Art by Gary Blomgren
Volume 29 Issue 4
Fall ~ 2019
Free • Since 1990
Dummerston is a Mecca for Campers Dummerston is wealthy in campgrounds. The town has two, both located close to the Connecticut River on Route 5 near the Exit 3 roundabout off of I-91. In the past three years, both have found new owners and new life. On March 4 of this year, Kathryn Berta bought the award-winning Brattleboro North KOA. “It’s a long time in the making,” Berta said. “My husband and I have been on the search for quite a few years. But you have to find the right campground. It’s a combination of it being a healthy business, having the right culture, and bringing in the right campers—for us. We actually came and camped here before we bought it, to see how it felt. We absolutely loved the environment and the campers. Overall it just felt right.” Owners, it seems, really dictate the culture of the campground. “The previous owners did an amazing job of fostering a family-friendly environment,” Berta said. “When you camp here you feel like you’re camping with friends. Every campground is different. It all comes down to the owners and their staff.” Berta and her husband live on the premises. “The gift shop has an owners’ quarters, so we get to live right on the campground,” Berta said. “It allows us to be more hands-on, spending more time with the campers and getting to know their needs.” The campground has 47 RV sites plus lodging options and tent sites. It features a swimming pool, playgrounds, dog park, game room, and activities like ice cream socials, goat feeding, and crafts. Campers can visit the neighboring Walker Farm for organic vegetables, baked Continued on page 12
photo by Roger Turner
By Joyce Marcel
Mark Brown, on the lift, and Sam Farwell, atop the steeple, work their magic.
Church Steeple Gets New Face By Sue Miller For several years the trustees of the Congregational Church were aware that the decorative parts of the church steeple needed to be replaced due to rot. All things came together to accomplish that this summer. New tools were employed, new material used, and new vocabulary was learned. The components of the steeple are, at the
base, the belfry, which houses the bell. The section above the belfry is called the lantern, which allows some light and air in. Surprisingly, there is only one side of the lantern that has an opening, the side facing the Grange Hall, although louvers on all sides would lead one to believe otherwise. Replacing the louvers is a future project, perhaps even placing them on the four belfry openings which Continued on page 8