The Charlotte News | August 23, 2017

The

VOLUME LX NUMBER 4 | WEDNESDAY, AUG. 23, 2017

Charlotte News Charlotte’s award-winning community newspaper

Rocking The R.O.C. Worldwide CVU grad Natalie Meyer and her recruits keep the Refugee Outreach Club alive in Vermont schools and beyond page 10

O T K C BA L O O SCH ON I T I D E

CCS Principal Barbara Meet the new CVSD What to know about Anne leaves her post chief operations concussions as school page 1 officer page 10 sports begin page 17

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Charlotte News

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Vol. 60, no. 4

August 23, 2017

Vermont’s oldest nonprofit community newspaper, bringing you local news and views since 1958.

Volunteer fire department training night success

Two fire chiefs, Shelburne Chief Jerry Ouimet and Charlotte Chief Dick St. George, oversee extrication drills conducted last week. The new “Jaws of Life” tools are battery powered instead of hydraulically powered. The big advantage is portability. No generator is needed with the new tools, and no hydraulic hoses need to be hauled to run them.

Photo by Lee Krohn

Charlotte Central School undergoes big change Gail Callahan

SCHOOL BOARD CORRESPONDENT

With about a week to go before the start of a new school year, Charlotte Central School Lead Principal Barbara Anne Komons-Montroll is stepping away from her post to assume a new position in the Champlain Valley School District.

Komons-Montroll of Burlington has accepted the job of director of communications and public relations.

She starts her new position the week of Aug. 28 and will work from the district’s central office in Shelburne.

“This role will involve my building relationships with the community across multiple mediums in order to promote mutual understanding and communication,” Komons-Montroll wrote in an email to the school community.

“Additionally, I will support special projects related to our consolidation.

This is such an exciting and worthwhile opportunity for me to pursue my passion of community relations that I could not pass it up when I saw the recent posting.”

Stephanie Sumner will take on the job of lead principal of CCS. Sumner said she will miss the working partnership she and Komons-Montroll developed as

school principals together. “I really valued Barbara Anne’s strength in creating a vision for the work of our team, as well as her passion for creating strong community connection,” she Barbara Anne Komon-Monroll said.

Courtesy photo K o m o n s Montroll said she is grateful for the professional opportunities the lead principal position provided. “It has been both a privilege and a joy to work at such a great school as Charlotte Central School,” she said. “I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to have worked with the talented and wonderful professionals who work at CCS. I will sincerely miss the children of Charlotte, who are at the heart of everything we do.”

Komons-Montroll’s CCS exit comes at a time when school population statewide is trending downward in many districts. In Charlotte, the decrease in school enrollment isn’t new. “It has been

see CCS page 12

Philo Ridge Farm celebrates Open Farm Week

Pasture-walk participants ride out to the research plots at Philo Ridge Farm during Open Farm Week in Charlotte.

Photo by Sara Flack

Edward Pitcavage PHILO RIDGE FARM

Vermont Open Farm Week celebrated its third year of families flocking to farms for tastings, tours, dinners, workshops and more last week. Here in Charlotte, Philo Ridge Farm hosted two events welcoming guests of all ages to visit the farm.

On Tuesday, Aug. 15, the farm held its first event and hosted a pasture walk led by expert grazing consultant Jim Gerrish to showcase the pastureresearch projects University of Vermont Extension is running at the farm. The UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, a program through UVM Extension, hosted the event and has initiated a number of research projects at Philo Ridge Farm, including studying the impacts of pasture soil compaction, planting different forage varieties and monitoring wood-chip use for wintering livestock at the farm.

Gerrish lectured on creating healthy soil, grazing management on clay soils and beef production. He has written a regular monthly column in The Stockman Grass-Farmer magazine for over 12 years and has authored two books on grazing and ranch management. Other presenters included Juan Alvez, a pasture program researcher with UVM Extension, and Fay Benson, an educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Philo Ridge Farm rotationally grazes its herd of 30 Belted Galloways. The herd stays in a bedded pack barn with a wood-chip exterior pack in the winter months. The pack is then removed in

the spring and composted and added to vegetable beds the following year. Ed Pitcavage, farm manager at Philo Ridge Farm, commented, “The grazing plan we created this year focused on getting the cattle herd to areas of the farm that haven’t seen livestock. We are trying to build organic matter, soil fertility and the infrastructure for grazing and working toward high-quality 100, percent grass-fed beef.”

Putting the technicalities of pasture management aside, Philo Ridge Farm welcomed guests for a second time on August 19, for a children’s musical play day. Kids enjoyed bubbles, facepainting and digging in the clean woodchip bedding that will soon be a comfortable surface where the farm’s cattle will overwinter. Philo Ridge farmers led carrot harvesting and pig feeding adventures, and families enjoyed music by Julia Wayne and Katie Trautz of the local Americana band, Mayfly.

Philo Ridge wasn’t the only farm in town hosting visitors during Open Farm Week. Neighbors at Trillium Hill Farm hosted the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont’s mobile pizza oven for a harvest party, Last Resort Farm hosted a garlic-braiding workshop, and Maple Wind Farm fried up their delicious chickens for a casual on-farm meal.

While Open Farm Week ended officially Aug. 20, Philo Ridge Farm looks forward to continually welcoming guests to the farm through school visits, pasture walks and its farm market.

Property Transfers 5 • Education 10 • Sports 14 • Rec News 18

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2 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

Editorial Liberty and justice for all

As our children head back to school I am reminded of the most important lessons of my youth. I was born in the late 60s during the Vietnam War. I wouldn’t say my mom was a Lynn Monty hippie of the time, EDITOR IN CHIEF but I do remember a flower or two in her hair on occasion. Peace, love and equality were prevalent themes in my home, at school, in my neighborhood and on television.

My mother always told me, “You’re no better than anyone and no one is better than you.” When I was little I wanted her to tell me I was special, better than everyone, but that seed of equality she planted in my developing brain has stuck with me to this day, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for this gift.

Everything in my rural Vermont upbringing backed her up. We lived next to a dairy farm, a babbling brook and two lifetimes of trees to climb. We had three television channels. I watched PBS after school in an era when Sesame Street was new, Mr. Rogers was all the rage and every nighttime sitcom had a moral lesson to teach.

I was an only child until the age of 19, so I had plenty of unhindered time

to reflect on the natural world around me. I was an early reader and writer. I’ve never been much of a speaker, not even at the dinner table, and certainly not in the classroom. The radio was on quite a bit. The songs of that time were all about peace. We were asked to “give it a chance” and for every season “turn, turn, turn.”

The messages were pure. The distractions were few. Modern technology as we know it was still in its pupal stage.

I am a generation Xer—someone born between the mid-60s and early 80s. I read somewhere that we are known to be “active, happy achievers.” Apparently we were the first generation to grow up with both parents working. In other words, we were left to our own devices … without devices.

A history teacher introduced me to the book Treblinka about the horrors of Nazi Germany in Poland during WWII when I was 14. It was a far cry from my beloved Heidi and The Outsiders I had read and reread just prior. At the time, I was actually angrier that I hadn’t been informed this kind of evil existed … that Hitler existed.

I wanted to know why and how he was able to torture and kill so many innocent people so easily and effortlessly. I felt betrayed. I wanted answers. I finally got vocal.

I paid attention in school and to the news like mad after learning about the Holocaust. I didn’t want to be left in the dark ever again. I had no idea how I

hadn’t been introduced to The Diary of Anne Frank before then or why everyone wasn’t shouting what the Nazis had done from every rooftop. Why was everyone so tight-lipped about the Holocaust, I wondered. Why was everyone keeping it all under wraps? I talked nonstop about what I had learned. Time and time again the adults in my life would pat me on the head and say something like, “We can’t live in the past, Lynnie. It will never happen again.”

I believed them and followed protocol.

I stopped talking and went back to observing. Not long after that I remember I photographed natural items placed on a rock to form the word “love.” As my bright, flower-laden creation revealed itself in the darkroom at school my teacher scoffed and said, “Love is overrated.”

He seemed so lost and hopeless, and I desperately wanted to know what the world had done to him. I never found out, but his unrest was my cue. I knew I didn’t have the luxury of letting myself remain complacent and quiet. I felt validated in my belief that the work I put into my everyday living was not just for me—it was about making the world a better place for everyone.

All corners of my environment indicated peace, love and equality were the most important lessons to learn as I grew. When I placed my hand over my heart before school began and repeated the words, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” it instilled in me a responsibility to be a helping part of a whole. I understood then, as I do now, that justice for all is a work in progress. I am pretty certain it always will be.

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The Charlotte News

The Charlotte News is a nonprofit community-based newspaper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues. It serves as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and celebrates the people, places and happenings that make the Town of Charlotte unique.

Contributions in the form of articles, press releases and photographs pertaining to Charlotte-related people and events are accepted and encouraged. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@thecharlottenews.org.

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by The Charlotte News, Inc., a Vermont domestic 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation.

Distribution is made every other Thursday to all households and businesses in Charlotte and to more than 50 outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes and Burlington. The Charlotte News relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations.

Editorial Staff news@thecharlottenews.org / 425-4949 Editor in chief: Lynn Monty Layout manager: Anna Cyr Staff writers: Keith Morrill, Heather McKim School board correspondent: Gail Callahan Outwater interns: Sarah Wolverton, Morgan Magoon Contributing editor: Edd Merritt Copy editors: Beth Merritt, Vince Crockenberg, Edd Merritt, Janet Yantachka Business Staff ads@thecharlottenews.org / 343-0279 Ad manager: Monica Marshall Business manager: Jessica Lucia Board Members President: Vince Crockenberg Secretaries: Rick Detwiler, Carol Hanley Treasurer: Patrice Machavern Board members: Rachel Allard, Bob Bloch, Rick Detwiler, Carol Hanley, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli Contributors Jorden Blucher, Adam Bunting, Bradley Carleton, Nicole Conley, Chol Dhoor, Chris Falk, Dorrice Hammer, Jim Hyde, Lee Krohn, Kerrie Pughe, Jason Mueller, Edward Pitcavage, Mary Recchia, Cindi Robinson, Denise Shekerjian, Sarah Soule, Ethan Tapper, Margaret Woodruff and Viki Zulkoski

ON THE COVER: Anna

Schibli of Charlotte, Natalie Meyer of Hinesburg and Julia Kahn of Charlotte are working diligently to maintain and expand the Refugee Outreach Club that was founded at Champlain Valley Union High School by Meyer.

Photo by Lynn Monty

Subscription Information The Charlotte News is delivered at no cost to all Charlotte residences. Subscriptions are available for first-class delivery at $40 per calendar year. Want a subscription? Please send a check payable to The Charlotte News, PO Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445.

Postmaster/Send address changes to: The Charlotte News P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 Telephone: 425-4949 Circulation: 3,000 copies per issue.

Copyright © 2017 The Charlotte News, Inc. Printed in Burlington, Vermont, by Gannet Publishing Services Member of the New England Newspaper and Press Association and the Vermont Press Association.

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 3

Commentary Nothing can beat the power of philanthropy Chol Dhoor, Charlotte In his address on Sept. 25, 1961, President J. F. Kennedy warned a union of nations that “mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.”

He was speaking of enormous dangers in a time of regional or intercontinental conflict. He realized war, in all its dimensions, can bring nations’ lifelines to serious distress.

Despite this call, some parts of the world, as we know, are in serious conflicts because of economic, political or ethnic frictions. Advanced and peaceful nations are focused on their economic growth, national debt, health care, unemployment, trade, immigration, gas prices and cybersecurity. There is nothing wrong with this domestic prioritization. But one does see a candid parallelism without foreseeable convergence.

As a young boy, my country chose a vicious war with itself, between Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan, from May 16, 1983 to Jan. 9, 2005, in a battle for a New Sudan for all. Consequently, millions of people suffered, fled to neighboring states, and a limited number, including me, were resettled beyond continental borders to the United States, Canada, Australia and other western nations.

Sesettlement to the United States gave me opportunities that separated me from many who shared my background.

I came to Vermont on May 31, 2007. I went to school, got a job and met people who are now my best friends and part of my family forever. I enjoyed the most of scenic blessings, from the seagulls following a farmer plowing his farm in my town of Charlotte to the humps of many hills and mountains in this beautiful state.

Surviving one winter after another has certainly been tough. My winter jokes are a constant source of laughter to my friends. Frankly, I never thought anyone in a right mind would actually work in winter. I thought people would buy everything they need, stock their groceries and lock their doors until winter was over to return to work or plan a vacation for their families. I was wildly wrong.

I found inspiration here in Vermont and always look for ways to contribute.

I understand it is the serving tradition of this nation to welcome many people in abiding promise to protect humanity

around the globe. South Sudan is one of the countries which emerged from devastating and consequential events to become Africa’s newest republic in a referendum in favor for independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011.

I couldn’t think of a better time to visit than when it was a “baby nation” with so much to deliver for those who fought for it. It was not until last year, just a year after my naturalization, that I got a generous vacation from my work to visit after more than two decades away. I was received honorably like a lost son who returned home from the far edges of the world with so much to share. Memories from childhood were rejuvenated upon seeing my parents, relatives and friends.

There are times in our lives when we end up on the lawn of the unexpected.

One school, Lualdit Mixed Primary, in Jonglei State, South Sudan, is home to 315 students and a dozen teachers. It was established as a national initiative, spearheaded by current Minister for Information, Michael Makuei Lueth, Manyang Agook, South Korean peacekeepers and the Adumwuor community, to expand educational access in Kuoingo. Ten classes and one staff room were built through this wonderful partnership.

Today, this achievement is visibly threatened because of gaps in school renovation. Seven of 10 classrooms face imminent collapse if the school is not rebuilt soon. Fourth graders who were preparing for exams in one of these classrooms echoed the problems on the day I arrived at the school. Losing the school is their greatest fear. The location of the school is convenient and within walking distance of most kids’ homes.

Every one of them knew they had few teachers, no books, electricity and library, yet they expressed no consternation except for the future of the school.

Parents and teachers believe this school is the most important investment for their kids, and it didn’t take long for me to share their stand. I returned to my home in Charlotte with the undivided mission to ensure learning is uninterrupted and students are not forced to walk long distances to other schools in town. My first initiative was to call my cousins in the United States for a conference meeting. We agreed and established a fundraiser committee, which later set our event on April 8 in Lincoln, Nebraska, where most of my cousins live. The venue was also ideal given the large South Sudanese

communities in neighboring states of Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas.

Our campaign gained unexpected online sensation after I shared videos and pictures of the school and students.

Many friends in Uganda, Kenya, United States, Australia and Canada accepted our solemn appeal, shared our message and donated thousands of dollars. We raised $36,700.62 in cash and $13, 413 in pledges from individual donors to support our mission.

This immeasurable accomplishment came through the hands of many friends and relatives who joined me to carry the banner of this project forward. It became astoundingly clear to me that nothing can beat the power of philanthropy. I will never forget the generosity and dedication of many South Sudanese and American friends in Vermont and across the globe for believing in this wonderful project. People drove from New York, Michigan, Texas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Kansas and Minnesota to join the hosting leaders and great community in Nebraska and South Dakota to affirm the importance of this school for those who depend on it. The greatest work stood on the shoulders of Mr. Thuom Aluong and Mrs. Achol Ajak, my fundraiser committee chairpersons and their entire teams, for assembling a long list of contributors to achieve this incredible goal. We will commence on our school project in November of this

year and finish before the end of 2018.

To help with this project or to learn more please email me at cdhoor@gmail.com.

Construction clarification Dorrice Hammer, Shelburne John and I have been asked recently what is being constructed at the base of Wake Robin’s driveway, off Greenbush Road. Since many people have asked us, let me take this opportunity to set the facts straight. The fenced-in area is not a construction site but a secure containment for trucks, diggers and construction materials. The real construction, of an apartment building planned since Wake Robin’s conception, is taking place far up the hill, in the trees.

The containment site at the foot of the drive will be restored to its former grassy meadow when the building is completed.

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4 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

Around Town Photo of The Week

Edd Merritt

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Congratulations:

to Stephen Kiernan, who was elected to the board of the Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation. The foundation raises money to support a variety of programs, including community-based prevention programs that demonstrate a “ground-up approach to making sure children are safe and secure.” It also supports afterschool programs, childcare and preschool programs, parent education, and mentoring around substance abuse.

Still life.

Photo by Lee Krohn

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to Robin Turnau who, after eight years, is stepping down as president and CEO of Vermont Public Radio, an organization to which she has devoted much of her work life. Robin’s latest accomplishment was to raise $10 million to expand the VPR campus in Colchester and fund new programming.

According to an article in the August 17 Free Press, she is looking forward to as yet undetermined future endeavors. to our musical neighbor, Mel Kaplan who founded the Vermont Mozart Festival originally in 1974. That year the festival played concerts at six locations in Burlington, Shelburne and aboard the S.S. Champlain. Mel, a resident of East Charlotte, was an oboist who was teaching music at the Juilliard School in New York at the time. The festival finally disbanded in 2010, and Mel went into semi-retirement. However, his enjoyment of classical music never diminished, and he once again sponsored concerts this summer. The one last Sunday at Basin Harbor Club ended the series that has been going since June. Mel even arranged several at his home in East Charlotte village.

to Meg Walker whose artwork was featured in an article in the August 16 Seven Days. Meg’s sculptures are part of “Birding by Numbers,” a show sponsored by the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington. Meg has two items—one titled “Twenty-five birds you have Known” in which she designed birds from wire plant hangers that form a wall installation of birds in various positions of flying, perching and walking. Her other display is called “Two Birds Sitting on a Line.” Done in 1993, it has two birds balanced on a steel frame, and Meg says it marks the beginning of her “bird phase.” Also included in the show is a painting by artist Jackie Mangione of geese flying north over Lake Champlain as seen from Mt. Philo. “Birding by Numbers” runs through October 31 in Huntington.

Sympathy:

is extended to family and friends of William Dubuc of Charlotte who passed away August 13 at the age of 24. William attended Charlotte Central School and graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School. He worked for a number of years at the Shelburne Supermarket before leaving to train and work briefly with the Vermont Department of Corrections. His surviving family includes his parents Brian and Suzanne Dubuc of Charlotte.

The family thanks Father David Cray of East Charlotte’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church for being a full confidant to William and helping him and his family through trying times. They ask that, in lieu of flowers, donations in William’s memory be made to the UVM Children’s Hospital or to the Vermont Make-A-Wish Foundation. is extended to family and friends of Robert Peden of South Burlington who passed away August 5 at the age of 95.

Robert spent numerous summers on his grandmother’s farm in Charlotte.

As a result, he graduated with a degree in agriculture from Rutgers University and began selling farm equipment before becoming an accountant and later opening his own business. The family asks that those who wish to make contributions in his memory consider doing so to the St. Joseph Steeple Fund, 20 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401. is extended to family and friends of Phoebe Siemer of Charlotte who passed away on July 29 at the age of 92. Phoebe moved from New Jersey to Charlotte in 1956 after having spent many summers on her grandfather’s farm here. She was an active member of the Charlotte Congregational Church for 60 years, participated in the Charlotte Historical Society (contributing to the Society’s book Around the Mountains), loved to sing in the church choir and with the barbershop group, The Champlain Echoes. Her surviving family includes her daughter, Martha Stone, of Charlotte.

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 5

Town Town appointments for Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission Heather McKim STAFF WRITER

Appointments have been made over the course of two Selectboard meetings in Charlotte. Marty Illick, James Donovan and Dean Bloch all took positions that serve the town in various ways.

At the July 24 meeting, Donovan was interviewed for reappointment as the town’s representative to the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) for a term ending June 30, 2019. Donovan has served in the role for at least four years. Prior to that, he had been the alternate. Donovan has also previously served the town in a position on the Planning Commission, something that he had left due to work commitments.

Board members voted unanimously to appoint Donovan to the position with the CCRPC. Illick was considered for a reappointment as the town’s alternate representative to the CCRPC. A conservationist known for her work with the Lewis Creek Association, Illick is the 2017 winner of the Zetterstrom

environmental award. Board members voted unanimously for Illick, who was not present at the meeting, to fill the spot for a term ending June 30, 2019.

At the Aug. 14 meeting, the Selectboard appointed Town Administrator Dean Bloch as the Town’s representative to the Transportation Advisory Committee, a subcommittee of the CCRPC. The appointment is for two years. While much of the subcommittee’s focus is on projects in larger towns of the county, Bloch will periodically update the Selectboard on subcommittee matters that are particularly relevant to Charlotte. Since Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz has attended some of the meetings and is familiar with the position, the Selectboard appointed him as the alternate representative.

At the same meeting, Illick was to be considered for a spot as the town’s representative to the Clean Water Advisory Committee, which is a subcommittee of the CCRPC. However, the Selectboard decided to hold off on making the appointment due to Illick’s absence from the meeting. That appointment will be taken up later.

Boat burgled off Lane’s Lane Staff report

Items were stolen from a vessel moored near Lane’s Lane in Charlotte on July 31, police said. These items

were later recovered in the vehicle of Jason Breault, 41, of Burlington.

Breault is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 31 on a charge of burglary and possession of stolen property.

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Aug 25 • Sept 22 Friday Receptions 5-8pm Art on view and for sale throughout downtown Vergennes all summer long.

August’s Arts Walk Sponsored by:

www.Vergennesdowntown.org

Town Hall and library slated to be spick and span Heather McKim STAFF WRITER

Who will do the Town Hall and library cleaning, and how much will it cost? That was the focus of one item on the agenda at the Aug. 14 meeting of the Charlotte Selectboard.

Town Administrator Dean Bloch said that the contract had gone out with a request for bids, and he had also contacted a couple of contractors who had been recommended to him.

Three proposals were submitted for the contract: Williston-based Coastal Building Maintenance (CBM VT), Danaher Custom Services Inc. of South Burlington, and Bobbi Jo Welch of B’s Perfection Cleaning Services.

The prices were “quite spread out” Bloch said during his presentation at Monday’s meeting. The lowest proposal was from CBM VT for $750 per month. The highest was Danaher, which gave a quote of $15,000 per month. Welch’s business came in the

middle at $4,680 per month.

Bloch said that CBM VT’s “references checked out very well.” Amongst the company’s clients are UVM Medical Center and the American Red Cross. Bloch quoted one client as saying that the company is flexible and does good work, doing whatever is needed. He added that the company was the one that he recommended the board go with for the contract.

With the $750 per month price tag, the town will get cleaning services for both the Town Hall and library. The company will be using its own equipment and requires no additional materials from the town.

Members voted unanimously to award the contract, which runs from Aug. 15, 2017 until June 30, 2018, to CBM VT. The new contract is actually a decrease in terms of cleaning costs for the two buildings.

Previously, the town had paid $550 per month for the Town Hall cleaning and $400 per month for the library.

PROPERTY TRANSFERS July 11: L. Stephen and Ruthann Hackett to Michael and Kate Cervi, 10.07 acres with dwelling, 150 Lower Old Town Trail, $940,000.

July 14: Fredrick and Sue Ellen Oster to Nicholas Pierce and Kristen Daniels, 9 acres withdwelling,3494Mt.PhiloRoad,$333,500.

July 19: Troy andYvetteTsounis to Benjamin and Deborah Klemme, 1.19 acres with dwelling, 263 Lynrick Acres Road, $252,000.

July 31: Jerry L. and Janet E. Schwarz to Carrie Tillinghast and Richard Witmer, 4.8 acres with dwelling, 2958 Mt. Philo Road, $440,000.

July 31: Peter Engel and Lisa Rivera to Mitchell Shifrin, 2.01 acres with dwelling, 65

Ferry Road, $300,000.

July 31: Christopher and Nana Boffa to Marshall and Elly Riser, 6.57 acres with dwelling, 6307 Mt. Philo Road, $595,000.

Aug 7: Amy Love Wright Living Trust to Lewis Mudge and Niccola Milnes, 5.04 acres with dwelling, 3046 Greenbush Road, $810,000.

Aug 7: Lori Racine, Scott Preston, Gregg Preston, Mark Preston and Gail Knope to Dean C. Freeman, 0.96 acre with dwelling, 345 Hills Point Road, $525,000.

Aug 14: Karen White to Steven Gruber, Kristine Lorentzsen, Sheryl Gruber, 3.13 acreswithdwelling,375MeadowsideDrive, $480,000.

6 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

Town

Food Shelf News Kerrie Pughe CHARLOTTE FOOD SHELF Thank you The Charlotte Congregational Church Food Shelf garden and the Transition Town Charlotte garden at the town library have been producing a bounty of fresh veggies this summer. These gardens have been supplying families with green, yellow and purple string beans, Italian parsley, cilantro, green peppers, cherry tomatoes, onions, kale and more. A special thank you to Finn Yarbrough, filmmaker, for taking the time to plant the beautiful church garden. One of Finn’s films is Ministry of the Stove about the Starksboro Quaker Meeting House, a nearly 200-year-old treasure in our backyard. Thank you Finn for your many talents!

The Shelburne Charlotte Hinesburg Rotary granted the Food Shelf a $400 gift toward purchase of food. The Food Shelf has also received support this month from Lili Ruane and the Carmel Hill Fund, Anne Castle, Charlotte Congregational Church, Nancy Wood, Deborah Cook, The Patrick Foundation and John and Nancy Calcagni.

It is not often our volunteers are called angels, but that is what Lynn Cluff wrote in a recent note. She also passed along a book from the Concord Free Press and a generous donation. Thanks to all our benefactors!

Numbers report for April through July 2017 April households served: 18, total people 44 May households served: 20, total people 71 June households served: 13, total people 48 July households served: 17, total people 62 Thanks to all who support and assist the Charlotte Food Shelf in our mission of Neighbor Helping Neighbor.

Grange Sale The Food Shelf will be partnering again this Margaret Woodruff Library Director

News

PLANTS RO CKS W AT E R

September is National Library Card Month. If you don’t yet have a Charlotte Library card, you are missing out! Not only are you among the minority in our community (70 percent of Charlotte residents hold a library card), you are passing up access to a variety of resources, activities and entertainment. The library card opens doors to museums around the state, makes the latest DVDs available

At Church Hill we love to combine plants, rocks and water in ways that transform your home and inspire how you live. We have a steadfast dedication to true craftsmanship while building superior client relationships.

year with the Charlotte Grange to provide winter outerwear for children in need in our community. We’ll be collecting new or gently used boots, hats, gloves, jackets and ski/snow pants for all children through teen sizes. Collection times and locations to be announced.

Wish List Healthy cereal for kids, microwave popcorn, crackers, spaghetti sauce, chicken noodle soup, toothbrushes and toothpaste Donations We are a volunteer organization, so all donations you make to the Food Shelf go directly for food or assistance to our local neighbors in need. Thank you so much for considering donating today. Checks may be mailed to Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance, P.O. Box 83, Charlotte, Vermont 05445 Donated food drop off locations All nonperishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf before the Wednesday distribution and links you up with favorite authors.

You also gain connection to a host of online possibilities, from downloadable audiobooks to digital learning portals for everything from flower arranging classes to Excel workshops. But don’t despair! A library card can be yours for free! Stop for your card and enter our T-shirt raffle, too.

We hope to see you here, at the library!

Upcoming in September at the Library Beginning September 12, Tuesdays @ 2:15 p.m. After School Story Explorations. Take the bus from CCS and explore the world of stories! For kindergarten and first grade students.

Tuesday, September 12, 7 p.m.

“Revolutionary War in the South.” Cosponsored with the Charlotte Historical Society.

Beginning September 14, Thursdays @ 3:15 p.m. Coding Club. Beginners will learn to code with Scratch through guided video lessons to make their own simple games. Members with more experience will plan and create their own using skills they’ve learned. Chromebooks and earbuds provided or BYO. For 4th grade & up.

Registration required.

Beginning September 15, Fridays @ 10:30 a.m. Friday Free for All. From rocks, blocks & socks to babies, bugs

We'd love to hear about your project.

New Facebook Page “Like” us at our new Facebook page, Charlotte Community Food Shelf and Assistance, to see photos and get updates on all the Food Shelf activities.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Distribution days/times are posted low as well as on the bulletin board in the Charlotte Congregational Church hall. You may also call the Food Shelf number (425-3252) for a recording of the distribution times.

We are open to all community residents.

Privacy is very important and respected in our mission of neighbor helping neighbor.

For emergency food call John 425-3130.

For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call Cindi at 425-3234. For more information call Karen at 425-3252 Important Upcoming 2017 Charlotte Food Shelf Distribution Dates Wednesdays, Aug. 23, Sept. 6 and 20, 5–7 p.m.

Thursdays, Aug. 24, and Sept. 7 and 21, 7:30 to 9 a.m. & hairy bread, join us to investigate on Friday mornings. Ages 3 to 5. Registration required.

Monday, September 18 @ 10 a.m.

Mystery Book Group. The intriguing debut by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), Cuckoo’s Calling, has the riveting storytelling style of Harry Potter without the Muggles & magic. Join us for coffee & discussion. Copies available at the library circulation desk.

Wednesday, September 20 @ 3:15 p.m.

Afterschool: A-Maze-ing LEGO. Using everyone’s favorite building blocks and glass marbles, create your own maze challenge. Grades 2 to 4. Registration required.

Tuesday, September 26 @ 7 p.m. Climate Change Up Close & Personal. The first in our three-part series on climate change and our own landscape, supported by PLACE and NOAA. This session looks at the local impact of climate change from a geographic perspective. Readings available at the Charlotte Library circulation desk.

Co-sponsored by the Pierson Library in Shelburne, the Carpenter-Carse Library in Hinesburg, the CVU ENACT Club and the UVM Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

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The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 7

Town Car shows cruise into local area Jason Mueller CONTRIBUTOR An antique car or two rumbling down Route 7 may have some wondering where in the world they are headed.

The answer to that might have been to the Antique Car Show Weekend held in Stowe Aug. 12 through 15 or to the 16th Annual Milton Car Show held on Aug. 19. While you may have missed those,

you can still attend one of the largest car shows of the area, the Northeast Street Rod Nationals coming to the Champlain Valley Exposition on Sept. 15. It will be three days of hot rod fun.

Also coming up is the Better L8 than Never Car Show presented by the Addison County Chamber of Commerce and the Snake Mountain Cruisers on Sept. 24. This will be held at the Bristol Recreation Field in Bristol.

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Cemetery Commission update Submitted by Viki Zulkoski Earlier this summer, under the watchful eye of master stone mason, Pete Demick, trained volunteers from Vermont Old Cemetery Association (VOCA) were instructed on state-ofthe-art techniques to right and repair vulnerable antique stones in the West Burying Ground on Greenbush Road.

Pete’s years of experience, most recently with Vermont Walkways and Stone Preservation Ltd, provided the necessary oversight to mend a total of 27 stones, some dating back to the late 18th century—difficult but rewarding work.

Charlotte’s cemetery commissioners were on hand to learn valuable methods and best practices for righting leaning stones, which have been applied to an additional 14 stones. The next VOCA event is scheduled for Sunday, August 27 at 8 a.m. Parking will again be generously provided by The Old Lantern.

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In July, Charlotte was designated a HEARTSafe Community through a program designed to promote survival from sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

The Vermont HEARTSafe community program is a cooperative initiative of the Vermont office of EMS and first responder groups like Charlotte Volunteer Fire Rescue Services. The program recognizes local efforts made to provide strong cardiovascular-related emergency care for residents and visitors and promotes partnership between local EMS services and community agencies to improve overall cardiovascular health and awareness.

The HEARTSafe Community designation is based on what the American Heart Association calls the “Chain of Survival.” The four components of this include early access to emergency care, early CPR, early defibrillation and early advanced care. To receive a HEARTSafe designation, cities and towns are awarded points, called heartbeats, based on their ability to meet program criteria. Program criteria include: • CPR in automated external defibrillator, or AED, training for community members.

• Public education and awareness of the signs and symptoms of cardiac arrest, heart attack and stroke.

• EMS first-response vehicles equipped with AEDs. • Public AED placement and training

EMT Madison Slater and Crew Chief Michael Kelleher performing twoperson Healthcare Provider CPR. Courtesy photo • Advanced Life Support dispatched as primary or backup responders for all medical emergencies.

• Ongoing evaluation of the communities’ chain of survival.

Heart disease and stroke account for one in three deaths in Vermont. To increase survival and improve outcomes associated with these cardiovascular events, HEARTSafe communities are enhancing their emergency response capacity, increasing public recognition of symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack and stroke, and promoting the importance of calling 911 immediately.

To learn more about the Charlotte HEARTSafe Community, contact Rescue Chief Kevin Romano at k.romano@cvfrs. org. If you would like to register for a CPR and/or first aid class please visit cvfrs.com.

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The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 9

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10 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

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Jeanne Jensen is the new CVSD chief operations officer

Jeanne Jensen

Courtesy photo

Lynn Monty EDITOR IN CHIEF

Longtime Williston resident Jeanne Jensen, now of Hinesburg, is serving the Champlain Valley School District as chief operations officer, replacing Bob Mason. After a long career in engineering at IBM/Global Foundries and serving more than a decade on the CVU and CSSU school boards, Jensen is excited for the new school year to begin.

She will manage “just about everything except the actual educating of children,” she said. This includes finances, human resources, transportation, food service, facilities, construction and information technology.

Jensen will be working closely with Superintendent Elaine Pinckney, the Finance and Facilities Committee of the school board, and Mark McDermott, CVSD’s new human resources director.

“He has been a good friend through

our common school board service, and I couldn’t get through the day without his support,” she said of McDermott.

Last school year was a transition year with the seven separate school boards working parallel to the consolidated Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) board. “The people serving on the new school board are a talented and dedicated cohort, and those of us on staff are working hard to get them the information they need to govern effectively without inundating them with more than they can handle as volunteers,” Jensen said. “I’m sure we’ll find a good balance.”

The biggest challenge this year is delivering a consolidated operational and financial system, Jensen said.

“Our schools are used to operating independently, and we need to bring the support functions together in order to meet our financial goals.”

Toward that effort progress was made over the summer with the maintenance team from Champlain Valley Union High School stepping in to complete several projects at Charlotte Central School, Jensen said. “In addition, our facilities director at Shelburne will now be overseeing the Charlotte campus as well. We need to do more of this district-wide resource sharing.”

This career transition will allow her to combine her passion for public education with her professional skills, she said. “It’s very exciting to have a job you can’t wait to get to each morning.”

As for her new career goals, they are “to successfully fill the big shoes of my predecessor, Bob Mason, and to make the board and the superintendent successful in their goals.”

***

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Rocking The R.O.C. Worldwide

Refugee Outreach Club founder Natalie Meyer in Ghana this year.

Lynn Monty EDITOR IN CHIEF

As a sophomore at Champlain Valley Union High School Natalie Meyer made a bold move. She started a club with a mission close to her heart. The peer-led Refugee Outreach Club, or The R.O.C. as it is known, now spans five high schools and Middlebury College. To date there are about 60 members alone at CVU and it’s one of the school’s biggest clubs.

Meyer, 18, of Hinesburg is a 2017 grad headed to Middlebury College soon. Having spent an average of 30 hours a week on R.O.C. this summer, she’s leaving home knowing all of its chapters are in good hands.

Chapter leader Anna Schibli of Charlotte graduated from Rice High School last spring. She worked diligently with Meyer to bring R.O.C. to her school and is helping a new team of leaders to keep up the good work of building multi-cultural relationships in the Rice community.

“It’s rewarding,” Schibli said. “I went to Zambia and fell in love with it. That’s why I was excited to not only join the club with Natalie but start our own chapter at Rice.”

In 2014, Meyer went to Ghana with Global Leadership Adventures on a service trip and was able to spend nine weeks there this year. “When I came home from Ghana the first time I wanted to get my friends at CVU involved in the international community,” Meyer said. “Originally I only envisioned this as a high school club, but now it’s so much more. It’s gotten really big really quickly.”

R.O.C. is now a non-profit umbrella organization designed to maintain quality and standards across all of its chapters and programs. “This fall we expect to be in at least two more high schools as well as UVM and St. Mike’s,” Meyer said.

Club members work closely with the Heritage Learning Program, dedicating time on Saturdays to tutor refugee students at Burlington High school. Meyer and other R.O.C. leaders are developing an

Courtesy photo

International Cultural Exchange Program in Ghana and Vermont, an International Health Program in Ghana, as well as a Refugee Health Program in Vermont.

Right now their operating budget is $5,000, but Meyer just returned from Washington D.C. where she met with Cisco Technology. “We are talking strategy with big donors now and it’s super cool,” Meyer said.

R.O.C. teamed up with the band Sabouyouma at ArtsRiot in Burlington for its first-ever major fundraising event on Aug. 18. Sabouyouma is led by Ousane Camara from Guinea, West Africa. This Burlingtonbased band combines traditional West African dance music with contemporary funk and reggae. The Vermont Council on World Affairs helped organize the event where about 250 tickets were sold and more than $8,000 was raised for The R.O.C. Julia Kahn of Charlotte is a junior this fall at CVU. She joined the club after studying the Syrian refugee crisis. “That unit hit home with me,” she said. “Seeing people in such pain just trying to live normal lives was horrifying. Working with refugees has made me more aware of other people and has helped me to put problems in perspective.”

Along with tutoring on Saturdays, Kahn said she also helped organize a free dental day for local refugees and held a school supplies and winter clothing drive through R.O.C. “It’s important to be a part of the community and that’s what joining a club does–it gets you involved,” she said. “It’s about getting to know people you wouldn’t know otherwise. And making sure everyone is taken care of is important.”

Kahn said she is inspired by Meyer. “It’s impressive how driven she is and how much she has been able to accomplish at such a young age,” she said. “Her commitment to R.O.C. is incredible.”

For more information contact Natalie Meyer at natalie@refugeeoutreachclub.org.

***

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 11

B A C K Adam Bunting, Principal CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL

On behalf of all faculty, staff and administration of CVU, welcome to the 2017-18 school year!

Summers can be a little bit like a prolonged New Year’s Eve. There is celebration. There is reflection. And, for many, there is the productive blend of hopefulness and anxiousness—a state where we set determined wishes in the form of goals, intentions and resolutions.

Students, I have lots of wishes for you this year! I wish for you to find meaningful relationships. I wish for you to be engaged in your learning. I wish for you to walk into our school each day looking forward to your classes and to the company of one another.

Most of all, though, I wish for you to find purpose. Purpose is a big word and it means lots of things to lots of people.

Some people think of purpose in terms of a career path, goal or a narrow focus for our energy. I don’t quite mean that. Had you asked me what my purpose was at age 15, I would have laughed and then felt really insecure, thinking to myself, “Is that something I should already know?”

Instead of just thinking of purpose as what someone does, also think of purpose as influence. How do you want to influence the world around you? How do you want people to feel when they are in your presence? How will they be slightly different five minutes after being around you than they were five minutes before?

Schools are a great place for exploring purpose. I see people playing and experimenting with their direction and their influence on others all the time. In my email inbox just this morning, for instance, I had a correspondence about Willem Hillier, whose explorations

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on his purpose gained national attention.

Another email in my inbox was from Abby Rosenthal, a senior who is developing a program to ensure that no CVU student faces food insecurity.

While Willem’s and Abby’s examples are tangible, they are no more important than the hundreds of thousands of interactions you will have this year at CVU. Be a scientist with your own purpose. Observe. Explore. Play.

Connect. And when you figure something out, share it out. It is a great honor to learn with you. I can’t wait to get started!

Notes to be aware of as we enter the 2017-18 school year: Student schedules Our incoming ninth graders will receive schedules during their Core meetings.

Most returning students already received a schedule during exam week last June. For those who are unsure of their schedule, we will open the MMS Portal on Friday of this week. Be on the watch for an email titled Student Schedules.

Weekly schedule When you boil it down, our Advisory program has long been about helping students discover purpose. Advisors and advisees have the relationship that connects all of the individual classes and experiences across the disciplines and through the years. The daily discussions, Ninth Grade Exhibitions, Tenth Grade Roundtables, and Graduation Challenge are all examples of ways we try to help students find purpose. This year,

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our Wednesday schedule will have a slight tweak to accommodate changes to the advisory program and to increase our ability to offer enrichment, academic support and whole-school recesses: the addition of Flex Time. Please look at this schedule to get a sense for how Flex Time will fit into our week.

Habits of learning One of the important outcomes of the transition to proficiency-based learning is the ability to delineate between academic achievement and habits of learning with greater precision. This year all of your classes will provide you feedback on at least one of the following habits of learning targets. While our observations are important, your educational journey is yours! Please be an active participant in helping us make meaning of the

feedback you get!

I reflect on my actions, choices, and strategies and how they affect my learning.

I communicate questions, ideas, stuck points, or conflicts.

I attend class, and I have the materials and mindset to learn.

New faculty Annie Bellerose, English Tom Daily, Special Services Christina Deeley, Library John Ellison, Science Jason Fearon, Art Susan Heston, English Language Learners Gary Lambert, Educational/Media Heather MacDonald, Math Mackenzie Miller, Social Studies Samantha Parker, Science Jessica Redmond, Math Carly Rivard, Personal Learning Coordinator Krista Sisson, Mentor Coordinator To be hired, French

12 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

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Taking a gap year? Still thinking of college?

The decision to attend college is not just one of the most expensive propositions a family can entertain but a hugely important choice, as it sets a trajectory in motion for the Denise Shekerjian student’s future: CONTRIBUTOR employment, friends, career, geography, income, opportunity and so much more.

Ideally, you want options.

Students, this means paying attention to the crown jewel of your application, which is the personal essay. Grade point, test scores, and activities matter—yes, of course—but the essay is often the tipping point between who gets in and who is not invited. Why? Because it’s the one place on your application where you, the human being, come alive and distinguish yourself from your competition. The

challenge, which I urge you to see as an opportunity, is to interest and persuade your reader.

As a lawyer, long-time writer, and writing coach, here are a few quick tips to get you started.

1. Most applications, including the Common Application, provide a slate of prompts. There is no wrong prompt, but there is a best prompt for you. The task is to find it and write 650 well chosen, achingly beautiful, astonishingly insightful and revealing words. Who are you and how well will you fit within their community? That’s what admissions folks want to know.

2. Don’t be boring. The goal is to be authentic and interesting—both things matter.

3. Tell a story—a good one, with a fabulous hook, a juicy, thoughtful middle and a satisfying end.

4. Admissions counselors have stacks

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of essays, thousands even, in any given admission period, which blur together in their sameness. Dig deep for meaningful, personal content and tell the story only you can tell.

Like what? Like the student who told of painting a self-portrait over and over and over, trying desperately to figure out the face she wanted to show the world.

Or the young man who, as the first in his family to seek higher education, knew that it fell to him to change his entire family’s trajectory. Or the young woman who folded 1,000 paper cranes pursuant to a legend that promised a wish come true, only to realize she didn’t need that wish after all. Or the student who grew strawberries in her school locker, which required conquering a series of engineering challenges.

sermons, letters, speeches, or funny margins on the page meant to convey the shape of something, which is just plain hard to read.

5. Avoid these overused topics: vacation stories, sports victories, music or math competitions, lists of favorite things, big subjects for which you have no real information (“I believe in world peace”), adulation of a mentor, political statements and controversial topics.

Avoid these formats: humor, poems,

Denise Shekerjian is an awardwinning writer, lawyer, author and writing coach. For information on her workshops or to arrange one-on-one private instruction, contact her at 802598-0271, or deniseshekerjian@gmail. com. Read her credits and what clients say at soulofaword.com.

CCS

continued from page 1 predicted to decrease by professionals the district hired to forecast enrollment based on births and patterns of families moving into Charlotte,” KomonsMontroll said. “This phenomenon is across most of Vermont.”

Sumner said school enrollment is impacted by various demographics, including employment opportunities and available housing. “Our enrollment has dropped slightly over the past few years.

However, over the summer, our student population has increased with new enrollments and students returning from other programs,” she said. “In general, the State of Vermont is experiencing a measurable decline in its school-age population. Our data projections indicate

6. Grammar matters—but the good news is that if you can master just a handful of basic rules, things you can use forever by the way, your writing will improve exponentially, never mind the fine points.

7. Finally, edit. A lot. How do you know when you’re done? When there is nothing left to add or delete.

The stakes are high, but start early, start now, and you will succeed, so off you go, light of heart, free of mind, honest and bold, and write.

that we will stay stable over the next couple of years and will then slightly increase.”

CCS has faced decisions regarding possible cuts to teachers and programs over the past few years. “CCS has not had any significant changes in terms of staffing solely due to population fluctuations,” Sumner said. “We have shifted our staffing in terms of the number of para-educators decreasing slightly and the number of licensed professional positions increasing, but that has been more about guiding principles than numbers.”

Sumner said the school has more teaching positions now, particularly in the essential arts, that are part-time, and has been consistent in offering two classrooms per grade. She does not anticipate any reduction in the number of classes or programs this year.

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 13

New champion big trees in Charlotte Vince Crockenberg

Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary win at The Links

TREE TRIBE MEMBER

Since the publication of the last Charlotte Big Trees update in the July 12 issue of The Charlotte News, we have crowned five new champions.

They include a new Black Ash with a circumference of 49 inches and a White (American) elm, both on the Donegan Farm on Carpenter Road; a Butternut with a girth of 134 inches on Charlie and Margaret Woodruff’s property on Garen Road; a Honey Locust with a girth of 142 inches on Dylan Preston’s property on One Mile Road; and a White Pine with a circumference of 138 inches on Mary Mead and Moe Harvey’s land.

The News maintains a complete list of Charlotte’s champion trees on our website at http://www.charlottenewsvt. o rg / 2 0 1 7 / 0 7 / 1 4 / n e w - c h a m p i o n big-trees-charlotte/. The list will be updated whenever a new champion is certified.

If you have a candidate for champion status, including one for a species not yet on the roster, contact Vince Crockenberg at vince.crockenberg@ gmail.com, and a member of Charlotte’s Tree Tribe will set up a visit to confirm the tree’s identity and circumference.

Photo Top: Moe Harvey and Deputy Tree Warden Sue Smith with the new champion White Pine.

Photo Bottom: Mike LaClair Jr and his daughter alongside the new champion Honey Locust on Dylan Preston’s property.

Courtesy photos

Two representatives of Essex Rotary Club, Phil Murdock and Dave Johnson, came to the meeting of Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary on Aug. 9 to present awards to the Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary team. Two teams from Shelburne Charlotte Hinesburg Rotary competed in the mid-June competition at The Links at Lang Farm. Team members Will Wisell and Jon Lowell, on behalf of the team that also included Eric Hanley and Bob Maynes, accepted the Low Net Trophy. Jon Lowell won Longest Putt at 57 feet 6inches, and their team was also Runner-up, Low Gross.

Courtesy photo

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14 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

Sports Green Mountain Bicycle Club day touring rides Date: Sunday, Sept. 3 Ride: Awesome Ausable River Ride.

A great, challenging ride in New York State. Follow the Ausable River from Port Kent to Lake Placid for the 80-mile option or turn around prior to Lake Placid for the 64-mile version.

It’s all downhill (or flat) on the way back.

Food stops include Keeseville, Ausable Forks and Lake Placid. Bring money for the ferry.

Meeting time: 7:45 for the 8:10 ferry Meeting place: Burlington Ferry Dock Leader: Brian Howard (505-1148, bjhowd@gmail.com) Co-Leader: Matt Kuivinen (881-9045, mattkui@earthlink.net) Date: Saturday, Sept. 9 Ride: NEK Weekend / Moose Country Meandering. 67 loop up through Norton and Canaan on routes 114, 102 and 105 with (hopefully) more moose than cars (one year we biked 22 miles without being passed by a single motor vehicle).

Meeting time: 9:30 Meeting place: Island Pond fishing access or along Route 105 in front of the Irving store Leaders: Pat Stabler and Tom Evers (781-929-9085, everstab@verizon.net) Camping is available at Pat and Tom’s house just outside East Burke; early birds get beds or floor space in the house.

BYOB drinks and potluck BBQ for anyone who is interested on Saturday evening. You can also visit the famed Tiki Bar in East Burke.

Date: Sunday, Sept. 10 Ride: NEK Weekend / Willoughby Wanderings. 47-mile ride up through

Photos by Lee Krohn Sutton and Barton, along the shore of Lake Willoughby and through part of Willoughby State Forest. A 30-mile version of the ride returns to Burke via Route 5.

Meeting time: 9:15 Meeting place: Kingdom Trails parking area Leaders: Pat Stabler and Tom Evers (781-929-9085, everstab@verizon.net) Date: Sunday, Sept. 10 Ride: Jericho Jubilee. This hilly ride starts out on scenic Pleasant Valley Road with a food break at The Cupboard in Jeffersonville. A 45-mile option returns via Route 104 and 128, while the 65-mile option heads north to Bakersfield and then to Fairfield, Fletcher and Fairfax before returning though Westford and

Essex.

Meeting time: 9:15 Meeting place: Mt. Mansfield Union High School, Jericho Leader: Dave Merchant (825-3808, dpierchand@comcast.net) Co-Leader: Joyce McCutcheon (8931690, mellowmiti@aol.com) Date: Sunday, Sept. 17 Ride: Century Day. Three rides, all following the same route for the first 25 miles with a food stop in Bristol. The Metric Century is 62 miles via Bristol and Vergennes. The full Century is 100 miles traveling down to the Crown Point Bridge and returning through the Champlain Valley. Those looking for an extra challenge can do the Double Gap Century which is 113 miles and includes the Middlebury and Appalachian Gaps.

Meeting time: 7:30 Meeting place: Wheeler lot, Veterans Memorial Park, South Burlington Leader: Kevin Batson (825-5816, kevbvt@gmail.com) Metric Century leader: Lou Bresee

(658-0597, lakelou@comcast.net) Date: Sunday, Sept. 24 Ride: East of Eden. Ride 50 or 60 miles through the rolling hills around Eden with your choice of a long, gradual climb up Route 105 or a shorter, steeper route on Route 242 up to Jay Peak. This year the route will be done backwards to avoid the traffic we have encountered on Route 100 in the past, as well as the thumpathumpa on the Route 105 downhill for those on the long ride.

Meeting time: 9:45 Meeting place: Eden Elementary School on Route 100, about a half- mile south of Route 118.

Leader: Brian Howard (505-1148, bjhowd@gmail.com) Co-Leader: Matt Kuivinen (881-9045, mattkui@earthlink.net) For more information about GMBC go to thegmbc.com. Click on the events calendar for additional information about the rides listed, including route maps.

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The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 15

Sports Beautiful day for a swim

The Lake Champlain Open Water Swim, a 3.76-mile swim starting from the Old Dock in Essex, New York to Charlotte Beach, took place on Aug. 19. For results and photos visit lakechamplainopenwaterswim.

Photos by Lee Krohn com.

Edd’s Sports Report Edd Merritt CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Summer sports wind down, fall sports wind up

Although the fall colors have yet to tinge the mountains, fall sports teams are beginning to hit the fields with a vengeance. Footballs fly and tackles tackle while soccer balls get headed, field hockey comes before ice hockey, golf while there are still greens and volleyball that does not worry about the weather because it’s played indoors.

Gold cards turn green for CVU’s football program

CVU’s football program is looking for contributions to its annual fundraiser.

Due to the expense of playing this sport— equipment, travel, etc.—football at the high school level needs outside donations to augment what the school can afford to pay. The team members are selling gold cards that will give the buyers discounts at local businesses. These discounts are good for the full year, and income from them goes strictly toward the program.

Former CVU Coach Jim Provost picks up where he left off

After serving as football coach of the Redhawks for seven seasons and directing them from a Division III pushover into a Division I contender, Jim Provost could not keep off the gridiron for long. Prior to his stint at CVU, he

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coached at Rice for 14 years, leading the Knights to two Division II titles. Jim recently signed on to head his hometown Milton Yellowjackets. He will implement the “zone-read, no huddle” offense that he instituted at CVU, according to Alex Abrami in the August 15 Burlington Free Press. Mike Williams, another Milton resident, has taken Provost’s place at CVU and praises his mentor. Rice coach Neil Brodeur, also from Milton, says Provost is the “perfect person to rebuild that program.”

Williston’s HOTDAM whacks wiffle ball

This year’s Travis Roy Wiffle Ball Tournament championship went to a team from Williston, the HOTDAMs. Led by tournament MVP Tucker Kolasch, they won 6-5 over the Jackhammers from Braintree, Massachusetts, in the title game at “Little Fenway Park” in Essex. The tournament raised $585,496 for the Travis Roy Foundation to go toward benefiting people with spinal cord injuries. Travis Roy was a Boston University hockey player who incurred such an injury and who now lives in Colchester.

16 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

Parenting

Test tubes and “Sex on the Beach” There was a small bar tucked into a narrow side street in St. Augustine, Florida. A narrow porch with a couple of tables overlooks the entrance, and the music from Jorden Blucher the band drifts CONTRIBUTOR out of the open windows. I am 16 and handing the bouncer, who looks very much like Hagrid from Harry Potter, my brother’s ID. We had spent the previous few days listening to the truckers on the CB radio and watching the country slowly flatten out as we drove south on I-95 from Vermont. We were here to help our grandmother (Granny) purchase a new car and then take her current car, a red and white 1960s- era Dodge Duster, back to Fort Knox, Kentucky, where my brother was stationed at the time.

As kids, we would come down to visit Granny nearly every year. We would go to the Alligator Farm, Marine Land, the Old Fort and, of course, the beach.

A few times we even ventured down to the Kennedy Space Center. Granny lived in a tiny one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette on St. George Street next to the St. Francis Inn. There were large palm trees in the yard, and small green lizards could often be seen scurrying across the white stucco by the front door.

Because the apartment was so small my brother and I stayed at the Best Western Bay Front Inn just off of A1A. It was

nothing fancy but it did have a pool, and to this day I still remember the layout of the entire place, right down to the ugly maroon and palm-leaf patterned bed spreads.

Skip, one of my brother’s Army buddies who happened to be from St. Augustine, was also on leave when we were there, and he was planning to help us drive the Duster back to Kentucky. Given that both Skip and my brother were in their early 20s it would have been unfathomable to think that they would meet up in a city, especially Skip’s hometown, and not go out to the bars. I resigned myself to the reality that I would be hanging out in the hotel room flipping channels for the night. However, to my surprise and bewilderment, after we had finished our Domino’s pizza that we dipped in garlic butter, my brother asked if I wanted to come along. A short time later Skip and a friend knocked on the door and we headed into the night. On our way to the bar Skip pointed out important historical landmarks, such as the bar Jimmy Buffett had been booed out of and then, after he had become famous, had come back to and pressed his bare rear to the window.

We parked in a lot a few blocks from the bar, and my brother and Skip went on ahead while I went to the ATM with Skip’s friend, who quizzed me on the particulars about my brother and told me to look the bouncer in the eye and give only curt answers when asked any questions. As we walked up to the bar I saw my brother and Skip sitting on the porch watching us. I assumed they were sitting so close to the bouncer so that they could make a run for it if I was caught. I took a deep breath, held my

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head high, walked up to the bouncer and handed him my ID. My brother really does not look anything like me; the main distinguishing feature is that he is three or four inches taller than I am. Though I guess when you’re an 8-foot tall bouncer, it’s hard to tell such a small difference in the height of those of average size.

“Vermont, huh?” the bouncer said.

“Yup,” I said gruffly, dropping my voice an octave.

“Have a good night,” he said handing my ID back to me and stepping aside.

When we sat down at the table, in sight of the bouncer, Tycen asked me what I wanted to drink. Having no clue, I ordered what he was having, a Jack and Coke. I took one sip and my face contorted in slight horror, my mouth burned, then my throat burned, then my stomach felt warm. I tried another sip, smaller than the first, then handed the drink to my brother.

A waitress was walking around with test tubes filled with brightly colored

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liquid, and on the sides of the tubes, in comical bubble letters, were the words “Sex on the Beach.” Fascinated that drinks came in test tubes and happy that they tasted more like fruit juice than a red-hot poker, I had a couple. I pocketed one of the test tubes and a book of matches as souvenirs that I kept until they were liberated from me my senior year of college.

After that bar we went to a dance club at a Holiday Inn and then to a house party where everyone thought it was cute that someone’s kid brother was tagging along for the night. We headed back to the motel in the wee hours of the morning.

At some point, after this adventure, I acquired a fake ID, one whose picture looked much more like me than my brother does. I never used it, however; without my big brother there to look after me I just didn’t have the gumption.

***

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 17

Health Matters Jim Hyde I was skiing alone on a wide open slope when I fell and hit the back of my head. I was momentarily “stunned.” I was wearing a helmet. Another skier came by and asked if I needed help.

I then did three stupid things: First, I said “No, I just need some time to rest.”

Second, I got up feeling a bit woozy and skied down the hill on my own. Third, just to prove to myself I was fine, I did another run before quitting for the day.

I felt “strange” for the next four or five days but never sought medical attention.

I gradually got better. I was lucky.

Interestingly, skiing and snowboarding are ranked 10th among the top 20 causes of head injury seen in U.S. emergency rooms. Cycling is number one, followed by football, baseball and basketball.

Soccer is seventh on the list, horseback riding 11th, and hockey and lacrosse 14th and 19th respectively. The list for children under 14 years of age is roughly the same.

Head injury can occur in many different ways: a blow to the head from falling off a bicycle, being hit by a projectile like a golf ball or puck, running into a goal post, a car crash or, in my case, skiing. Injury occurs when the forces from the impact are transferred to the skull and subsequently to the brain.

When your head hits the ground in a fall, a lot of energy must be absorbed as the mass of your head decelerates. This is what causes external injury to tissues, leading to swelling and a bump on the head.

But a second collision inside the skull also occurs due to rapid deceleration.

Your brain continues to move in the original direction due to inertia.

Subsequently it collides with the inside of the skull. A third impact may also occur in which the brain recoils back in the opposite direction and collides with the opposite side of the skull, potentially

Concussion: We all have some reason to care causing more injury.

Helmets are designed to absorb a lot of this energy. Importantly, helmets protect not just the outside of your head but mitigate the forces that cause injury inside your head from the second and third collisions.

The term “concussion” gets thrown around a lot both on and off the field.

But it turns out that in less severe cases there are no real objective tests that can be applied to rule in or out a concussion.

It’s often a subjective assessment based on a clinical examination.

If you are lucky your body and brain will likely recover from this insult without any lasting effects. But if the force of impact is great enough you may well lose consciousness and experience lasting effects: headache, blurred vision, loss of fine motor control. If these forces are too great you may even suffer a bleed inside your skull. This is why someone with a possible concussion needs to be seen by a health professional and carefully monitored.

The danger of repetitive impacts to the head and neck One-of-a-kind head injuries occur to everyone from time to time. They are part of growing up and part of everyday life. The best we can do is try to avoid situations likely to lead to injury, wear protective equipment (helmets, mouth guards, eye protection) and seek medical attention if injuries occur.

However, repetitive impacts to the head and neck are especially worrisome.

A study in Neurology Reviews found that varsity football and hockey players sustain an average of 1,000 hits per season, admittedly not all to the head, with an average acceleration of 20Gs (20 times the force of gravity). You may also have read that just last month the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 110 of 111 deceased NFL football players showed clear signs of structural brain damage, CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). This follows many reports of depression, cognitive impairment and suicide in former NFL players as young as 30 or 40 years old.

But the coverage of the NFL/CTE story obscures the fact that these effects likely extend well beyond professional football. After all, researchers only studied men who already had behavioral

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“As with so many public health problems, we face the dilemma of making choices in the face of uncertainty about risks of potentially devastating proportions.” signs of brain injury. While professional football may be an extreme example, there are many sports and occupations where the risk of repetitive blows to the head and neck are common, including soccer, lacrosse and hockey. What about female athletes or racing car drivers? What about children and young adults whose brains may be especially vulnerable to damage? Are athletes who compete in contact sports at the college level at risk as well? What about the casual weekend sports enthusiast?

How to respond in the face of uncertainty Currently no reliable screening or diagnostic tests can detect incipient CTE in living participants. Hence, as with so many public health problems, we face the dilemma of making choices in the face of uncertainty about risks of potentially devastating proportions. For most, locking ourselves in a room and

eschewing all contact with the outside world is not an option. What are steps that we might take while we wait for definitive answers?

1) Before you do anything, read Sportsrelated Head Injury by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons ( a a n s . o rg / P a t i e n t s / N e u r o s u rg i c a l Conditions-and-Treatments/Sportsrelated-Head-Injury). Written in lay language it will provide you with an excellent overview of head injury issues.

2) Some sports pose higher risks of repetitive head injury than others. If the activity you or your child wants to pursue carries a high risk of repetitive head injury, like football, consider pursuing another activity or sport.

3) Use protective headgear at all times knowing it is a last line of defense and not the first. Make sure helmets meet NOCSAE or ATSDM standards (see nocsae.org).

4) Check that organized athletic programs, whether school, college or professional, are run by credentialed and certified professionals. These programs should have rigorous safety protocols and easy access to medical professionals to assess injuries when and if they occur.

Finally, moral and ethical issues further complicate matters. If you are a fan, before you pick up your remote consider this: does buying tickets, attending games, or watching games on television make me an “enabler”? Am I aiding and abetting an industry that derives financial benefit from a product that entertains but also potentially harms and debilitates its participants? I’ll leave it to you to decide.

Jim Hyde is associate professor emeritus at the Tufts University School of Medicine. He lives in Charlotte.

18 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

News Nicole Conley RECREATION DIRECTOR

Afterschool Piano Lessons: Lessons will be taught by Julie Holmes on Tuesdays and Mary Beth Bowman on Wednesdays after school.

Dates: Tuesdays, Sept. 5–Dec.19 Time blocks: (1) 2:00–2:45, (2) 2:45– 3:30, (3) 3:30–4:15, (4) 4:15–5:00 Fees: Group lessons $204; semiprivate lessons $312 Dates: Wednesdays, Sept. 6–Dec. 20 Time blocks: (1) 3:00–3:45, (2) 3:45– 4:30, (3) 4:30–5:15 Fees: Group lessons $204; semiprivate lessons $312.

After-school Horseback Riding Lessons. Students will learn the basic care of the horse, including grooming, bathing, feeding and upkeep. Students will also learn the nutrition side and anatomy side of the horse and the certain tack we use on our horses.

Tuesday, 2:15–5:30 p.m. & Thursday, 3:15–5:30 p.m. (5-week sessions) at Steeple Ridge Farm.

Session 1: Tuesday, Sept. 5–Thursday, Oct. 5 Session 2: Tuesday, Oct. 10–Thursday, Nov. 9 Session 3: Tuesday, Nov. 14–Thursday, Dec. 21 Session times and fees: $500 ($100 per week) After-school Tennis Lessons. The tennis program is open to grades 1–8; age groups will be split into different time slots listed below. Tennis lessons will be taught by Kate Ahrens and held at the tennis courts at the Charlotte Town Beach.

Mondays and Tuesdays, Sept. 11–26 Grades 1–5: 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Grades 4–8: 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Cost per session: $70 (6 lessons)

Driver’s Education. This seven-week program will be taught by Joe Barch, who has over 15 years of experience teaching in the public schools.

Dates: Sept. 11, 13, 18, 20, 21, 25, 27, 28, 29, and Oct. 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 Time: 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Charlotte Central School Registration fee: $690 Make-up classes: Sept. 22 and Oct. 25 Cheer Team. Participants will learn dance, poise, arm motions, jumps, chants, cheers and many other skills and strengthening. You will also learn teamwork by forming groups to develop cheers.

Grades: K–4 (older kids welcome to participate/help) Dates: Mondays, Sept. 18–Dec. 11 Time: 6:15–7:30 p.m.

Fee: $160 FLIP, DANCE and CIRCUS!! Tumble, dance, juggle and spin! This great noncompetitive class is for everyone of all levels and keeps kids moving.

Grades: K–4 Session 1: Tuesdays, Sept. 19–Oct. 24 Session 2: Tuesdays, Nov. 7–Dec. 19 Times: 2–4 p.m.

Session cost: $66 (6-week session) Charlotte Recreation Basketball Pre-K practice will be on Saturday mornings at 8 Kindergarten practice will be on Saturday mornings at 8.

A walk on The Charlotte Nature Trail

1st–2nd grade teams will practice once a week with games on Saturday morning at 9.

3rd–6th grade teams will practice twice a week with games on Saturdays. ** All teams are dependent on roster size and volunteer coaches.

Early registration: Oct. 9–Nov. 10 Fee: $50 (subtract $5 if you don’t need a T-shirt) Late registration: After Nov. 10, $65 (subtract $5 if you don’t need a T-shirt) First practice: Week of Dec. 4 Basketball Ends: Feb. 17

Photo by Sarah Soule

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Snowmobile Safety Course. This sixhour course provides the opportunity to earn the certification necessary to legally operate on Vermont’s Statewide Snowmobile Trails System. Participants must be present for all classes to be eligible for certification. Vermont

State Law requires that all Vermont snowmobile operators born after July 1, 1983, who are 12 years of age or older, must take and pass a state-approved snowmobile safety course.

Days/Dates: Mon., Tues., Wed., Dec. 4, 5 & 6 at the Shelburne Town Municipal Building (Activity Room on ground floor) Time: 6–8 p.m.

Registration deadline: Nov. 27 Instructor: Vermont State Police Ages: 12 and up Fee: $15 SOLO Wilderness First Aid Course.

The WFA is the perfect course for the outdoor enthusiast or trip leader who wants a basic level of first-aid training for a short trip with family, friends and outdoor groups. Meets ACA guidelines.

Classes: Feb. 17 and 18, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Cost: $150. CPR offered 5–7 p.m. Feb. 17, $35 Pickle Ball. Come join the pickle ball enthusiasts on Mondays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. at the Charlotte Beach. All levels are welcome to attend!

Full and partial scholarships are available for all youth recreation activities.

You can find additional information on all of our programs as well as registration forms on our town website at charlottevt.org under the “Recreation” tab or contact Nicole Conley by email Recreation@townofcharlotte.com or by phone 425-6129 ext.204.

Local Church Services Charlotte Congregational Church, UCC 403 Church Hill Road, 425-3176 Regular Sunday service: 9:30 a.m.

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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church Spear Street, 425-2637 Sister parish: St. Jude’s, Hinesburg Regular schedule of masses: Saturday, 4:30 p.m., at St. Jude’s, Hinesburg Sunday, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Sunday, 9:30 a.m., at St. Jude’s, Hinesburg

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 19

Not only coyotes howl OutTake The Persecution and Restoration of Dean Moriarty (On the Road) “He was born on the road in the month of July. And he’ll live on the road ‘til he sees fit to die ‘cause he learned from the road how humanity cries, how society lies, he sees with more than his eyes”.

by Aztec Two-Step

Edd Merritt CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Since this is The News’ back-to-school issue I thought I would write a bit about my own education and the differences I see between it and schooling. I was helped along by a gift from my wife, a book about Alan Ginsberg titled with the opening lines of his poem Howl. It’s called The Best Minds of My Generation. Ginsberg, of course, of the “Beat Generation,” was a hero of mine along with his chum Jack Kerouac. Howl had enough dark criticism of my era growing up in the late 1950s, early ‘60s to fuel my desire to learn something other than what my dad wanted me to and other than what my teachers thought they were teaching me.

I also recently shared duties at our fifth edition of an annual event in Charlotte and Eden called “Grammy Camp.” After a day together, our twin grandsons sent Dad back to Providence and hung out with Grammy and Squid for a week, splitting their time between camp and Charlotte. They played, kayaked, pedal-boated, drove go-karts, slid water slides, read a bit of what Mom asked them to and, of course, had to treat every event with a full cone of Ben and Jerry’s. Ben spent time on Grammy’s Mac making his own company, complete with products (plastic entwined key holders), printed receipts and bills with Rory as his willing business accomplice. Beth and I paid the price. The boys gained rolls of

coins.

And I began to see how different their world will be. The September Atlantic magazine may have hit some of these differences in its feature article by Jean Twenge titled “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation?” The postMillennials are more comfortable online than they are in face-to-face social intercourse. How often do you see pairs walking along the street, each talking to somebody on a smartphone and paying no attention whatsoever to their colleague?

Everyone is on a separate planet, and Jupiter is not aligned with Mars as those of us at Woodstock thought. It was “Hair” then, and even much of that is gone these days.

So where and how did our learning take place compared to how it does among those in today’s upcoming generation?

Did we learn in schools? Somewhat.

But it wasn’t always what our teachers wanted us to learn. Even then I think they called the collection of processes and information schoolwork. It encompassed how to work through problems, how to read thoughtfully and remember what you read, how to use a blackboard, what to do in the event of an air raid, how to mind the flag person as you cross the street onto the school block. But it was limited to schooling. Learning on the other hand, came via a constellation of activities, of which schooling was but one.

For me, I looked to see how, in Ginsburg’s words, the “best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix” discovered the world. He said they “passed through universities with radiant cool eyes hallucinating Arkansas and Blakelight tragedy among the scholars of war.” He also said America “go f. . . . yourself with your atom bomb.” See, he was ahead of his time. Either that or he was North Korean.

I remember an English professor in my freshman year of college (1960-61) was roundly criticized by his colleagues for teaching the poetry of the Beats and

Courtesy photo reading out loud some of the obscene language they used to define the world.

He and I left that college at the same time, he to the West Coast, I to Wisconsin. But I think both of us had certain misgivings about an education that would not stray from the straight and narrow path of social acceptability. That, again, was schooling, not learning.

So what learning occurs among youth of today? At “Grammy Camp” it involved a good deal of physical skills—in the boats, behind the steering wheel of a gokart, learning to maneuver the twists and turns of the water slides and, of course, how to measure just the right amount of ice cream to fill the cone but not melt it into oblivion. I was pleasantly surprised by dinner conversations following a full day on the pond in which reflections on the day’s events predominated. They learned where the fish lived and how one had to maneuver one’s hands on a kayak paddle in order to get a full-bladed stroke.

And, yes, in town they watched iPads before bedtime most nights. Ben practiced games well before challenging the rest of us to compete against him. As a result, he and Rory learned the route to victory.

Grammy and I fell in the losers bracket.

Yet, despite the tinges of new technology,

we all managed to stay connected personto-person. We interacted socially as well as technically.

Being almost 11, the twins have not fallen off the digital cliff toward which their age cohort moves. Twenge says that while today’s teens are physically safer than their precursors, they are psychologically more vulnerable. “Rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed since 2011. . .

Much of this deterioration can be traced to their phones.”

So what, if anything, can be done to change learning patterns? Let me dig into my own memory bin for help. Where did my “Kerouacian” learning occur? A significant piece did happen “on the road.”

I remember four friends from college driving from Wisconsin to Florida for spring break. All white, we were three boys and a girl. Passing through the murky night on the back streets of Appalachia, we picked up a man hitchhiking. He happened to be black, and as we neared the white section of town, he tapped the driver on the shoulder and suggested for our own protection we drop him off before we get there. A white girl riding with a black man was a threat to southern supremacy and a danger to us all. Sound a bit familiar?

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20 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

Time in the duck blind Standing in the muck at midnight Bradley Carleton CONTRIBUTOR

September means goodbye to our warm seasonal friend who brought us hours of bliss in the kayak, floating on the deep waters of Lake Champlain, catching colorful brookies in mountain streams and late night dips at the beach, floating under the stars.

For many it means going back to school or stacking that last cord of wood.

For those of us who worship the fall, it means a time of great anticipation and a heightened sense of what’s to come.

The first day is reserved for a fresh cut hayfield, lying concealed in a layout blind inches above the stubble and calling to distant flocks of Canada geese. I can hear them a mile away over the lake and strain my eyes to see them before they see me. That first day also has my heart longing to be under an old oak tree craning my neck to see the flicker of a bushytail gray squirrel or the sudden explosion of fur from a cottontail under a tamarack cedar in the swamp.

I can hear the acorns drop-drop-dropping almost rhythmically, onto the forest floor. The lake begins to turn over as cooler nights set in to invert the aquiline labyrinth, exposing weed beds to the late summer sunlight. The smell of decaying seaweed ripens to a musky fragrance that drifts inland and up to the foothills of our

Green Mountains. The garden reaches its verdant peak of vegetables and wildflowers that seem to know that it’s the last chance to bear the fruit of our labors.

September has me waking up earlier than normal, knowing that on the first Saturday, duck hunters will be building their blinds in the swamps. I’ve been known to be one of the lunatics that will be standing in the muck at midnight to get the first post pounded into the quagmire. There will be a bench, a gun and shell rack (which most of the time has more donut boxes on it than shells). A crude ladder will rise from the detritus of decaying vegetation and will attach to the 4’x8’ platform surrounded by cattails to hide our portly figures from the prying eyes of greenhead mallards circling above us.

September also means it’s time to get the deer camp in order. There are pipes that need soldering, deck boards replaced, a new toilet hookup, and that darn kitchen sink needs a new drain. So September is about preparation too.

On one side of the coin, I am preparing and engaging in joyful enterprises and on the other I will be setting my father’s ashes to rest on top of the mountain behind camp. We will start our first fire of the season in the old Vermont Castings Defiant woodstove and toast his spirit on the porch under the late summer starlight.

September, to me, represents the death

In a layout blind with a flock of Canada geese. of some of life’s cherished moments and the birth of a deeper meaning, a more penetrating connection to what I have always loved - time in the duck blind, the deer camp, in the hayfield or in a treestand. The aroma of woodsmoke, acorns and the decaying leaves take on a deeper meaning than ever before, for in every breath of wind, every splash of waves, every quiet sunset we find that in the end,

we are all one.

Bradley Carleton is Executive Director of Sacred Hunter.org, a non-profit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature and raises funds for Traditions Outdoor Mentoring.org, which mentors at-risk young men in outdoor pursuits.

Local Business Directory rsak@gmavt.net • rvgelectric. com

Rick Gomez

Master Electrician for over 25 years

RVG Electrical Services, LLC 3317 Bristol Road, Bristol, VT 05443

Phone: 802-453-3245 Cell: 802-233-9462

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Courtesy photo

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 21

Puzzle ACROSS 1. Classified information?

5. One way to be taken 10. Fly, e.g.

14. “It was ___ mistake!”

15. Parlor piece 16. Head or night starter 17. Film unit 18. Cockamamie 19. Battering wind 20. One way to move 23. Rock fracture 24. Gardener’s soil 25. Whips 28. Astringent 30. Achieving Moksha is one of its goals 31. Rivera product 33. Elusive one 36. One way to move 40. Balancing pro

41. Order 42. Chills and fever 43. Hordeolum 44. Monovalent radicals 46. Île de la Cité locale 49. Free-for-all 51. Every which way 57. Boor 58. Showy flower 59. D.C. al ___ (musical direction) 60. Suffix with neur61. Hinder 62. Opposite of charge 63. Actor Green of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” 64. Fop’s footwear 65. Wraps (up) DOWN

1. Rattles 2. Promise, e.g.

3. Cheese variety 4. Playa 5. Farewells 6. Double 7. “Stop!”

8. Empty talk 9. Had down cold 10. Organized persecution 11. Duck 12. Goes (for) 13. Deuce toppers 21. Ate 22. “Be-Bop-___” 25. Accord 26. Campus store 27. Indian tourist stop 28. Chichi 29. Kind of partner

SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 23 31. Just 32. G8 member 33. Provocative 34. Jewish month 35. Strong cleaners 37. More than unpopular 38. Crooked 39. Illegal shares of profits 43. Rat 44. Nuptial sites 45. Island ring 46. Flies alone 47. Chew the scenery 48. Indigenous Canadian 49. Peach ___ 50. Pomp 52. Does in 53. Alternative to steps 54. “Blue” or “White” river 55. Avon anti-aging brand

Solar eclipse excitement at The Charlotte Library

The excitement on the library lawn on Monday was contagious as more than 130 kids and adults gathered to view the solar eclipse. In addition to sharing viewing glasses provided by the library, the eclipse could also be seen using a large pinpoint viewer constructed by librarian Jenny Cole as well as a viewer constructed by librarian Cheryl Sloan of stacked boxes that also used a pinpoint arrangement. Viewers also brought along their own creative constructions, some made from cereal boxes.

Photo by Cindi Robinson

Pa

Hu

Linda H. Sparks

An

Senior Associate Broker H. Sparks FourLinda Seasons Sotheby’s International Reality Senior Associate Broker T: 802-846-7860 Four Seasons C: 802-734-2930Sotheby’s International Reality T: 802-846-7860 linda.sparks@fourseasonssir.com C: 802-734-2930 linda.sparks@fourseasonssir.com

Stop by our Farm Store and pick up something for your grill or smoker

and Mountain Views from Village Victorian Lake andLake Mountain Views from Charlotte Village Victorian Built inin1898, AnneVictorian Victorian Charlotte was thoughtfully restored Built 1898,this this Queen Queen Anne wasinthoughtfully restored in 2003 with great attention to quality and detail. The gracious and porch wraps around three sides of the home in 2003 with great attention to quality detail.

The gracious porch wraps affording lakesides and sunset one bedroom auxiliary apartment with west around three of theviews. homeA affording lake and sunset views.

A expansive one bedroom facing deck was crafted on the second floor of a horse barn with a main level garage.

An accessory living unit with expansive west facing deck was crafted on the second additional 20X44 garage now houses a tea room and large workshop on second floor. floor of a horse barn with a main level garage. An additional 20X44 garage now Call Linda Sparks for an appointment. houses a tea room and $839,900.00 large workshop on second floor.

Call Linda Sparks for an appointment. $824,900.00

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Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays • 3:00-6:00pm (802)355-6661 | 800 Bingham Brook Rd, Charlotte fatcowfarmstore@gmail.com • fatcowfarm.com • Fat-Cow-Farm-Charlotte-VT

22 • August 23, 2017 • The Charlotte News

The benefits of diversity Ethan Tapper

CHITTENDEN COUNTY FORESTER

When I turned on the radio this morning, I heard a teacher say: “the jobs we are preparing our students for haven’t been created yet.” As a treebrained forester, this statement struck me as a good analogy for thinking about the importance of ‘diversity’ in forest management. We forest managers make decisions that alter forested ecosystems in the long term, attempting to steer them towards a healthy, productive condition, often while extracting a resource. We are constantly at the disadvantage of time, without a clear idea of what the world may look like in the distant future when the trees we are growing become mature.

Many things can change in the course of the 100 to 120 years that it takes a sugar maple to fully mature; climatic variables, the influence and roles of humans, timber markets. Often it seems that we are managing the forests of the future with our eye on the past, thinking that the conditions which currently exist must persist forever. As we look towards the future as landowners and natural resource managers, it is imperative that we recognize that the “jobs” that we are preparing our forests for haven’t been created (or at least defined) yet, and so our best bet is to encourage the growth of healthy, resilient, complex ecosystems, with as high a degree of diversity as is possible.

In an ecological context, diversity refers to the abundance of different conditions that exist in a given area. In forest management, we usually split this term up into species diversity and structural diversity. While wildlife, plants and other considerations are always at the forefront of our minds, let’s talk about these concepts in terms of trees, for

simplicity’s sake.

The most common understanding of species diversity is Alpha Diversity, which is simply the number of species present on a given site. Weighing Alpha Diversity might lead us to declare that a forest with a wide variety of tree species is “very diverse.” In this sense, Chittenden County has some of the most diverse forests found anywhere in the northeastern United States.

Equally important, but less wellknown, is Beta Diversity, which is the difference between the species composition of two different sites. For example, there might be a forest that supports only a few species (low Alpha Diversity) but these species are unusual or distinct from most other sites (high Beta Diversity). Without a recognition of Beta Diversity, we would only value areas used by many species, and ignore many unique sites.

When Alpha and Beta Diversity combine, they form Gamma Diversity, which is the species diversity across the entire landscape.

Landscapes with high Gamma Diversity contain many different species (high Alpha diversity) while representing many different types of environments (high Beta Diversity). In forest management, this is what we are typically aiming for: encouraging a wide array of species while also respecting unique sites.

Finally, structural diversity is the arrangement of the trees across the landscape, regardless of species. A landscape lacking structural diversity would look like a park or a tree plantation: trees all sharing a similar height, regularly arranged across the landscape. Structurally diverse landscapes contain pockets of young,

see FORESTS page 23

Senior Center News Mary Recchia CONTRIBUTOR

A reminder that the Center will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4, for the Labor Day Holiday.

Please look for the fall schedule of programs and activities as an insert in the next issue of The Charlotte News. Until then, here are a few offerings to close out the summer season as we transition to fall.

Mark your calendars for the annual Senior Center BBQ Celebrating Summer on Friday, Aug. 25. Join us to celebrate the lazy, hazy days of summer. Bring your family and friends for a great time. Rain or shine the party will begin with appetizers at 5 p.m. and dinner “hot off the grill” at 6. Registration necessary. Fee: $12 per person.

Calling All Creative Spirits! The Senior Center Community Art Show, now in its 11th year, has become a favorite among our community of artists. The show will be held during the month of September and is open to everyone 50 years or older. All mediums are welcome, and we will have a two-piece limit so everyone will have a chance to see their work displayed in the Great Room. Registration forms with specific details are available on the foyer table, and the deadline for submitting is Friday, Aug. 25. A reception for the artists, friends and relatives will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.

Our collection of lectures, performances and special events showcasing the diverse interests of our community resumes for the fall on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 1 p.m.

Enjoy an afternoon showing of Imagine: A Contemporary Dance Performance, created by celebrated local dancers and choreographers, including Sara McMahon and Movement for Parkinson’s Dancers; Hanna Satterlee, director of the Vermont Dance Alliance; Laurael Jenkins, Middlebury dance professor; and Liesje Smith, choreographer and Rolfer.

For generations, dance was held in the center of social gatherings of all kinds. Dance provided the opportunity to develop incredibly valuable skills, such as sequencing movement, being precise in expressivity and rhythm, and engaging socially through movement. All of these qualities are critically important in sharpening neuro-pathways of the brain that enhance our quality of life, no matter what our age. These learning challenges, when taught in a group with good music, can be irresistible! Join Liesje Smith for a new class this fall, Moving Better, Living Better Through Dance Friday mornings from 9:30–10:30 beginning Sept. 8. Liesje Smith, dancer, performer and certified Rolfer, is an inspiring and experienced teacher who brings an opportunity for you to develop the above skills in a fun and inspiring atmosphere. And these classes still provide all the good things other movement classes offer, such as building strength, stamina, flexibility and postural stability—so you’re getting your workout.

Registration necessary. Fee: $60 per session.

Memoir Writing with Sandy Detwiler returns this fall on Thursday mornings from 10–11:30 beginning Sept. 7.

Everyone has a story to tell and lessons to share—your life story from your own unique perspective. Capture priceless memories in what is a once-a-week “write and share,” with some guidelines. Join us for the opportunity to reflect on your life, meet new folks and improve your writing.

Registration required. Limit 10. No fee.

Join Hank Kaestner on Wednesday morning Sept. 12 at 9 as we continue our Birding Expeditions. Please meet at the Center so we can carpool together to the location Hank has scouted for spectacular bird watching. Good views are guaranteed through Hank’s “Oh my God” telescope.

Register for this event, and if we have to change the date due to bird migration or weather, we will call you. Registration necessary. No fee.

Katie Manges

The Charlotte News • August 23, 2017 • 23

Community Events Museum: The Charlotte Museum, on the corner of Church Hill and Hinesburg roads, will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. each Sunday through Aug. 26. New exhibits this year include a recently acquired portrait of Henry and Elizabeth (Palmer) Thorp, who at one time owned the Thorp Barn in the Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge, as well as information and early photographs of the Prindle family, one of Charlotte’s significant early families.

This includes Cyrus Guernsey Pringle, renowned botanist who chose to use the old-fashioned surname spelling.

For further information, contact Dan Cole at (802) 425-3105 or email at colelogcabin@gmavt.net.

Picnic: Champlain Valley Cohousing will host a BYO picnic and family jazz on the green on Saturday, Sept. 2.

Picnic starts at 5 p.m., music starts at 6 p.m. International recording jazz flutist Elsa Nilsson and drummer Cody Rahn will play Brazilian jazz and original compositions. The green is located at Champlain Valley Cohousing, 27 Common Way, in Charlotte.

FORESTS

continued from page 22 old and middle-aged forest, and areas where many age classes of trees are mixed together. A structurally diverse forest is likely to also have high species diversity, because of the many different growth conditions that a structurally diverse landscape creates.

Managing forests for structural and species diversity is important because these conditions help make forests resilient. This means that the forest has a variety of tools to deal with different forms that disturbance may take (or, in keeping with the analogy from the beginning of this piece, the “jobs” it may be called on to serve in the future).

For instance, if some exotic pest were to wipe out one tree species, and your woodlot was mostly comprised of that species, your woodlot would suddenly be extremely destabilized. Similarly, if all trees in your woodlot were the same canopy height, a wind event might destroy the overstory, removing all your trees at once. Both of these situations put your forest at risk of soil and nutrient loss, infestations of invasive species and some serious management headaches. Forests with more species and structural diversity stand a better chance of maintaining their overall health, responding vigorously to these destabilizing events.

Managing for diversity also provides habitat conditions for the largest number of species possible. There are wildlife species that require a dense understory, those that require a tight canopy, those that require canopy openings, and many that require a combination of these (and

Bake-off: A maple-themed bakeoff will happen at the East Charlotte Tractor Parade on Oct. 8, hosted by Spear’s Corner Store. Bakers are urged to sign up now. Visitors are the judges who will vote from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m for their favorite baked good. Maple syrup (or flavor) must be an ingredient in the baked good. Please register with Emily at ejadsit@gmaill.com. Deadline is Oct. 1.

Parent and child classes: Join the parent and child classes at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School. The classes meet once a week and include circle time with songs and lap games, organic snacks and free play. They are led by early childhood expert Kirsty Gourlay. Each week she shares articles and discusses different aspects of child development and parenting. The program takes place at the All Soul’s Interfaith Gathering off Bostwick Road in Shelburne. Early registration ends Friday, and some of the classes in the fall session are already full. Please contact Pam Graham 985-2827 ext. 212 or pgraham@

other) conditions in order to feed, move, and reproduce. Providing a diverse array of conditions gives us the best chance at maintaining habitat for as many species as possible and maintaining these habitats over time as forests mature, disturbance strikes, and conditions in the forest change.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the importance of diversity for coping with the effects of climate change. Climate change is on a course to seriously alter the composition of our forests in ways and on a time frame that we do not fully understand. As forest managers, our best chance at dealing with climate change is to make sure that they are healthy and able to respond to the unforeseen challenges that will arise.

Managing for all types of diversity is the best way to do that.

Trees don’t have “jobs,” at least not in the way that we define the term. The “job” of a tree is to survive, grow, and reproduce. But even these basic tasks may become more and more difficult for our trees individually and for our forested communities in the future. The jobs that we are preparing our forests for haven’t been created yet, and so we need to prepare them as best we can for the unknown. Our best hope for that lies in the encouragement of forest health and diversity.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. He can be reached at his office at 111 West Street, Essex Junction, at (802)-5859099, or at ethan.tapper@vermont.gov.

lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org for more information.

Registration: Registration is open for Ohavi Zedek Hebrew School 2017-18. OZHS offers a dynamic curriculum with learning opportunities for preschoolers through bnai mitzvah.

Multi-aged Hebrew language classes, SUPER electives, outdoor education, holiday celebrations, monthly Tot Shabbat and teen internship program.

Ohavi Zedek Hebrew School is open to all. Scholarships available for member families. Deadline for application is Sept. 1. For more information visit ohavizedek.org/education/ or email Naomi at naomi@ohavizedek.org.

Square dance: Learn modern country and western square dance. The Lake Champlain Squares are having two free introductory sessions for new dancers.

Tuesdays, Sept. 12 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School, 500 Dorset St., in South Burlington.

Classifieds Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue. (Payment must be sent before issue date.)

Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@ thecharlottenews.org.

Summer house cleaning available Honest, dependable, and reasonable rates. Call or text 802-349-9775. Please call me at the number listed with any questions.

Since 1977, Lafayette Painting has been providing top quality interior painting services. Our experts will complete your job quickly and the finished project is guaranteed to look great. Call 863-5397 or visit LafayettePaintingInc.com Interior and Exterior Painting If you’re looking for quality painting with regular or low voc paints and reasonable rates with 35 years of experience call John McCaffrey at 802-999-0963, 802338-1331 or 802-877-2172.

Mt. Philo Inn A unique hotel situated at the base of Mt. Philo State Park with stunning panoramic views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Spacious 3 bedroom suites with 2 bathrooms and a complete kitchen. Thoughtfully designed for casual elegance.

Privacy, space and tranquility. Bigger on the inside. MtPhiloInn.com 802425-3335

Email your news announcements to news @thecharlottenews.org ANSWERS TO THIS ISSUE’S PUZZLES FROM PAGE 21:

Does your home need a fresh coat of paint or brand new color? Lupine Painting can help with any of your painting needs. 20+ years of stressfree painting. Call for a free consultation (802)598-9940.

Tree Service. Lot clearing. Tree and brush removal. Local and fully insured. Call Bud 802-734-4503.

O ffices For Rent in West Charlotte village, SW corner of Greenbush and Ferry. Lake views, basic Internet included, common kitchen, deck and showers, $300-$525/month, contact 802-318-6228 or 2848.Greenbush@gmail.com.

Services: GARDENING. Could you use some help with your garden? Sunnyside Gardener is now open for the season. We can assist you with planting, weeding, edging, mulching, vacation watering and care. Now in our ninth year of operation.

Master Gardener trained. Call 864-3268.

The News is look ing for wr iters, photographers and drivers to join the communit y of Char lotters. I f you’re interested in supplying news stories or photography, please email editor in chief, Lynn Monty, at lynn@ t h e c h a r l o t t e n e w s . o r g . Fo r p a p e r distribution contact Vince Crockenberg at vince.crockenberg@gmail.com.

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