Views of Dummerston - 2018#4 - Fall

Art by Gary Blomgren

Volume 28 Issue 4

Fall ~ 2018

Free • Since 1990

New Affordable Apartments Open in Putney

By Lissa Harris

Steven Gouin reads the plaque dedicating and renaming the Dummerston School baseball field in honor of his dad, Claude, while Bill Holiday looks on.

Baseball Field Dedicated as Claude Gouin Field

By Roger Turner On the occasion of the dedication of “Claude Gouin Field” on September 26th, Bill Holiday recalled a conversation he had with Claude early this spring. “I can’t get the ballfield ready,” Claude told Bill, with tears in both eyes. Why the emotion? Well, here’s the story.

Back in the mid 1990s, Bill was coaching a Brattleboro Little League team, and Claude and wife Betsy Whittaker’s son Steven was on the team. Bill enlisted parents to help with coaching, and because of their history of playing sports together at Brattleboro Union High School, Claude was naturally drawn in to help.

Bill drove around with a set of bases and a tape measure in his car, ready to temporarily lay out a field where ever they happened to be practicing or playing. One of those places was Dummerston Elementary School, where next to

the school there was a “hybrid” field, laid out with base paths of 75 feet instead of the 60 feet required for Little League teams, or the 90 feet required for middle school teams. “Why don’t we fix this up?” Bill said to Claude. “I didn’t know that being Bill’s assistant meant building a baseball field,” Claude reminisced at the field dedication ceremony, and Bill likely couldn’t have imagined what he set in motion with his suggestion.

At that time, the school had acquired the cornfield adjacent to the school property, and Claude, even before the movie Field of Dreams, could visually overlay the cornfield with a baseball field. So, he went to work. He and Betsy started raising money, which to date has amounted to nearly sixty thousand dollars, and Claude, a builder with friends in all the area trades, did some friendly leaning on people. continued on page 15

Residents, funders, community members, and two affordable housing organizations joined to celebrate the completion of construction of eighteen new apartments on Neumann Lane and the renovation of seven apartments at the historic Noyes House, all in Putney.

Windham & Windsor Housing Trust and Housing Vermont assembled a financing package that included support from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the Vermont Community Development Program, the federal HOME program, and the private Green Mountain Housing Equity Fund, which acquires equity from the sale of federal tax credits allocated by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency.

Construction financing in the amount of $4.7 million was provided by Citizens Bank, N.A. Elizabeth Bridgewater, Executive Director of Windham & Windsor Housing Trust commented, “We’re thrilled to have completed this project, adding to the supply of new affordable housing in Putney while also preserving the Noyes House. This work would not have been possible without true partnership on the part of Putney officials and state funders”.

Housing Vermont President Nancy Owens noted that the construction of new housing and renovations of existing buildings underscored the nonprofits’ commitment to sustainability.

“We understand that affordable housing resources are scarce and that the need is great,” Owens said. “This financing enabled us to increase the number of perpetually affordable apartments in Putney while also making improvements to preserving and caring for the historic Noyes House housing currently continued on page 12

2 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston The Views of Dummerston is a quarterly publication of The Dummerston Community Center, and the citizens of Dummerston. The first issue was published in 1990 thanks to the initiative and drive of Mary Lou McBean. Original masthead art created by Gary Blomgren.

The steering committee for the Views includes: Roger Turner, Michelle Cherrier, Fred Lee, Bob Sherwood, Sara Ryan, Linda Rood, and Lee Ives Tice.

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: Lee Ives Tice, 230 Schoolhouse Road, East Dummerston, VT 05346.

SUBMISSIONS: Articles: Please email to: views@dummerston.com.

Please save as either “Word Document” (Microsoft Word), or as “Text Only”, using Times New Roman font, size 12, in singlespaced lines, with no “all caps” or paragraph formatting. We also accept typewritten submissions sent to Michelle Cherrier, 72 Miller Road, East Dummerston, VT 05346.

Calendar: Email to Michelle Cherrier at views@dummerston.com, or by note to Michelle at 72 Miller Rd., E. Dummerston 05346 NEXT ISSUE: Submissions due: Jan. 15, 2019 Mailing: Feb. 21, 2019 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: Sara Ryan 387-0110

Digital Views Available To receive the Views in digital format only, send an email with your name and mailing address to: ViewsOnline@dummerston.com

Dummerston Selectboard Meetings Recorded and televised by BCTV and online at www.brattleborotv.org. (Select “Watch”, select “Watch On Demand”, select “Playlist”, scroll to “Dummerston”, select meeting.)

Dummerston Planning Commission

Planning Commission Working Toward Bylaw Hearing

By Deb Forrett The Dummerston Planning Commission took a little break in July, but we came back together in August with renewed energy and got to work on cleaning up our bylaws. We looked at our language regarding mobile home parks and made amendments based on state statute. It’s helpful to have our language and bylaws reflect those of state statute for greater clarity and usefulness.

The commission has also had some fun thinking about, talking about, and laughing about signs. You may have even seen a commissioner

or two driving about town measuring existing signs! We are thinking about size of signs, lighting, and signage specific to zoning districts.

The commission will continue to work through the winter with the hope of a public hearing about the bylaws in the Spring...fingers crossed.

The planning commission’s current members are Joe Little, Bev Tier, Deb Forrett, Sam Farwell, Maria Glabach, Annamarie Pluhar, Brian Richardson, and Sarah Bergh. We meet the first Tuesday of the month at the town office at 6:30 p.m. (unless we have a scheduling conflict) and minutes and agendas are posted on the town website or available at the town office.

Dummerston Zoning Board

Zoning FAQ’s Regarding Home Businesses

By Roger Vincent Jasaitis Do you have a business in your home?

commercial uses are defined as: “any land use or structure where the interchange of goods, wares, products or property of any kind, takes place between individuals either by barter, purchase or sale.”

If you currently have, or are thinking about having, a business in your home, the Dummerston Zoning Bylaw has provisions that Accordingly, you need to obtain a zoning apply to you.

The Town of Dummerston’s Zoning Bylaw permit from the town before starting a business considers home occupations or businesses to on your property.

Contact Roger Vincent Jasaitis, the zoning be either an Approved Use or a Conditional Use and both require a zoning permit. These administrator, to apply for a permit.

Dummerston Community Chest

Community Chest Grew Out of WWII Needs

By Pam McFadden The Dummerston Community Chest would like to thank all the dedicated and generous donors throughout the past seventy plus years.

The board is excited to start yet another year with two new members. We are very excited to welcome Libby Lafland and Carol Wood to the board of directors.

It is our mission to continue to support the local organizations which provide much needed services to our residents. Some of the organizations which we contribute to annually are: Alice’s Summer Lunch Program, Lydia Taft Pratt Library, Dummerston Community Center, Dummerston Cares, Dummerston Caring & Sharing, Green Mountain Camp, Rescue Inc., and the Dummerston Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department.

The brief history of the Chest is that it was founded back in the early 1940s while our nation was in the midst of World War II. Personal supplies were needed for our men and women, local organizations and agencies needed funds to carry out their programs that centered around “neighbors helping neighbors,” and money was needed to equip the numerous “bomb shelters” set up for any unexpected “events.” Dummerston came forward 100% with donations to the “Chest” to meet these needs and our Chest is one of the few community chests still in existence. We remain committed to the agencies and programs of our area.

Thank you from the Chest directors: Robert and Margaret Evans, Charles Ranney, Janice Duke, Jean Newell, Cheryl Wilfong, John Wilcox, Pam McFadden, Libby Lafland, and Carol Wood.

Views of Dummerston • fall, 2018 • 3

town government Dummerston Selectboard

The Busy Days (and Nights) of the Selectboard

By Rachel Glickman What Does the Selectboard Do? It has been a busy time with the Dummerston Selectboard. As a new member, I have been able to experience firsthand the inner workings of our town. Even after residing in Dummerston for fifteen years, it wasn’t until I dug into our work at the town office that I truly understood all that happens behind the scenes to ensure our safety and quality of life.

Meeting every other week, you will find an entertaining and collegial group of elected officials, supported by hardworking and highly skilled municipal staff. If you can’t make the meetings, catch us on BCTV. One of the major facets of our work involves the ongoing maintenance and upgrading of our extensive system of town roads. We meet regularly with Lee Chamberlin, who leads our road crew and provides ongoing reports on various projects.

In an effort to encapsulate just some of the myriad of projects that the selectboard has been involved with since last town meeting, I’ve compiled some highlights of the past six month: • Stickney Brook Bridge replacement • Purchase of a new grader for the town garage • Memorial plantings in honor of Dummerston residents who have passed away • Ongoing collaboration with Rescue, Inc. and the sheriff’s department • Purchase of a new fire engine (coming in December!)

• Zoning and use permits • Issuance of liquor licenses for events • West Dummerston’s successful appli-

• •

• • • •

cation to become a pilot site for the Village Sanitation Project Presentation of plans from the new owner of Maple Valley Compliance with new environmental regulations—including culvert replacements and stone-lined ditches to help prevent erosion Paving of West Street (under budget and the fire department driveway was also paved at no additional cost) Responding to and participating in discussions on rural internet connectivity in Vermont Setting of tax rates and hiring of delinquent-tax collector Working with our school board on the

transfer of land and dedication of the baseball field to Claude Gouin • Ongoing stewardship of Prospect Hill The learning curve has been steep, but the rewards have been great as I witness firsthand how a community comes together to serve its residents and plan for the future. In anticipation of openings on the selectboard to be filled at our next town meeting (mark your calendars now for Tuesday, March 2), please consider running for selectboard. Petitions can be requested from the town office starting in December.

Rachel Glickman is the newest member of the selectboard and has been serving since March 2018. She resides off of Hague Road with her husband and two daughters.

New Beginnings for Seven Generations?

By Michelle Cherrier It’s been a year since our waste district closed the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

The district no longer sorts and sells all of our recyclables. Instead you may still drop them off at the district and they are hauled away by a local hauler to a single-stream recycling facility, or you have a local hauler pick them up to have them taken to a single-stream recycling facility. Some residents also drop off their COW (compostable organic waste, typically food scraps) and hopefully they also drop off their flattened cardboard and boxboard. It appears that change has happened slowly, but dramatically, which I’ll explain in this article.

A significant item of note is that since June 2017 the prices paid for recycled materials

have gone down a lot. The single-stream (SS) recycling facility now charges approximately $150 per ton to accept mixed recyclables, yet the fee to dispose of trash is still down at $102 per ton. Because many fewer businesses (or countries such as China) are buying or re-using the recycled materials, the SS recycling facilities now have to charge more to handle and resell them. It’s difficult to accept that within the space of less than five years the cost to dispose of recyclables has increased – way above the price to dispose of trash! The yearly assessment fee that our town pays to belong to the district includes these costs to have recyclables and trash removed. In hindsight, if our MRF were still operating, we would have been in this position of needing to charge more to accept continued on page 14

Robert E. Dunklee & Sons

Sponsors

72 Flat Street Brattleboro, VT 05301

Cliff Adler & Lynn Levine Paul & Lou Nelsen Eleanora Patterson & Gordon Faison Gordon & Linda Evans Heather & Gene Rostov Akara Draper & Linnie Jones

254-5663

How Are We Please give us feedback about what you like or would like to see changed about the Views, of if you have any suggestions for articles.

D o i n g ? Send your comments to: viewsfeedback@dummerston.com.

4 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston

town government Dummerston Conservation Commission

Commission Hosts Informative Walks

By Jon Anderson The Conservation Commission had a busy summer, presenting programs and interacting with an array of community members.

In July the Commission helped to facilitate a forest walk and question and answer session at which Ian Martin of Northwood Farm and Forestry, Tom Groves and Logan Sears of Long View Forestry and County Forester. Bill Guenther outlined plans for a forest management project on the Mienke/Brickley property near Dummerston Center. Citizen concerns, such as the targeted use of herbicides to control invasives in the impacted areas were discussed. About 100 cords of mostly firewood grade logs were targeted for harvest.

In August Bill and Mary Lou Schmidt hosted an evening walk at Elysian Hills Tree Farm. Magnificent stone ‘trees’ created by Jared Flynn and a cemetery, where a number of family dogs now rest, which is encircled by a stone wall suitable for seating and contemplation were part of the tour. A hemlock blowdown, proof of the force, and to our senses the randomness, of weather events was highlighted. The 33 species of tree to be seen along the lane leading to the Schmidts’ residence were also noted. As usual, during this evening walk Elysian Hills Farm was a place of peace and harmony.

And in September John Anderson led an introduction to raptor spotting and identifica-

Sponsors Linda Rood & Roger Turner Nick & Joan Thorndike Dick & Harriet Virkstis Paul & Jody Normandeau Gincy Bunker

tion atop Putney Mountain where sweeping views make it possible to see as many as 14,000 raptors during the fall migration. Over 1900 Monarch butterflies have also been documented from the summit during past seasons.

Raptors have been counted from this site since at least 1974, Monarchs since 2003.

Now having dutifully reported the news, I’m going to ramble off into the English countryside where the English lady’s slipper by some miracle grows. Cypripedium calceolus, as it is formally known, was thought to have been driven to extinction by orchid collectors in the early twentieth century. However, in 1930 a single surviving plant was found. Just one.

For the next forty years a group of botanists protected the plant and kept its location secret.

In 1970 a government-backed committee took over, and, with a cadre of volunteer wardens, protected the orchid into the 1990s. At that point scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens finally learned how to propagate C. calceolus and the specie’s flirtation with extinction reached an unexpectedly good conclusion.

The English lady’s slipper can, once again, be found growing wild in England.

Thankfully orchid collecting is no longer in vogue—at least locally. Dummerston has its own relatively rare orchid, Triphora trianthophora, the Three-bird orchid, which in Vermont is found almost exclusively in this town. And, like most rare plants, it faces threats from an array of human activities. Most Glabach Land Management Ted & Kristen Glabach Landscaping & Excavation Dummerston, VT 05301 802-536-4025 Glabach@yahoo.com

people don’t know what this plant is or where it grows and, therefore, can’t consider its fate when making land use decisions. It could quite easily be driven to extinction in Vermont.

Aldo Leopold famously said, and I paraphrase, a naturalist lives in a world of wounds that only he or she can see. I concur. Most people seem happily oblivious to the fate of any one species. And knowing can be but a prelude to loss.

However, on occasion I am happily surprised rather than discouraged. A forestry worker­—who happened also to be a botanist —recently found a small new population of Three-bird orchids in the woods where he was working. He marked the location with GPS and reported it to project forester Ian Martin who then contacted me and together we searched the area for further occurrences.

Martin then included a protective, not-to-bedisturbed area in his management plan for the spot where the diminutive orchids were found, and reported the occurrence to the state’s nongame and natural heritage program.

Three-bird orchid is no English lady’s slipper. It’s not common anywhere in its range, but its range is huge, roughly the same as the range of the American beech with which it’s associated. Destroying one occurrence would seem to be of little overall concern. But, the English lady’s slipper became imperiled one act of collecting hubris at a time, and we could lose this rare orchid one act of land use carelessness at a time.

Naturalists are aware of wounds that only he or she can see. They are also aware of acts of extra hominid caring and inclusiveness by knowledgeable people who gain nothing by their actions and may often add to their workload. In those people I find hope.

For more information on the Conservation Commission go to www.dummerstonconservation.com

Sponsors Carolyn Mayo Brown & Gregory Brown Michelle Cherrier & Philip Goepp Len Oppenheim

Views of Dummerston • fall, 2018 • 5

organizations Dummerston Historical Society

Historical Society Acquires Carol Bessette Trove

By Chuck Fish As always, the Historical Society has much that is good to report, but the most dramatic news for this issue is the moisture damage to the Society’s Schoolhouse and the fundraising effort to pay for repairs and long-term protection of the building. For all of this, see the separate article.

For many years the late Dummerston historian Carol Bessette collected and meticulously recorded information about the town, including old roads, cellar holes, homes and home owners, and newspaper items. She also conducted many “walk abouts” to sites of special interest.

Wishing to have this material preserved, she donated some of it to the Society before her death. Now it is a pleasure to report that Carol Wood and other of Carol Bessette’s children have given the rest of her records, a vast store, to the Society for the benefit of future generations. We are very grateful for this generous and thoughtful decision. Carol’s family also plans to publish a book of selected items from the collection, and the Society hopes to be able to help with this venture.

As previously reported, we established Sunday hours of 2-4 p.m. to run from June into the fall. Some openings were held and word was spreading, but then repairs to the building made it off limits by Fire Safety regulations. Open hours will resume in the spring if work has been completed. Volunteers will be welcome to join Society board members in greeting visitors.

We are pleased to report that the painting project, mentioned in the last issue of the Views, has been completed by contractor Jeff Dixon. The work was funded by the generosity of many donors, including an anonymous angel who provided a significant matching grant and by two Vermont Community Foundation grants. Had we known, we might have postponed the painting, but the rot, an urgent problem, was not discovered until the painting project was underway.

Our collaboration with the Dummerston School continues both to introduce students to aspects of the town’s history and to encourage them in gathering current information for the archives.

For our October quarterly meeting we joined

Evening Star Grange #154

New Dehumidifier Unbuckles Floors

by Sallie J. May, Secretary Once again it is time to bring our community up to date with the happenings at Evening Star Grange. The summer is officially over and once again the leaves are starting to show a bit of color across the hills of our town. By the time you get this, the weather will have definitely cooled down and we will be remembering fondly the heat of the summer just past. Oh, what a relief it is!

For the first time ever, the Grange purchased a dehumidifier to try to control the excessively humid air that invaded our space and warped our dining room floor. Our trusty carpenter Grange member helped with the floor and the dehumidifier did its job. The floor is once again level and safe.Thanks, Gary!

The Grange has been gearing up for the Pie Festival/Craft Fair. Our crafters are all in place, and food is being ordered to serve outside.

Hamburgers are ordered, hot dogs are on their way, and the soda and water have been sorted and stacked inside the hall. Help is lined up and

ready to go! We hope we saw you there!

The Grange had a semi-successful public supper schedule this summer. Our attendance was down slightly from last year for both chicken pie suppers as well as the peach shortcake supper.We hope it was because the evenings were warm and people wanted to stay in airconditioned spots, and not something we said or did! Thanks to ALL of our community friends who come to help us put these suppers on. We could not possibly do them without each and every one of you.

The heating bill has been paid for another year, so if you are looking for a spot to hold a Christmas party or other function, please consider the Evening Star Grange. Call Ruth Barton at 254-1128 for available dates. We are always looking for new members, so if you are interested in joining the Grange, or just want to come to a meeting to visit and see what we do, please call Master Larry Lynch at 802-310-0799 or Secretary Sallie May at 2570387 (leave message) and we would be happy to make arrangements.

the Dummerston Conservation Commission to host a presentation by State Archaeologist Jess Robinson. The Society was pleased to be asked to join the Conservation Commission for this event, just one of the Commission’s many fine programs.

We hope that at the time of this issue of the Views, the first phase of repairs will have been completed with the Schoolhouse open for meetings. We are grateful to the town offices and the church for space for directors’ meetings and certain special events.

Very importantly, we are happy to announce that the 2019 Scenes of Dummerston calendar is now available for ten dollars at the town office or by calling Jody Normandeau at 380-9027.

As always, the Society welcomes donations of historical interest to Dummerston, and encourages your participation as Society member, volunteer, or just as a viewer of our collections and exhibits. All events are free and open to the public; you don’t need to be a member to participate. The Schoolhouse is handicapped accessible. We also encourage you to visit our website at www.dummerstonhistoricalsociety.com.

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

Walker Farm’s Elysian Hills

Christmas Tree Farm

Make some old-time family memories.

Open November 24-December 24

www.elysianhillstreefarm.com

6 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston

organizations Lydia Taft Pratt Library

Library Volunteers Treated to Thank-You Party

By Karen Cawrse Librarian

“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”

Oscar Wilde Traditionally, fall is the season of gratitude.

We celebrate Thanksgiving, grateful for family, friends, food and shelter, and of course wood in the stove. On a Tuesday evening in September, we gathered together to celebrate all the wonderful volunteers that make our community library a success. Help with fundraising events, Saturday desk coverage, and outreach to seniors are some of the ways volunteers support our efforts. We enjoyed music by talented duo Antero & Meadow Jo, students of Paul Adkins, shared library stories, and received an update on recent library activities and ongoing projects.

Other volunteers offer their carpentry talents. This year, Stanley Evans built and installed a large bookcase to accommodate our expanding collection. Trustee Emeritus David Patriquin built and donated a Little Free Library, soon to be installed in front of the Dummerston Town Hall. Sponsored and stewarded by the Lydia Taft Pratt Library, the Little Free Library will be donated to the community to “take a book, return a book.” Thanks to both these gentlemen for sharing their skills.

If you missed this information regarding online resources offered by the Library (library. dummerston.org), you may be surprised and

Computer questions?

Tired of feeling out of control?

delighted to learn that we now offer Recorded Books, free audio books and e-books, to library patrons. You are a library patron if you have a library card. To access this service, enter your 14-digit library card number. That number begins with 25357 followed by 6 zeros and ending with your unique three-digit card number. To begin, click on the link on our website and create a user name. Download the RB app to your device (from the app store for Apple or Android). For library name, please select “Vermont Department of Libraries” as we are part of a consortium. Lydia Taft Pratt Library is not listed individually. Once you have access to the site on your device, select your title/s and start listening (or reading). No need to sign in and out. Just return to the app on your device.

To see a short video about RB Digital, go online to http://bit.ly/2oULFHG. Have questions? Contact the library at 258-9878 or email dummerstonvtlibrary@gmail.com.

This summer, we stayed open on Saturdays with volunteer staffing. Over the eight Saturdays of summer, 75 adults and 23 children visited the library and 120 items were circulated. We feel this was a success and plan to remain open on Saturdays throughout the year.

Thank you to summer Saturday volunteers Jeanne Bristol, Barbara Clark, Jean Momaney, and Kris and Kevan O’Donnell, all of whom volunteer Saturdays year round as well, and to Janice Duke and Sue Kern who also volunteer during the rest of the year.

Although we can’t accommodate large book

donations until spring when we’re prepping for our annual book sale, we’re always happy to accept your donations of new or gently read NY Times Best Sellers, audiobooks, and DVDs. We also accept donations of supplies such as banker’s boxes (need 6), board games, and puzzles. Your good condition paperbacks and magazines are always welcome at our book swap just outside the library door. Currently we need a desk for the circulation area.

The desk should be no longer than 6 feet wide and 27” deep. Metal is preferred, with drawers on both sides and a closed front panel.

Among our new arrivals: Andy Steve’s Europe: City Hopping on a Budget by Andy Steves, The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden, Breach of Trust by James Dunn, Bury the Lead by Archer Mayor, Dope Sick: dealers, doctors, and the drug company that addicted America by Beth Macy, Dorothy Day: The World Will be Saved By Beauty: An Intimate Portrait of My Grandmother by Kate Hennessey, Leverage in Death by J.D. Robb, Parent Alert: How to keep your kids safe online by Will Geddes, Texas Ranger

by James Patterson, You Think It, I’ll Say It: Stories by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Book Club Selections: October: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. November: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

December: Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

“Something very magical can happen when you read a good book.” J.K. Rowling

Dummerston Community Center

Quarry Wagon Restoration Needs Cash

Patient, Sympathetic Coaching Macs • Windows • iPads • Tablets

By Ann Davis

We hope everyone had a GREAT time at our annual Halloween open house. We did—it’s fun to dress up and we enjoy seeing the kids and their super costumers! If you missed it, we’ll be here the same time next year…

Just a reminder—Archer Mayor will be here in early November talking about his newest Joe Gunther adventure. We will have books Brattleboro KOA Campground Family Owned and Managed for sale—–these make great gifts.

Cabins, RVs & Tents, Cabins, B&B, RV & Store Tent Camping The front classroom is available for long Reunions & Groups & Pets Welcome term rental. For information and a tour of the Recreation, Beer & call Wine 1238 US Route 5, E.Restaurant, Dummerston, VT building Jean at 802-254-9212.

802 254-5908 • brattleborokoa.com The Quarry Wagon is still an ongoing projFamily Reunions & Groups Welcome koavt@svcab le.net ect. If you would like to donate time or money, 1238 US Route 5 Dummerston, VT Annamarie 802-451-1941 www.PatientSympatheticCoaching.com

Brattleboro KOA

Campground

802 254-5908 brattleborokoa.com

please feel free to do so. Give Rick Davis a call at 802-380-6533.

As always when planning those get togethers, parties, workshops, classes for whatever the occasion, remember the Community Center. With the handicap ramp, kitchen facilities, playground and ample parking this is the ideal location for all group-oriented gatherings. Make your reservation by calling Jean at 802-254-9212.

Our thanks to all of you who support the Community Center. Without you we wouldn’t be here.

We meet the first Monday of the month at 7 P.M. here at the Community Cente—we welcome visitors.

Views of Dummerston • fall, 2018 • 7

organizations Dummerston Cares

Cares Board Assesses Past Year’s Programs

By Bill Schmidt and Bill Johnson There are times when we do well as individuals to look back on our life and reflect on our relationships with the people in our lives, work we’ve done and are doing, ups and downs we’ve had, our various interests, the direction our life is taking, and much more. This can happen anytime but often birthdays and the end of a calendar year are good times to do this. The same applies to organizations like Dummerston Cares. Annual meetings like the one Cares had in September are the times Cares looks back on its past year, considers its strengths and places where changes are needed, and gives some thought to where the organization is heading in the year ahead.

Looking back at the year Cares completed on June 30, the following stand out as accomplishments and lessons learned: This was the first full year of service to residents with health and wellness needs since Cares reorganized in Sept. 2016; organizationally, Cares is functioning well for the most part.

It became more clear than ever this year that capable and committed volunteers are the heart and soul of Cares and make Cares the organization it is.

During the year 45 volunteers assisted 65 residents 149 times.

A Volunteer Handbook was prepared and two orientation/training sessions for volunteers were held; ongoing support for volunteers was provided by program coordinators and others.

New volunteers are always needed as programs develop, new programs are started, and expected volunteer turnover occurs.

The value of service to individuals is to be measured not only in numbers of people served but in the kind and quality of service rendered.

Helpline averaged 8-9 calls a month.

Rides was the most utilized Cares program;

during this year 17 drivers drove 2,571 miles to provide 69 rides, primarily for medical appointments and occasionally for local errands like grocery shopping.

Medical equipment loans of 14 pieces of equipment were made to residents recovering from a medical treatment, injury, or illness.

Friendly Visits totaled 29 by 8 Friendly Visitors, 5 Chores Corps volunteers helped residents with home maintenance and other chores, and emergency fuel assistance was provided. These programs can be more fully utilized.

Welcome Baskets was a program in progress; 9 baskets were given to newcomers to town. Much was learned about how to connect with newcomers and welcome them to Dummerston.

A new program, Sunshine Baskets, was started in February with delivery of 25 Valentines (Sunshine) baskets on Valentines day and Sunshine baskets to 5 other people during the remainder of the year, These baskets were given to residents recovering from surgery, illness, an emotionally stressful experience, or were otherwise worthy of recognition – like several Dummerston elders over 90.

An Aging Well program that focused on keys to aging well was well received; there was also a book group on Atul Gawande’s book, Being Mortal.

A brochure explaining Cares programs and services was prepared and distributed.

Cares teamed up with the Views of Dummerston steering committee to mail the new Cares brochure and information about the Views to both residents and non-resident property owners.

Community support was evident in contributions to Cares, both financial and in-kind.

Looking ahead to the coming year, here are some suggestions from the Cares annual meeting in September that deserve attention:

Windham County Homeowners! $2,000—$4,000 discount to swap your old wood stove for new pellet stove.

Call Windham & Windsor Housing Trust at 802-254-4604 for info

Development of a disaster relief program, including information on available resources and whom to contact, for residents with special needs in emergency situations like severe winter cold and storms and severe summer heat waves.

Regular public programs including some potlucks on topics of community interest. Some examples of topics are those related to aging well and aging in place, co-housing, child care issues, abuse of people of all ages, and care options for people with health and wellness needs.

Identification of more ways in addition to Cares Helpline to encourage and enable town residents to make known their specific health and wellness needs. Messages left on Helpline (257-5800) are responded to within 24 hours after a message is received.

Ongoing encouragement of residents to make use of the Cares Friendly Visitors program, for help with light household chores and emergency heating fuel assistance. More respite service should be made available to family caregivers.

“Neighbors who keep in touch with their neighbors” is one way to identify and assist residents with specific needs. One example is the “friendly caller” who checks in daily with an elderly neighbor who lives alone. This kind of neighborliness should be encouraged.

Transportation to the twice-monthly Senior Lunch at the Dummerston Center Grange should be provided for those who need it.

Friendly visits should also be arranged to town residents in area nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Following the annual meeting the Cares Board created an Aging in Place/Aging Well Committee to assist in consideration of the above suggestions and actions called for by those having to do with aging. A Cares E-Letter in October will have information on what the committee is doing. By early November, when the Fall issue of The Views is published, more information on what this committee is doing will be available. Call the Cares Helpline (802257-5800) or Bill Johnson (257-1020) for more information at that time.

The Cares full annual report for this year can be found on the Cares website at www.dummerstoncares.org. Paper copies can be obtained by calling the Cares Helpline (802-257-5800) and leaving a message with your postal mailing address.

8 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston

organizations

Historical Society Issues Appeal to Save Schoolhouse

By Chuck Fish There are five public buildings that add much to the character of Dummerston Center: the town office, the Evening Star Grange, the Congregational Church, the West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department’s Center Station, and the Dummerston Historical Society’s Schoolhouse. This last, the Schoolhouse, is in serious trouble.

A successful fund-raising effort, thanks to the generosity of many, enabled us to paint the exterior of the building, but as that project was underway, we discovered some rot in an interior wall. This turned out to be but the tip of large-scale rot in the sills, studs, and joists of one section of the building. Dummerston carpenter Brian Lewis has begun work to repair this significant damage.

But this is just Phase 1 of a major rehabilitation effort to preserve this historic building for future generations. The enemy is moisture in the crawl space. Phase 2 is to grade the surrounding land to divert rainwater from the roof away from the building. Phase 3 is to repair damage in the rest of the crawl space, the larger part, and to seal off the floor and walls to contain remaining moisture.

The Schoolhouse is the oldest of the Center’s public buildings, having begun in 1801 as one of the earliest school buildings and serving that purpose as recently as the school days of a number of residents still with us.

When its school service ended, it was used for a while as a public works facility. At the time of the national bicentennial, it was relocated from nearer the road to its present location, where it had once stood, and was extensively rehabilitated as the Historical Society headquarters, archive, meeting place, and gallery.

Its antiquity and length of service would alone justify the effort to protect it. A second reason is its visual contribution to the Center as a place of civic importance. A third reason

is the array of public meetings, talks, and art exhibits in this professionally lighted space. And perhaps most important of all, the building holds the memories of the town. In various documents and artifacts, many people have entrusted their family histories to the Historical Society. We are not just saving a building; we are preserving the heritage of Dummerston. The Society is determined to remain faithful to that trust.

This work as a whole will far exceed the

Dummerston Cares Volunteers Want to Help You

By Susan Daigler The Board of Directors of Dummerston Cares wants to remind Dummerston residents that our services are available to all residents of Dummerston, not just senior citizens.

Some of our services are not as fully used as they could be, and so we are making an effort to reach out to those who may be reluctant to call on us.

Our most popular service is our Rides Program. We have volunteer drivers available for you when you are not able to drive yourself. They will drive you to appointments with your doctor, dentist, physical therapist, and so on. They will take you grocery shopping, to the bank, or wherever else you need to go. For medical appointments we take people to Townshend, Keene, Greenfield, and to Dartmouth-Hitchcock, as well as to doctors in the local Brattleboro area. Even Boston is not too far for some of our drivers.

Our volunteers are not making time to do this for you. They have the time and enjoy doing this. You will not be a burden on anyone.

Another service that we offer is called Friendly Visitors. This name perhaps does not convey everything that is included in the program. If an adult member of your household cannot be safely left at home alone, we can provide a volunteer to stay with that per-

D u m m e r s t o n Congregational Church

FRENCH & FRENCH

Christmas Pageant—December 16

A GENERAL PRACTICE OF LAW

s e rvic e s at 1 0 : 0 0

a.m.

Sunday Service Dec. 23 Christmas Eve Services 4 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Rev. Shawn Bracebridge, pastor Office 257-0544 • Home 802-689-0753 sebreverend04@yahoo.com

resources of the Society. Phase 1 alone will nearly break the bank. To meet the challenge, the Society is launching a major fund-raising appeal. For more information, call Chuck Fish at 254-2554 or Muriel Taylor at 2579358. Donations will be gratefully received by the Dummerston Historical Society at PO Box 8064, N. Brattleboro, VT 05304. Donations are tax deductible as the Society is a registered 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.

We need your help. Thank you!

son while you do errands, attend to your own appointment needs, or just take a break. We cannot provide nursing services, but we can provide some respite for primary caregivers.

We also have volunteers who will visit people who are unable to get out as often as they would like. Would you like to have someone come and share an activity like playing cards, working on a jigsaw puzzle, or just have some friendly conversation? We can do that.

We also offer a service we call Chores Corps. This is a group of volunteers who can come to your home to do chores or minor repairs. Do you need someone to put in a new light bulb in a ceiling fixture? Is there a loose railing in your stairwell? We have volunteers who can do these kinds of things for you.

Dummerston Cares does not charge a fee for any of these services and our volunteers are instructed not to accept gifts of significant value. You can offer them a cup of coffee and a snack but their primary reward is the satisfaction they feel from giving back to our community.

If we can help you in some way, please phone our Helpline at 257-5800 and leave a message. Someone at Cares will return your call within a day. If you need a ride to an appointment, please try to give us a few days lead-time so that we can contact a driver for you.

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 802 • 254 • 9000

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Offices in Brattleboro and Dover

john & Lori Brunelle office fax: (802) 254-5818 416 Tucker Reed road office phone: (802) 254-9788 e. dummerston, vt 05346 John cell: (802): 579-9788 lori cell: (802) 275-7111 john@brunelleandson.com lori@brunelleandson.com www.brunelleandson.com

Views of Dummerston • fall, 2018 • 9

organizations

Dummerston Cares Offers Emergency Fuel Assistance

By Bill Schmidt

or other assistance. Any funds that Cares provides, such as payment for 100 gallons of fuel oil, goes directly to the applicant’s fuel dealer. Fuel assistance from Cares is available to a person or family one time during the heating season.

For more information on Dummerston Cares Emergency Fuel Fund and an application, call the Cares Helpline at 257-5800 and leave a message and your telephone number. You will get a call back within 24 hours.

Fuel assistance is also available from the Dummerston Congregational Church’s Wood Pantry. For dry firewood from the Wood Pantry, contact Charlie Richardson at 254-6963.

With the start of November we know that increasingly colder temperatures are coming and with them the need to make sure we’re prepared for the winter cold that will soon be here. For some it means making sure our oil or propane tank is full, for others wood pellets or firewood are what’s needed. For many of us it can mean doing more to button up, that is, weatherize, our home. Some tips on weatherization from Button Up Vermont are below.

Some residents may need home heating fuel assistance. There are several state programs available for homeowners and renters who qualify for them. They include seasonal fuel assistance and crisis fuel assistance among Do-It-Yourself Home Weatherization Tips others. Information about them is available • Turn your thermostat down or install a on the internet by googling Vermont Home programmable thermostat.

Heating Fuel Assistance (go to Vermont De• Caulk your windows and other gaps partment of Children and Families link) or along the window frame. call 1-800-479-6151 toll free for a Fuel Ap• Change the air filter on your furnace plication Packet. Information and an applicaevery 3-4 months. tion packet can also be obtained locally from • Install outlet and switch-plate foam the Vermont Human Services Agency office gaskets and outlet safety plugs. in Brattleboro (257-2820) and Southeastern • Weather strip your doors.

Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) at their • Make sure cold air returns for forcedBrattleboro office. Ask for Reuben Nurse who air systems are free from blockages. is a Family Service Outreach Worker (2542795). Reuben can also provide information • Make sure window sash locks are on SEVCA’s Home Weatherization Program. working and locked.

There are some people who may be stretched • Seal your window AC unit. in paying for heating fuel while they wait for • Seal ductwork in attic and uninsulated state fuel assistance to begin. This is due to the spaces. delay that can occur between the time when cold weather arrives and state assistance starts.

This is one place where the Cares Emergency Fuel Fund can help. Those needing assistance fill out an application that describes their situation, states whether they had fuel assistance from other agencies in past years, and enables us to determine what their need is now. The application is then reviewed by Reuben Nurse of SEVCA to see how the Cares Fund can be most helpful in relation to anticipated state

• Add storm windows and doors.

• Air seal and insulate your attic.

• Insulate and weatherize your basement door.

• Insulate the box sill and rim joist.

• Seal up and insulate your attic hatch.

These tips are from Button Up Vermont. For more information on them and a walk-through assessment or energy audit of your home by an energy expert, contact Button Up Vermont at 1-888-921-5990 or look on the internet at www.buttonupvermont.

Passings Bruce William Stephenson 8-12-18 Jacqueline “Jackie” Durant 9-19-18 Donald E. Powers

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10-29-17

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10 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston

school news

School Benefits From Community Support

By Kristina Naylor I am fortunate to live in a community where so many people are willing to volunteer their time to our school. While most of our board work is not glamorous - attending meetings, reading statutes, and figuring budgets - there are the occasional privileges. One occasion was the recent recognition of a citizen’s contributions through the dedication of “Claude Gouin Field”. What Claude has given reminds me of all the ways our school is more than just the building and fields.

This summer, an influx of new food committee members have taken on the challenge of offering healthy lunches served at school. This challenge is made more difficult with extensive regulations and limited funds. To help lead this effort we welcomed a new school chef, Tracy Provencher. Tracy previously worked at the Academy School cafeteria and we hope to emulate much of their program. The food committee also raised $2,000 for ‘Food Connects’ to help source local, healthy food. Our board is grateful for our food committee’s contributions and anticipates an improved school lunch program.

Principal Jo Carol Ratti and the board are working to offer free Dummerston Preschool for the 2019-20 school year. The board and Jo Carol are vehemently in agreement that free PreK is good for families, good for children, good for the school, and good for taxpayers in the long run. Our challenge is also the significant regulations, limited budgets, and the state funding formula. Jo Carol has taken the lead in meeting the regulations and by reallocating

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resources to help defray start-up costs. The board has sharpened their pencils seeking ways to minimize the impact on our tax rate.

In September, our entire board traveled to present our Alternative Governance Structure (AGS) to the Vermont State Board of Education. We also thank the many Dummerston residents who reinforced our efforts with public testimony. The state board is now developing criteria to accept AGS structures. Our district meets the first set of criteria for acceptance and a final decision is due November 30th. The board believes votes matter and that we have met the requirements of Act 46 with our AGS.

In the event our district is forced to merge, our board is working with the Dummerston Selectboard to transfer our athletic fields to the town. Putney and Guilford are pursuing similar transactions to protect their school-owned real property, other than the school buildings.

These fields were a chance for board privilege as well. The Selectboard and Schoolboard voted unanimously to rename our baseball field “Claude Gouin Field’ and on September 26th dedicated the fields in his honor in a wellattended ceremony. In a late 1980’s movie Field of Dreams, a corn farmer hears voices that say, continued on page 15

School Meals a Priority in the Dummerston Community

By Rachel Glickman The newly formed Dummerston School Food and Wellness Committee, a partnership of parents, community members, and school staff, is excited to roll out some changes in the cafeteria this year. Inspired by the Farmto-School movement in Vermont and eager to offer the most nutritious meals to Dummerston students, the Committee came together to set some food-related goals for the coming year.

These include: • Improving food quality • Using more locally-sourced ingredients • Reducing waste & packaging • Linking food and nutrition with improved learning and curriculum The group is excited to work with new kitchen manager, Tracy Provencher, to begin moving the needle on these four initiatives.

First steps include raising the funds necessary to eliminate all processed meats, high-fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, and a number of other unhealthy ingredients. The team also hopes to support Tracy in reducing the sugar content in foods served in the cafeteria.

As for local sourcing, the team is committed to partnering with the local organization Food

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Connects to source products such as yogurt, apples, potatoes and other seasonal vegetables throughout the school year. Food Connects is already supporting schools in Brattleboro and Guilford to source a great deal of local products each year. Local sourcing is also likely to reduce packaging.

By eliminating a number of unhealthy ingredients and sourcing high quality, local produce, the Committee is confident that overall meal quality will improve this school year.

This, coupled with Tracy’s extensive kitchen experience, is sure to create lasting change in the cafeteria.

The link between healthy eating and one’s ability to learn is clear, and this group is committed to strengthening that connection this school year and in the years to come. In order to truly shift the culture around food, the Committee has a long-term goal of incorporating food and farm education in the classroom as well. By reinforcing the physical, environmental, and economic benefits of good food, there will be a lasting impact for students and families.

Interested in joining this movement? Please contact Kim Lane (klane@wsesu.org) or Mary Anne Runge (mrunge@wsesu.org) or call Dummerston School at 254-2744 to get involved!

Sponsors John & Karen Abel Arnold & Roberta Garland Orly Munzing & Bob Dunbar Mark and Lee Tice

Views of Dummerston • fall, 2018 • 11

school news

Chinese Exchange Teacher Zhihau Xu Joins Staff

By JoCarol Ratti Another school year is well underway, and we are happy to welcome new and returning students to Dummerston School. It seems

Zhihau Xu

like it has taken no time at all for the school year to move into high gear! The fall months always offer a great deal of anticipation and promise for students and educators alike and this year is no different.

In August we welcomed several new additions to our school. Julianne Giordano is our new half-time middle school special education teacher. She replaced Tom Yahner who moved into a full-time position at Oak Grove School this year. Tracy Provencher and Lori Reynolds are with Café Services, our new lunch provider, and Kuzmeskus Travel is our new bus transportation provider. Luckily, our valued bus drivers transitioned with the new company and continue to drive the Dummerston routes each day.

We especially would like to welcome and introduce Mr. Zhihau Xu to the Dummerston School community. Mr. Xu is a Chinese exchange teacher from the Anhui Province in China. Mr. Xu was chosen by Hanban, a non-profit public institution whose aim is to enhance mutual understanding between different cultures as well as promote language teaching and learning. Dummerston School is one of approximately 60 schools nationwide that was chosen to provide this valuable cultural/language experience.

Mr. Xu is an experienced middle school teacher with a degree in English linguistics.

After an extensive vetting process, his exchange began in August and will continue through the end of the school year in June 2019. As an exchange teacher, this program gives Mr. Xu the opportunity to learn more about our teaching methodologies, culture, and society, as well as improve his English language proficiency. Using the latest video technology, our students, both here and in China, will see first-hand the cultural and educational resources available to students in K-8 schools.

At Dummerston School, Mr. Xu has a full schedule of language instruction, which also includes collaboration in art, music, physical education, and library classes. Mr. Xu’s primary goal this year is to establish long-term

friendships between Dummerston students and students in Chinese schools, giving all the students the opportunity to practice the language they learn through ongoing dialog and exchanges. In addition, when asked what he sees as some of the biggest differences between education here versus education in China, Mr. Xu said that teachers here have the freedom to select activities that are highly motivating to students as well as an understanding of how to target and direct teaching to a student’s specific learning needs.

It’s hard to believe that Mr. Xu has only been here for less than a month. During this time, he has moved several times before settling into his permanent residence for the school year, attended two Open House events, hiked Mt. Wantastiquet, attended the Guilford Fair and other social events, and learned the local public transportation options…and it’s only September!

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12 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston

school news

Make Curriculum Real and Meaningful

By Molly Stoner,

someone thought to put up a cute sign about how many pies were made at the Dummerston Church the night before. The 4th graders and The sign in front of the Dummerston Church their teacher thank you! said “84 pies thus far”, which for me, the 4th grade teacher at the Dummerston School, was immediate curriculum! It was social studies curriculum: What does this sign mean? What happens in our community and why? When did this event start in our town’s history? And it was math curriculum: How many pies do they make? If the goal is 1500, how many more pies do they need to make by the Sunday before Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Here are some of the things that 4th graders did with the question: “If the goal is 1500 pies, how many more pies do they need to make?”

Looking through this work, I see all sorts of things we know: how to extract the math from a story problem, how to use mathematical models like number lines and diagrams, how to implement strategies like breaking apart numbers and regrouping with the standard algorithm. And I see things we need to work on: when to use different operations, keeping track of our thinking while we work on a problem, doing subtraction with accuracy and attention to place value, etc.

Every lesson becomes fifteen more!

All of this wonderful math thinking, discussion, and assessment occurred just because Grade 4 teacher

Dummerston Pie Festival A Success

By Sallie Mae

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The two sites offer a total of three studio apartments, nine one-bedroom, eleven twobedroom, and two three-bedroom units. A centralized biomass boiler will be the main source of heat and hot water for the new apartments on Neumann Lane. The apartments feature a convenient location, parking, laundry, and green space. Rents range from $525 for an affordable studio unit to $900 for a moderate income 3-bedroom unit, including heat and hot water.

For information on renting an apartment, please contact the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust at (802) 254-4604 or visit https:// homemattershere.org

Cloudy skies gave way to light sprinkles by mid-afternoon, but not before the Dummerston Congregational Church sold approximately 1200 apple pies to the thousands of people from all over the country who passed through our small community’s center on Sunday, October 7. Starting shortly after the end of their abbreviated church service at 9 a.m., people began lining up to buy 1, 2 or more apple pies to fill their freezers and their tummies. Grafton cheddar cheese and ice cream homemade by the church’s youth group was also for sale. The cheddar could also be purchased by the slice to go with a slice of delicious pie, served under the “big tent” just outside the kitchen door.

The kids made $1000 from their ice cream booth, the most they have ever made! A trip to the Gaines Farm Halloween Maze is now a sure thing! Many gallons of cider were sold, as were about 230 dozen donuts. Of interest to some was the fact that almost 600 people

started the day at the fire department’s pancake breakfast, toured the tag sales at the far end of the street, and ventured to the craft fair at the Grange, then ventured across the street to have dessert and buy a pie or two. We thank the neighbors for putting up with us again this year, and we also thank those who were kind enough to allow parking on their properties.

Without their cooperation, this festival would never happen.

On a different subject, with the apple pie festival behind us, we turn our thoughts toward the holiday season approaching. While some dates and data are still in limbo, we plan to have our children’s Sunday pageant, Christmas Eve services, and other holiday celebrations.

Watch our weekly column in the Saturday Reformer, as well as our church website, to stay up-to-date on the holiday happenings of our church. Dummerston Congregational Church is an Open and Affirming and Creation Justice Congregation. All are welcome and invited to attend.

Views of Dummerston • fall, 2018 • 13 Good Books

Stories of Other Worlds

By Linda Rood

One of the great pleasures of reading is the way that a book can transport us to a different place and give us a new understanding of a world we might not otherwise know or understand. All three of the books I’m writing about gave me that wonderful experience. Even though some of my reading took me through some painful times, my admiration for the writing and the power of the stories were the reward.

Educated by Tara Westover (Random House, 2018) is the astounding true account of a girl raised by a survivalist Mormon family in the mountains of Idaho. Tara Westover, born the same year as my own daughter, was never sent to school, and the extent of her homeschooling was that her mother taught her to read. From a young age, she was expected to assist her parents with their work, her mother as an unlicensed midwife and herbalist, and her father as the operator of a scrap metal yard. Tara is the youngest of seven children. One of her older brothers is physically abusive; her father hates the government and rejects conventional medicine, is always waiting to be attacked, and maintains an arsenal on his mountain so that he will be ready for the end times. By the time she is a teenager, with the help of another older brother, Tara manages to teach herself algebra, pass the ACT exam with a good enough score to be admitted to Brigham Young University, and makes her escape. This girl who had never heard of the Holocaust or Martin Luther King finds professors who notice her talent, and help her win a fellowship to Cambridge University.

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She goes on to earn a Ph.D.in history from Cambridge. It’s a fascinating, if shocking, tale, written with an easy style and great clarity.

Westover is a trained historian, and she is very careful to get her facts straight, verifying her information as best she can, and writes as an attempt to make sense of her own experience as much as to tell her story to the world. As I read, I was reminded of what seems to be a growing genre of memoir that tells of the writer’s escape from a dysfunctional background, where education becomes the key to the writer’s liberation.

This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolf came to mind, along with Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, to name a few. Educated definitely belongs in this company. It was the PBS Newshour/New York Times book club pick for May, and is currently #3 on the New York Times bestseller list of non-fiction.

Pachinko, a novel by Min Jin Lee (Grand Central Publishing, 2017), was named to the New York Times list of 10 Best Books of 2017, and was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2017. It was also the NewsHour/NYT Book Club pick for July. This book, an epic saga of four generations of an ethnic Korean family, takes place in Korea and Japan throughout most of the 20th Century. Sunja, the teenage daughter of humble parents in a small fishing village in Japanese occupied Korea, becomes pregnant by a married, handsome, Korean mobster; an idealistic young Christian minister marries her, and takes her to Japan, where they live as zainichi, despised foreign residents, subject to harsh discrimination that bars them from citizenship and from most occupations. This is the world that the novel illuminates, an aspect of Japanese culture that was unknown to me, and which I couldn’t help comparing to our own present climate of xenophobic anti-immigration sentiment in this country. Korean immigrants are unwelcome and barely tolerated in Japan, and seen as tainted and equally unwelcome back home in Korea. Those born in Japan are citizens of nowhere; most can only speak Japanese; life

in Korea is impossible.

The main character, Sunja, is, above all else, a survivor. When her husband is unjustly imprisoned, she earns a living making and selling kim chi. One of her sons is brilliant enough to attend university, study in the U.S., and return to Japan as a businessman. Her other son joins the pachinko world, and as a self-made man, becomes the wealthy proprietor of pachinko parlors in Osaka. Pachinko is a pinball sort of gambling game that is described as a “national obsession of Japan,” and this business has long been a way (perhaps one of the only ways) for Korean immigrants to work their way out of poverty. Perhaps it can serve as a metaphor for the twisting and uncertain fates of the lives in the book.

My summary is a gross simplification of this complex novel. Lee creates memorable and captivating characters in a world of clashing cultures. In the background is the march of history, through WWII, the Korean War, the partition of Korea, into the 1980s and modern Japan. The characters’ lives are buffeted by these major events, but the core of the novel is their personal stories, their conflicts and triumphs, and finally, their survival.

A close friend has been recommending my third book for several years, and because it deals with the Chechnyan wars, I had been avoiding what I expected to be a story of unbearable cruelty. When I came across it in the library, I decided it was time; I discovered a brilliant story of desperate characters in dire circumstances who nevertheless maintain their humanity and dignity, and somehow, hope. Chechnya and its miseries are very far away from our world, but when I remembered that the Boston Marathon bombers were young Chechnyans, this story suddenly became less remote. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, a debut novel by Anthony Marra (Hogarth, 2013) is powerful, moving, stylistically original and fascinating.

On the surface, the story covers five days in 2004, when Akhmed, an incompetent doctor who would rather be an artist, rescues Havaa, continued on page 14

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14 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston

New Beginnings for Seven Generations? continued from page 3 materials, and we would have had the same difficulty in finding markets and businesses to buy them. However, before you start thinking “let’s just throw away all of our recyclables in the trash!”, remember two important things: 1) it’s against the law in Vermont to discard recyclables in trash, and 2) eventually the cost to transport trash will increase as more landfills fill up and close down, and trash will need to be hauled further and further away from us.

On the positive side, the district still accepts flattened cardboard and box board; these products still have value and we can sell this product to earn revenue. Also, in a brand new effort starting in September, the district executive director has found a new local source to accept our recycled glass materials – at only $30 per ton. This will be a huge savings! Glass is heavy. If we remove glass from our mixed recyclables we will pay less to the singlestream facility for processing it.

Here is insight into our new beginnings since the MRF no longer processes recyclable materials. The various towns’ supervisors (representatives) that belong to our district still have business to conduct on a monthly basis. Long before the MRF closed last year, the supervisors approved the plan for the state’s largest solar array (also known as a PV, or photo-voltaic array) to be built on the closed landfill cap, with a long-term twenty year lease. The solar array was built this year and it was successfully connected to the public power grid, and is now generating electricity. The final details of this project are being checked off the ‘to-do’ list, site cleanup and maintenance is in progress, and a ribbon cutting will be held on October 11.

The owner of the array, Sky Solar, will make quarterly lease payments to the district for the use of the land; the approximate annual lease payment is $102,000. They also offered net-metering agreements to the district towns,

schools, colleges, and non-profits that use a lot of electricity. Most of them have signed agreements to participate by contracting to buy discounted electricity rates through the net metering program.

In ongoing business operations, the district has been collecting and processing organic wastes/food scraps into compost. The compost, called Brattlegrow, is available at four local outlets (Boyd Family Farm, Wilmington; D&E Tree Company, Guilford; Renaud Tree Care, Dummerston; and Maple Hill Nursery, Swanzey, NH) and also in small bags at the scalehouse at the district. This is an operation that serves several purposes: composting supports the increasing Vermont requirement to remove all organics/food scraps from our trash; composting generates a valuable product that can be sold so it generates revenue for the district; composting will continue to expand as more and more individuals and businesses need to divert organics. Composting is a sustainable way to manage organic waste. A quick search on the Internet says that anywhere between 20-25% of our waste is organics/food scraps. There is a lot of food that is being wasted or going past its ‘sell-by’ date.

Another potential new beginning is in progress. There are more ways to process organics/ food scraps/waste; composting is only one option. The district has another opportunity to consider how to degrade and recover organics/food waste. The company who has built and operates the solar array, Sky Solar, is researching and applying for permits to build and run an anaerobic (AE) digester at the waste district. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process which degrades organic matter to produce biogas (methane), a renewable energy source, and a sludge which can be used as fertilizer.

There are some compelling logical reasons to consider this option; the district already has

2019 Scenes of Dummerston Calendar Now for Sale Make sure to get yours at the Town Office or by calling Jody Normandeau (380-9027) or Gail Sorensen

the required existing infrastructure (buildings, concrete pad, methane generator, interconnection to the public power grid). There are also a reasonable number of local producers of waste that is appropriate for use in an anaerobic digester; these could be Commonwealth Dairy, C&S Grocers, UNFI, etc. With these two assumptions already in place, the board of supervisors will likely be considering the addition of this type of operation.

The WSWMD is truly redefining its operation because of all these changes. I hope these changes will stand the test of seventh generation sustainability, a concept of stewardship that urges the current generation of humans to live and work for the benefit of the seventh generation into the future.

Stories of Other Worlds continued from page 13 the eight-year-old daughter of his best friend and neighbor, Dokka, who has been “disappeared” by the Russian army as a supposed rebel sympathizer. Akhmed takes Havaa to a bombed-out but still functioning hospital in a nearby city, and places her in the sanctuary care of Sonya, a bold and gifted young surgeon who is single-handedly running the hospital while she searches for her missing sister. The novel actually covers the years between 1994 and 2004. Each chapter begins with a timeline with the date of the chapter highlighted. The agile narration jumps forward and backward in time, providing flashbacks, and switching points of view, until, by the end, the connections are revealed and the mysteries resolved.

Throughout, allusions to the future are inserted, letting us know that some characters will survive and providing a sense of hope in the midst of misery. We see the worst that humans are capable of, and the best.

The title of the novel refers to a definition of life underlined by Sonya’s sister in a Russian medical dictionary and later discovered there by Sonya: “Life: a constellation of vital phenomena—organization, irritability, movement, growth, reproduction, adaptation.” In this touching novel, we see enormous cruelty and enormous kindness, courage and cowardice, creativity and destruction, remarkable resilience and helpless passivity. The narration manages to be tragic and tender at the same time. I found it brilliant in conception and captivating. I highly recommend.

For the winter issue of the Views, I plan to once again report on the favorite books of 2018 from members of our community. If you would like to contribute your recommendations, please send them to me at turood802@gmail.com.

Views of Dummerston • fall, 2018 • 15

Baseball Field Dedicated as Claude Gouin Field ing on the field. …He just saw continued from page 1 that there was something that “Cersosimo spent two weeks needed to be done and he did it.” over here leveling the field – The field name and dedicanever mind a little drop in left tion was approved by unanimous field. Tony himself helped out vote of both the school board and a lot. Nelson Jillson donated a the selectboard. Speaking for the whole field of hay to mulch the school board, chairwoman Krisfield. Mike Renaud donated fenctina Naylor spoke of the movie ing and put it up. A lot of people Field of Dreams, and said that donated their time and materials,” thanks to Claude, “Our students Claude recalled. have their own field of dreams.

The new field had ninety foot Thanks for the fabulous field base paths, and an outfield fence you have created.” Speaking for installed at a distance approprithe selectboard, Hugh Worden ate for older players. Then the Claude and Bill are backed up by Richard Bissell representing the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League, Hugh Worden representing the selectboard, Steven noted that prior to having this school repositioned and rebuilt Gouin, and former Dummerston School sixth grade teacher Sean Moynihan. field, “We had to go to other the original field near the school with sixty foot base paths and a fence appropri- ….We went from having maybe the worst facil- towns to get kids to play baseball on our youth ate for either little league baseball or middle ity to having the envy of everybody.” He also teams,” and thanked Claude for his dedication mentioned the batting cage that Claude built in to Dummerston sport and youth sports throughschool softball teams.

Once built, the field attracted a lot of use. the gym, giving the Dummerston teams, boys out the area. He also presented Claude with a Claude believes that “the more a field is used, and girls, the chance to get in some early work baseball signed by members of the selectboard.

When it was his turn to speak, Claude got up the better it gets.” Richard Bissell, representing on their hitting skills.

Creating and maintaining this field has been from his chair, stoically caning his way through the Putney Fossils of the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League, a league that provides a lot of work, and Steven amused the gather- the effects of his recent sarcoma surgeries, adult players a hardball alternative to the many ing of about 75 people, including a WCAX thanked everybody for coming and the honor area softball teams, spoke about how Claude reporter and videographer, by saying, “When that he felt to have the field named for him, and welcomed the Landmark College baseball team, I was growing up, I thought this behavior was said, “This field has given me a lot of satisfaccoached by Jim Austin, to use the field. At the normal—all the time he spent over here work- tion. It’s been fun to see all the use the field has got. A lot of people here today played on this time, Landmark had a baseball team, but only field when they were younger.” a grass field on the River Road marked with Richard Bissell had already made clear that, baseball field lines, and only an informal group “There is no more appropriate name for this of local adults, proudly known as “the Fossils”, field than Claude Gouin Field. It IS Claude to play against. “The Landmark College stu- continued from page 10 dents were thrilled to be able to play baseball “Build it and they will come.” He plows his Gouin’s field.” And Steven Gouin addresson a real baseball field,” Richard recalled. And corn under and builds a baseball field, to the ing his father, said, “This gathering is about as Landmark was then able to schedule games astonishment of his neighbors. We have our everything you have done for the community with other schools, the Fossils started looking own “Field of Dreams” at Dummerston School over the past thirty years, things that I don’t for other adult teams to play, which resulted in where Claude cultivated athletic fields from even remember.”

The tears in Claude’s eyes when he told Bill the creation of the Connecticut River Valley a former cornfield. Claude donated countless Baseball League (CRVBL). “Everything started hours fundraising and doing the backbreaking he couldn’t get the field ready this spring? I’m here. The League would not have happened work. He built it, and our children have come to sure you can now understand. without this field and Claude’s vision,” Richard play. Our athletic program is vital to our school stated with some emotion in his voice. and Dummerston is a formidable force on the Compliments of Claude held high standards for field mainte- middle school soccer and baseball circuit. Our Priscilla Svec, P.T. nance that he made clear to any team which used children have raised their level of play due in no Practicing Holistic Physical Therapy the field, which in addition to the school team, small part to Claude’s wonderful fields Landmark, and CRVBL, also grew to include loOur school isn’t the bricks and mortar, or 126 Main Street, Putney cal American Legion teams, and on one occasion the land. It is our dedicated community. Our 387-4799 the travelling Brooklyn Bonnies, who couldn’t school is our principal’s commitment to supbelieve that such a nice field existed in such a porting families and children by offering free rural area. Richard recalls that when Claude PreK, and our talented and dedicated staff doing played second base for the Fossils, he’d use time their best every day. Our school is citizens who in between pitches to pull weeds on the infield. serve on committees and boards, raise money, Former teacher and baseball coach Sean give testimony, and construct ballfields; our Moynihan recalled that, “Claude’s work with school is the unsung countless volunteers that the kids and with the field was extraordinary. contribute in hundreds of ways, big and small.

Every single day we knew the field was going It is fitting that our fields are now dedicated to to be ready. . . . Day after day after day he had someone who exemplifies this spirit of comthe community of Dummerston in the forefront. munity to our school.

School Benefits From Community Support

16 • fall, 2018 • Views of Dummerston PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage PAID PO Box 468 West Dummerston VT 05357

change Service REquested

Community Center Jean Momaney 254-9212 Conservation Commission Web site: www.dummerstonconservation.com Dummerston Cares Helpline & Fuel Assistance

Are you a veteran seeking assistance?

Bill Schmidt 257-5800 email: info@dummerstoncares.org Dummerston School 254-2733 Web site www.dummerstonschool.org 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

Wayne Emery (h)254-8708 Lydia Taft Pratt Library 258-9878 Hours: Tue. 2:30-7; Thu. 10-5; Sat. 9:30-Noon Book Discussion: 3rd Thursday, 2:00 pm Story Time: 2nd and 4th Thursday, 12:30 pm Web site: library.dummerston.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/dummerstonlibrary email: dummerstonvtlibrary@gmail.com Meals on Wheels Chris McAvoy 257-1236 Selectboard selectboard@dummerston.org Senior Solutions Ruth Barton 254-1128 Springfield Office 800-642-5119 Town Garage Lee Chamberlin 254-2411 Town Office Laurie Frechette 257-1496 email: townclerk@dummerston.org Vermont Theatre Company 258-1344 Views of Dummerston views@dummerston.com WSESU 254-3730 Websites: Official Town www.dummerston.org Municipal Calendar http://calendar.dummerston.org Local Interest www.dummerston.com

Dummerston Calendar of Events Ongoing Senior Lunches

2nd & 4th Wednesday, noon, at the Grange

Are you a veteran?

Let Dummerston Cares know by calling Cares’ HelpLine 257-5800, email to info@dummerstoncares.org, or mail to Dummerston Cares, P.O. Box 302, West Dummerston, VT 05357.

Need fuel assistance or dry firewood?

Call the Cares’ HelpLine 257-5800. Leave a message and phone number.

November 11 Ultimate Shopping Experience

Meetings At the Dummerston Town Office:

Selectboard

6:00 pm

Planning Commission

6:30 pm

Every other Wednesday 1st Tuesday

Conservation Commission 7:00 pm 2nd Thursday

Energy Committee 1st Monday

6:00 pm

Development Review Board 7:00 pm 3rd Tuesday at the Community Center

Community Center meetings 7:00 pm 1st Monday at the Community Center

Dummerston Elementary School , 9:a.m.3:00 p.m.

School Board Meeting

6:30 pm

Community Center; 7 p.m.

PTFO Meeting

6:00 pm

BUHS Board Meeting

7:00 pm

Historical Society

7:30 pm

18 Book Talk: Archer Mayor December 16 Christmas Pageant Dummerston Center

February 20 Town property taxes due by 5 p.m.

March 2019 5 Town meeting.

Elementary School 10 a.m.

2nd & 4th Tuesday at the Dummerston School 4th Thurs., BUHS Learning Center library 1st & 3rd Monday at the Historical Society 3rd Thursday of Jan./April/July/Oct. at the Dummerston Historical Society

Story Time

10:30 am

Every Thursday at the Evening Star Grange

Senior Congregate Meal

2nd and 4th Wednesday; Information/ reservations:Ruth Barton 254-1128