Maple conference
LYNDONVILLE — The 2023 Vermont Maple Conference, Dec. 5-9, offers online and in-person learning with sessions led by maple industry experts and maple producers. UVM Extension and Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association will host the hybrid conference, co-sponsored by Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. Daily sessions will also interest foresters who work with maple producers and forest landowners looking to lease to a producer. Forestry credits will be available for the online and in-person sessions.
Conference event begins with a full day Maple Quality School Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the UVM Extension office in Berlin. Mark Isselhardt from UVM Extension and Jason Lilley from UMaine Extension are featured. The online portion begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, with the first of eight online sessions over a three-day period. The conference concludes with a full day of sessions Saturday, Dec. 9, guest speakers and a tradeshow at Vermont State University’s Randolph campus.
Go to www.vermontmaple.org/maple-conferences for details and to register. Attendees can register for online sessions or a full conference pass.
Bookseller group
ROCHESTER — The Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association met Nov. 19 at Sandy’s Book and Bakery in Rochester, for its fall meeting to discuss upcoming book fairs and elect new officers. The new officers for 2024 are Donna Howard, secretary, from The Eloquent Page in St. Albans; Barbara Harding, vice president, from Otter Creek Used Books in Middlebury; Joseph Trenn, treasurer, from The Book Shed in Benson; and Karen Austin, president from Austin’s Antiquarian Books in Wilmington. The Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association is an organization of professional booksellers offering rare, out of print, collectible, ephemera, with open stores found at www.vermontisbookcountry.com online.
Board members
The Vermont Futures Project Board of Directors welcomed three new members: Jake Holzscheiter, president and CEO, LCB & CCS of A.N. Deringer Inc.; Peter McDougall, president and director of Paul Frank+Collins; and David Tabaruka, financial controller of Community College of Vermont.
The Vermont Futures Project is currently on a statewide tour to inform the development of a unified and durable statewide economic plan to be released in June. Central to this work is the goal of increasing Vermont’s population to 802,000 by 2035 and increasing housing inventory to 350,000 non-seasonal units by 2035.
Light Up Rutland
Registration is officially open for Social Tinkering’s fourth annual Light Up Rutland fundraiser and a community-wide decorating competition. People all across Rutland County are encouraged to register their households, businesses, organizations, schools and neighborhoods to an online map created by Social Tinkering staff. Decorators then light up their locations to compete for prizes from local businesses.
Registration closes at midnight Dec. 8. Light peeping and voting run through Jan. 28. Don’t want to compete but still want people to enjoy your decorations? Register to simply be listed on the map, available Dec. 9. Go to www.socialtinkering.org/lightuprutland to register, vote and donate. For more information, call 802-342-5811 or email info@socialtinkering.org.
Bullying prevention
MONTPELIER — North Country Chevy Dealers, a group of 15 Chevrolet dealerships in northern New York, Vermont and northern New Hampshire, have partnered with Sweethearts & Heroes, a bullying and suicide prevention program, since 2018. Sweethearts & Heroes shares messages of anti-bullying practices to students and teachers. The Sweethearts & Heroes team is Tom Murphy, director and founder, of St. Albans; Ret. U.S. Army Sgt. Rick Yarosh, a HOPE expert and motivational speaker from New York; and Pat Fish, BRAVES and Circle leader. With support from Cody Chevrolet in Montpelier, Sweethearts & Heroes has worked at U-32 Middle and High School several times — most recently in mid-October, during National Bullying Prevention Month.
BHP treatment
RUTLAND — Marble Valley Urology at Rutland Regional Medical Center has been designated as a UroLift Center of Excellence for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP) otherwise known as an enlarged prostate. Rutland Regional is the only hospital in Vermont to have achieved this distinction.
Prostate enlargement affects millions of men worldwide and can lead to problems such as frequent urination, urgency and blocked or reduction in the flow of urine. The UroLift system offers a minimally invasive solution that provides a proven treatment that can get men off BPH medications and avoid major surgery.
Ernest Bove, M.D., medical director at Marble Valley Urology, helped Rutland Regional earn this UroLift COE designation as he achieved a higher level of training with the UroLift System and demonstrated a commitment to care for men suffering from symptoms associated with BPH. Dr. Bove is a board-certified urologist who has been a practicing physician for over 40 years spending most of his career practicing in Rutland. He is joined at Marble Valley Urology by Zita Ficko, M.D.
Board appointment
Former Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce has been appointed to the Financial Accounting Foundation’s Board of Trustees. The FAF provides oversight of the financial standards-setting boards for U.S. companies and governments. Pearce currently serves as chair of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council, providing guidance into government accounting standards to council members. Appointed by the FAF in 2022, Pearce assumed the position after serving for over a decade as Vermont state treasurer. Treasurer Pearce’s term on the FAF board of trustees will begin Jan. 1 and conclude Dec. 31, 2028.
As Vermont state treasurer, Pearce supported clean water initiatives, affordable housing, the VermontABLE program, local investments, pension reform, and safeguarding the defined benefit system for Vermont’s teachers, state and municipal employees.
Employers honored
All Brains Belong VT announced the fall 2023 winners of our Neuroinclusive Employment Brightspotting Program. Nominated by their employees, these Vermont businesses are being recognized for creating inclusive workspaces where employees who think, learn and/or communicate differently can thrive. The award winners are Darn Tough Vermont, Encore Renewable Energy, Eternity Marketing, Oak Maple Finance, VSECU, division of New England Federal Credit Union.
Prevention funds
RUTLAND — Rutland Regional Medical Center and its partners announced Rutland Regional has been selected by the State of Vermont Department of Health, Division of Substance Use as one of four Prevention Lead Organizations across the state. As the Prevention Lead, Rutland Regional will guide substance misuse prevention activities and sub-grant funds to community partners located in Addison and Rutland counties.
The Prevention Lead grant is $960,000 and covers a period of two-years. With this funding, Rutland Regional will lead efforts to increase the capacity for prevention-focused strategies. Rutland Regional has partnered with United Way of Addison County to best understand and address the need in that county.
Both the Rutland and Addison Districts are represented by a new Region 2 Advisory Committee guiding the utilization of funding for competitive subrecipient grant awards based on a needs assessment currently being conducted.
The Region 2 Prevention Lead Organization invites eligible community partners to apply for funds from $15,000 to $50,000 to expand their prevention efforts for all substances and all ages/populations. Funding will start Jan. 1, and must be used by June 30, there will be no carryover of funds. All written applications are due by noon Nov. 22. For more information, visit Vermont Prevention Lead Organization (rrmc.org).
Union contract
One year after they requested voluntary recognition of their union, the workers at the Vermont Historical Society have ratified their first union contract. The Vermont Historical Society joins libraries in Burlington, Essex, Kellogg-Hubbard, Middlebury, Rutland and Springfield as those whose workers formed unions through AFSCME Council 93.
While raises for the Vermont Historical Society are set by state law to mirror those received by other state employees, there were still a number of issues to be bargained over in achieving a first contract. Top among them were health care affordability and implementing a fair pay grade reclassification system. The members achieved these goals and more in their first contract, which they ratified on Oct. 31.
Through its Cultural Workers United campaign, AFSCME represents more than 35,000 workers at cultural institutions such as museums, libraries and zoos across the country.
Norwich University
Norwich University announced a $487,000 award in federal appropriations funding to support the university’s commitment to helping Vermont be at the forefront of modern nursing education and propel workforce development efforts in this sector.
On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Norwich University became the first-ever university to sign an Educational Partnership Agreement with U.S. Cyber Command. The partnership is recognition of the importance of education to the future and economic well-being of the nation, as well as the importance of CYBERCOM to the educational institutions of the United States.
The Veterans Day observance keynote speaker was U.S. Navy RADM Gumbleton. During his address, the Norwich University ‘89 graduate reminded the crowd, both in person and viewing online, why it was important for him to be back on campus for the observance and why we must continue to have such observances. A representative from Senator Sanders’ office read a letter on his behalf. Knowing Sanders’ love for good mittens and hats, Norwich University President Mark Anarumo passed along a handmade pair of Norwich University mittens and a winter hat, knit by Cadet Makayla Marrs, the regimental Command Sergeant Major in the Norwich University Corps of Cadets.
Walking plans
AARP Vermont announced that 13 local advocates have completed six-month fellowships with the 2023 Vermont State Walking College, prepared their Walk Action Plans for their communities, and were recognized in a graduation ceremony.
Gigi Beach, in Johnson; Christopher Beebe, in Guilford; Marcey Carver, in Brandon; Sabina Ernst, in Jericho; Deirdre Holmes, in Charlotte; Alyssa Jette, in North Thetford; Barbara Johnson, in Shelburne; Joel Kolata, in Burlington’s Old East End; Colin Larsen, in Burlington’s New North End; Robert Leidy, in downtown Burlington; Beth Anne Royer, in Hinesburg; Lyrica Stelle, in White River Junction and Hartford; Maryann Zavez, in Randolph.
Fifth-graders free
Ski Vermont announced the return of its Fifth Grade Passport Program for the 2023-2024 ski season. The program provides participating fifth graders access to 20 alpine ski areas and 24 cross-country areas with more than 90 days of skiing — with three vouchers to each participating alpine ski area and up to three vouchers to participating cross-country ski areas — for a $30 administration fee. The program is open to any current fifth grade student, regardless of state or country of residence. Some holiday restrictions apply, and students must be accompanied by an adult with a valid lift ticket, trail pass or season pass. For more information, visit skivermont.com/fifth-grade-passport.
Grant funding
DoorDash, together with its partners Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, announced $440,000 in grant funding through the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund in 2023. This initiative provides $10,000 relief grants to restaurants impacted by natural disasters or emergencies. Four Vermont restaurants were included in the announcement: Blue Duck Deli (Ludlow), Langdon Street Tavern (Montpelier), Capitol Grounds (Montpelier), The Hub (Weston).
The fund’s relief grants can be used to cover operating expenses, including rent or mortgage payments, replenishing food or beverage supplies, or paying bills and other costs. Restaurant owners have until Dec. 31 to apply for the current round of funding. The next and final funding round opens Jan. 2, 2024, and closes on March 29. Restaurant owners are eligible to apply up to one year after a qualifying disaster occurs. To apply, visit get.doordash.com/en-us/about/disaster-relief-fund.
Memory screenings
As part of National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this November, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America reminds everyone to prioritize their brain health and get a memory screening. AFA offers free memory screenings every weekday through its National Memory Screening Program, with no minimum age or insurance prerequisites, through secure videoconference technology. For more information or to request a screening appointment, visit www.alzfdn.org or call 866-232-8484 (open seven days a week).
Hospice choirs
RUTLAND — VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region announced return to full activity of its Hospice choirs. Trillium Choir in Rutland County and Serenity Singers in Bennington County are seeking new participants, regardless of age, gender or talent level, to join.
Choir members offer songs of healing and compassion at the bedside of Hospice patients as a gift to those who need support at their most vulnerable time. Members have the chance to improve their vocal range, gain performance experience, and build friendships with fellow choir members. For more information, email mary.pleasant@vnahsr.org or call 802-442-0540.
Environmental justice
The Vermont Community Foundation is seeking proposals for programs or projects that help local communities adapt to the impacts of Vermont’s changing climate and the increase in severe weather events. Applications will be accepted between now and 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1. Visit vermontcf.org/ejgrants for more information and to apply.
Nonprofits UI
The Vermont General Assembly has made changes to the unemployment insurance laws related to small, nonprofit organizations. Act 76 requires all nonprofit organizations to participate in providing unemployment insurance coverage, effective July 1, 2024. Nonprofits will be required to report their wages quarterly, keep track of new hires, and be prepared to pay for any eligible unemployment claims that result from employee separations. Visit www.labor.vermont.gov for more information.
Garden clubs
The fall 2023 Federated Garden Clubs of Vermont meeting was held at Rutland Country Club. The Central District garden clubs of Randolph GC, Middlebury GC Mountain Gardeners in the Mad River Valley, Rutland GC, Springfield GC, Weathersfield Garden Club in Weathersfield, were hosts for the meeting. Guest speaker was local floral designer Michele Dauphinais.
The FGCV community service projects include raising funds for a Blue Star Memorial Marker; promoting Penny for Pines, a national project dedicated to sustaining national and urban forests to forested areas damaged by insects, fires, or natural catastrophes; welcoming the new Weathersfield Garden Club; and flood recovery effort with Granite Center Garden Club in Barre for gardens and containers replacement of plants and flowers washed away. The Federated Garden Clubs of Vermont consists of 16 clubs with over 700 members.
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