two-year Army ROTC program which required me to attend basic training to make up for the missed first two years of ROTC. I survived basic training in the June/July time frame at Fort Benning, Georgia, but it almost killed me as Georgia can be quite hot and humid then. After completing the third year of the ROTC training I spent the summer of 1970 at Fort Lewis, Washington. In May of 1971 I received my Regular Army Commission, graduating as the Distinguished Military Student and Distinguished Military Graduate. ARMY SERVICE: As a Second Lieutenant Infantry Officer I was required to attend a thirteen-week Basic Officer Infantry Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, followed by three weeks of airborne training and nine weeks of ranger training before shipping off to Baumholder, Germany, for the remainder of my three -year commitment. I initially served as a Mechanized Infantry Platoon Leader, experiencing the joy of riding around Germany in an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) before being involuntarily assigned as the Central Accounting Officer for thirteen non-appropriated funds on three military bases. I was assigned to the position because of having a Masters Degree in Public Administration at a time when the Military was coming under severe criticism for the way the Abby Hall Grubbs, granddaughter of Carlton Domey, asked her grandfather for an interview about his service as a Marine for a school project. He referred her to his brother Raymond because Raymond had served overseas, while Carlton was assigned stateside. Abby interviewed her great-uncle in 1999/2000. Raymond Domey died November 30, 2014, in Kansas, the same day his brother Carlton died in Vermont. Both received military honors and are interred in Durant Cemetery in Lower Cabot. Abby, who now resides in North Carolina, gave us permission to reprint her interview.

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

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Cabot 1920’s?

(see ’Cabot 1920’s’, page 9) School was in a two-story building on the east side of the Common, an elegant two-story structure that had a very wet basement. Its principal was Mr. Risen in 1921.  Some electricity was in the Village but none in the countryside unless provided by creative ingenuity by some of the more generated-minded farmers. The telephone was a fairly new arrival in town and certainly not everyone had one, and when the telephone rang, more than one person usually picked up the receiver. Herb Rideout used to say, “Alright. All you other people listening in can go back and finish your breakfast now.” A few homes had radios. Pearl Houston remembered: “We had radios, but we had earphones, so one person in a family could listen at a time. Maybe five of us children would sit up until midnight and take turns listening for maybe 15 minutes. Then we’d pass the earphones to someone else.”  Every farm, and there were at least 150 working farms, had an icehouse on the property in which ice blocks about 36” x 18” were stored amongst layers of sawdust. They’d been cut usually at the West Hill Pond after it was dammed up in 1920 or Joe’s Pond earlier. They did that to keep the milk and cream cold before taking it down to the Creamery. And most farmers still employed a team of oxen or large steers to transport both ice and milk. Cabot Farmers Cooperative Creamery, the forerunner of today’s co-op, was formed in 1919.  There were a few motor vehicles around, but they still drew attention when they came into town. Most people still relied on wagons, carriages, and sleds, many of which were made at the Cabot Carriage Factory where Charles Willey worked before moving out West. Speaking of sleds, roads were not plowed in Cabot until the 30’s. A double team of horses pulled a large snow-roller along the many rural roads to make them navigable for sleds by compressing the high drifts. Sometimes it might be four or five days before you could get out.  Folks took their grain to the grist mill down on the river right across the street from this town hall, and the lumber needs were taken care of right here, as well as from a number of sawmills right along this same stream. And, of course, everybody sugared and enjoyed the delectable treat, sugar-on-snow.  Everyone knew Raymond Peck, the postman who delivered the mail six days a week by buggy, sled and finally motorcar for 51 years starting in 1918. Postman Peck’s horses were well taken care of and were trained well. “He could put the reins right over his neck and the horse would stop right where he was supposed to at the mailbox. One family in particular, of the Cabot Plains, the Urban family, on a terrible, cold winter day, Mr. Urban would have the barn doors open and Mr. Peck would come along. And he’d drive his team right into the barn and go into the house and have hot coffee and perhaps a piece of pie.” It is said that sometimes even if the Urbans had no mail, Postman Peck made a stop anyway.  Even those with cars used horses in the winter. To see a car on a road in the winter was a strange sight and, in the spring, would surely get stuck in the mud more often than not. The rumor is that some cars from the twenties will one day be excavated on the road between Cabot and Marshfield. Several blacksmiths were kept busy keeping horses shod and now and then a little car repair. Bessie Bean remembered the first car fatality in Cabot on July 22, 1921. A deaf Civil War veteran, Kelsey Freeman, was accidentally hit by a car running in high gear to make the hill up to Walden. For some reason, Kelsey thought he was going to turn on the South Walden Road and stepped out in front of him.  The social life in Cabot was more varied and active than today. People got together more, to play cards and parlor games, to sing and play instruments, to play baseball and basketball, or participate in the local drama club, band or choir, skating, sledding and crosscountry skiing were popular winter activities. Earle Rogers had a traverse, a long toboggan-like sled that held up to 12 brave souls. They would stop up to the top of “Bond” Hill and sometimes go all the way down to Lower Cabot. A skating rink was created on the Common. But dancing was another story. There were many people in town, especially the Methodists, that were very much against it. In fact, the Masonic Hall, the former first school and now the Cabot Historical Society building, was sold to the Woman’s Relief Corps in 1923 with only one stipulation: that the building would never be used for dancing. The school got around the questionable activity by having “promenades,” which even the Methodist minister could not find fault with.  What else did these forebears endure? How about WWI with 45 men from Cabot enlisting. One man, Charles Barnett, died of the dreaded Spanish Flu in France in October of 1818. The family did not receive a letter confirming his death and burial in France until early 1919. How about Women’s Suffrage in 1920 as the 19th amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote. Tumultuous times.  Finally, the resident doctor was Mials Davis Warren, who had been an apprentice under Dr. Wiswell, who preceded him. Dr. Warren was accustomed to making his rounds to minister to the sick. He purchased one of the earliest automobiles in the Village. Driving his new car, he entered the shed to park and pulled back on the steering wheel shouting “whoa” while he accelerated the vehicle. He went right out through the end of the garage into the meadow. So, yes, these varied snapshots show us that times are certainly different 100 years later. Sometimes, I believe, too different. But yet there is a great sense of community still to be found in this town when people need help, when a flood comes, when a fire destroys a home, when people are sick or injured. Foster that compassion, hold on to tradition, maintain that special Cabot spirit. Life happens. May this building be a lasting symbol of dedication to community and well-being.

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Veteran History Preserved

by Jane Brown After Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, towns and cities throughout the nation mobilized. Air Raid drills were initiated in schools and civilian volunteers took turns scanning the sky for enemy planes. There were scrap metal drives and Victory Gardens, food rationing and shortages of everything. Each community supported their service men and women in a variety of ways, and in Cabot, Congregational Church minister, Rev. E. H. Nickerson initiated a monthly newsletter that was sent to those serving from Cabot. He personally typed it on his manual typewriter, cutting a stencil and running off copies with the school’s mimeograph machine. With the help of volunteers that included his wife Ruth, Mrs. Jack Rogers, and a student, Norma Tebbetts, the first three-page copy of “Contact” was mailed in March 1943. The April issue listed 82 names of men serving, 21 of them overseas. The list also included Lt. May Wheeler, the first Cabot woman to serve in the military. Later, Lt. Nancy Coyle from Cabot served in the Korean War; she died in an auto accident while serving. The “Contact” reported marriages, births, election results, news of others in the service, and was sprinkled with jokes and funny stories. Over time there were clips from letters sent to parents or to Rev. Nickerson - messages from lonely, grateful soldiers who wrote from foxholes; weary youngsters still in training in the military camps; sailors on the high seas who couldn’t divulge their whereabouts or destination. There were letters from S/Sgt. Tommy Cerasoli in England; Pfc. Bert Fifield stationed in Australia; Pvt. Clarence Martin in Camp Bowie, Texas; A/C Warren Blodgett in North Carolina; Pfc. Stanley Perkins in the South Pacific; and many more as the months and years rolled on. Rev. Nickerson began each “Contact” with “Hello, Fellows” and usually ended with a silly joke or poem. He never seemed to run out of material. In addition to the newsletter, he organized sending gift boxes at Christmas to everyone on the “Contact” mailing list. Cabot citizens were generous with donations of money and goods to support the effort. Boxes were packed with maple syrup from the Goodrich farm and Cheese from Cabot Creamery; knitted mittens and caps from the Women’s Club, and personal items like toothbrushes, soap, and shaving cream, all generously donated. “Contact” cover sheets often had sketches of familiar landmarks such as Roger’s Store, the Willey Building, Paul Hopkins’ store, the school, or the church. The August 1944 issue was dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Clare Knapp, killed in action on Anzio Beach on June 2, 1944. That issue had a sketch of a farm plow, reins draped over the handles. A shiny silver star sticker was carefully placed on the service flag shown hanging from the plow handles. Clare was one of four who didn’t make it home; the others were Arnold “Husky” Bartlett who died in the South Pacific in 1941; Sgt. Ernest Maynard died in 1943 in France; and Cpl. Oliver Wheeler lost his life at Iwo Jima in 1945. Reading those fading pages from 80 years ago reveals the horrors of war, but also how strong, tough, and resolute people were, both those who served, and the folks back home. Cabot’s little newsletter not only brought news from home to those in service, it also was a conduit to share information and addresses with buddies and families, and it is an important documentation of history, thanks to Rev. Nickerson’s dedication to his community. Rev. Nickerson published the final “Contact” in July, 1946. He wrote: “The first issue of CONTACT [was] a threepage affair and since that time has grown to approximately eighteen pages. It has been swell getting acquainted with some of you fellows of both the Catholic and Protestant faith. I’ve enjoyed your letters, not simply because they provided material for CONTACT, but because I felt that we were writing as friend to friend. You were out there giving your best that we might have a better world to live in... . . . The latchstring at the parsonage will always be out to all of you. If, at any time I can be of service to you, I’m at your command. May God bless you, everyone. Your friend, E. H. Nickerson.

Note: The Cabot Library has a complete collection of “Contacts.”

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Invasive Honeysuckle: A Plant You Should Remove Now!

Honeysuckle bushes have fragrant flowers in spring and orange or red berries in fall. Due to their aesthetically pleasing flowers and berries, and ease of growing, many varieties of honeysuckles were commonly used in landscaping over the last several decades. Unfortunately, a number of these shrubs are not native to our area. They are aggressively invasive, and detrimental to bird populations. They form dense stands in woodlands and at the edges of fields, overwhelming native plants. The berries are a fast food equivalent: plentiful, colorful, attractive, tasty, but lacking the necessary nutrients for our local birds to thrive. Because of the damage that invasive honeysuckles cause to local ecosystems, and how easily they spread from their numerous berries, it’s important to remove these plants from your property. Stands of invasive honeysuckle can produce many thousands of berries, which get dispersed by birds to surrounding land for miles around, and causing damage to both your neighbors properties, and public lands. The best time to remove honeysuckle is right now, in late fall. They hold their leaves much longer than native plants and stand out as green blobs in otherwise leafless forests and brown meadows. Invasive honeysuckle can be removed by a number of methods. Very young honeysuckles can be pulled out. Try to remove all the roots, as they resprout easily from roots left in the ground. Larger, older honeysuckles can be cut at 2-6” above the ground, and the stumps treated with concentrated glyphosate (Roundup). Make sure to cut and treat in the fall when the shrubs are directing their energy downward into their root systems. Apply the herbicide with either a roll-on applicator or small brush, to use the least amount possible, and in a targeted manner. Spraying is NOT recommended because the herbicide can drift to other plants, causing damage or death, or contaminate wetlands and harm amphibians. Always read and follow the instructions on the label, and ONLY use herbicide on your own property (training and a state license is required to apply herbicide on property belonging to others). Another effective method is controlled burning, but this requires the services of an experienced forester or burn professional, as well as obtaining permits. Cutting honeysuckle is ineffective; they readily sprout from stumps and will be back to full size within a couple years. Native honeysuckles do grow in our area, but they are fairly uncommon. To tell them apart from exotic invasive types, break open a small branch. If the center is hollow or has a dark core, it’s an exotic. If the center has a white core, it’s a native. If you have native honeysuckle, you’re very lucky…let it grow and prosper! But 99% of the time, you’ll find the honeysuckles to be an invasive type. Lastly, if you are planting new shrubs on your property, be sure you are NOT choosing invasive honeysuckle! While banned for sale in this region, there are still online vendors offering these plants. I recommend buying from reputable local nurseries whenever possible; it gives you the opportunity to talk with experienced growers and ensures you won’t be adding problem plants to your landscaping. 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 the Garden Goddess page at www.SocksFamilyFarm.weebly.com or call 802.498.7785.

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Cabot School Facilities Update

As many of you will remember from years past, the budget for Cabot School did not pass on the first (or in at least one case, second) vote. Some of the rationale for this was that there was an ‘excess spending penalty’ set by the state if our per pupil budgeted amount was above a certain threshold. Last year, we deliberately kept the budget very lean in an attempt to get it passed on the first vote- it can be costly and it is definitely bad for school morale and potentially teacher retention if there is financial uncertainty caused by multiple budget votes. Fortunately, the excess spending threshold set by the state is not in effect this year, so we don’t have to worry about that. Another positive is that the state funding formula was changed, which should be in our favor. We are still waiting for information on that from the state, which we should receive in December. During those years of having to make cuts to the budget, one thing has been underfunded for years, and it has now come time where Peter (in this case, the school facilities) is demanding payment. Underfunding the school facility was often out of necessity when the school budget had to be reduced after being voted down - we are bound by law to provide certain services to students, and we have no choice but to fund those services. Of course, there are other things we absolutely must do, such as heat the building. Last year, our heating system failed, and so we had to spend much more money than was budgeted for heat. This is an example of having to spend more money when things break than we might have if we had been able to be proactive with needed maintenance. In the September issue of the Chronicle, Chris Tormey wrote an article giving an overview of some of the work that is currently being done at Cabot School, as well as work that will need to be done soon. We really need to do this work, and so we, the School Board, want to keep you informed on what is happening. We hope to earn your support for the budget we will present in advance of Town Meeting Day. This is a recap of the information from the previous article and more details about other needed repairs/replacements: Currently being done:  New ventilation system in the CSPAC

building and new controls to the heating units in all of the school’s buildings, paid for by a grant from Efficiency Vermont  Upgrades to the BioMass heating

plant, mostly paid for by a grant from the Vermont Public Service Department  Playground construction, paid for by fundraising efforts as well as $5000 from the town and $5000 from ARPA money (this is ongoing- we raised enough to start purchasing some of the equipment but not all, and we needed to spend some of the funds raised on construction costs, as the volunteer work we were hoping to have was understandably needed for flood clean-up over the summer)  Emergency repairs to part of the roof in the Health Center (main building). $26,602  Emergency purchase of new exterior door security system. The old system failed completely and unexpectedly. $21,265.  New circulator pump for the heating loop has stopped working and is being replaced. $5,037. Last year we budgeted $50,000 for building maintenance. The projects above have exceeded that amount. We will be in a deficit of about $70,000 for last year. Most of the deficit is due to the biomass plant failure and subsequent need to purchase oil to heat the buildings. Needs to be done:  Three fan coil units need new blower motors - $3,000.  Building exterior issues- we are waiting on several quotes for roof repairs, paving/sidewalks, and some siding replacement.  Fire alarm system - we are waiting for answers from the state Fire Marshal, but if our system is not up to code, a new system will cost about $150,000.  Hot water loop that sends the heat around to all of the buildings. Waiting for a quote, but the estimate is about $200,000.  ADA compliance- waiting for quotes.  Many other small projects that have been put on hold for years: rugs and sub-floors that have been damaged from roof leaking. This is likely not a complete list of everything that will need to be done, but it is what we know currently. School Board meetings are the fourth Monday of each month in the school library, and there is always a Zoom option as well. We welcome your input.

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CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS

LIBRARY HOURS: Monday noon

- 6 pm, Tuesday 10 am – 6 pm, Wednesday 2 - 6 pm, Thursday noon - 6 pm, and Saturday 9 amnoon. Curbside library service is still available during regular library hours.

Youth Programming - Be sure to visit our website: cabotlibrary.com and check FPF for updates and added programming. If you have a skill or passion that you would like to share with the community, please contact us. We would love to have community members facilitate or help with programs throughout the year.

Outdoor Exploration & Book

Club (ages 7-11) - Thursdays - September 14 - November 9 - 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Join Amanda Otto for outdoor adventures. We'll pack a good book, snacks and head to the Cabot trails. Participants will also make crafts using natural materials and learn how to identify local flora and fauna. Please email Amanda or call the library to reserve your spot. For more information or to sign up, please email amandaotto.cabotlib [email protected].

Dungeons and Dragons - (ages 9 - 13)

- Tuesdays, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. - Join Losada Stoddard as DM for our newest D&D campaign. Learn how to build a Dungeons and Dragons character, and then set out on your Adventures. No experience necessary! Come for the mysteries and magic, tails and talons, puzzles and prophecies! Snacks provided. Outdoor Story and Activity Time (ages birth - 6) - Wednesdays 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Cabot Rec Field Pavilion Join youth librarian Amanda Otto for stories, songs, crafts and activities! Stay after for snacks and active play on the swing sets, sandbox and fields for hiking and birdwatching. All are welcome! We will move indoors to the third floor of the Willey building when the weather gets too cold to meet outside.

Beading with Mary Rogerson- You’re invited to bead with Mary to create fun projects using pony beads. Mary has been making beaded crafts and jewelry for five years and is very excited to bead with you! We will hold two beading workshops in November - details will be posted on FPF and our website shortly. Ages 7 and up. Snacks provided!

StoryWalk - November – Cabot Rec

Field The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams and illustrated by Megan Lloyd will be up through mid November. A big shout out to Allison Gulka for helping us make apple cider during Story & Activity Time and to Burtt's Apple Orchard for supplying the apples! Additional thanks to Cabot Smith Farm for supplying mini pumpkins for our inaugural pumpkin decorating workshop at the library. We are looking forward to making this an annual event! Thanks so much to Mary Rogerson and Jennifer Tidd for volunteering to share their expertise with the beading workshops.

Adult Programming Yoga for Everybody is back! Sunday’s 10:30- 11:45 am How would it be to offer your body the commitment of attention on a regular basis? Let's find out together! Join local yoga teacher Christyn King on Sunday mornings to feel, breathe, expand, balance, strengthen, and energize yourself. All are welcome - beginners enthusiastically encouraged! Mats and props provided. Donation based (suggested donation $10). Sundays 10:30-11:45 am.

Branching Out: “Author Talks” Series at Cabot Library – Fall Series 2023, Tuesday, November 7 – 7 pm – Kathy Bachus

K.A. Bachus is acquainted with the world of Cold War secrets. A Chicagoborn granddaughter of Lithuanian immigrants who fled Hitler and Stalin, she began adult life during the last year of the Vietnam era by enlisting in the United States Air Force, where she typed aircrew intelligence briefings and ran a large, classified library in a special operations unit. After receiving her commission, she served in England and Japan. As a civilian, she practiced criminal defense law in Texas before retiring and moving to Maine.

Tuesday, November 14 – 7 pm – Samn Stockwell

Samn Stockwell has published in North American Review, the New Yorker, and many others. Her new book of poetry, Musical Figures, is published by Thirty West Publishing House. Her two previous books, Theater of Animals and Recital, won the National Poetry Series (USA) and the Editor’s Prize at Elixir. Poems are forthcoming in Ploughshares and others. Here is a poem from Musical Figures:

FIRST CONFESSION

Stephen ground my face in the snowbank and ran to his mother’s house. Martin smelled like cow shit and held my hand in third grade. My best friend held a velvet postcard of the Virgin Mary glowing in the dark. I loved her and wanted to marry her though she committed mortal sins. We wanted God to keep us forever riding our bikes over the iron bridge, waving to our distant parents.

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to celebrate the Centennial celebration of the Willey Building – a fine day was had by all. Thanks especially to the Friends of the Cabot Library for their support for this event. Thanks also so much to the Library Trustees for their hard work and support for the library: Grace Hoffman, Niall McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert and Erin Ruddell and our student representative, Ila Steinert. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian

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Two November Community Dances November 10 and 19

by Karen Mueller-Harder

The Cabot Community Contra Dance will host TWO dances during the month of November, both held in the wonderful third floor space in the Willey Building (Cabot Town Hall, 3084 Main Steet). Our regular second Friday dance on November 10 will feature the wonderful calling of Luke Donforth, a favorite of this dance community! The dance is 7:30 -10:00 p.m., with a short intro session for new folks at 7:15. Live music is provided by a great group of local musicians--feel free to just come and listen if you like! Then on Sunday, November 19, from 200-4:30 p.m., we will hold our first afternoon dance, for families who find evening dances too late for them, and anyone else who would enjoy some daytime frolicking with people of all ages! While all our events are family-friendly, this one will feature dances especially wellsuited to the youngest members of the community. We will enjoy the energetic and inclusive calling of Adina Gordon, and the same great live music we have for the Friday dances! Everyone is welcome, and all dances are taught, and easily learned, even if you’ve never danced before! Admission is on a sliding scale, $5-10, or you can bring some finger-food refreshments to share at the break! Masks are welcomed but not required, and we’ll have the windows open for ventilation. Hope to see you at a dance!

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