Views of Dummerston - 2012#3 - Summer

Volume 22 Issue 3

Summer ~ 2012

Free

Revived Geranium Festival a Big Success for Library

By Catherine O’Callaghan I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.

Jorge Luis Borges Beautiful blue skies and gentle breezes blessed the annual Geranium Festival and Book Sale sponsored by Lydia’s Friends.

The Festival was held on Saturday, June 19 at the West Dummerston Community Center to support Dummerston’s own Lydia Taft Pratt Library and the many services it provides the community. Lydia’s Friends would like to extend their sincere thanks to the many people who made our Geranium Festival and Book Sale such a resounding success.

Geraniums for the sale were donated by Walker Farm. Books were donated through the generosity of people from around Windham County. A wide variety of titles for young and old were available. The Festival also had refreshments for sale, with cheese donated by Grafton Village Cheese Company and water from Pepsi of Brattleboro. In addition there was music provided by Dummerstonian’s Carol and Paul Adkins, and crafts and games for children.

A silent auction for a variety of items and services was a big success. We are most grateful to the community businesses for their donations to the auction. We received gift certificates to the Marina Restaurant, The Tavern Restaurant, Everyone’s Books, Paws and Claws (for a shampoo, cut, and groom for a cat or dog), and Hannaford Grocers. Other donations for the auction were a wide selection of jams from Sidehill Farms, maple syrup from Dwight Miller Orchards, a garden set from the Vermont Country Store, a baby quilt by Faith Evans of Dream Quilts, a tote bag and one half peck of heirloom apples from Scott farm, and a piano tuning by John Dwyer.

We also want to thank everyone who came out in support of the Festival, and a special

thanks to the West Dummerston Community Center.

Thank you to “Lydia’s Friends” who revived this tradition: Lori Frechette, Carol Haney, Pam McFadden, Bill Menezes, Jean Momaney, Catherine O’Callaghan, John Pinkney, Melissa Worden, Winnie Vogt, and Lou and Tom Zopf. Also, thanks to young people and spouses who pitched in on June 19th!

If you are interested in joining “Lydia’s Friends” as we continue to plan ways to support and raise funds for our library, please call Catherine O’Callaghan at 802-257-4673 or email her at cocallag@marlboro.edu.

Recent Acquisitions:

Adult Fiction—The Innocent -David Balducci, Caleb’s Crossing—Geraldine Brooks, Room—Emma Donoghue, Defending Jacob— William Landay, Cedar Cove Series—Debbie Macomber, 11th Hour—James Patterson, The Witness—Nora Roberts, Portrait of a Spy—Daniel Silva, Maisie Dobbs Series— Jacqueline Winspear Adult Nonfiction: Catherine the Great— Robert K. Massie, Lost in Shangri-la—Mitchell Zuckof; Audios: House of Velvet and Glass—Katherine Howe, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary—Susan Macneal, The Vintage Affair—Isabel Wolf; Young Adult Books: The Maze Runner Trilogy—James Dashner, Revolution—Jennifer Donnelly, Ostrich Boys—Keith Gray; Juvenile Books: The Secret Series—Pseudonymous Bosch, Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale—Carmen Deedy, Titanic Sinks—Berry Deneberg, Waiting for Magic—Patricia MacLachlan, When Life Gives You O.J.—Erica Perl, A Dog’s Way Home—Bobbie Pyron, Drawing from Memory—Allen Say, Warp Speed—Lisa Yee, and Water Balloon—Audrey Vernick.

Library Hours: Tuesday: 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Story/Craft Hour 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.;

Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; Trustees: David Patriquin, Winnie Vogt, Sherwood Smith, Janet Avery, and Lori Miller; Librarian: Melissa Worden: Phone Number: 258-9878.

Resource Recapture Means “Trash” No More

By Michelle Cherrier WSWMD representative supervisor for Dummerston

The State of Vermont is changing the manner in which we dispose of our solid waste, otherwise and formerly known as trash.

A new bill (H.485) has been created, after months of debate in the state senate and house that will change the habit of our disposal behaviors in a phased-in timeline, over the next ten years.

The bill (an act relating to establishing universal recycling of solid waste) is available to read on-line at www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2012/ Acts/ACT148.pdf, or if you use an internet search program, type in “VT ACT 148” and it should turn up this address.

The two articles mentioned below give a very brief overview of the bill (after and before) passage, including quotes from legislators. More educational information will be published or distributed by our waste district (Windham Solid Waste Management District, aka WSWMD). The board of supervisors for the nineteen towns in the district has already taken steps to be prepared, long before the deadlines required by the state. Our district is already set up to handle the majority of recyclables. Additionally, the creation of a composting facility is being debated, to be located at the district property on Old Ferry Road in Brattleboro, to process/compost the continued on page 9

2 • Summer , 2012 • Views of Dummerston • The Views of Dummerston is a quarterly publication of The Dummerston Community Center, and the citizens of Dummerston.

The steering committee for the Views includes: Roger Turner, Roni Byrne, Jody Normandeau, Michelle Cherrier, Fred Lee, and Jean Newell.

Subscriptions: The Views is mailed free of charge to all Dummerston residents who are registered voters. If you are not a registered voter in the town of Dummerston, you may subscribe to the Views by sending a check in the amount of $5, made out to the Views of Dummerston, with your name and mailing address, to: Jody Normandeau, 250 Tucker Reed Road, Dummerston, VT 05301.

SUBMISSIONS: Articles: Please email to: viewsofdummerston@yahoo.com.

Please save as either “Word Document” (Microsoft Word), or as “Text Only”, using Times New Roman font, size 10, in single-spaced lines, with no “all caps” or paragraph formatting. We also accept typewritten submissions sent to Jody Normandeau, 250 Tucker Reed Road, Dummerston, VT 05301.

Calendar: Email to Michelle Cherrier at viewsofdummerston@yahoo.com, or by note to Michelle at 72 Miller Rd, E. Dummerston 05346

The Chief’s Corner by Richard Cogliano, Captain,

west dummerston volunteer fire department

Summer is here and between work, vacation, and yard work, most of us will enjoy spending time outdoors, grilling. Below are some tips from the U.S. Fire Administration on how you can keep yourselves and your family safe this summer. For more information please visit: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ citizens/focus/summer.shtm.

Grill Safety Propane and charcoal BBQ grills must only be used outdoors. If used indoors, or in any enclosed spaces such as tents, they pose both a fire hazard and the risk of exposing occupants to toxic gases and potential asphyxiation.

• Position the grill well away from siding, deck railing, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

• Place the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas, and foot traffic.

• Keep children and pets from the grill area: declare a three-foot “safe zone” around the grill.

• Put out several long-handled grilling tools to give the chef plenty of clearance from heat and flames when cooking.

• Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below the grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.

Fire Pits In recent years, there has been a new concern for the fire service—fire pits. Fire pits are known to be a great source of warmth

NEXT ISSUE: Submissions due: Sept. 25, 2012 Mailing: Nov. 8, 2012 Ad Rates: All rates start in January and run for a term of four issues; the Views is published quarterly. A large or small box ad may be placed for one issue only at an adjusted rate. Checks are to be made payable to the Views of Dummerston.

Small Box Ad $55 Large Box Ad $85 Sponsor $25 To place an ad or for more information please contact: Roni Byrne 257-0516

and ambience. But, with the popularity of fire pits increasing, fire safety has become even more important. There are many things you should consider while setting up and using a fire pit.

• Keep away from flammable material and fluids such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and charcoal lighter fluid or vehicles while in use.

• Do not use flammable fluids such as gasoline, alcohol, diesel fuel, kerosene, and charcoal lighter fluid to light or relight fires.

• Exercise the same precautions you would with an open fire.

• Do not allow children to use the fire pit.

Keep children and pets away.

• Do not wear flammable or loose fitting clothing such as nylon.

• Do not burn trash, leaves, paper, cardboard, or plywood. Avoid using soft wood such as pine or cedar that likely pop and throw sparks. Use of seasoned hardwood is suggested.

• Before starting the fire, make sure that the lid will still close to extinguish the fire in case of emergency. Do not overload.

• Before you light the fire, check the wind direction.

• Keep a fire extinguisher or garden hose nearby.

Be safe, have fun, and if you need us, call 911.

Sponsors Alvino & Bea Fantini Allan & Sally Seymour Milt & Barbara Gilmore Sam and Gincy Bunker In Memory of Dorothy Rostov

Please Help Us If the contact person for your committee, board or organization changes, please let us know so information from us goes to the right person. Also if you change your email address, please let us know.

Views of Dummerston • Summer, 2012 • 3

town government

Selectboard Meetings Now on BCTV; Board Seeks Makeover Artist

By Tom Bodett Whoever was praying for rain in March and April might have over-steered just a bit as we just finished up a very wet May and early June.

One thing about the weather these days is that you can always count on it for entertainment.

We’d like to think the same thing about your selectboard.

As some of you have surely noticed, all of the selectboard’s regular meetings are now being broadcast on local access cable television, so if you just can’t get out of the house on an odd Wednesday, you can bring the oddness to you. We can’t say that it’s changed the tone or style of our meetings much, as we don’t have anything to be embarrassed of, but if you look closely you will see a member or two struggling to keep the guts sucked in.

The board appointed Beverly Tier to the planning commission and Bev has jumped right into the continuing work on the zoning

bylaw revision. These revisions and their adoption will be the central focus of both the planning commission and the selectboard over the next year. It is painstaking work, as it should be, and we count on robust public involvement to get it accomplished. Keep your eye on the bulletin board and at dummerston. org for meetings on subjects that particularly concern you. We’d rather hear from you now than have to scrape you off the ceiling later.

The other two projects taking up a lot of the board’s bandwidth this summer are the permitting of the new gravel pit behind Hidden Acres Campground and the repairs to the wing walls on the covered bridge. Both projects have slowly wheedled their way through the respective hurdles and potholes of such endeavors and we expect happy endings for them both.

Keep in mind that the covered bridge will be closed for some period of weeks this summer and the swimming hole beneath the bridge

Dummerston Town Clerk

will also be closed for the duration of the construction. The bridge is to be re-opened to emergency vehicle and school bus traffic by the middle of August and completed by the middle of September. We received three bids for this work, the low-bidder being Renaud Brothers.

In other swimming hole news—you may have noticed the new signage courtesy of VTRANS along Route 30 near the swimming holes on the Rock and West Rivers. Parking has been restricted in order to keep pedestrians to one side of the road, and a seasonal speed limit is in effect with warning signs posted in both directions—a blinking light on the southbound lane. We’ve already heard concerns from local residents about the changes and have agreed to wait and see how the summer goes before we add to or subtract any of it.

Have a safe and prosperous summer, and have some fun, too. As we say at every meeting—the fun never stops in Dummerston.

Okay, maybe not every meeting.

Notes on Property Tax, Voting

By Pam McFadden

year, this includes both the presidential and the statewide primaries.” If you have any questions, We’d like to send out a special thank you please call me. Voter applications are available to Martha Nelson who planted the beautiful here in the office. petunias around the lamp post at the town of2012 Real Estate and Personal Property tax: fice. Thank you for taking the time to make our The 2012 real estate and personal property tax office summery! bills will be sent out the week of July 9th. The Important Election dates to remember: first payment will be due Monday August 20, • Vermont Statewide Primary Election: 2012. Just a reminder, direct debit tax payments August 28, 2012 are now available. Please call the office and we • General Election: November 6, 2012 will gladly help you get this set up. For those of you who have arranged to have direct debit, Early/Absentee ballots Early/absentee ballots will be available on I will be sending out an email to notify you of Monday July 16, 2012. Please call the office the debit. If you have changed your email since or fill out the absentee form on line to request February, please let me know (townclerk@ dummerston.org or 802-257-1496). your ballot.

17-year-olds are now eligible to vote.

Pursuant to 17 V.S. A. § 2121(b), “any 17-year-old who will be 18 by the time of the general election may vote in the primary.

Provided that individual meets all the other requirements to register, any person who will be 18 years of age on or before the date of the general election may register and vote in the primary election immediately preceding that general election. In a presidential election

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4 • Summer , 2012 • Views of Dummerston •

town government Dummerston Conservation Commission

Commission Hosts Wessels Talk on Granite Domes John Anderson As I write this, we are knee deep in the longest, greenest, lushest days of the year.

Nature’s bounty seems limitless. However, by the time you read it, the bloom will have begun to fade, and in the fields tawny yellows and tans will be working into the color palette.

The seasons march on while the conservation commission has kept busy.

In April, several members of the commission attended a joint meeting of conservation commissions co-sponsored by Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center (BEEC) and the Windham Regional Commission.

Also in April, Tom Wessels presented his program entitled “The Granite Landscape— A Natural History of America’s Mountain.

Domes from Acadia to Yosemite.” Wessels spoke of the vast sweep of time during which ice, wind, water, fire, and predictable successions of lichen colonizers shaped granite domes. After the talk he led a group walk on Black Mountain—our local granite dome—and pointed out glacial evidence, lichen colonies and the zones of vegetation that became progressively more fire tolerant as we ascended the trail.

Later in May, I led an inventory walk along the West River Trail. The commission will hold such walks occasionally, both to gather first-hand information on biological diversity and to share that which we have already learned.

And to round out the month, Halifax resident and garden designer Michaela Harlow gave a workshop at Walker Farm on designing gardens with native plants to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. There is so much to admire in Harlow’s efforts. This program promotes managing some portions of land in a way designed to benefit other species, in this case birds and insects. And it promotes the use of the native plant species that evolved with those birds and insects. This seems a practical and philosophically sound way in which to approach landscaping … on any scale.

And now having reported on recent conservation commission events, I’d like to take you along on a short quasi-historical ramble.

I recently finished reading Walden Pond: A History by W. Barksdale Maynard. Walden Pond became famous when H.D. Thoreau built his 10x15 “house” on its shores, and during his two year residency wrote the first

draft of Walden, or Life in the Woods. Walden, the book, became a cherished international classic. Walden, the pond, has been far less loved.

A publisher accepted Walden, or Life in the Woods in 1854, about a decade before Thoreau’s death. Throughout that manuscript he chose words such as pure, untouched and crystalline to describe the pond. And he routinely recorded the fish species found there.

Thoreau was a careful observer and an obsessive journal keeper. By reading both Walden and his journals it is possible to get a pretty good idea of what species populated Walden’s waters at that time, and to get a fair idea of the relative health of those populations. After studying those works I have concluded that there were plenty of fish in Walden Pond during Thoreau’s lifetime to satisfy that era’s no-nonsense anglers.

Just twenty one years later, in 1875, there were so few fish left in those waters that a total ban on fishing had to be instituted. The pond was subsequently stocked with fingerlings and given five years to recover before fishing was again allowed within a narrowly restricted annual season. Since that 1880 reopening, fishing in Walden Pond has been both artificial and closely regulated.

What changed between 1854 and 1875?

Population driven demand. An influx of people taking more fish than the pond could produce. And, no regulation. No consensus.

Everyone took fish without having any way to understand the cumulative effect on the overall resources. And they exercised no forbearance because any fish they refrained from taking would undoubtedly be taken by another well-meaning but equally uninformed individual. The end result was that supply could no longer meet unregulated demands.

As with the fish in Walden, individual stewardship of any natural resource which is in limited supply no longer works. It is a philosophical holdover from a time when human populations were much lower, and, therefore, our demands on various components of the natural world were sustainable. However, human populations have ballooned over the last century and a half while the finite worlds’ ability to produce “fish” has in most cases been degraded. Population driven demands now create an uncountable array of shortages, and collectively agreeing to restrict our actions is the only workable method yet found

with which to balance nature’s supply with our demand.

Simple enough when fish in a small Massachusetts pond is the subject under discussion, but there are now many population driven shortages: fish, waterfowl, recreational opportunities, the deer herd, clean air, clean water, endangered non-game species—the list of shortages is troublingly long. Now that list must recognize the one looming underlying shortage of land, the actual need for specific surface area on this finite sphere. People, and the worldwide demands those people make on resources, are increasing at unbelievable speeds. The ability of the Walden Pond-ish finite world to provide habitats to produce the various and all-inclusive “fish” we desire has in many, many instances fallen below our demands.

And that is the story of most if not all the exploitable natural resources on the earth.

They have been degraded or they have failed under a booming human population and a philosophy implying that through individual volition we would or could function as sound stewards of the earth’s complexly interrelated and far-flung systems and the species dependent thereon. History has shown this to be a failed premise since the point where demands surpassed available supplies, in most cases many, many decades or even centuries ago.

Since then humanity has had to self-regulate. “We the people” now collectively and democratically achieve what “We the individuals” could not. And there are no remaining unregulated frontiers. As near as I can tell, fishing in every pond, lake, river, brook, ocean, sea, run, rill, swamp, bayou, pool, slough, ditch, canal, dew slick, and mud puddle in or near the United States is regulated, as are most in the world. They are regulated in an attempt to save the breeding stocks of any exploitable species therein from unrelenting human demands. All of our game species have needed similar protection.

Our negative impacts on many non-game animals and plants have also required action.

Misuses of the water and the air common to all life have had to be addressed. All of these initiatives and many, many, more have been undertaken only because unregulated human demands exceeded the ecosystem’s ability to supply those things we all want or need.

Seems obvious, you say? Well, I’ll leave continued on page 5

Views of Dummerston • Summer, 2012 • 5

town government

Various Construction Projects Require a Permit

by Charlotte Neer Annis As you go about starting your summer building projects, please keep a few things in mind.

Any new construction, subdivision or change of use of an existing structure or parcel requires a zoning permit.

The selectboard approved the changes to the setbacks this winter. In all districts, except the village, buildings must be set back

50 feet from the center of the road(s), and 40 feet from the side(s) and rear property lines. In a few areas along Routes 5 and 30, the property line may be greater than 25 feet from the road center so you may require a setback greater than 50 feet from road center.

The village district is still governed by the old setbacks although we are working on getting these changed also.

All structures must meet the front (road) and side/rear setbacks. This includes all

Commission Hosts Wessels Talk on Granite Domes continued from page 4 you with a few final thoughts before I ramble off. A lot of the countries’ past conservation efforts—all undertaken to meet the demands of the populace—have followed a very expensive break-and-fix pattern: fish out and often pollute a pond, clean it up to the best of our ability, restock it annually with hatchery fish, strictly regulate demand thereafter … in perpetuity. Now, however, land area itself is under very needs-specific and often globallydriven demands, and there are no methods for restocking that pond once we have overfished it. We can’t raise land to meet our needs in a hatchery as we raise trout. However, it is possible to maximize the utility of the lands we have in an effort to preserve a well-balanced environment in which to live.

Walden Pond is currently described as a catch and release only facility. It now supplies no sustenance, only idle recreation and inedible philosophies, and even Thoreau needed to consume an occasional fish chowder to keep body and soul together. Fortunately for him he lived in an age of much lower demand. There were far fewer people. There were enough “fish” at that point in history to meet his meager needs. And now? Now he would have to

compete for his fish on the global markets. It’s simply a case of ever-expanding, populationdriven, and worldwide demand competing for finite supply. These are the givens in the “equation” we are living. Conservationists find those givens as galling as everyone else finds them, but they understand that decisions based on short-term thinking will ultimately lead to a world less able to sustain humanity, a world of diminished supply. That’s the lesson of history.

But enough of this ramble. I’m heading out into the great green world to see if I can find a few scraps of unposted woods to ramble through. Supply, it seems, has fallen below my demands.

Visit the conservation commission website at www.dummerstonsonservation.com

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permanent pools, decks, and sheds. Small accessory structures may not require a permit and may be exempt from meeting the full side/rear setbacks, but must still meet the front yard setback. All structures must also meet a 50 foot setback from permanent watercourses. Please call the zoning administrator for help in deciding what requirements must be met before beginning construction.

Please plan ahead as the permit must be displayed for fifteen days after issue before construction may begin and thirty days is allowed by state statute for approval of zoning permits. Applications to the Development Review Board (DRB) for a variance or a conditional use permit must be submitted at least four weeks before the DRB meeting (the 3rd Tuesday of the month).

Permit applications for zoning can be found online at dummerston.org under zoning administrator and then forms. The fee schedule is also online. Please call or stop by the town office if you have any questions about the process. I am usually in from Monday afternoon through Thursday or I can be reached at 257-1496 or emailed at zoning@ dummerston.org to make an appointment.

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Carolyn Mayo Brown & Gregory Brown Art Benedict Michelle Cherrier & Philip Goepp Len Oppenheim

6 • Summer , 2012 • Views of Dummerston •

organizations

Church Seeks Pie Makers for One of State’s Premier Events

By Susanna Griefen, Pastor

been bare and what comes in goes out immediately. People are hungry, and less food is being donated. Especially needed are one can meals with pop-tops for those sleeping outside, proteins like peanut butter and tuna, and personal care items. Donations may be left in the church entry.

The church is also forming a committee to help us prepare for disasters—prepare our building and records; help individuals prepare

The Apple Pie Festival is coming on Sunday Oct. 7th starting at 10 a.m.! Once again Vermont Life has named this one of Vermont’s Ten Best Events of the year. Bakers, peelers, and other workers will begin making pies on Monday September 24th, 9 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 9 p.m. More workers are always welcome! Apple Pie day begins with the Firemen’s Breakfast, Festival worship from 99:30 a.m., the Grange Flea Market and lunch, Evening Star Grange #154 and pies, pies pies- with cheese, ice cream, donuts, coffee and cider. One child, asked what his favorite holiday of the year was, thought a bit and then answered “Apple Pie! Day!”

by Sallie J. May Services in the summer and fall will begin Secretary at 9:30 a.m. Vacation Bible School will be on th th th Thursday evenings, July 12 , 19 and 26 and Once again, it is time to bring you up August 2nd, from 5 to 7 p.m. to speed regarding the happenings at the The church will work all summer to help Grange. First off, a big “thank you” to Marthe Drop in Center food bank. Shelves have garet Everett, who donated two small lilac bushes to be added to our landscaping around our new porch. We are hopeful that they will thrive and be beautiful next spring. In the meantime, we will be researching some other plants to be placed in front of our building to brighten up the area. We continue to receive compliments from people passing through and from the locals, reminding us Personal service you deserve of all the wonderful people who made our facelift possible.

Transfers are easy-just call and we'll do the rest Almost 100 people enjoyed a wonderful Memorial Day program on May 30, the “traditional” Memorial Day, led off by a mini concert by the Brattleboro American Legion Band. Assistant band director Ray Brown soloed with God Bless the USA, and Michael Worship & Church School 9:30am.

Cuomo of the VFW/Legion combined color Vacation Bible School: pre-k—4th guard gave a moving tribute to two color guard July 26 • 5—7 pm members who had recently passed away. If Apple Pie Festival October 7 • 10 am pie-making starts september 24th you have never been to this program, it is your rev. susanna griefen official town Memorial Day tribute, and well 257-0544 • susanna@griefen.com worth coming to see. www.dumerstonchurch.org Our first chicken pie supper of the summer hopefully took place on June 9th, and by the time you receive this edition of Views, our peach shortcake supper will be rapidly ap-

for home disasters, and prepare to help in the community. This is an emphasis of the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ and we want to be prepared to help when and if the time comes.

For more information about this energetic, faithful, friendly and mission-oriented church, please contact Pastor Susanna Griefen, 2570544, or go to our website www.dummerstonchurch.org and facebook page.

Supper Season Underway at the Grange

Brattleboro Pharmacy 413 Canal Street 254-7777

Dummerston Congregational Church

Compliments of

Priscilla Svec, P.T. Practicing Holistic Physical Therapy 126 Main Street, Putney

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proaching. The proceeds from these suppers go toward maintenance and upkeep of our building, including a rather large heating oil bill to keep our building open and available for use during the winter. Our special project this year is to replace the old and groaning hot water heater before she decides to pass on in the middle of one of our suppers. At this time I would like to publicly thank the many nonGrangers who volunteer their time to peel potatoes, make the coffee, set the tables, provide the flowers, make the biscuits, dish up the food for the meals, pour the drinks, and clean up and wash the dishes at every one of these suppers.

Without their help, there is no way that this Grange would be able to survive, the building would have to be sold and a one hundred year old plus tradition would be no more. Likewise we thank our understanding and forgiving village neighbors, who put up with the occasional noise and inconvenience of parking. So, please accept our thanks, all of you, and know that you are deeply appreciated.

Another small project we hope to complete this summer is the mounting and hanging of some old Dummerston photos upstairs in our hall. We were able to obtain copies of some historical society photos on disk, which we now need to have printed and framed, then hung. A trio of grange members has taken on this project, and we anticipate it will be completed before the fall season is upon us.

As always, non-Grangers are invited to come to one of our meetings, see if we are something you would like to get involved in, and fill out an application for membership.

To remain an active Grange, it takes active members, and everyone is welcome. Call the author at 257-0387, and get involved. And keep in mind folks, Apple Pie Festival and Craft Fair time will soon be coming!!

Views of Dummerston • Summer, 2012 • 7

school news

Front Row: (l-r) Skyler Ross, Claire Thomas, Craig Worden, Greg Wood, Aisha Schor, Joe Rosmarino Middle Row: Ronan Khalsa, Kiana Lewis, Kelsey Parker, Isabel Renaud, Ari Parris, Rebecca Mazelli, Abby Kropp Back Row: Adison Clark, Josh Doucette, Savannah Haley, Eli Kapral, Matt Dulmaine, Bridget Dews

Dummerston School Graduates 19; Skrzyniaz Speaks

By Jo Carol Ratti Nineteen students graduated from Dummerston School on Thursday, June 14, 2012.

The graduates were led by marshals Madison Lynch and Alex Gadowski. The student class speakers were Eli Kapral and Bridget Dews, and Kelsey Parker introduced this year’s guest speaker, Linda Skrzyniarz. Awards and scholarships were presented to the following students: Travis Sweetser Awards are given to students who are dedicated members of Dummerston School’s soccer, softball and baseball teams. Ronan Khalsa was presented with the baseball award and Bridget Dews with the soccer award. The Dummerston Women’s Association Awards are given by Winnie Vogt

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to the boy and girl with the highest scholastic achievement. Claire Thomas and Eli Kapral were the recipients. The Ruth E. Knapp Memorial Fund Awards are presented to one girl and one boy for outstanding citizenship. This year’s awards went to Greg Wood and Kiana Lewis. Linda Rubinstein presented Rebecca Mazelli with the Jenny Rubinstein English Award. This award focuses on achievement and creativity in English and is given each year in memory of her daughter, Jenny Rubinstein.

The Margaret T. Irsch Writing Award is given by the Friends of the Library and this year went to Claire Thomas for excellence in writing. Janet Avery presented the Art Avery Award, in memory of her husband, to a student who exemplified many of the qualities that Art brought to the Dummerston community.

Daniel Abbott, v.m.d.

www.vtnhvet.com

The award is also known as the “Unsung Hero Award” and it was presented to Adison Clark.

The Arlene G. Forrett Memorial Award for class citizenship went to Aisha Schor and was presented to her by her mother, Deb Forrett. Josh Doucette was presented with the Jean Shaw Creativity-in-Science Award for aptitude and creativity in science. Greg Wood was awarded the Timothy Garland Scholarship for distinguishing himself in the area of mathematics. The Teachers’ Award was given to Bridget Dews and the Principal’s Award was given to Savannah Haley.

Soren Pelz-Walsh, Patrick Clark and Jay Vinci received PTFO Awards as graduates of the BUHS Class of 2012 who attended Dummerston School and are continuing their education in the fall.

8 • Summer , 2012 • Views of Dummerston •

school news

Students Recognized for Effort and Achievement

By JoCarol Ratti Dummerston School held its annual Recognition Ceremony on Friday, June 8. Students in grades five through eight were recognized for citizenship, team membership, club participation, athletic ability, and exceptional achievement in a variety of academic areas.

Academic achievement awards in grades six and seven are given to students who hold a grade point average of 90.0 or above in all core subject areas. This year’s Grade 6 Academic Achievement Awards went to Paxton Angell, Cassie Dunn, Mitchell Flood, Morgan Mazelli, and Ben Nelson-Betz. The Grade 7 Academic Achievement Award went to Kelsey Rabideau.

The eighth grade academic achievement awards were awarded by discipline to students who carried a grade point average of 90.0 or above for all three marking periods.

The Grade 8 Math Achievement Awards

Sponsors Cheryl Wilfong & Bill McKim Mary Lou & Bill Schmidt Ron & Jo-Ann Tier Tonia & Whit Wheeler Elizabeth Catlin & Jared Flynn

Steve Mindel

h. 802.254.6662 c. 802.254.0834 smmindel@gmail.com

Jonathan Morse

h. 802.254.5791 c. 802.258.0902 jonathan@mindelmorse.com morse@sover.net

Mindel & Morse Builders LLC

P.O. Box 643 Brattleboro, VT 05302

Sponsors Cliff Adler & Lynn Levine

went to Bridget Dews, Matthew Dulmaine, Eli Kapral, Ari Parris, Isabel Renaud, Aisha Schor, Claire Thomas, Greg Wood and Craig Worden. The Grade 8 Science Achievement Awards went to Bridget Dews, Matthew Dulmaine, Abby Kropp, Kiana Lewis, Rebecca Mazelli, Kelsey Parker, Ari Parris, Isabel Renaud, Aisha Schor, Claire Thomas, Greg Wood and Craig Worden. The Grade 8 Humanities Achievement Awards went to Bridget Dews, Eli Kapral, Kelsey Parker and Claire Thomas.

Awards for Outstanding Effort were given to students who work hard and consistently give 100% in all subject areas. In addition, these students always complete their homework assignments. The Grade 6 Outstanding Effort Awards went to Keyah Miner Grade 8 Physical Educa- a n d M i t c h e l l tion Award Winners Kelsey Flood. The Grade Parker and Josh Doucette 7 Outstanding Effort Awards went to Kayla Bristol and Maddy Lynch, and the Grade 8 Outstanding Effort Awards went to Eli Kapral and Claire Thomas.

Brattleboro N. KOA

Campground

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802 254-5908 www.brattleborokoa.com

Citizenship Awards are given to students who were positive role models for their classmates. These students demonstrated leadership and school spirit. Teachers and classmates considered them good all-around students. The Grade 5 Citizenship Awards went to Jackson Buettner and Abigail Sargent. The Grade 6 Citizenship Awards were presented to Morgan Mazelli and Jake Bristol. The Grade 7 Citizenship Awards went to Jessica Lawrence and Haley Frechette, and the Grade 8 Citizenship Awards went to Greg Wood and Kiana Lewis.

Kelsey Parker Grade 7 Outstanding Effort and Josh Doucette Award Winners Kayla Bris- were awarded the tol and Maddy Lynch Physical Education Awards for sportsmanship and athletic ability, and Eli Kapral was given the Wildcat Award for Athletics. Kiana Lewis received the Grade 8 Music Award.

Corum Mabie Cook Prodan Angell & Secrest Estate Planning and Administration, Family Law, Real Estate, and the General Practice of Law 45 Linden Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301

(802) 257-5292 • gcmlaw@sover.net www.southernvermontattorneys.com

Passings Robbie P. Robinson

5-17-12

Roger B. Aquadro

5-28-12

Births

Paul & Lou Nelsen Eleanora Patterson & Gordon Faison Gordon & Linda Evans Heather & Gene Rostov

Aiden Michael Gagnier

3-19-12

Sage Woosley

3-27-12

Views of Dummerston • Summer, 2012 • 9

School Observes Memorial Day With American Legion Post 5

By JoCarol Ratti

Music teacher Mary Harvey Bandish observes as Matt Miller plays Taps during the Memorial Day ceremony.

Resource Recapture Means “Trash” No More continued from page 1 commercial organic waste (COW) which the district already accepts from residents.

It is likely that the most noticeable change in our houses and on the streets on ‘trash days’ could be four waste bins, one each for glass/plastic/can, paper/cardboard/magazines,

Sponsors Susanna and Michael Griefen Linda Rood & Roger Turner Nick & Joan Thorndike Dick & Harriet Virkstis Paul & Jody Normandeau Florence Howe

Sheep’s Nose Nursery - Heirloom Apples Trees - Custom Grafting - Consulting

Ezekiel Goodband Dummerston, Vermont 802-254-4313

organic food waste, and the familiar unrecyclable and uncompostable waste, formerly known as “trash”.

If you want more information about how this bill changes our waste disposal practices, contact the WSWMD: call: 802-257-0272 or e-mail: recycle@windhamsolidwaste.org

American Legion Post 5 Commander Richard Guthrie spoke at Dummerston School’s Memorial Day Ceremony on Thursday, May 24. He was joined by the American Legion Color Guard, several local veterans and Margaret Evans, the coordinator of the annual Memorial Day Program for the Evening Star Grange in Dummerston.

This year’s ceremony was held outside around the flagpole in the front of the building. In addition, student leaders spoke about the history and traditions of Memorial Day and the chorus led the school in singing The Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key and You’re a Grand Old Flag, by George M. Cohan. Echo Taps, played by Eli Kapral, Matt Miller and Nate Lewis, concluded the program.

Sponsors Meg Murtha Jack & Judy Davidson John Sommer Lou & Tom Zopf Winifred Vogt

Vermont Insight Meditation Center Offering instruction in personal and interpersonal mindfulness practices.

254-7077

www. vermontinsight.org

Bill McKim

pianist

Classical Music or Show Tunes For Any Occasion

weddings•funerals •parties• 257-7767

10 • Summer , 2012 • Views of Dummerston •

Dummerston Calendar of Events Ongoing

Historical Society—walkabouts (monthly) Recreation Department—programs Senior Social Hour—Dummerston Cares; Community center reminiscence social hours (monthly) Dummerston Town Calendar—http://townclerk.dummerston.org/tc-cal.html Perennial Swappers—Every other Thursday, 6 pm Congregational Church

August 7&14 Own the Night - teen event, 3–4 pm Lydia Taft Pratt Library 18 Peach shortcake dinner Evening Star Grange 20 Property Taxes due Dummerston town office by 5 p.m.

28 Vermont statewide primary elections (see http://vermont-elections.org) Dummerston polling at Congregational Church

September 8 Encore chicken pie dinner Evening Star Grange 21 International Day of Peace

October 7 Apple Pie Festival Dummerston Center

At the Dummerston Town Office:

Selectboard 6:00 pm Every other Wednesday Planning Commission 6:00 pm 1st Tuesday Conservation Commission 7:00 pm 2nd Thursday Energy Committee 6:00 pm 1st Monday Development Review Board 7:00 pm 3rd Tuesday

At the Community Center

Community Center meetings 1st Monday

7:00 pm

At the Dummerston School

School Board Meeting 6:30 pm 2nd and 4th Tuesday PTFO Meeting 6:30 pm 3rd Wednesday, in the library

At the BUHS Learning Center

BUHS Board Meeting 1st & 3rd Monday

7:00 pm

At the Historical Society

Historical Society 7:30 pm 3rd Thursday of Jan./April/July/Oct.

At the Lydia Taft Pratt Library

Book Club various—call Story Time Every Thursday

6:00 pm 10:30 am

At the Evening Star Grange

Senior Congregate Meal 2nd and 4th Wednesday Information/reservations: Shirley Perkins, 254-2249 Find the calendar of all town meetings at: http://townclerk.dummerston. org/tc-cal.html

150 West Street Dummerston, Vermont 05357

Telephone numbers and contacts: Community Center Jean Momaney 254-9212 Conservation Commission

www.dummerstonconservation.com Council on Aging Ruth Barton 254-1128 Springfield Office 800-642-5119 Dummerston Cares Assistance Shirley Perkins 257-5800 Dummerston School

254-2733 www.dummerstonschool.org Dummerston PTFO dummerstonptfo@yahoo.com Emergency Mgmnt Coordinators

Eric (Rick) Davis 251-1033 Evening Star Grange Ruth Barton 254-1128 or mrgjb@sover.net Fire Chief Rick Looman 258-1731 Fire Warden Marty Forrett (h)387-2180 (w)254-9877 Deputy Fire Wardens Charlie Richardson 254-6963

Laurence Lynch Sr. 254-2517 Wayne Emery (h)254-8708 Fire Volunteers Peter Wrenn 254-8677 Lydia Taft Pratt Library Melissa Worden 258-9878 Hours: Tue. 2:30-7; Thu. 10-5; Sat. 9:30-Noon Meals on Wheels Chris McAvoy 257-1236 Community Newspaper viewsofdummeston@ yahoo.com Selectboard selectboard@dummerston.org Town Garage Lee Chamberlin 254-2411 Town Office Pam McFadden 257-1496 townclerk@dummerston.org Vermont Theatre Company 258-1344 WSESU 254-3730 Websites: Official Town www.dummerston.org Local Interest www.dummerston.com

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid West Dummerston, VT 05357 Permit #1