Downsizing Life Businesses Challenged Behind the Scenes at

at Sixty-six / p.8 by Low Jobless Rate / p.9 Nightmare Vermont / p.12

Home
Improvement
Oct 16–Nov 5, 2019

Early Shelter
Opening
Sparks Debate
By Tom Brown

C
ity officials shook the couch cush-
ions in every department to find
$10,000 to pay for the early open-
ing of an overnight warming shelter at
Bethany Church, but finding the staff to
run it is proving to be a bit more tricky.
The City Council approved funding for
an emergency request by the recently con-
vened Homelessness Task Force to open
the 20-bed homeless shelter a month earlier
than its usual November 15 date. Good
Samaritan Haven, which operates three
winter shelters in the Twin Cities, earlier
agreed to try to open the Montpelier fa-
cility by October 15 but is now hoping TimberHomes Vermont raises a home this Fall in Northfield. Courtesy of TimberHomes Vermont.
aiming for November 1 as it seeks to hire
enough people to staff the center.
The well-meaning effort by the task force
to bring people inside sooner as tempera-
tures drop, while supported by the Coun-
Who You Gonna Call?
cil, has raised questions about how the city Lack of Contractors Challenges Central Vermont Homeowners
deals with emergency requests for non-
budgeted money. By J. Gregory Gerdel

W
A testy exchange during the Council’s
October 9 meeting also led to the resigna- hether a homeowner is looking for repairs on the
tion of one task force member who has inside or outside of their home, the demand for
been a vocal critic of Good Samaritan and services is increasingly exceeding the number of
available contractors in Vermont.
Continued on page 15 “We have seen an upturn in demand, and we could
take on more roofs if we had more employees, said Tim
Hutchins of Hutchins Roofing and Sheet Metal Company.
U.S. Postage PAID
makes it hard to get students’ attention about the pos-
sibility of making a very good living in a trade,” she said.
Moreover, Connolly noted that the cost of college these
days is leaving graduates with student loan debt that is
difficult to pay with the low salaries of entry level posi-
tions. By contrast, apprenticeship programs can provide
training while working and impart a skill set that will be

Permit NO. 123

in Barre. “We’ve had to turn away a lot of roofing work this financially rewarding.
Montpelier, VT
PRSRT STD
ECRWSS

year. I stopped taking on jobs [for this year] in May, and I
already have a heck of a jump on next year.”
While the Vermont Department of Labor’s data track
jobs that are filled rather than those that employers
would like to have filled, it is clear the trades are expe-
riencing a generational shift. “The construction trade
workers are above the average age of the workforce,” said
DOL Economist Mathew Barewicz. “With a wave of re-
tirements coming in the near future, it’s an opportunity
for young people to consider participating in the many
training and apprenticeship programs the industry is of-
fering.”
The Home Builders & Remodelers Association of
Northern Vermont underscores this reality. CEO Mau-
Montpelier, VT 05601
Finding Contractors and Builders
The question for many considering an investment in
home improvement is, ‘How do I find a contractor or
handy-person who is competent and trustworthy?’
Not so long ago the Yellow Pages and newspaper clas-
sifieds were the starting points for such a search. The
digital world has upped the ante with HomeAdvisor and
Angie’s List, which provide useful articles about plan-
ning for home improvements, along with listings and
consumer reviews of businesses and contractors in your
immediate area.
But remember that some of the best contractors might
not list with these services because they are busy enough
with work coming in by word of mouth. In fact, one suc-

reen Connolly is working with Vermont Technical Col-

lege and state officials to expand vocational programs to cessful and well-regarded remodeler noted that he hasn’t
meet the need—and the opportunity for young people— bothered to print new business cards in years—because
P.O. Box 1143

in the trades. “The educational system currently has ev- he hasn’t needed to. Similarly, others have pulled out of
The Bridge

eryone pointed toward four-year college programs. This Continued on page 7

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PAGE 2 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 T HE BRID GE

Advertise in the
FOLLOWING ISSUE:

Fashion
and Style
In Circulation
November 6–November 19
ALL AD MATERIALS AND AD SPACE
RESERVATIONS DUE FRIDAY, November 1.
For more information about advertising
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ad, contact:
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rick@vtbridge.com
T HE BRID GE O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 3

HEARD ON THE STREET

Then and Now
The Bridge Debuts New Cover Design
As part of our effort to update The Bridge for a new generation of readers, we are
unveiling in this issue a new front page design. The primary goal is not only to create
a more modern feel, but also to include more news “above the fold” to call attention Historic photos courtesy of Vermont Historical Society;
to stories on the inside our bi-monthly community newspaper. Many thanks to Captions and modern photos by Paul Carnahan.
Bridge board member Mason Singer of Laughing Bear Associates in Montpelier for
creating this new look.
This pleasant, little house at 25 St. Paul Street has changed
Ski and Skate Sale Set Saturday at MHS little in the last century or more. The photo on top was taken
The annual Montpelier Recreation Department Ski and Skate Sale will be held around 1900, when shutters were actively used to control sunlight
from 9 am to 2 pm October 19 at Montpelier High School. Items for sale may be and a bicycle was an item to be proud of.
dropped off on Friday, October 18. Equipment is sold on an 80/20 split with the The man in this picture may be Thomas Allen and his wife,
seller receiving 80 percent and the Recreation Dept. receiving 20 percent. Unsold Catharine, residents of the house in 1905. Allen was a cigar
items that are not picked up by Sunday become property of the Dept. manufacturer at 19 State Street. The advertisements for Allen’s
Cigar Manufactory said, “Where you can see cigars made and
New Craft Store to Open Friday know what you are getting.” The company operated in Montpelier
Notion Fabric & Craft will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, October 18, into the 1920s.
during Montpelier’s annual Moonlight Madness celebration. A celebration takes
place from 5 to 9 pm at the 68 Main Street location and will include cupcakes
and refreshments, giveaways, and a raffle with a grand prize of an EverSewn sewing
machine. Shoppers will also be offered an exclusive code for a free download of a Blue
Sky Fibers knitting pattern with every purchase. Notion, owned by Mary Margaret
Groberg, intends to create a welcoming community for area crafters, where fun
events and classes and studio passes allow people to craft together.

Barre Opera House Receives $150,000 donation

The Barre Opera House, a 120-year-old performing arts venue in downtown
Barre, has received a $150,000 donation from the National Life Group Foundation
as part of the Opera House’s $1 million Second Century renovation campaign. In
honor of National Life’s ongoing commitment, the Opera House announced at
its kickoff Celebration Series event that the main stage will now be known as The
National Life Group Main Stage at the Barre Opera House. The Foundation grant
will preserve the historic elements of the Opera House’s back stage while bringing
the rigging, lighting, and sound systems up to current standards. This twenty-first
century technology will make the Opera House more attractive to top touring acts,
support a broader range of performances, improve safety for performers and stage
hands alike, and reduce labor costs for almost every event. Currently, the Opera
House has raised over $600,000 toward its $1 million goal, and hopes to complete
the campaign and commence construction in Spring 2020.

Nature Watch Artwork and Words by Nona Estrin

Bridge Community Media, Inc.

P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601 • Ph: 802-223-5112
Editor in Chief: Mike Dunphy
Managing Editor: Tom Brown
Publisher Emeritus: Nat Frothingham
Copy Editor: Larry Floersch

S
o many birds still passing through! You may hear subtle small chips and
rustling sounds in brushy areas, where song sparrows and white-throated
sparrows feed and rest by day. Or even be stopped short by alto song-
fragments of a migrating fox sparrow. Near woods we’ve been hearing the sudden
cascading song of a ruby-crowned kinglet. But with severe drought in so many
southern states, I pray for their safe return next spring!
Calendar Editor: Marichel Vaught
Layout: Sarah Davin, Marichel Vaught
Sales Representatives: Rick McMahan
Distribution: Sarah Davin, Lora Stridsberg, Carl Etnier
Board Members: Phil Dodd, Donny Osman, Jake Brown, Josh Fitzhugh, Larry Floersch, J. Gregory Gerdel,
Irene Racz, Jen Roberts, Mason Singer, Nancy Reid
Editorial: 223-5112, ext. 14 • mdunphy@montpelierbridge.com
Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, Stone Science Hall.
Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by mail for $40 a year. Make out your check to The Bridge, and
mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601.
montpelierbridge.com • facebook.com/thebridgenewspapervt
Twitter: @montpbridge • Instagram: @montpelierbridge
PAGE 4 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
Pedestrian Bridge to Open by Winter
By Tom Brown
C
onstruction of a road through the
site of the former M&M Bever-
age store on Main Street has been
halted for the winter as the city seeks to
qualify for a state program that protects
the property from any future liability re-
lated to environmental hazards left by
previous owners.
Despite the delay in road construction,
the city intends to complete the shared
use recreation path section of the property
and open the new pedestrian bridge over
the North Branch river by next month.
The city purchased the convenience
store lot from the Mowatt Trust in 2018
as part of its acquisition of three properties
located between Shaw’s and The Drawing
Board and extending to the North Branch
of the Winooski River. The other parcels
were purchased from the Vermont Associ-
ation for the Blind and Visually Impaired
and TKS Properties.
The city initially applied for protection
under the state’s Brownfields Reuse and
T HE BRID GE
City News
Environmental Liability Limitation Pro-
gram (BRELLA) for one of the parcels,
believing it could add the others while
construction was underway, City Man-
ager Bill Fraser said. However, state offi-
cials informed the city that no work could
be done until the application was fully
approved. The city elected to pause con-
struction of the roadway until additional
soil testing could be done and permanent
liability protection is secured.
“In my mind, it’s worth it to have per-
petual liability protection for the whole lot Road construction is halted on the former Mowatt
rather than the one parcel,” Fraser said. property. Photo by Tom Brown.
The site formerly housed a gas station and
approved, work on the road from Main across Main Street to Barre Street, will be
contamination of soils from years past has
Street through the city-owned parcel will pursued in the spring. Funding has not
been prevalent throughout the downtown
resume in the spring. A parking lot and been secured for that project, but the City
area. The BRELLA program was created
green space have also been proposed for Council has endorsed a plan that would
to encourage cleanup and redevelopment
the site, but the city is open to offers for create (at least temporarily) a dedicated
of areas contaminated by historical use.
private development as well. bike/pedestrian lane along Barre Street
Soil samples from the entire site are
A ribbon-cutting for the Taylor Street to the Recreation Center, which would
currently being analyzed in accordance
transit center is scheduled for Oct. 25, eliminate 18 parking spaces on the south
with the requirements of the BRELLA
and the city is moving ahead with paving side of Barre Street.
application, he said. If the application is
of the shared use path with the goal of The entire trail will be known as Si-
opening the path and pedestrian bridge by boinebi Path, referencing the Abenaki
November, he said. word for river water. The bike path exten-
Completion of the transit center portion sion will be celebrated with a bike ride
of the path coincides with the extension of and ribbon-cutting event on November 8
the existing bike path along the Winooski at Caledonia Spirits off Barre Street. The
River from Granite Street east toward bike ride starts at 2:15 pm, and the event
Gallison Hill. The remaining section, begins at 3:15 pm.
which will extend the transit center path
T HE BRID GE O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 5
Investing Money Where You Live
By Carl Etnier
U
.S. households own $56 trillion
dollars in stocks, bonds, and
other securities, but according
to local investment guru Michael Shu-
man, they’re not invested efficiently.
“Locally owned businesses constitute
60–80 percent of our economy,” he said
in a September interview on Goddard
College Community Radio.
“If we had an efficient capital mar-
ketplace, something like $40 trillion of
that would go to locally owned busi-
nesses. Instead, almost none does. Al-
most all of the investment is in Fortune
500 companies. If you starve one set of
businesses of capital, you’re not going to
have a good local economy, and you’re
not going to have resilience,” Shuman
said.
Shuman has spoken many times in
Vermont, including to a packed House
chamber in the State House. One of
his books—Local Dollars, Local Sense—
has been “translated” to Vermont’s eco-
nomic opportunities. With the help of
Vermont author Gwendolyn Hallsmith,
a version has been published as Vermont
Dollars, Vermont Sense.
Shuman’s next book focuses on how
to invest tax-deferred retirement savings
locally. Put Your Money Where Your
Life Is is due out in the spring of 2020,
published by Berrett-Koehler. The book
explores possibilities for self-directed
IRAs, which one can set up for an an-
nual fee of $250–$350, or solo 401(k)s,
for income from self-employment.
Where do you look for opportunities
to invest your money locally? Shuman
said to begin by investing in yourself,
say, by retiring credit card debt. With
Courtesy of Michael Shuman.
credit cards charging 18 percent or more
a year, he said, “It makes absolutely no
sense for a person to put a penny into a
retirement account if they carry credit
card debt.”
What’s unusual about Shuman’s advice
is that he advocates retiring credit card
debt while offering someone else a chance
to make a tax-deferred retirement invest-
ment. He’s done it himself.
When Shuman had taken on too
much credit card debt at one point in
life, he contacted some friends with
means and asked if they’d lend him
money at 5 percent per year for five
years to pay off the debt. It was a good
rate of return for the friends, and a big
Business
interest discount for Shuman.
While he didn’t say whether the
friends lent him the money through a
self-directed IRA, that sort of loan is
possible with the retirement account, as
long as the loan recipient isn’t an imme-
diate family member.
When asked about the aphorism from
Polonius in Hamlet, “Neither a borrower
nor a lender be, for loan oft loses both
itself and friend,” Shuman threw back
the adage, “It takes a village to build a
community.” And he threw in a telling
anecdote about the first person he ap-
proached with his somewhat audacious
scheme to pay off his credit cards.
“She wasn’t a close friend, but she
was someone I’d worked with over the
years,” he explained. “I said, ‘Look,
I need your help.’ Her reaction was
Book cover courtesy of Michael
stunning to me. She said, ‘I have been Shuman.
waiting for this call for years, because
I know there are so many people who
need help.’”
For those interested in investing their
tax-deferred savings locally, Shuman
recommends setting up a group to re-
view investment opportunities. Vermont
Dollars, Vermont Sense identified the
Vermont Community Loan Fund as one
organization in the state that will set up
self-directed IRAs. Design & Build
Carl Etnier interviewed Shuman on his Custom Energy-Efficient Homes
program “Relocalizing Vermont,” broad-
cast on Goddard College Community Additions • Timber Frames
Radio. Vermont Dollars, Vermont Sense Weatherization • Remodeling
is available for a free download at postcar-
bon.org. Shuman is active in thenextegg. Kitchens • Bathrooms • Flooring
org, a site for people who want to invest Tiling • Cabinetry • Fine Woodwork
retirement money locally.
PAGE 6 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
A Message From City Hall This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.
Weighing Individual vs
Community-Scale Solutions
A
few months ago I had a meeting
with a constituent who had a
good challenge for me. He sug-
gested that we should think about the
climate crisis not as changing individual
households and individual habits one by
one, but through collective, community-
scale solutions.
For example, he told me about how his
neighborhood was thinking about going
in together on a solar array. None of the
houses had enough roof space or solar
exposure to make it work individually, but
there was a field near their neighborhood
big enough to host a solar array capable of
powering the entire street.
Using that example as an archetype, I
started thinking about other ways that
our American individualism inhibits
us from potential climate solutions. I
started wondering about community-
scale solutions we might be missing be-
cause we don’t think about solutions on
a neighborhood scale.
Montpelier has a strong sense of
community, which means neighborhood
or community-scale energy solutions
might have some potential for us.
Thinking of our neighborhoods as
having distinct needs and potential is
not new for us. We think about our
downtown this way all the time. It could
be argued that our downtown is its
own entity—made up of individual busi-
nesses like a neighborhood is made up of
individual homes.
But these businesses are not wholly
independent of each other. Just like in
an ecosystem, one species is intercon-
nected in multiple ways with the other
species in the ecosystem. It could further
be said that the success or failure of one
Courtesy of Sustainable Shared Multimodal Transportation
Montpelier Coalition.
Commuter
On-Demand,
Micro-Transit
Electric
Bike-Share
Interregional
Rail
- Intracity: operating within a single city
- Intercity: operating between two or more cities
- Interregional: operating between two or more regions
Credit: Sustainable Montpelier Coalition - sustainablemontpelier.org
By Mayor Anne Watson
business influences the success or failure
of the other businesses in the group. In
short, our downtown businesses might
experience prosperity together largely as
a group. The same kind of logic could be
applied to house values within a neigh-
borhood. If my neighbor’s home value
goes up, and I live in a similar kind of
home, then my home’s value will also
go up.
Certainly climate change is a collective
problem, one in which humanity will
succeed or fail as a group. Perhaps we can
think a little bigger than our own homes
for the solutions. How can we pursue so-
lutions at a community scale? This could
perhaps include shared neighborhood as-
sets and shared investment.
Going back to my friend’s considera-
tion of a community solar array, which
might be owned by the neighborhood or
a third party, and the electricity gener-
ated divvied up among the neighbors.
Unfortunately, under the current rules,
the Legislature has prohibited the crea-
tion of any additional community arrays.
We will need to change the rules for
community solar at the state Legislature
level to allow this, but it’s important to
have a vision of what’s possible before we
ask for the rules to be changed. Every
neighborhood will be different, and
maybe an array doesn’t make sense for
your neighborhood. Is there some other
renewable energy solution that might
make more sense? Maybe a neighbor-
hood isn’t the right scale for your situa-
tion; perhaps the scale better fits a condo
association or a multi-family apartment
building.
At the recent Montpelier Drive Elec-
tric Day on the State House lawn, I
Bus
Commuter
Rail
You
the
rider Car-Share
Interregional
Bus
spoke with a woman who wanted to buy
or lease an electric vehicle, but she lived
in a condo association and had no clos-
able garage space. They just had a park-
ing lot shared by residents. This meant
that she, alone, didn’t have the power to
put in an EV charging station; it would
have to be the condo association.
Condo associations are great exam-
ples of shared assets, shared debt, and
shared investment. It would be up to this
woman’s condo association to invest in
an EV charger that could then be shared
by residents.
The existing legal and social struc-
ture of the condo association makes it
convenient to pursue such strategies. It
creates a natural group that can consider
the group’s collective consumption and
generation capacity. As a group they
could pursue weatherization work to add
insulation and air sealing to their spaces.
What if this sort of thinking could take
place on a neighborhood scale?
For this reason, and many other rea-
sons that I’ll touch upon, I’m interested
in reviving the idea of the Capital Area
Neighborhoods. Having strong neigh-
borhood structures can support a renew-
able energy transition, but it also has
many other non-energy-related benefits.
Capital Area Neighborhoods can be
a vehicle for neighbors to check in on
each other in the case of natural disaster.
They could help reduce crime as neigh-
bors build stronger relationships with
each other and get to know each other.
Strong neighborhood associations
could also be a helpful vehicle for com-
munication between the city government
and constituents. If, say, the city has a
street-related project, we could solicit
feedback through a neighborhood meet-
ing. For this reason, I’ll be supporting
the revitalization of the Capital Area
Neighborhoods structure over the next
year.
Micro Transit
Coming back to the topic of commu-
nity-level thinking about energy. I’ve also
been thinking more about the micro-tran-
sit initiative spearheaded by the Sustain-
able Montpelier Coalition. This would be
a system similar to UberPool or Lyft. In
this system a person would indicate where
they were and where they were going,
and ideally in less than 10 minutes a ride
would pick them up.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle to a system
like this is the American sense of individ-
ualism that insulates our thinking around
T HE BRID GE
transportation and can prevent us from
seeing mass transit as a legitimate option
for our lives. Mass transit in a rural state is
inherently very challenging because of our
lack of density, but I have high hopes for
this new possibility.
Preliminary Budget Number
On a totally separate topic, it’s worth
mentioning that, as the city council goes
into its annual budget discussion, we have
some preliminary numbers. We recently
received our health care estimates that will
be effective starting in January and affect
our FY21 budget discussion. We were in-
formed by our insurance carrier that our
rates will be increasing by 25.1 percent.
This means an additional $100,000 in the
already allocated FY20 budget and about
$300,000 in the upcoming FY21 budget.
All together including the regular cost
increases in the budget along with this gi-
gantic increase and healthcare costs would
mean about a 4.5-percent increase in the
city budget. I want you to know that we
will be looking at all of our options with
other potential healthcare providers. We
will be pushing back on this number.
Part of the reason for this cost is be-
cause the city has a relatively small pool
of employees. If we had the option to
join a larger pool, we would certainly be
interested in that. If we had less than 100
employees we would be allowed (and re-
quired) to participate in the state’s system,
Vermont Health Connect. Since we have
119 employees, we are not permitted.
In our most recent council discussion
we explored the possibility of asking the
Legislature to raise the maximum number
of employees required for an employer to
participate or, alternatively, asking them
to expand healthcare possibilities for mu-
nicipal governments. I bring this up to
give you a heads up that this is an upcom-
ing discussion and that we are working
to keep these numbers down.
T HE BRID GE
Lack of Contractors
Continued from page 1
the national, digital platforms because
the cost of subscribing, usually based on
electronic leads forwarded to potential
customers, isn’t worth it when your calen-
dar is already filled.
An ideal situation is to have a friend
or acquaintance who has personal expe-
rience with hiring someone for similar
work. At the local, social media level,
Front Porch Forum, and more recently,
Facebook, provide a format for obtaining
recommendations for specific services.
As Connolly pointed out, the technol-
ogy of building or remodeling is complex.
Increasingly, the approach is to hire a
general contractor who then manages the
needed specialists for the project through
subcontracts.
Consumer Protection Legislation
Following the scandal of a now-dis-
appeared roofing contractor who bilked
several people before leaving Vermont,
the Legislature is reviewing a bill (S. 163)
O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 7
Home Improvement
that could require even relatively small
businesses to carry insurance and com-
mit to signed contracts with customers.
Having passed the Senate, the bill will
be reviewed by several committees in
the House during the coming session,
according to Matt Musgrave of the trade
group Associated General Contractors of
Vermont. Issues remaining to be decided
are the level of insurance required and a
threshold amount for projects that would
require a contract.
Connolly emphasizes that finding a
balance in registration and certification
requirements is complicated. Consumer
protection against fraud by a fly-by-night
scam on the one side must also consider
the circumstances of a small business that
could fail to fulfill the terms of a contract
due to a personal injury, for instance.
Photo by J. Gregory Gerdel.
PAGE 8 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
Downsizing Life at Sixty-six
By Barbara Floersch
S
itting in my living room on a cool
autumn evening in 2014, I was
seized by the realization that the
stuff I had accumulated over 35 years had
calcified into dead weight, and the life I
was living felt like a fading photograph.
I was startled by the clarity and intensity
with which it hit. At age 66, I was facing a
choice—change the script or gather dust
and fade along with the detritus bulging
in the cupboards and molding in the
cellar.
Long talks in the evenings on the front
porch tackled tough topics. My husband
was facing 70; if he died before me, I
couldn’t handle the demands of a large
house, 15 acres, 3.5 miles of gravel road,
and a driveway known to hurl cars into
the cornfield. If I died before him, the
house would be a burden, and he wouldn’t
want to stay in it anyway. We needed to
make big changes. We needed to down-
size.
We didn’t know what the future would
look like, but when you move from
“can’ts” to “what ifs,” the vistas are full
of fresh air. We could travel in a camper,
set up a compound with our son’s family,
find a small home closer to him, or build
a house. That last idea initially seemed
remote, but it had always been a dream.
We decided to sell our house first, and
then figure it out over time, playing it by
ear and keeping options open. We’d be
travelers, transients, vagabonds. It had a
ring to it.
We spent the winter shedding anything
that didn’t demand to be kept, jettisoning
two thirds of our belongings. We gave
things away, sold them, recycled, put out
mountains of free-by-the-road mishmash,
and emptied the cellar, attic, and shed.
And we cleaned ferociously, scrubbing,
polishing, painting, and vacuuming. It
took six months to get the house ready,
but with the help of our realtor and a
home stager we turned our 2,300-square-
foot log home into a Vermont postcard.
The house sold in three months, and
in August 2016 we put our remaining
Courtesy of Barbara Floersch.
belongings into long-term, climate-con-
trolled storage and hit the road. We ex-
pected times of regret when we’d curse
our choice, but that didn’t happen. We
had a lot of fun.
We spent three months in a Bolton
ski house, five on a quiet North Florida
beach, six in Monkton, and a year in a
condo on the Burlington waterfront, all
the while looking for our next home.
Ultimately we decided to build a house,
breaking ground in October 2017.
In August of 2018 we moved into a
beautiful, 1,350-square-foot, three-bed-
room, two-bath, one level, super-energy-
efficient home on five acres in Berlin with
mountain views and great roads for walk-
ing. Our new gardens are manageable for
old folks, and there’s no cellar.
The aging-in-place home that we de-
signed with the help of our builder, Mont-
pelier Construction, has been featured
in Green Energy Times magazine. Now
T HE BRID GE
Home Improvement
we’re about 100 yards from hardtop; have
a short, flat driveway; and can be at the
grocery store, hospital, or interstate in five
minutes.
When our stored belongings were de-
livered to our new house, we wondered
why we had kept a lot of things, so out
they went. Why would two people need
36 towels, three teapots, and seven sets
of sheets?
Lots of older people fantasize about
downsizing, starting over in a fresh, small,
uncluttered nirvana, and lots of people
ask how we managed to do it. Here are
a few thoughts I hope you’ll find helpful.
• Casually thinking it’s a “good idea” or
“something you should consider” won’t
produce the commitment and energy it
takes. Redesigning your life is as much a
mental discipline as a logistical task.
• Don’t procrastinate. If you wait too
long, you won’t be as capable, and at some
point, your kids will have to jump in.
• Ease into the process by starting in the
cellar or a black-hole closet—some place
that’s sure to be full of things you don’t
need. The relief of shedding all that junk
will inspire you to tackle harder areas of
the house.
• Give yourself time. You’re going to
have to touch and evaluate every item
you own. Libraries and used book stores
are picky about what they’ll accept. Sell-
ing or donating on Front Porch Forum
requires emails, look-sees, and photos.
ReSOURCE in Barre was a godsend. • It
takes organization, so if you’re not good
at that, get help. I used a large binder to
keep track of everything—leases, sales,
contracts, promising short-term housing,
names of service people, etc.
T HE BRID GE O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 9
Businesses Challenged by Jobless Rate
By Phil Dodd
T
he national unemployment rate
for September was 3.5 percent,
down from 3.7 percent the previ-
ous month, and the lowest since 1969.
The federal Labor Department said
there were 7.1 million job openings at
the end of August, which is theoretically
enough to provide employment to every
unemployed person in the U.S.
Vermont’s most-recently reported un-
employment rate was even lower, at just
2.1 percent, the lowest of any state in
the nation.
This is good news for workers and is
causing wages to rise faster than infla-
tion (although not by much), but it is
causing problems for businesses across
the state, including local ones, who say
they are having a hard time hiring peo-
ple and that employees are now more
likely to switch jobs or quit, knowing
they can probably find work elsewhere.
School districts statewide are finding
it difficult to hire school bus drivers,
according to VTDigger. In Chittenden
County, restaurants are struggling to
find employees, Seven Days reported.
The same challenges are hitting employ-
ers in Washington County, where the
latest unemployment rate was 1.9 per-
cent, down from the 5.8 percent peak
10 years ago in the midst of the Great
Recession.
Fred Bashara Sr.—whose businesses
include Montpelier’s Capitol Plaza Hotel
& Conference Center, the Capitol The-
atre, laundromats, and car washes—said
hiring has been more challenging for the
past year or so. “We find it very, very
difficult to get people to even come in
the door for an interview,” he said. “At
the hotel, we need housekeepers, kitchen
staff, servers—everything.”
“I wish the government, instead of
locking people up at the border, would
send them up here,” Bashara com-
mented. “We could put them to work.”
Bashara said he starts workers above
the minimum wage, gives them raises
every few months, and offers health
insurance, dental, vision, and sick leave.
The hotel and conference center em-
ploys 115 people and his other busi-
nesses employ 35 to 45 in total, he said.
“Every business in town is affected by
this [worker shortage],” Bashara said.
“Fortunately, we have a lot of good staff
who are sticking with us and increasing
their hours or working overtime.”
Vermont Creamery, a fast-growing
cheese and butter company in Webster-
ville, has 127 employees and is seeking
19 more, with openings including main-
tenance support, cheese production,
sanitation, and cheesemaking.
Eliza Giroux of the company’s human
resources department said that even with
a starting wage of $16.50 per hour, com-
prehensive benefits, and free company
products, “We have a hard time finding
candidates to join our family. For our
operations team, we have added 33 roles
in 2019, and finding those 33 potential
employees has been a struggle.”
Vermont Creamery recently altered its
recruiting strategy to focus on under-
employed candidates, rather than on
the unemployed, with some success, she
said. Giroux noted the company tries
to offer a fun work place, even offer-
ing massages, and is continuously seek-
ing to improve the work–life balance
for employees. “Still, with the massive
growth we are experiencing, the number
of interested candidates is not enough,”
she said.
“I wish the government,
instead of locking people
up at the border, would
send them up here,”
Bashara commented. “We
could put them to work.”
Tim Hutchins of Hutchins Roofing
and Sheet Metal Company in Barre
said demand for roofing is up, and he
could take on more work if he had more
employees, but says it is difficult to hire
right now. “The low unemployment rate
is great, but it is tough for businesses,”
he said. “If you don’t have a job now, you
probably don’t want one.”
Hutchins has 12 employees now, down
from 24 or 25 many years ago when the
firm did a variety of other work besides
roofing. “It’s hard work,” he said. “The
average age of our employees is 50.
There won’t be many blue-collar workers
down the road. Kids today want to work
with technology.”
Adrienne Brownlee, owner of Alla
Vita, an olive oil and balsamic vinegar
store in downtown Montpelier with five
employees, also said hiring and keep-
ing workers is a challenge. “I’ve been in
Business
business for five-and-a-half years and
never had any problems until nine or 10
months ago,” she said. “We’re having a
lot of turnover, which we never had in
the past.”
Brownlee said she pays well and spends
a lot of time hiring and training em-
ployees, only to see them leave. And in
this economy, they can easily find other
jobs. “It’s very frustrating,” she said.
One recent hire moved to Montpelier
from the West Coast. “She only stayed
three months, then moved to Burlington
because she said there were not enough
other young people in Montpelier to
hang out with,” Brownlee said.
The worker shortage is affecting
Brownlee’s business in other ways too.
“I had one customer who wanted to mail
300 bottles of a maple syrup that we
carry to numerous addresses nationally
and internationally,” she said. “I called
the syrup producer, and she said they
couldn’t fill the order because they were
short-staffed.”
It seems there are only two things that
might ease the local employment crunch
for businesses: an increase in the number
of workers in Vermont, which appar-
ently is not happening at the moment,
or an economic downturn. The latter is
not a solution that most business own-
ers—or workers—would welcome.
PAGE 10 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 T HE BRID GE
T HE BRID GE
LWV Concentrates on Criminal Justice
By Michelle A.L. Singer
“E
mpowering Voters. Defending Democracy,”
is the mission of the League of Women Vot-
ers, and for the past five years the Central
Vermont chapter has hosted lectures designed to encourage
civic engagement and pursue that mission.
For three years, it has partnered with the Kellogg-
Hubbard Library in Montpelier to present talks and dis-
cussions on a theme. Two years ago, the theme was “The
First Amendment,” and last year, “Constitutional Crisis?”,
which addressed election security, partisan redistricting,
liberalism/conservatism, and single-issue politics.
This year, “Criminal Justice in Vermont,” is the focus,
and Kate Rader, who has been a member of the League
since 1978, says there was no shortage of topics for the
five-lecture series, which kicked off with a panel on incar-
cerated women on October 9 in Montpelier.
That discussion was moderated by Cary Brown, ex-
ecutive director of the Vermont Commission on Women.
Panelists included Vermont Rep. Marybeth Redmond (D-
Essex Junction), co-founder of “writing inside VT”; Kassie
Tibbott, coordinator of the Community Legal Informa-
tion Center; and Ashley Messier, Smart Justice organizer
for the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont.
People filled the room, along with cameras from ORCA
Media and Channel 22 news, as the panel spoke about
the numbers of incarcerated people trending upward,
recidivism due to technical violations, and the lack of tran-
sitional housing.
Many people, including Rep. Redmond, commented
on how impossible it is “to return to your community and
be successful. The system is set up for failure.” Messier
pointed out that 80 percent of incarcerated women have
non-violent offenses, and about the same percentage were
the single caregivers for their children.
To close the evening, Dani Benoit read original poems
from Life Lines: Re-Writing Lives From Inside Out (Green
Writers Press, 2019), a book of writings from Vermont’s
incarcerated women that give voice to trauma, addiction,
assault, and abuse.
The series will continue through March with the top-
ics prison health care, implicit bias, racial bias in criminal
justice, and transitioning back to the community after in-
carceration. All lectures are held in the Hayes Room of the
Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier at 7 pm.
The November 13 lecture will be a panel discussion
on prison health care moderated by Susan Clark, town
moderator for Middlesex and author of All Those In Favor
and Slow Democracy. Panelists will include Ed Paquin of
Barre Town, who served six terms in the Vermont Legis-
lature and 17 years as the executive director of Disability
Rights Vermont. He will be joined by Emily Tredeau from
the Vermont Defender General’s office and Dr. Delores
Burroughs-Biron, physician and former health director
for Vermont’s Department of Corrections. They will ad-
dress access to health care, opiate treatment, disability, and
aging, among other topics
On January 22, 2020, Bor Yang, executive director and
legal counsel for the Vermont Human Rights Commis-
sion, will give a special two-hour workshop on implicit
bias. The training and discussion will explore how we un-
consciously attribute certain qualities to members of a par-
ticular race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc. The
discussion will cover how these associations are formed, the
impact they have on behavior, and how we unconsciously
O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 11
Activism
League of Women Voters Central Vermont mem-
bers (from left to right): Anna Saxman, Anne Mixer,
Kate Rader, Madeline Mongan, Sue Racanelli,
Jesse Scarlato. Photo by Michelle A. L. Singer.
evaluate others despite our best intentions. This program
begins at 6:30 pm.
February 12 will see a lecture looking more closely at ra-
cial bias in the criminal justice system in Vermont, taking
a deep dive into the disparities. The talk will feature UVM
professor in economics Stephanie Sequino and director of
the Vermont State Police’s fair and impartial policing pro-
gram Captain Garry Scott.
The series closes on March 11 with a discussion of tran-
sitioning back to the community after incarceration. Chris
Barton, restorative systems administrator for the Depart-
ment of Corrections and Robert Sands from Vermont Law
School will look at the challenges facing Vermonters when
they are released from corrections and the community sup-
port available to them.
Michelle A.L. Singer is the adult programs coordinator for
Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier.
PAGE 12 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
Art of the Nightmare
Behind the Scenes at Nightmare Vermont
By Sarah Davin
C
oming face to face with the snarl-
ing, snapping jaws and extended
horns of an animatronic beast is
enough scare the Halloween spirit into
anyone. For Nightmare Vermont—an all
volunteer, charity Halloween event, com-
bining live stunts, an original theatrical
storyline, and interactive scares—that’s
precisely the goal.
“Come meet Mama,” beckons Jana
Beagley, founder and director of Night-
mare Vermont, and one of 50 or so vol-
unteers who create the event. The dragon-
esque creation, complete with green and
red ridges and glowing yellow eyes, moves
with impressive range and speed as it is
piloted from behind by a single person.
Mama is but one of the scares in Night-
mare Vermont’s 15th annual event, this
time taking place within the grandstand
of the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex
Junction.
Unlike traditional haunted houses,
Nightmare Vermont, which sees about
2,500 visitors per year, offers an immersive
theater experience that focuses less on star-
tling jump scares and more on telling an
intense, engaging story.
The theme of this year’s story is a
homecoming gone wrong. “It’s a haunted
homecoming dance set in Orwood High
School,” explains Beagley. “It starts with
some students encountering a natural di-
saster right outside of their homecoming
dance. They dive into the school and won-
der what’s going on, and as they make their
way through the school more disturbing
things start happening. People who they
thought they could trust, they can no
longer trust. Everyone is acting strangely,
and they’re not sure who is a threat and
who is not.”
Participants will be able to play an active
role in the unravelling of the story. In each
audience group, there will be an opportu-
nity for an individual to wear a glowing
ornament called a “monster teaser,” which,
with the signing of a waiver, will make the
individual a part of the show. Characters
may drag the individual off to eat them, get
them messy, or perform impromptu sur-
gery on them. This year, the teaser-holder
will receive a phone through which they
will get messages connected to the story.
“One of the interactive elements we have
this year is that one of the people in the au-
T HE BRID GE
dience who has the teaser is going
to get a phone call from one of
the characters. The phone is
going to start ringing and
start getting messages and
they are going to have
to interpret what to do
about those messages.”
says Beagley.
Those who would
like to experience
the theatrical ev-
ent, but feel un-
comfortable with
having ghouls in
their personal
space, can pur-
chase “Ghost “Mama.” Photo by Sarah Davin.
Ward” orna-
ments for a dollar to keep malevolent
spirits at bay.
While performing on stage is a challeng-
ing endeavor for anyone, the participating Turnbull and “Mistress of the Maze,” Jes-
actors at Nightmare Vermont have un- sica Houriet, are two of the many special
usual challenges to contend with. Beagley effects artists helping to bring the vision of
explained that maintaining tension is an Nightmare Vermont together. Turnbull’s
important part of the experience, and as focus has been on “the woodshop” room,
some participants become scared or un- with his main challenge being rigging a
comfortable, they will seek to trip up the table saw to spray blood when a character is
actors or make them break character to put upon it. In regard to the new addition
relieve the tension. It’s important to the of the scare maze, Houriet highlighted,
experience and to the story that the actor “We have a big crash scene in the maze
not let this happen. Beagley expressed, that’s very exciting, and it’s going to have
“Part of the challenge is constantly defying all the lights, bells, and whistles with a
the audience and saying, ‘No! I really want giant spaceship, so that is my pride and
your teeth!’” joy.”
Stage combat also plays an important role Nightmare Vermont also engages the
in raising the stakes and the adrenaline of subtler senses when building a frightening
a scene. Fight Master Xander Steffen works atmosphere. In one of the 16 rooms the
with the actors to choreograph the combat Nightmare crew built within the grand-
scenarios. This year’s combat will take the stand, Beagley pointed out a bag of small
form of a student’s last stand to protect the bottles filled with smells. Labels included
audience against a horde of monsters that names such as Volcano, Hospital, Chain-
are being controlled by an alien overlord. saw Oil, and Corpse—scents that will be
Steffen notes, “The real challenge this year used strategically in rooms throughout the
was how the alien horde doesn’t move like event. Vibrations sent though wooden pan-
a human, so we needed to find a good way els on the floor will also ensure a chill up
to choreograph their altered physiology but everyone’s spine.
still be safe for the humans who are playing Beagley reflected on her experience with
the horde.” running Nightmare Vermont and how the
Custom animatronics creator Scott local event differs from the haunted event
T HE BRID GE O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 13

Halloween

Continued from previous page

conventions and big haunts in the Midwest, Nightmare Vermont will be held on Octo-
highlighting the importance of community ber 17–19 and 24–26 from 7 pm to 10 pm
arts in Vermont. “There’s some really big on Thursdays and Fridays and 6 pm to 11 pm
haunts out there that put 20,000 people on Saturdays. For tickets, go to nightmarev-
through and have clearly spent thousands ermont.org.
of dollars on animatronics, and I look at
what we’re doing here. We’re creating a
story, and we’re creating it with volunteers
in the community.”
As part of an arrangement with Cham-
plain Valley Expo, Nightmare Vermont has
agreed to donate 10 percent of their gross
ticket sales. Nightmare Vermont usually
donates almost double that amount. This
year’s recipients will be the Expo itself,
which generously allows Nightmare Ver-
mont to use their facilities to put on the
show.
RIP
Over the years, Nightmare Vermont has
raised more than $120,000 for a variety of
causes including Haitian earthquake relief
and Women Helping Battered Women.
PAGE 14 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
Emergency Shelter Is Just a Band-Aid
By Rev. Amy Pitton
T
his week I was asked, “Why does
Bethany provide space for the
Emergency Warming Shelter?”
Here’s my response. I have a fundamental
issue with the fact that our government is
unwilling to allocate funds in ways that
prioritize the health and well-being of all
its citizens. We seem to find money for
over-the-top fighter jets, but not enough
to deal with a lack of livable wage jobs,
mental health issues, the opioid crisis,
and veterans suffering as a result of their
service to the country, which are just some
of the underlying causes of homelessness.
As a clergy person, I think it is a cop-out
on the part of the government and culture
to abdicate the responsibility of dealing
with these problems to churches. These
are major issues, and addressing them is
well outside the scope of a local church.
As a Christian, I believe that Jesus asked
me to love my neighbor, feed the hungry,
and care for the poor, and at Bethany
Church, we seek to do that in many
ways—through our weekly community
meal, support of the Montpelier Food
Pantry, partnership with the Department
Rev. Amy Pitton shows one of the cots used in
the overnight warming shelter at Bethany United
Church of Christ. Photo by Tom Brown.
for Children and Families to support kids
in foster care, and advocacy at the State
House, as well as the Emergency Warm-
ing Shelter.
Yet, we should not be the front line re-
sponse to the issues of homelessness, hun-
ger, and poverty. We aren’t equipped. The
primary responsibility of a church is to
help folks cultivate a spiritual relationship
with God—as a minister, that’s what I am
trained to do. I am also called by Jesus to
provide emergency help when folks need
it, and we do our best to do that with the
very limited funds we have at Bethany.
But the Bethany Emergency Warming
T HE BRID GE
Commentary
Shelter is a misnomer, because it is not
an emergency. It is a chronic issue that is
not being effectively addressed by Ameri-
can society. Some of the same folks have
spent the past two winters sleeping in the
Bethany shelter. That’s chronic.
Because we have not effectively dealt
with this crisis, the line has been crossed
from churches being emergency help to
being the ones providing actual shelter
seven months out of the year. We are
doing it because if we don’t, people will
die. We are doing it so that the problem
can be seen in the community and aware-
ness raised about the plight of our fellow
citizens. We do it as a stop-gap measure
until a better and more effective response
can be made.
The Bethany Warming Shelter is not
the permanent solution to homelessness
in Montpelier. It is not even a dignified
response. It is 20 cots in a large, utilitarian
room. It is a small Band-Aid for a wound
that is causing great suffering. What we
are doing at Bethany is simply trying to
keep people alive while raising awareness
of the issue. There must be a better solu-
tion.
Rev. Amy Pitton is pastor of Bethany
United Church of Christ.
T HE BRID GE
Homeless Shelter Sparks Debate
Continued from page 1
has demanded more oversight of the non-
profit’s budget.
Mayor Anne Watson said the process
caused concern about setting a precedent
for last-minute requests for non-budgeted
money and would like to see the Coun-
cil establish clear guidelines for handling
emergency funding situations.
“There are lots of organizations that
address human needs in our community
that could also be considered at crisis lev-
els, and they’re not in our chamber asking
for money,” she said. “I don’t want this
kind of expenditure to become normal,
so we need to define how we understand
extenuating circumstances.”
She said steps should be taken to either
budget the money for an early open-
ing next year or to see whether the state
would extend the range of its funding for
the shelters.
The Bethany warming shelter was
scheduled to be open from 8:30 pm to
8:30 am from November 15 to April 15
because that is the term of state fund-
ing awarded to Good Samaritan. Any
effort to open the shelter earlier requires
additional funding at $340 per night,
according to figures provided by Good
Samaritan.
To accommodate the October 15 tar-
get, City Manager Bill Fraser asked each
department to tighten its belt, propor-
tionately, to free up the $10,000 needed
to operate the center for a month. Since
the shelter will likely be open for half of
that time, only a portion of the $10,000
will be needed.
Fraser said suggestions that the city
take over supervision of the overnight
warming shelter were unrealistic.
“We don’t have the expertise that Good
Sam has,” he said. “It doesn’t make any
sense for the city to operate it. The city
provides funding to a variety of non-
profits through the ballot, but we don’t
provide the services, other than the Senior
We welcome your letters and
opinion pieces. Letters must be
fewer than 300 words. Opinion
pieces should not exceed 600
words. The Bridge reserves the
right to edit and cut pieces.
Send your piece to editorial@
montpelierbridge.com.
Deadline for the next issue is
November 1
Bethany Church steeple. Courtesy
of Wikimedia.
Center.”
He also said the city would not inter-
vene in negotiations between Good Sa-
maritan and the church on an operating
agreement.
Task Force Member Quits
Debate over approval of the applica-
tion for emergency funding sparked a
heated exchange between Homelessness
Task Force member Stephen Whitaker
and District 3 City Councilor Ashley
O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 15
City News
Hill. Whitaker was strongly voicing his
concerns about Good Samaritan’s fund-
Rocque Long
ing transparency and took the organiza-
tion to task about privacy over clauses
Painting
in its operating agreement with Bethany
Church that gives Good Samaritan staff
the authority to search the possessions of
shelter guests, among other things. Hill • Insured
interrupted Whitaker to object to the • 30+ years professional
tone of his remarks, which led to a heated experience
exchange of words. Hill later apologized • local references.
publicly.
Whitaker resigned from the task force 802-223-0389
the next day, citing a lack of confidence
in the task force’s ability “to move a
poorly selected agglomeration of mem-
bers toward a homelessness remediation
plan and strategy” and also doubted the
Council’s and Good Samaritan’s ability
to implement it.
“Shelter guests should certainly not be
required to forfeit constitutional rights,
i.e., First and Fourth Amendments of the
U.S. Constitution, to avail themselves of
the barely habitable accommodations of a
cot on an open floor!” Whitaker wrote in
an email.
“Dignity and respect are always a pri-
ority for us,” said Rob Farrell, execu-
tive director of Good Samaritan Haven.
“Our first responsibility is the safety of
the guests and the staff.” Farrell added
that such searches are performed “very
seldom” and that guests have been “very
cooperative.”
Travis Hill, a formerly homeless man
and member of the task force, told coun-
cilors that his experience with service
providers had been positive.
Farrell said he would ideally like to cre-
ate a pool of four to six people available
to work at the shelter with two needed to
cover a given night. People who staff the
shelter are paid $17 an hour, he said.
PAGE 16 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
Chamber to Present ATHENA Awards
T
he Central Vermont Chamber
of Commerce will present the
statewide ATHENA Leader-
ship Award and Young Professional
Award at a gala banquet and ceremony
Saturday, November 2, at the Capitol
Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in
Montpelier.
Finalists for the Young Professional
Award are: Montpelier Mayor Anne
Watson; Katie Staley, who is a program
director at U-32; and Gwen Pokalo of
the Center for Women & Enterprise in
Burlington.
Finalists for the Leadership Award
are: Lisa Dion, a lecturer at UVM; Jen
Kimmich of the Alchemist Brewery in
Stowe; and Jeanne Morrissey of J. A.
Morrissey, Inc. in Williston.
T HE BRID GE
Business
The ATHENA Young Professional
Leader Award recognizes a woman, 40
years old or younger, who demonstrates
excellence, creativity, and initiative in
her own business or profession; pro-
vides valuable service by contributing
time and energy to improve the quality
of life for others in the community;
and serves as a role model for young
women personally and professionally.
The ATHENA Leadership Award
recognizes men and women for supe-
rior attainment in community service
and mentoring, coaching, and assist-
ing women in accomplishing profes-
sional excellence and leadership skills.
For tickets visit: centralvt.com/2019- Finalists for two statewide Athena awards include (from left) Jeanne Morrissey,
athena-gala-registration Lisa Dion, Katie Staley, and Anne Watson. At right is Dee Lamberton of the
Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Tom Brown.
T HE BRID GE
Community Fund Accepting Applications
R
emember the days of multi-page
city ballots? And the dozens of
requests from nonprofits: “Do the
voters approve a grant of $250 to this
nonprofit; do the voters approve a grant
of $500 to that nonprofit?”
In 2012, to create a more efficient
process to support the critical work of
nonprofits, the Montpelier City Council
established the Montpelier Community
Fund as its method for funding organiza-
tions and projects that benefit Montpe-
lier residents. Now, the Fund provides a
process by which funding requests are
evaluated in the context of the overall city
budget. The City Council appoints the
MCF Board, which is composed of five
Montpelier residents who serve three-year
terms.
“The Montpelier Community Fund is
the vehicle through which the city sup-
ports the important work of nonprofits
in Central Vermont,” Montpelier Mayor
Anne Watson noted. “As a small city,
we can’t necessarily provide for all of the
needs of the most vulnerable in our com-
munity, but we can support the good work
of the organizations that do. These groups
are doing vital work in our community,
and it’s important that they continue to
have the resources to function well.”
O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 17
Community
Each year, the Montpelier Commu-
nity Fund Board asks the community to
submit applications for grants. Grants are
available to nonprofits, or to individual
artists planning a project or event that
benefits the City. The MCF reviews all
application submissions and recommends
grants for eligible organizations and proj-
ects as set forth in the MCF policy, also
taking into consideration prior funding,
the breadth of support, and the extent to
which the grant benefits Montpelier, its
residents, and the public good.
Watson explains, “The Montpelier
Community Fund Board saves nonprofits
precious time collecting signatures to get
an item on the ballot, and at the same
time helps hold those nonprofits account-
able to ensure that they have spent tax-
dollars well.”
Last year, the MCF recommended
$133,250 to 41 nonprofit organizations
and individual artists serving Montpelier.
The Montpelier Community Fund Board
is now accepting applications for the Fiscal
Year 2021 (July 2020–June 2021). Ap-
plication and guidelines can be found at
montpelier-vt.org/communityfundgrant. All
eligible nonprofit organizations and artists
are encouraged to apply, but no later than
midnight, Tuesday, November 12.
PAGE 18 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
Fay Webern (1927–2019)
F
ay Webern died peacefully in hos-
pice care on Friday, October 11, at
Woodridge Nursing Home.
Fay was born on the Lower East Side of
New York, the youngest of four children
of Russian-Jewish immigrants. She grew
up in Lavanburg Homes, founded by a
German-Jewish philanthropist, Fred. L.
Lavanburg, as a utopian model for public
housing. As the children’s representative
on their tenant’s council, Fay developed
a deep sense of fairness and social justice.
In their basement settlement house,
Fay studied modern dance from the age
of seven with a member of Hanya Holm’s
dance company, Beatrice Baronofsky,
under whose guidance the group cho-
reographed and performed a series of
“Dances of Protest.” Fay took to heart
the principles of modern art, which she
soon extended to an understanding of
jazz, painting, and literature. By the age
of 13 she had her own dance troop.
When a progressive neurological disor-
der ended her dance career, Fay worked
as a model at the Art Students League,
where she met the artist William Chai-
ken, to whom she was married for 18
years before they divorced in 1967. She
later studied acting with Ute Hagen and
Michael Kahn, performing in a Broad-
way production of Marat/Sade. She also
studied mime with Mark Epstein, ap-
pearing in his beautiful production of
The Mystery of Elche.
T HE BRID GE
Obituary
Fay also had a long career in publishing Courtesy of Guare and
and science writing, which she tended to Sons Funeral Home.
discount as a way to pay the bills. In
her first job, as secretary for a team of
scientists at the Public Health Research
Institute in New York City, her fearless
questioning of their science as well as
their grammar earned her their respect
and friendship. This led to a series of
jobs in which she rose from copy chief at
Scientific American to editor of Harper
& Row and W.H. Freeman textbooks,
science editor at Funk & Wagnalls En-
cyclopedia and the Encyclopedia Britan-
nica Medical Yearbooks, and finally as
life sciences senior editor of the Random
House Unabridged Dictionary, in all of
which roles she got into trouble for plac-
ing quality above expediency.
Retiring from publishing, Fay turned this culminating achievement, she brings Cemetery and a reception at Beth Jacob
her attention to writing a literary memoir together the artistry, writing skill, and Synagogue from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
of her early life. She credits the writer keen social insight of a lifetime. People wishing to make memorial con-
Tyler C. Gore, her writing instructor at She leaves behind her daughter, Mar- tributions in Fay’s honor may do so to
Gotham Writers Workshop, who became tha Leah Chaiken, of Montpelier, VT, The Yiddish Book Center (1021 West St,
a dear friend, with teaching her to write and many nieces and nephews and their Amherst, MA 01002), Central Vermont
in the first person. She gave many read- children, whom she loved very much. Home Health and Hospice (600 Granger
ings around New York of her work in Her sister, Ruth Calman, and brothers, Rd, Barre, VT 05641), or Fay’s publisher,
progress. Max and Sydney Kessler, predeceased Sagging Meniscus Press, to support the
About 15 years ago, after systematically her. publication of “nonconformist fiction,
researching the best place in the world to A funeral service will be held for Fay at poetry and literary nonfiction” (115 Cla-
live, Fay moved to Montpelier, where Guare & Sons Funeral Home on Thurs- remont Avenue Montclair, NJ 07042).
she made many fast friends and in 2016. day, October 17 at 11 am. The service Those wishing to leave condolences
There she completed her book, The But- will be led by Rabbi Shana Margolin of online may do so at guareandsons.com
ton Thief of East 14th Street: Scenes from a Beth Jacob Synagogue and followed by
Life on the Lower East Side 1927-1957. In a graveside ceremony at Green Mount
T HE BRID GE
Community
Events
Events happening
October 16—November 6
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16
Volunteer Meeting at Central VT Adult
Basic Education. Discover CVABE’s volunteer
opportunities. New volunteers welcome. Current
volunteers from all CVABE’s Learning Centers
are welcome to share their experiences and inspire
others. 4:30–5:30 pm. 100 State Street (first floor
in the Capitol Plaza), Montpelier. 476-4588
Let’s Talk Housing: Impact, Trends, &
Potential. With Michael Rama, Downstreet
Housing Director of Advancement. Join us for
an open and educational discussion about the
state and future of housing from a Downstreet
Housing perspective, Central Vermont’s leading
affordable housing enabler. 5–6 pm. Hunger
Mountain Co-op community room, Montpelier.
Sign-up: info@hungermountain.coop
Community Wild Game Tasting. Hosted by
the Fish & Wildlife Department, the Vermont
Bowhunters Association, and Montpelier
residents concerned with deer management in
their city. 5:30–7:30 pm. The Garage Cultural
Center, 58 State St., Montpelier. Free.
Almost There: Movies About the Future. 7 pm.
Jaquith Public Library, School St., Marshfield.
For film title visit jaquithpubliclibrary.org
Northern Saw-whet Owl Public Banding
Demo. Join NBNC biologists as they capture,
tag, and release these pint-sized owls. After
the birds are released, NBNC naturalists and
educators will discuss the highlights of recent
research at NBNC and across the country,
then share what’s been discovered about this
mysterious little predator. 7:30–9 pm. North
Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm St., Montpelier.
RSVP is required. northbranchnaturecenter.org
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17
Third Thursday: What Say You, Elder? Rev.
Daniel “Elder” Field (1805-1883) was born
in Springfield, Vermont. He was “called” to
become an itinerant Methodist minister, serving
various communities throughout Vermont, New
Hampshire, and New York State. Adam Boyce
relates stories handed down from his family and
other sources about the pithy parson. Noon.
Vermont History Museum, State St., Montpelier.
vermonthistory.org
Sugar-Free Halloween Fun. Amy Panetta, MA,
NC, Nutrition and Lifestyle Consultant, has
creative ideas for parties and trick-or-treating, as
well as sweet, nutrient-dense, whole food recipes.
6–7:30 pm. $8 members; $10 non-members.
Hunger Mountain Co-op community room,
Montpelier. Sign-up: info@hungermountain.
coop
Co.Starters Speaker Series: Accounting
for Growth. Rich Lyons, chief financial
officer with Passumpsic Bank presents on sales
projections and cash flow. 7:30 pm. Do North
Coworking, 930 Broad St., Lyndonville. Team@
DoNorthCoworking.com
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18
Niner Demo. Ride bikes with Onion River
Outdoors. 3–8 pm. North Branch Trails. Demo
van will be parked by pool.
Notion Fabric & Craft Grand Opening
Celebration. 5–9 pm. 68 Main St., Montpelier.
notionvt.com
Calendar of Events O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 19
Performing
Arts
THEATER, DANCE,
STORYTELLING, COMEDY
Oct. 17–19: Vermont Vaudeville presents That’s
Impossible! Brings internationally touring artists
to the stage, as well as new material from the core cast of resident Vermonters. Their blend of comedy,
music, and circus earned them the 2018 Seven Daysies Award for Best Comedy Troupe. Thurs.–Sat.,
7:30 pm; Sat. matinee, 2 pm. The Hardwick Town House, 127 Church St., Hardwick. Adults $18; kids
Murder in the Vermont Woods: A Story
12 and under $10. vermontvaudeville.com
About Race, Class, and Gender in the 19th
Oct. 23–25: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). If you thought one night
of Shakespeare was something else, imagine all of the Bard’s works being performed in one incredibly
Century. Historian Jill Mudgett tells the story of fast-paced evening. Our talented comedic ensemble will have you roaring in your seat as they act—and
an indigenous man, the victim of murder, who
improvise—their way through the entire canon. 7 pm. Spaulding High School, 155 Ayers St., Barre.
came to Central Vermont from southern New Adults $10; students/staff/seniors $7; children $5. Due to some light mature content, this show may
England during the late-19th Century. 7 pm. not be suitable for younger children.
Highland Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick Oct. 24: Extempo. Local raconteurs tell short-format, first-person, true stories live on stage
St., Greensboro. Free. highlandartsvt.org without any notes or reading. 8 p.m. Bridgeside Books, 29 Stowe St., Waterbury. $5. 244-1441.
Moonlight Madness. Downtown Montpelier storytelling@extempovt.com. extempovt.com.
stores extend their hours and offer sales and Oct 25: Kathleen Kanz Comedy Hour. A wide range of talented standup comics from here and away
specials. working longer sets. 8:30 pm. Espresso Bueno, 248 N. Main St., Barre. Free/by donation. 479-0896.
espressobueno.com.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 Nov. 2: Rusty Dewees “The Logger.” Vermont’s own comic returns as a Chandler comedy favorite
Green Mountain Club Work Hike. Bamforth with his new comic routine. Laughter crafted close to home! 7:30 pm. Chandler Music Hall, Main St.,
Ridge. All ages welcome, no experience necessary. Randolph. $20. chandler-arts.org
Fall walk-thru to clear leaves, drainages, any Nov. 2: Boston Ballet II. The program will feature three works by Boston Ballet-based
remaining blowdowns. Wear work clothes, choreographers, a 19th century work by Arthur Saint-Leon, composer Amilcare Ponchielli’s “Dance
boots. Bring gloves, water, snacks, (lunch), of the Hours,” a romantic duet by Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon,
muscles, and your own personal sense of and excerpts from Mikko Nissinen’s “The Nutcracker.” 7 pm. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center,
humor. Tools provided. Meet at Montpelier 122 Hourglass Dr., Stowe. $13–28. Sprucepeakarts.org
High School at 8 am. Contact Alan Paschell at Nov. 8: Plainfield Little Theatre presents Moonshine in Vermont. Nov. 8–10, 15–17. Set in a
trails@gmcmontpelier.org. Rain Date: Oct. 20 fictional Vermont town during the Prohibition Era, the play is a mixture of comedy, romance, and
drama, with a cast of great local talent. 7:30 pm. Haybarn Theatrre, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Rd.,
Twentieth Annual Cabot Apple Pie Festival. Plainfield. $15. 229-5290. blachly@together.net
Homemade apple pie judging, craft fair, apple
pies for sale, lunch, raffle. 9 am–3 pm. Cabot
School Gym, Rt. 215 and Gym Rd., Cabot. relaxed, afternoon field walks. 4–5:30 pm. Montpelier. Free for members; $10 non-
North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm St., members. northbranchnaturecenter.org
Barre Area Senior Center Fall Festival &
Open House. Crafters, food vendors, games,
music, door prizes, and raffles. 10 am–2 pm.
131 S. Main St., Barre.
Advanced Composting Workshop. Already
composting but want to take it up a notch? This
workshop will explore how to hot-compost,
vermicomposting, bokashi composting, and
strategies for composting throughout the winter.
10 am–noon. North Branch Nature Center,
713 Elm St., Montpelier. Free. Register:
cvswmd.org
Fur Fest. Benefits Central Vermont Humane
Society. Fun, lighthearted celebration of how you
and the community have helped the animals at
CVHS this year. Appetizers, desserts, auction.
5–8 pm. Vermont Granite Museum, 7 Jones
Brothers Way, Barre. Advance tickets: $35.
centralvermonthumane.org
Montpelier Contra Dance. With Kristen
Planeaux calling to music by Cloud Ten. No
experience and no partner needed. All dances are
taught plus an introductory session at 7:45 pm.
Capital City Grange Hall, 6612 Rt. 12, Berlin.
Please bring clean, soft-soled shoes. Adults $10;
kids and low income $5.; dance supporters $15.
capitalcitygrange.org
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20
Harvest Dinner. The bounty and culinary
talents of Camp Merrishko will be featured,
and many favorite menu items plus some new
creations will be offered. 6 pm. Brookfield Old
Town Hall, 93 Stone Rd., Brookfield. Adults
$15; under 18 by donation. BYOB.
VCFA’s MFA in Film Fall Screenings. Special
Guest Screening/Lecture: Sound Design
with Sylvain Bellemare. 7 pm. Savoy Theater,
26 Main St., Montpelier. vcfa.edu/film-fall-
2019-public-screenings
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21
Mushroom Mondays. Join NBNC Teacher/
Naturalist and expert mycologist Dave Muska
on a casual foray around the property in
search of all things fungi and mushrooms.
Learn about fungi identification, ecology,
symbioses, edibility, and life history in these
PAGE 20 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019
Visual Arts
EXHIBITS
Through Oct. 19: Exposed: Outdoor
Sculpture Exhibition. Helen Day Art
Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe.
Through Oct. 20: Visual Splendor: Travels
in Northern India. Photographs by Amy
Davenport. The Gallery at Central Vermont
Medical Center, 130 Fisher Hill Rd., Berlin.
moetown52@comcast.net.
Through Oct. 25: The War of Ideas:
Propaganda Posters from the Vermont
Historical Society Collections. Visitors
can examine how posters have been an
important part of the wartime effort, for
everything from recruitment to support on
the homefront. Vermont History Center,
60 Washington St., Barre. 479-8500.
vermonthistory.org
Through Oct. 26: Recent Work by John
Matusz. Collage sculptures made from
cardboard and ranging in size from 27 inches
to 60 inches tall. Axel’s Gallery & Frame Shop,
5 Stowe St., Waterbury. AxelsGallery.com
Through Oct. 27: Dianne Shullenberger,
Outdoor Influences. Inspired by being
outdoors and experiencing nature’s atmosphere,
Shullenberger’s new display features fabric
collage and sculpture. Gallery at Highland
Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St.,
Greensboro. highlandartsvt.org
Through Oct. 29: Handcrafted Vermont;
Works by the Guild of Vermont Furniture
VCFA’s MFA in Film Fall Screenings. Special
Guest Screening: “Late Night” (with Executive
VP at FilmNation, Mike Jackman). 7 pm. Savoy
Theater, 26 Main St., Montpelier. vcfa.edu/film-
fall-2019-public-screenings
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22
VCFA’s MFA in Film Fall Screenings. Faculty
Screening: “900 Days” (with filmmaker Jessica
Gorter). 7 pm. Savoy Theater, 26 Main St.,
Montpelier. vcfa.edu/film-fall-2019-public-
screenings
Calendar of Events
Makers. Vermont State House Cardroom,
Montpelier. curator.vermont.gov
Through Oct. 30: Monkeys, Missiles, and
Mushrooms. Paintings by Marina Epstein.
The paintings on view represent the artist’s
experience living in Vermont combined
with exotic tropical influences from Mexico.
134 State St., Montpelier. hermitage-gallery.
com
Through Oct. 31: Helen Rabin and Marge
Pulaski. Jaquith Public Library, School St.,
Marshfield. jaquithpubliclibrary.org
Through Oct. 31: Deborah Sacks: Cats,
Landscapes and Figures. Mixed media prints.
Reception: Oct. 25, 6 pm. Chelsea Public
Library. chelsealibrary.com
Through Oct. 31: LandART Lab 2019. Over
18 regional sculptors presenting outdoor art and
installation on the land. Pack a picnic and bring
friends and family. King Farm Rd., Woodstock.
Through Oct. 31: Conduits: A Show With
Three Artists. Three artists (Liz Hawkes
deNiord, Richard Heller, and Rachel Portesi)
with divergent expressions convene to
compliment and explore underlying realities
in their art. Two painters and a wet plate
collodion print photographer challenge the
viewer to engage with the works, discovering
connected meaning beyond what is seen.
All three artists work to create a conduit
for inspired expression. Vermont Art
Council’s Spotlight Gallery, 136 State St.,
Montpelier.
Through Nov. 2: Studio Place Arts. 201 N.
Main St., Barre. studioplacearts.com
Rock Solid XIX. Annual stone sculpture
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
The Health of Lake Champlain. Lauren Sopher,
Lake Champlain Committee Director of Science
and Water Programs, will discuss critical issues
that impact lake health: climate change, nutrients,
toxins, and aquatic invasive species. An Osher
Lifelong Learning Institute program. 1:30 pm.
Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre
St., Montpelier. Free for OLLI members; $5
suggested donation for others.
Advanced Cancer Support Group. Individuals
and families living with incurable or advanced
exhibit showcases stone sculptures and
assemblage by area artists and other work
that depicts the beautiful qualities of stone.
Perspective by Tuyen My Nguyen.
Installations made from tautly strung thread
and string that explore scale differences in
small and large configurations.
Humanity – No Fear of the Other and
the Good Life: Recent Paintings by
Damariscotta Rouelle
Through Nov. 9: Helen Day Art Center.
90 Pond St., Stowe. helenday.com
Main Gallery: Unbroken Current.
Investigates cultural and personal identity,
social justice, and history through the lens of
photography, painting, sculpture, and mixed
media.
East Gallery: Studio of Archeo-virtual
Spiritings. Greek artist Vasilis Zografos’
new body of paintings reveals the medium’s
enduring relevance in today’s digital image
culture by examining the tension between
memorialization and design, commemoration
and utility, reflection and affordance, in a
series of oils on paper that draw upon an
archaeological rather than a Modernist
tradition.
Through Nov. 14: 90s Reign. An exhibit
of work by students in Northern Vermont
University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts animation
and illustration program. Quimby Gallery at
Northern Vermont University’s Lyndon campus.
NorthernVermont.edu
Through Nov. 30: The Front presents
SHOW 35. Recent works by the membership
of Montpelier’s sole collective art gallery.
6 Barre St., Montpelier. info@thefrontvt.com.
cancer are invited to meet to talk openly about
concerns and interests. 2–4 pm. Montpelier
Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier.
Questions? Contact Mary Ellen Simmons at the
CVMC Cancer Center: 552-8115.
Mentally Intune – A Community Chorus
for People Living with Depression. Come
sing for the joy and fun of it and to connect
with others like yourself! No experience or
talent required. 2nd and 4th Wednesdays,
6:30–8 pm, Rumney School, Middlesex.
272-7209.
The Vermont Arts Council Vermont Arts
Awards 2019. The honorees are François
Clemmons for the Governor’s Award for
Excellence in the Arts, Castle Freeman for
the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding
Achievement in the Arts, Joan Robinson
for the Ellen McCulloch-Lovell Award in
Arts Education, James Lockridge for the
Margaret L. (Peggy) Kannenstine Award for
Arts Advocacy, and Douglas Anderson for
the Arthur Williams Award for Meritorious
Service to the Arts. 5:30 pm. Mahaney Arts
T HE BRID GE
Through Dec. 4: Art Show: A Multi-media
Collection of Works by the Paletteers of
Vermont. Montpelier Senior Activity Center
community room, 58 Barre St., Montpelier.
Through Dec. 14: Studio Place Arts presents
“Northward.” Paintings by Elizabeth Nelson.
On display at Morse Block Deli, 60 N. Main
St., Barre. studioplacearts.com
Nov. 1–Dec. 20: Robert Mallory Klein, The
Character of the Kingdom. Paintings of the
villages and hamlets of Vermont’s Northeast
Kingdom. Opening: Nov. 1, 5 pm. Highland
Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St.,
Greensboro. highlandartsvt.org
Through Dec. 20: Kate Emlen, Breathe the
Wind. Emlen’s paintings explore the power
and mystery of the natural world. Imagery
shifts between disintegration and integration
through the use of light and shadow, color and
form. White River Gallery, 35 S. Windsor St.,
South Royalton. 498-8438
Through Dec. 21: 200 Years—200 Objects.
An exhibition celebrating Norwich University’s
bicentennial. Curated to include objects from the
museum collection, as well as documents and
images from Archives and Special Collections,
that reflect and retell the university’s 200-year
history. Norwich University Sullivan Museum
and History Center, Northfield. norwich.edu
Through Dec. 27: Janie Cohen, Rogue Cloth
Work. The artist’s body of work combines and
transforms hand-stitched pieces of old cloth
into new contexts—with some inspired by their
histories, and others by formal concerns or visual
associations. Vermont Supreme Court Gallery,
111 State St., Montpelier. roguestitcher.com
Center, Middlebury College. Free. RSVP:
https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=UdZarh
Ingredients of the FICO-Score Pie. We will
look at the FICO credit scoring formula and
uncover the mystery ingredients to achieving an
excellent credit score. Learn tips about how/when
credit is looked at, and what you can do to create
a strong score. 6–7:30 pm. Hunger Mountain
Co-op community room, Montpelier. Sign-up:
info@hungermountain.coop
VCFA’s MFA in Film Fall Screenings.
Faculty Screening: “The Green Fog” (with
filmmaker Guy Maddin). 7 pm. Savoy Theater,
26 Main St., Montpelier. vcfa.edu/film-fall-2019-
public-screenings
Waterbury Historical Society Meeting.
Speakers profile seven of Waterbury thirteen
cemeteries. 7 pm. Steele Community Room,
Waterbury Municipal Building, 28 N. Main St.,
Waterbury. 244-8089.
Yestermorrow Speaker Series Events: Energy-
Efficient Affordable Housing. Michael
Wisniewski of Duncan Wisniewski Architecture
T HE BRID GE Calendar of Events O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 21

Live Music
VENUES
Bagitos. 28 Main St., Montpelier. 229-9212.
Bagitos.com
Oct. 17: Coffee Corner Jam Session, 7:30 am
Oct. 19: Barry Bender, 11 am; Irish Session,
2 pm
Oct. 20: Eric Friedman Folk Ballads, 11 am
Oct. 26: Irish Session, 2 pm
Oct. 27: Southern Old Time Music Jam, 10 am
Nov. 2: Brunch with Barry Bender, 11 am;
Irish Session, 2 pm
Nov. 7: Coffee Corner Jam Session, 7:30 am
Charlie O’s World Famous. 70 Main St.
Montpelier. Free. 223-6820.
Every Tues.: Karaoke, 7:30 pm
Oct. 31: FRO, 8–11 pm. No cover.
reverbnation.com/haroldfro
Espresso Bueno. 248 N. Main St., Barre.
479-0896. espressobueno.com.
Oct 25: Matthew Denton (singer-
songwriter), 7:30 pm
Whammy Bar. 31 W. County Rd., Calais.
whammybar1.com
Every Thurs.: Open Mic, 7 pm
Oct. 18: Red Hot Juba, 7:30 pm
Oct. 19: Barn Band (classic folk, rock,
oldies) 7:30 pm
Oct. 25: VT Bluegrass Pioneers, 7:30 pm
Oct. 26: Mary-Go-Round, 7:30 pm
Oct. 31: Halloween Party w/ Liz Beatty and
the Lab Rats (R&B, rock, blues) 7:30 pm
SPECIAL EVENTS
Oct. 17: Trio Sefardi. Celebrates the musical
heritage of the exiled Jews of Spain, the
Sephardim, with songs in Ladino about love
and courtship, holidays and hope. 7 pm.
Brookfield Old Town Hall, 93 Stone Rd.,
Brookfield. Adults $5; under 18 by donation.
Oct. 19: The Coffee House. Join us for an
evening of performances featuring “Outlaw
Country” music singer Donna Thunder and
the Storm, and several other local musicians.
6:30–9:30 pm. United Church of Northfield,
58 S. Main St., Northfield. $10 suggested
donation.
Oct. 19: John McEuen. Founding member
of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Folk, rock, and
country. 7:30 pm. Chandler Music Hall, Main
St., Randolph. $10–39. chandler-arts.org
Oct. 19–20: Capital City Concerts presents
Sleepers Awake! Music of JS Bach returns
with a performance of “Sleepers Awake!”
(“Wachet Auf”), the most beloved of Bach’s
cantatas. World-class singer soloists, a chorus,
and a professional orchestra composed of
Vermont musicians with players from the New
York City Ballet and Opera Orchestras, and
Mostly Mozart will be directed by Richard
Riley. Violinist Laurie Smukler will be the
soloist in Bach’s resplendent Violin Concerto
in A minor. Adults $25; students: $15.
capitalcityconcerts.org
Oct. 19: 7:30 pm. St. Augustine Church,
Montpelier.
Oct. 20: 3 pm, St. Paul’s Cathedral,
Burlington
Oct. 20: The Vienna Boys Choir. Celestial
voices, rapturous harmonies, irresistible charm
and a repertoire spanning the centuries have
made the choir famous around the world. 3
pm. Barre Opera House, 6 N. Main St., Barre.
$20–42.50. 476-8188. barreoperahouse.org.
Oct. 20: Mr. Chris and Friends. Sing and
dance along as Mister Chris and his band
of special friends perform new and familiar
songs, including favorites from the popular
Vermont PBS music series for kiddos,
Mister Chris and Friends! 3 pm. Prior to
concert in the Performance Studio at 2 pm
is ECHO’s Explore, Play and Learn—a fully
immersive, hands-on learning adventure for
the whole family. Highland Center for the
Arts, 2875 Hardwick St., Greensboro. $5.
highlandartsvt.org
Oct. 26: Musical Munchkins Halloween
Concert. For 2-7 year olds and their families
with Miss Andrea & the Hoot musicians.
Enjoy interactive Halloween songs, movement,
storytelling, puppets, and instrumental play.
Fundraiser for Thatcher Brook Primary
Backpack program. 3 pm. Green Mountain
Performing Arts, 37 Commercial Dr.,
Waterbury. Suggested donation: $10-20 per
family. RSVP: musicalmunchkins.net
Oct. 26: USAF Heritage of America Band
Clarinet Quartet. Featuring the world’s finest
active duty musicians performing exciting
modern compositions and classical favorites
for audiences of all ages. 3–5 pm. Highland
Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St.,
Greensboro. Free. highlandartsvt.org
Oct. 26: Blue Wave Concert: Because
Families Belong Together. Featuring Maple
Jam, Vermont’s premier a cappella jazz group.
A fundraiser for the Texas Civil Rights Project,
supporting immigrant children and families at
our southern border. 7 pm. Unitarian Church,
130 Main St., Montpelier. Admission by
donation. IndivisibleCalais.org
Oct. 26: Cabot Arts Presents The Moon
Shells. Connecticut-based trio grounded in
the Appalachian fiddle tradition, drawing on
Louisiana, West Africa, and Eastern Europe,
they create a fusion of traditional oldtime
stringband music with deep rhythms and
joyful songwriting. 7:30 pm. Landmark
Schoolhouse, 1643 Rt. 215, Lower Cabot. $16
advance; $20 at door. cabotarts.org
Oct. 26: Presley, Perkins, Lewis & Cash.
The number one and official tribute to four
of rock and roll’s greatest legends featuring
performers from Broadway’s Million Dollar
Quartet. 7:30 pm. Barre Opera House, 6 N.
Main St., Barre. $32.50-39.50. 476-8188.
barreoperahouse.org.
Oct. 26–27: Heliand Consort. Vermont
chamber music ensemble presents an exciting
program featuring music by Vermont native,
Nico Muhly, along with several of his
contemporaries. The concerts feature a narrator
and an eclectic mix of solos, chamber music,
and music for large wind ensemble. $10.
heliandconsort.org
Oct. 26: 7 pm. Chandler Center for the
Arts, Main St., Randolph
Oct. 27: 3 pm, Dibden Center for the Arts,
Northern Vermont University-Johnson
Oct. 27: One Sky: Music for San Antonio
Grande. Performing piano, organ, flute, and
vocal music from a potpourri of composers and
styles, 1800–2019. Featuring: Diane Huling,
concert pianist; Arthur Zorn, organist and
vocalist; Denise Ricker, flutist; vocalists Erin
McIntyre, Skip Potter, Nessa Rabin, Linda
Radtke, Jessica Collins, Theresa Lever and
Amy Papineau. 2 pm with reception following.
Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier.
vermontartmusic@gmail.com

will present on his firm’s affordable housing
work. How does one design and build affordable
housing that is energy efficient, comfortable, and
cost-effective? What are the challenges, and where
are the opportunities? 7 pm. 7865 Main St.,
Waitsfield. Free. efficiencyvermont.com
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
Raising Spirits: Spooky Stories from
Vermont Public Records. Join us for an encore
performance of raising spirits from the archives.
Gather around the circle and hear from the
spectres whose stories have been captured in
Vermont public records, and stay for an exhibit
of the records that inspired the stories. You will
hear tales of murder and disaster, of mediums and
disappearances. 6 pm. Vermont State Archives
and Records Administration, 1078 Rt. 2,
Middlesex. 828-2308 Free.
VCFA’s MFA in Film Fall Screenings. Special
Guest Screening: “Hale County This Morning,
This Evening” (with filmmaker RaMell Ross).
7 pm. Savoy Theater, 26 Main St., Montpelier.
vcfa.edu/film-fall-2019-public-screenings
Co.Starters Speaker Series: Life After
Co.Starters. Creating goals and growth
planswith Ezra Ranz-Schleifer, local
entrepreneur and maker. 7:30 pm. Do North
Coworking, 930 Broad St., Lyndonville.
Team@DoNorthCoworking.com
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
Unitarian Church of Montpelier Fall
Rummage Sale. Get ready for the cold days
ahead. UCM’s annual rummage sale features
warm clothes for children and adults. Household
goods. 9 am–6 pm. 130 Main St., Montpelier.
VCFA’s MFA in Film Fall Screenings. Thesis
Screenings: “With Dad,” “Jean’s Dream,” and
“Skywheel”. 3:15 pm. Savoy Theater, 26 Main
St., Montpelier. vcfa.edu/film-fall-2019-public-
screenings
Lady of the Hills Opening Reception. In 1938, trick or treating fun. Noon–3 pm. 1284 Rt. 302, dinner, games, prizes, a spooky “haunted”
Sergeant-at-Arms Dwight Dwinell carved a statue Berlin. house, and the ever popular costumes parade.
of the Roman goddess of agriculture to adorn the Families Halloween Party. Don your 5 pm. Brookfield Old Town Hall, 93 Stone Rd.,
dome of the Vermont State House. For 80 years, costumes and join us for a fun pot luck Brookfield. Free.
the statue, now known as Ceres II, stood watch
over our Capitol before being replaced in 2018.
Join us in welcoming her to her new home at the
Vermont History Museum, where she will serve
as the centerpiece of our newest exhibit, The Lady
of the Hills. 4–6 pm. Vermont History Museum,
109 State St., Montpelier.
Pumpkin Carving at the Co-op. Come carve
jack-o-lanterns with us! We will supply the
pumpkins, carving tools, and refreshments. You
can take your jack-o-lantern home or leave it
for us to display at the Co-op. 5–7 pm. Hunger
Mountain Co-op community room, Montpelier.
Sign-up: info@hungermountain.coop
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
Hike Belvidere Mountain with the Green
Mountain Club. Lowell. Difficult. 7.9 miles.
We’ll hike a loop involving the Frank Post,
Long, and Forester’s trails. We’ll pass Tillotson
Camp and have lunch at the fire tower on
top of Belvidere, enjoying the expansive
views. Bring lunch, water, snacks, and layers.
Contact co-leaders: Nancy Schulz, 223-7035 or
saddleshoes2@gmail.com or Phyllis Rubenstein,
793-6313 or Phyllis@PhyllisRubensteinLaw.
comcastbiz.net for meeting time and place.
Tiny House Fest Vermont 2019. Tour
tiny houses with Yestermorrow. Visit
tinyhousefestvermont.com for more info.
Unitarian Church of Montpelier Fall
Rummage Sale. 9 am–1 pm. 130 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Drop for the Annual Fall Drop ‘N Swap.
9 am–3 pm. Plumley Armory, Norwich
University, Northfield.
One Stop Country Pet Supply Halloween
Party. Costume party. Bring your pets along for
PAGE 2 2 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 Calendar of Events
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
Tiny House Fest Vermont 2019. Exhibitions
and presentations will occupy the buildings and
grounds of Sugarbush Resort in Warren. Visit
tinyhousefestvermont.com for more info.
Swap Day for the Annual Fall Drop ‘N
Swap. $1 entrance fee for all the clothes you
want. Noon–5 pm. Plumley Armory, Norwich
University, Northfield.
Vermont Folk Horror Roadshow. Is there such
a thing as Vermont folk horror? Answer the call
of the coven in Transformations and vanish into
the winter woods in The Animal, two films set
and created in Vermont and recently preserved
by the Vermont Archive Movie Project. 3–5 pm.
Highland Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St.,
Greensboro. Free. highlandartsvt.org
MONDAY, OCTOBER 28
Mushroom Mondays. See event description
under Oct. 21.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29
Unsustainable Agriculture in Occupied
Palestine. A brief history of Israel-Palestine with a
focus on the crisis facing Palestinian farmers posed
by the Israeli military, government, settlements,
land and water policies, and the Separation
Wall. Recommendations and discussion of
what Vermonters can do to support Palestinian
farmers. 5:30–7 pm. Hunger Mountain Co-
op community room, Montpelier. Sign-up:
info@hungermountain.coop
Kristin Kimball: Good Husbandry. Reading,
talk, and book signing with Kristin Kimball
(celebrated author of the bestseller The Dirty Life).
7 pm. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main St., Montpelier.
229-0774.
Genealogy Meeting. Program is “Solving
Brick Walls.” 7 pm. Waterbury Public Library,
28 N. Main St., Waterbury.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30
Yestermorrow Speaker Series Events:
Gardening for Storm-water Management.
Rachel Grigorian, Landscape Architect and
owner of Clark Brook Designs, will show
examples of her local projects that are making a
positive impact on water quality through plants.
Learn effective techniques to manage storm
water at home or at a community scale. 7 pm.
7865 Main St., Waitsfield. Free.
efficiencyvermont.com
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Peacham Corner Guild Annual Christmas
Show. Featuring small antiques, fine handcrafted
gifts, specialty foods, ornaments, invited artists.
10 am–7 pm. Vanessa’s Cafe by Sharon Hunter.
Upstairs at the Peacham Town Hall.
Vermont, 1800 and Froze to Death: The
Cold Year of 1816. In this talk, historian
Howard Coffin includes scores of anecdotes on
the dark year of failed crops, scarce food, and
religious revival. 7–9 pm. Highland Center for
the Arts, 2874 Hardwick St., Greensboro. Free.
highlandartsvt.org
Gin Austen. A literary cocktail party with
drinks by Barr Hill. Games and prizes. 7 pm.
Bear Pond Books, 77 Main St., Montpelier. $20.
bearpondbooks.com
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Hike Smarts Mountain with Green Mountain
Club. Lyme, NH. Difficult. 8 miles. The group
will ascend via the Lambert Ridge Trail, enjoying
T HE BRID GE
numerous views along the way. The summit
features more views with a fire tower and ranger
cabin. After lunch, we’ll descend via the Ranger
Trail. Bring lunch, water, snacks, and layers.
Contact Co-leaders: Nancy Schulz, 223-7035 or
saddleshoes2@gmail.com or Phyllis Rubenstein,
793-6313 or Phyllis@PhyllisRubensteinLaw.
comcastbiz.net for meeting time and place.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3
Peacham Corner Guild Annual Christmas
Show. See event description under Nov. 1. 10
am–3 pm.
Best of VTIFF 2019 – “Non-Fiction.” Film
set amidst the bohemian intelligentsia of the
Parisian publishing world, “Non-Fiction” traces
the romantic and emotional fallout that results
when a controversial writer begins blurring the line
between fact and fiction. 3 pm. Highland Center
for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St., Greensboro. $10.
highlandartsvt.org
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6
Walk-Through Wednesday Open House at
Orchard Valley. An introductory visit to the
OVWS grades school on our Grace Farm campus.
Campus tour and Q&A time, too. 8:30–9:30 am.
Orhard Valley Waldorf School, 2290 Rt. 14N,
East Montpelier. Register: enrollment@ovws.org
or 456-7400
Sea Turtle Conservation Presentation.
Middlesex photographer Elliot Burg shares
his images and experiences documenting the
sea turtle conservation work of Javier Mayo
Huerta and Lucy Carmona Liborio along
Mexico’s Pacific Coast. 6–7 pm. North Branch
Nature Center, 713 Elm St., Montpelier. Free.
northbranchnaturecenter.org
T HE BRID GE O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 • PAGE 23
Capital City Concerts Presents
“Sleepers Awake”
O
n the heels of last season’s sold-
out Magnificat concerts, the music
of J.S. Bach returns this month
with a performance of “Sleepers Awake!”
(“Wachet Auf”), the most beloved of Bach’s
cantatas.
Soloists, chorus, and a professional or-
chestra (composed of Vermont musicians
with instrumentalists from the New York
City Ballet and Opera orchestras, and
Mostly Mozart) will be directed by Richard
Riley. Three world-class Bach specialists
will be the featured singers in this concert:
soprano Hyunah Yu, tenor Steven Paul
Spears, and baritone Nathaniel Sullivan.
Violinist Laurie Smukler will be the soloist
in Bach’s resplendent “Violin Concerto in
A minor.”
The “Wachet Auf” chorale has a fasci-
nating history: In the late 16th century, a
terrible plague spread through parts of Eu-
rope, including a town in Germany called
Unna where more than 1,300 residents died
during this outbreak. When Philipp Nico-
lai (1556–1608), the pastor of the town’s
church, became deathly ill, he recorded
Music
meditations in a journal. Against all odds,
he recovered from the illness and wrote
the hymn “Wachet Auf” in gratitude. His
moving hymn achieved immortality and
became the setting for Bach’s poignant and
popular cantata.
The concerts are sponsored in part by
the National Life Foundation, the Vermont
Community Foundation Concert Artists
Fund, and the Montpelier Community
Fund with media support from Vermont
Public Radio.
“Sleepers Awake” will be performed at
7:30 pm on Saturday, October 19, at Saint
Augustine Church in Montpelier and at
3 pm Sunday, October 20, at the Cathedral
of Saint Paul in Burlington.
For more information and to order tickets,
visit capitalcityconcerts.org. Individual tickets
are $15–$25 and subscription tickets are $80
for four concerts. Save $5 per ticket. Tickets
also are available at Bear Pond Books, Mont-
pelier. (Check or cash only-in person.)
This text was provided by Capital City
Concerts
PAGE 24 • O C T 16 — N OV 5, 2019 T HE BRID GE