Vital Communities Fall 2017 Newsletter

FALL 2017

LOCAL FIRST ALLIANCE

Strengthening Our Economy and Community PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: King Arthur Flour Kids and Schools Love Breakfast After the Bell

FALL 2017 CONTENTS page

Letter from the Executive Director Working together, we make the Upper Valley region a great place to live, work, and play.

VitalCommunities.org 195 North Main Street White River Junction, VT 05001 Phone: 802.291.9100 Email: Info@VitalCommunities.org Staff: FirstName@VitalCommunities.org

Staff Tom Roberts, Executive Director, x101 Sarah Brock, Energy, x109 Rachel Darrow, Finance, Events, Corporate Relations, x115 Bethany Fleishman, Transportation, x111 Lauren Griswold, Valley Food & Farm, Valley Quest, Volunteers, x107 Paige Heverly, Transportation, Energy, x114 Nancy LaRowe, Local First Alliance, Valley Food & Farm, x106 Elyse Payson, Executive Assistant, x104 Carole Petrillo, Bookkeeping, HR, x103 Allison Rogers Furbish, Communications, Database, x108 Beth Roy, Valley Food & Farm, x112 Becka Warren, Valley Food & Farm, x105

Board of Directors Barbara Barry, Woodstock, VT Clifton Below, Lebanon, NH Bill Geraghty, Hanover, NH Sally Kraft, Hanover, NH Jenny Levy, Norwich, VT Barry McCabe, West Hartford, VT Nancy Merrill, Lebanon, NH Rick Mills, South Strafford, NH Markell Ripps, East Thetford, VT Ron Shaiko, Hanover, NH Peter Thurber, Canaan, NH Dan Weinstein, Etna, NH Stan Williams, Norwich, VT Catherine Boyson and Rene Bystron, Revers Board Fellows, Tuck School of Business

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pages

Short Takes

2–5 page

Kids and Schools Love Breakfast After the Bell

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page

A Passion for Questing

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Matching Students and Family Needs with Area Providers Partner Spotlight: King Arthur Flour

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pages

10–11 pages

Thank You, Donors

12–15 page

New Faces

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page

Upcoming Events

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on the cover Koni Fletcher, Produce Manager at the Co-op

Food Store of White River Junction, visits with customers Kana and Kai Wyman of Hartland this fall. Koni has worked at that location since the 1970s, when it was a Super Duper, and was managing produce there for P&C when that chain declared bankruptcy in 2009. She’s one of the many P&C employees who joined the Co-op staff as it revived the downtown White River grocery store. The Co-op Food Stores are a founding member of Local First Alliance. Feel the difference when you shop locally!

Find LFA members on the back cover.

Editor: Allison Rogers Furbish Photography: Staff unless indicated otherwise • Jack Rowell - cover

• Julia A. Reed - page 5

• Bill Binder, e-Ticker News - page 1 Printing: Compliments of Dartmouth Printing Company - Sheridan of Hanover, New Hampshire Design: Nomad Communications of White River Junction, Vermont

Beautiful double rainbows above the historic Claremont City Hall.

Dear Friends, Fall brings a bustle of activity to Vital Communities as we welcome the Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2018, eagerly accept entries to our Watershed Quest Challenge, launch Local First Alliance Business of the Month, and prepare for Round Two of Weatherize Upper Valley. Read about all this and more inside.

Over the summer, Vital Communities board and staff were busy working to get our new five-year strategic plan in place for January 1. We met for four afternoons, wrestling with key themes that emerged from the extensive data we gathered through surveys and interviews last spring.

I found our conversation on what it means to serve all within our Upper Valley region particularly striking. What would it mean for Vital Communities to make a meaningful impact across our entire service area? To better serve people across the wide socio-economic spectrum? To examine our role in bringing people together across what appears to be a broadening cultural divide? These rich conversations led to some new objectives for Vital Communities—we’ll share more about that as we adopt and implement our new strategic plan for 2018.

As we move into the winter holiday season, I hope you’ll find time to check out some of the Local First Alliance members featured on the back cover. What better gift could you give your friends and local service providers than a gift certificate to one of these local, independent businesses? It’s a great way to support a thriving local economy here in the Upper Valley—Give Local First!

With gratitude,

Tom Roberts, Executive Director Tom@VitalCommunities.org 802.291.9100 x101

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Short Takes Valley Quest expert and past program manager Steve Glazer led community members in a Quest writing workshop in August. Together, they developed a new Mascoma River Quest and honed their skills for entering the Watershed Quest Challenge!

Write Your OWN QUEST Vermont Climate Action Commission Transportation Program Manager Bethany Fleishman is serving as the transportation demand management representative on Vermont Governor Phil Scott’s Climate Action Commission. The 21-member Commission held four public scoping sessions in September and October. They’ll spend the next 10 months developing recommendations for reaching Vermont’s renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals while driving economic growth.

Learn more and share your comments: VitalCommunities.org/ ClimateActionCommission

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Let a favorite swimming hole, river, wetland, or pond be your muse as you write your own Valley Quest for our Watershed Quest Challenge!

Write rhyming clues that teach future Questers about your chosen site. Engage them with history, ecology, and discovery as they come to understand the value of this special place. Once you complete your Quest, submit it to our office by December 15 for testing, publication, and entry into the 2017 Watershed Challenge.

We’ll announce the winners on May 1, 2018.

We’ll choose one grand-prize winner, and the top Quests will be featured in the 2018 Super Quest!

Remember: Anyone can write a Quest, be they a community member, family, classroom, local group, children, or the young at heart.

For those new to Quest writing, check out our series of short videos and other resources to help you get started: VitalCommunities.org/Watershed.

Short Takes

Upper Valley Electric Vehicle Expo More than 500 community members learned about the latest in electric cars, bikes, motorcycles, and even lawnmowers at the Upper Valley Electric Vehicle Expo, held September 9 at Dothan Brook School in White River Junction. Vital Communities teamed up with the Upper Valley Sierra Club, the Vermont Clean Cities Coalition, and Drive Electric Vermont to host the event.

Honoring Young Leaders Our annual Heroes & Leaders celebration on May 24 honored the region’s young leaders.

“Seasoned professionals just don’t show up out of nowhere. The community has to plant the seeds that encourage young leaders to move here,” said closing speaker Markell Ripps, a Vital Communities board member, graduate of Leadership Upper Valley, and board member for the Upper Valley Young Professionals. “As a community, we have to provide them with affordable shelter and affordable education; we have to mentor them, listen to their ideas, and support them in their goals. If we are lucky, they will decide to put down their roots here, contribute to our economy, populate our schools, pay taxes, shape local policy, stabilize our community, and plan for its future. This takes work on all of our parts.”

Read all of Markell’s remarks and learn more about the young leaders we honored as well as past honorees: VitalCommunities.org/HeroesandLeaders.

6th Annual

HEROES LEADERS

101 REASONS TO

CELEBRATE Weatherize Upper Valley

Vital Communities helped 101 homeowners weatherize in the first half of 2017! That’s 101 families saving money and feeling cozy in their energy-efficient homes this winter—a good boost from the annual average of 77 projects completed across the 14 Vermont towns we worked with this year.

Weatherize connects volunteer teams with local energy contractors to encourage residents to complete home energy upgrades such as air-sealing and insulation improvements. We’re launching another round of Weatherize Upper Valley this winter in both Vermont and New Hampshire. Whether you’re part of a town energy committee, a BPI-certified contractor working in Vermont or New Hampshire, or you’re just curious about the program and who’s involved, visit VitalCommunities.org/Weatherize.

Look for our Weatherize Upper Valley Pilot Round Report on the campaign’s impact later this year!

Presenter Kesha Ram and honorees Emily Donaldson and Stephanie Thompson, left to right, at Heroes & Leaders in May.

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Short Takes

Save On Your Commute Let’s face it: Most Upper Valley residents spend a good chunk of their paycheck— and time—commuting. Looking for ways to make your commute more fun, more productive, and less expensive? Try these ideas, and find more at VitalCommunities.org/Transportation: • Make a friend. Find a carpool match on your town’s community discussion list. Or sign up with Go! Vermont (ConnectingCommuters.org) to find the perfect match. You can see users’ Facebook profiles before committing to a ride.

• Give your car a break. Check our website for a map of park-and-ride lots where you can meet your carpool buddy, catch the bus, or bike to your final destination.

• Transit made simple. Find your bus in real-time with the free Advance Transit app or at AdvanceTransit.com.

• Rest easy. If there’s an emergency, you can get reimbursed for taking a rental car or taxi to get home after biking, walking, carpooling, or taking the bus to work. More info at VitalCommunities.org/ERH. The map above shows the pattern of commutes beginning and ending in the Upper Valley region. It was created by Garrett Dash Nelson, a PhD candidate at Dartmouth College’s Society of Fellows & Department of Geography, using U.S. census data.

CELEBRATE LOCAL FIRST Support local businesses and get free stuff with the Local First Alliance Business of the Month campaign! Independent, local businesses provide personalized, expert service, keep money circulating through the Upper Valley, and add character to our communities. They are also owned and staffed by our friends and neighbors.

Business of the Month celebrates these economic and community engines with in-store displays and special offers, such as discounts or freebies when you mention Business of the Month. Over the next year, we hope you’ll visit the featured businesses to join in the celebration and thank them for strengthening our community!

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Find the LFA Business of the Month at VitalCommunities.org/LocalFirst

Short Takes

Kids Have the Power!

More than 400 Upper Valley kids tasted local fruits and vegetables this summer through Power of Produce (POP) Club activities supported by Vital Communities.

Each child got to buy their own local produce with “POP Bucks” and reusable POP bags, spending more than $1,300 on New Hampshire-grown produce throughout the summer.

Produce vendors appreciated the revenue (and the new, curious customers!), and families returned week after week to see what fun the POP hosts had in store.

Scavenger hunts and taste-testing were mainstays, and POP Club participants tried a whole host of new foods: think kohlrabi spears dipped in beet hummus, fresh melon slushies, roasted eggplant crisps, and, of course, strawberries with local whipped cream. Equipped with

experience and take-home recipes, POP kids shared their market hauls with their families, maybe cooking a dish for the first time or discovering a taste for something new.

This year, we worked with the Canaan Farmers and Artisans’ Market, Newport Farmers’ Market, and Edgewater Farmstand in Plainfield. Thank you to our funders, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Food & Markets, HNH Foundation, and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

We’re just getting started—look for POP Club activities at farmers’ markets and farmstands next season!

Learn more at VitalCommunities.org/POP.

Adapted from Tyler Florence

INGREDIENTS: anchovy fillets or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste 4 1 clove garlic, smashed Juice of 1 lemon 1 egg yolk ½ cup olive oil/salad oil ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese Black pepper Salt 1–2 bunches green or lacinato/”dinosaur” kale Parmesan cheese for garnish Croutons (optional) DIRECTIONS: Make the Caesar dressing: with a blender, mix anchovies, garlic, egg yolk, and lemon juice for 30 seconds until smooth. With the blender running, pour the oil in slowly for the dressing to emulsify. Stir in the Parmesan and add a little black pepper. Add the salt to taste and set aside.

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Wash kale and pat dry. Pull off the stems and tear kale into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle a little salt and oil over the leaves and squeeze them with your hands until the kale is wilted and soft.

Toss with dressing. Add the grated cheese and croutons.

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Breakfast After the Bell

Kids and Schools Love

BREAKFAST AFTER THE BELL “I started reading about Breakfast After the Bell and thought, ‘This is a no-brainer, because kids need food to learn,’” says Hartland School Board member Nicki Buck.

“The first exciting moment was when I got full support from the rest of the Board.”

When Breakfast After the Bell appeared on the Hartland school board agenda last year, Vital Communities’ Valley Food & Farm Program Manager Beth Roy was eager to attend the meeting to advocate for the change and offer our support and resources.

Five months later, school breakfast recipients had their meals delivered to their classrooms after the start of the school day for the very first time. As a result, participation in the school breakfast program increased 114% at Hartland Elementary School from January-May 2017—with 30% of students eating breakfast on an average day.

“Breakfast After the Bell” means offering school breakfast service after the formal start of the school day, usually right in the classroom. Research shows that the change in timing significantly increases participation, including not only how many enrolled kids actually get to eat breakfast, but also how many kids enroll in the breakfast program. This in turn reduces student hunger and improves student health, academic performance, and school meal program finances.

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For kids without sufficient food at home, school meals are a vital food source. A later breakfast means kids won’t miss it if they have a late bus, and they won’t miss out on playing with friends before the bell or be singled out as a kid with a financial need for breakfast. When more kids join in, it increases the revenue available to bolster the school food program.

Hartland moved quickly on Breakfast After the Bell through collaboration among the teachers, maintenance staff, nurse, food service staff, superintendent, students, and school board, as well as Hartland Elementary’s contracted food service company, Café Services. The results are worth the effort.

“This small step of starting Breakfast After the Bell in one school is now trickling down to the other schools in the district, and we’re exploring other meal options,” Beth says.

We’re eager to work with other Upper Valley schools to expand Breakfast After the Bell throughout the region. Email Beth@VitalCommunities.org for more information.

A Passion for Questing

A PASSION FOR QUESTING Valley Quest is often thought of as a familyoriented program. With educational treasure hunts of varying length, difficulty, and physical intensity, the program offers Quests that engage every interest and age group.

Lois Frazer and Linda Kahl.

For some, like the Kahl and Frazer families, Questing is not just an activity but a family tradition.

Sisters Lois Frazer of Etna and Linda Kahl of Hartford were introduced to Valley Quest in 2001.

They’ve been Questing ever since, bringing along their husbands, children, grandchildren, mother, and their younger sister.

Their next Questing challenge? “I haven’t tried to write one myself yet,” Linda says, but after the Quest writing workshop with Steve Glazer (see page 2), she’s ready to work on her idea for a new Quest in Strafford.

Their passion for Valley Quest is nearly unmatched— One recent summer, the sisters completed more than 80 Quests. They also monitor approximately 20 Quests each throughout the Upper Valley, ensuring the Quest boxes are stocked and in place throughout the season.

Visit VitalCommunities.org/ValleyQuest to learn more and to read about Lois’s husband, Ted Frazer, who makes birdhouse Quest boxes!

Even with their deep local ties as lifelong Upper Valley residents, Lois and Linda love learning new things about the Upper Valley through Questing.

“We’ve been to all these tiny towns we never knew existed and learned all about the history,” says Linda.

“I like learning about a new town, and Questing gets me to go investigate a new place,” says Lois. Linda added, “We’ve learned about so many places that we’d never gone before.”

Linda and Lois spread the word about Valley Quest at every opportunity. “We’ve taken our kids, and they’ve taken their kids,” says Linda. “I’ve given both neighbors books, and they’ve gone on Quests.”

“Everywhere I go, I tell people about Valley Quest,” says Lois. “It doesn’t cost anything but the gas, and there are not many things in this world that don’t cost anything.”

Linda’s and Lois’s Favorite Valley Quests • Mountain Maple Quest in Norwich • Town House Quest in Strafford • Flat Rock Quest in Orford • Porter Cemetery Quest and Beale Cemetery Quest in Lyme. (“I could sit [at the Porter Cemetery] all day overlooking the Connecticut,” says Lois. “And we discovered the most amazing field of ladyslippers at Beal. We never would have gone there otherwise.”)

• Four Corners Quest in Croydon • The Woodstock Quests. “Because it’s fun to tromp around Woodstock. There are so many Quests there, and they all have stories to tell.”

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Making an Impact “It was a great collaborative effort born of a Leadership Upper Valley session.”

—Alice Ely

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Making an Impact

Summit Connects Schools with Services to Better Meet Student and Family Needs Schools and health and human services organizations are working together more closely this year thanks to a summit organized last spring by Leadership Upper Valley alumna Alice Ely (’17) and Education Day Planner Joanne Roberts.

The idea for the summit took root at the Leadership Upper Valley Education Day in 2016 when Alice Ely, Executive Director of the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley, heard Dr. Joanne Roberts, Superintendent of Lebanon Schools, speak about some of the difficulties Lebanon students and families wrestle with—and they’re certainly not alone.

“One of the challenges we currently face is meeting the needs of students and families who struggle with poverty, housing insecurity, and are impacted by mental health issues and addiction,” Joanne told Upper Valley school staff and health and human services providers during the summit. “We need to mobilize all available resources to help support and serve our children and families.”

When she heard Joanne share this message on Education Day, Alice knew the Public Health Council could help and reached out to Joanne to begin planning the summit, which was held in June.

“We have so many great resources available here in the Upper Valley, but sometimes the challenge for busy professionals is making connections to others who can help them better serve their constituents,” Alice said.

At the summit, 20 area providers—including TLC Family Resource Center, Twin Pines Housing Trust, Upper Valley Haven, West Central Behavioral Health, and WISE—shared brief descriptions of their services with more than 25 representatives from school districts including Mascoma, Hartford, Grantham, Lebanon, and Lyme.

At left, the Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2018.

Thanks to connections made at the summit, new partnerships are already beginning to form. “Since the summit, I have met with one principal to potentially conduct training and assessment services for students.

We are also in conversation with another school district to provide support to their Education Support Team and also to include our health and learning questionnaire in their process,” said Leslie Williamson, Founder and Executive Director of the Lebanon-based Center for School Success, which partners with Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital on the Rx for School Success program. “As part of our work involves connecting kids with other resources, the summit provided me with some insight on other programs in the region that could be helpful for the kids we serve.”

What is Leadership Upper Valley?

Leadership Upper Valley is a 10-month professional development program that inspires, educates, and engages local leaders to better serve our region. Each year, participants spend 10 full days together building connections and learning in depth about the challenges, opportunities, and inner workings of the Upper Valley. Specific topic areas include Education, Art & the Creative Economy, Health & Human Services, Economic Development, Justice, Government & Politics, Transportation & Livable Communities, and Environment. Learn more at VitalCommunities.org/LeadershipUpperValley.

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Partner Spotlight

BAKING AN IMPACT

Originally founded in Boston in 1790, King Arthur Flour moved to Norwich in 1984. With more than 300 hundred employee-owners and a store, bakery, café, and baking school all housed on their “Camelot” campus, King Arthur Flour has a substantial presence in the Upper Valley.

A 100-percent employee-owned company since 2004, King Arthur Flour became a founding B Corporation in 2007, codifying the company’s commitment not only to its employee-owners and business partners but to the community and the environment as well.

Given their focus on the “triple bottom line”— people, planet, profits—King Arthur Flour has a natural affinity with Vital Communities.

In addition to being Green Circle Members of Local First Alliance, King Arthur Flour has been a member of Vital Communities’ Upper Valley Transportation Management Association (TMA) since 2011. An initial Smart Commute Survey and Action Plan developed by Vital Communities gave King Arthur the information and tools needed to launch its Green Commute Program. Vital Communities continues to provide resources and expertise to help encourage more efficient commuting options.

King Arthur Flour’s Bake for Good program helps students around the country learn to bake bread and share it in their communities.

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Partner Spotlight

Co-CEO Karen Colberg is an active member of Corporate Council, a group of Upper Valley business leaders facilitated

by Vital Communities to identify, study, and address the important issues facing our region.

As a food company, King Arthur Flour is naturally engaged with Vital Communities’ Valley Food & Farm initiatives.

“At King Arthur Flour, we care about improving the way our food is grown, produced, and accessed. As a member of 1% for the Planet, we support initiatives like Valley Food & Farm that create positive change in these areas,” says Carey Underwood, Director of Mission-Driven Programs and Partnerships.

The connection is also hands-on.

“Through our Bake for Good Kids program, which teaches kids how to bake bread from scratch and then share it within the community, we strive to share the joy of baking with kids and increase their connection to real foods,” Carey says. “Supporting the work of the Upper Valley Farm to School Network to educate students about food sources and farms aligns perfectly with this mission.”

King Arthur Flour hosted a variety of outdoor programs on their patio this summer benefiting a number of local nonprofits, and Vital Communities was a frequent guest with education activities and materials. The first Upper Valley Food Hub meeting was held at King Arthur in September.

Some of King Arthur Flour’s more than 300 employee-owners.

“Our partnership with Vital Communities strengthens our commitment to support our local community and economy. By bringing people and businesses across our region together, Vital Communities and Local First Alliance are engaged in the success of our region.”

–John Tunnicliffe, King Arthur Flour employee-owner

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT We’re so grateful to our more than 600 individual supporters and nearly 200 contributing business and foundations who helped us bring another fiscal year to a solid end on June 30. Together we continue to make positive change on issues that matter in the Upper Valley.

INDIVIDUALS In-Kind Donations in Italic 5,000+ Anonymous (2) Jane & Peter McLaughlin Charlotte Metcalf Ron Miller Jeanie & Bayne Stevenson

2,500–4,999 Andrea Reimann Ciardelli & Tom Ciardelli Carola Lea Teresa & Jack Lyons Linda & Rick Roesch Marilyn & Skip Sturman Jenny & Stan Williams

1,000–2,499 Anonymous (2) Liora Alschuler Cynthia & Ray Barrette Jeanne Childs & John Schumacher Joan & Daniel Collison Carol & Bob Cusick Erika & Brian Dade Kathleen Dolan Lori Fortini & Bruce Pacht Kathy & Bill Geraghty Gail Holmes Sue Kirincich & Chuck Wooster Sally Kraft & Bob Staiger Jennifer & Campbell Levy Brett Mayfield Kathy Rines & Ben Schore Barbara & David Roby Ronald Shaiko Susan & Clayton Simmers Jane & Bill Stetson Jennifer Manwell & Charles Sullivan Dori & Jeff Wolfe

100-999 Anonymous (12) Susanne & George Abetti Lynn Adams & Simon Carr Elizabeth & Clay Adams Brooke & Jim Adler Loretta & Todd Allen Susan Almy

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K. Sandra Anderson & Reeve C. Williams Terry Appleby Susan & John Arnold Kathy Astrauckas & Bob Hagen Tracy Bach & Brian Lombardo Lisa Baldez & John Carey Susan Barrett & Bryan J. Marsh Shoshana Belisle Judith & James Bernat Anne & Arthur Berndt JoAnn Berns Nancy Cressman & Alan Berolzheimer Jody & Rick Biddle Eric Bivona Kathy & Mark Blanchard Mary Blanton Ruth & Peter Bleyler Marion & Putnam Blodgett Ellen & Martin Blumberg Carol Boerner, MD & David Bowen Lynnette & Charles Bohi Molly Bonhag Dan Brand Katharine & Doug Britton Ann Bumpus Nancy & Harry Byrd Carol Campbell & John McKenna Sonja Carlborg K Carriere Nancy & Bill Carter Lisa Cashdan & Peter Stein Susan & Larry Chase Margaret Cheney & Peter Welch Stacey & Nick Chiocchio Bill Chorske Patrick Christie Peter Christie Barbara S. Clapp Cary Clark Alison Clarkson & Oliver Goodenough Karen & Erik Colberg Liz Ryan & Chuck Cole

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Judi & Stan Colla Joan Cooke Jane Crandell & Jonathan Glass Suzanne & Tom Cronkite Tina & David Cullenberg Stacey Cushner & Jeff Bernstein Margaret H. Darrow Andy Daubenspeck Jill Davies & Nigel Hollis Julie & Jay Davis Debra L. Diegoli & Ingrid Anderson Mary & Robert Donin Stephen Ensign Edie Farwell & Jay Mead Tina Foster Susan & Don Foster Linda & Steve Fowler Denise & Greg Froehlich Carolyn & Milton Frye Paul Gerke Laura Gillespie Dee & Kevin Gish Amy Godine James Gold, DDS Susan & Don Goodwin Kari Jo & Martin Grant Linda & Thomas Gray Manohar Grewal Janet Miller Haines Sally Hair & Brian Reid Susan Hardy Barbara Harrington Jill & Bill Hatch Emily & Richard Hausman Jenn & Thornton Hayslett Brooke Herndon & Eric Miller Patricia Higgins & Scot Drysdale Patsy Highberg Christina & Harvey Hill Bonnie & Jesse Hills Liba Hladik & Steve Crimmin Richard B. Hoffman Linda & Ed Howes Nancy & Larry Huot Pam Jenkins & David Kotz Elizabeth & Frank Johns Penelope & Stuart Johnson Kathryn Jorgensen

Anne Kapuscinski & Wayne Barstad Jason Kendall Sara & Ron Kobylenski Jeff Kondritzer Debra Kraemer & Bob Walker Suzanne Laaspere Carol Langstaff & James Rooney Linda Lanteigne Magoon Evan Thomas Leary Lorie Loeb & Tom Roberts Elizabeth & Brett Long Ellen Loring & Judith Hunt Rebecca Lovejoy & Kevin Peterson John Reese Madden Ann & David Malenka Christine Mattern Mary Maxfield Ruth Mayer & Peter Blodgett Mary McBryde & George Newcomb Denise & Barry McCabe Susan Simon & Liam McCarthy Phebe & Tim McCosker Jim McCracken Dr. Martha McDaniel & Dr. Stephen Plume Patricia McGovern Barbara & Doug McIlroy Ms. McKim Susan & Bruce McLaughry Lucy & Robert McLellan Jane Ann & Graham McSwiney Daniel Meerson Peg & Ed Merrens Carolyn & Peter Mertz Ellen Miles Lianne Moccia & Allyn Field Corb Moister, Jr. Margaret & William Montgomery Ellen Arnold & George Moore Jane M. Palmer Amy & Joseph Morel Martha & Timothy Mott Jen Moyer & David Bartlett Giavanna Munafo & Jim Walsh Patrice & Miles Mushlin Judy Music & John H. Vogel William Neukomm

Thank You Donors Sara & Kenneth L. Norcross Nita & Robert Z. Norman Patricia & Tom Norton Margo Nutt Linda & Ernst Oidtmann Theodore Osgood Mary K. & David W. Otto Barbara Palmer & Dennis Stern Nelly & William Palmer Pauline & Henry W. Parker Abbie & Don Penfield Lizann Peyton Mary Louise Pierson Jane & Steve Plumley and Lloyd Hackeman Heidi Postupack Laura & Robert Pulaski Kimberley Quirk Sarah Drew Reeves Susan Reid & Greg Nazarow Denise & Len Reitsma Martha & Stephen Richardson Leslie & Chris Rimmer Markell Ripps & Jack Kauders John M. Roberts Sarah Robson & Swaminathan Subbiah Courtney Rogers Laurie & Darcy Rogers Leah Romano Paula Rossvall & Fritz Weiss Andy Rowles Susan & Paul Rump Elisabeth W. Russell Beth Ryan & Jenny O’Flaherty Betsy Rybeck Lynd & Lee Lynd Karen & John Sanders Brinna & Frank Sands Jill & John Schiffman Jennifer & Mark Schiffman Sarah & Bruce Schwaegler Nannette & Joseph Schwartzman Meg & Bruce Seely Anne Segal Laura Sharpless & David Watts Lynn Sheldon & Daniel Hudnut Emily Shipman Anne & Peter Silberfarb Gunilla & Leif Smedman Barbara & Wally Smith Pi Smith Rebecca Smith Jean & Mike Smith Renee & Norman Snow Nancy & Dave Spencer Cameron & Gus Speth Christie Steever Jane & John Stephenson Suzanne Stofflet

Doris M. Swenson Shiela & Steven Swett Mindy & Brecken Taber Marie M. & Tom Taylor Steve Taylor Cindi & Rob Taylor Janet & Tim Taylor Hetty & Irv Thomae Marjorie & Frederic Thomas Anne Thomas Donaghy & John Donaghy Mary Louise Thorndike Amy & Peter Thurber Arifa Toor & John Trummel Cathy & John Vansant Cindy & Jim Varnum Beverly & Phil Vermeer Robin & Steve Voigt Margery S. Walker Betty Ward & Pip Richens Ken Wells Donna & Phil Wheeler Joan & Robert Williamson Leslie & Doug Williamson Joanne & Doug Wise Susan & James Wright Sallie & Tom Yurkosky

<100 Anonymous (23) Tish Aldom Betty Ann & Bill Aldrich Janet Andersen & Stephen Anderson Amanda Anderson Phyllis Arata-Meyers & Robert Meyers Kenneth Arkind Jim Atkinson Ron Bailey Nancy Baker Ginni & Steve Balch Bronwen & Bob Ballou Barbara Ragle Barnes Antonia Barry Barbara Barry & Michael Pacht MK Beach & Terry Osborne Peg Willey & John Benjamin Iris Berezin Betty & John Berlenbach Sharon Besso & Joseph Duggan Chrysanthi & Peter Bien Liz Blum & Nelson Kasfir Barnes Boffey Caroline Borowy Sargent Bradlee, Jr. Ann & David Bradley Claudia Brandenburg Patricia A. Bray Erica Brinton

Sarah & Zachary Brock Anne & Richard Broussard Richard Brown Christine H. Brown Maureen Burford & Alex Jaccaci Mary Ann & Len Cadwallader Sharon & John Cameron Courtney S. Campe Polly & Jay Campion Beatriz Cantada Margie Carpenter & Chuck Sherman Debbie & Peter Carter Stephanie K. Carter Sarah Carter Lisa C. & David J. Celone Elizabeth E. & William A. Chabot Ed Chamberlain Jan & Rob Chapman Ann & David Cioffi George Clark Tina & Ray Clark Gael M. Clauson Kristen & Paul Coats Lora Coble Polly Cole & Neal Meglathery Marjorie & Russell Cook Kelly Crate Megan Culp Ginger & Max Culpepper Linda & Lawrence J. Dacey Anne Dall Kai Darrow Sylvia Davatz Karin Davenport & Jonathan Schechtman Marilyse de Boissezon Barbara DeFelice & Chris Levey Deecie & Jock Denison Marilyn & Bryant Denk Sylvie Desautels & Chris Wood Lesley Dinesen Courtney Dobyns Ruth & Paul Doiron Molly Drummond Bernie du Breuil Krista & Paul Dunne Kirsten & David Eastman Alice & Ron Eberhardt Jeremy Ebersole Jeff Ebersole Susan & Brian Edwards Scott Elledge Alice Ely Ava & Edward Emerson Judith Englander

The list has been prepared with care. However, if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve inadvertently omitted your name, please contact us.

Moriah S. Fahey Margaret Fanning & David Cate Cedar Farwell Chuck Fenton Margery Erle Fields Rosalind Finn Jennifer Horton Fontaine Edith Forbes Pierre Fournier & Richard Waddell Lisa & John Freitag Dotti Fuchs The Furbish Family Sylvia & John Garfield Heidi Gennaro Charles Goldensher Erin Gooch Nadia & Greg Gorman Nancy & David Grant Katie Grauer Happy & Clark Griffiths Dana & Dan Grossman Carole Haehnel Vic & Art Hall Priscilla & John Hall Jim Hand Laurie Harding & Peter Mason Priscilla Harrington David Harris Louise & Marvin Harrison Carol Harry & Steve Gagliardone Susanne & David Haseman Sheila Hastie & Andy Jones Sarah Havens Joey & John Hawkins Deb Hawthorn Lucia Jackson & Mike Heaney Liesi Hebert Pat & Don Henderson Betty Heston Gail Heverly Beth Hindmarsh Sandra Hoeh Roney & Rick Hoffman Erika Hoffman-Kiess & Michael Kiess Henry Homeyer Helen Hong Judith Hughes James R. Hughes, M.D. Hope Hutchinson Aare Ilves Virginia & Peter Irwin Susan Jacobs Corlan Johnson Susan Johnson & Jason Kelley Nancy Jones Margaret M. & Christopher T. Katucki

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Thank You Donors Punam & Kevin Keller Susan Kellogg Jean & Harry Kendrick Ruth Kennedy Susan & Bob Kessler Joyce & Paul Killebrew Lauri & Harry Kinne Laird Klingler Stephanie Kyriazis Lisa Ladd Alessandra LaFiandra Steve Lagasse Dr. E.D.M. Landman Dani Ligett & Mike Morton Nancy Limbaugh Mary R. Lincoln Kay & Larry Litten Joanna & Norwood Long Daniel Longnecker Jennifer Loros & Jay Dunlap Elsa Luker Bonnie MacAdam & Doug Tifft Martha & Michael Manheim Anne Margolis Andrea Marquay Marjorie & James Matthews Mr. & Mrs. Robert McAllister Erin & Matt McCabe Betsy McCann Judy & Bob McCarthy Susan McCaslin Betsy McClain & Chris Kennedy Marie McCormick Joyce & Ronald McGarvey Gregory McHugo Jeanie McIntyre & Geof Little Anne McKinsey Andrew McLaughlin Lelia Mellen & Bill Shepard Valerie Miller & Ralph Fine Susan Mills

Theresa & John Minelli Kathleen Monroe Robert J. Moran Skip Morrison Elizabeth & Richard Morse Patricia Morse Susan Morse & Phillip Mulligan William Murphy Joanne Needham & Andy Johnson Yoni & Stephen Neirman Richard Neugass Maureen & John Nininger Helen North Joanne & Richard Norton Robin Nuse & Arthur Gardiner, Jr Timothy O’Dell Lynne & Kevin O’Hara Bineke & Abraham Oort Robin Osborne, PhD. Nancy Osgood Joanne & Donald Page Chelsea Pawlek Ruth W. Payne Barbara & Henry Payson Amy Peberdy Carol Penland Susan & Mark Pepe Barbara Pespisa Nancy Philips Connie Philleo & Claude Phipps Miranda Pizinger Janet L. Pollock Fred Pond Judith Pond Avery D. Post Gerhard Postpischil Becky & Steve Powell

Monique Priestley Zachariah Ralph Ann Raynolds Jennifer Riccio Rebecca Rice & Donald Mesec Margaret Richardson Jacqueline Richter-Menge & Richard Menge Jennifer Rickards & Jona Roberts Paul Roberts Annabelle Roberts Evelyn Roberts John M. Roberts Judith G. Roberts Marjorie & Richard Rogalski Laura & Duane Rondeau Jeffrey Richard Roosevelt Leah Rothenberg Lynn & John Roy Patricia & Daryl Royce Renee Russell Sue Schiller Carl Schmidt Helen & Merle Schotanus Richard Schramm Nina & Albert Schwartz Doreen Schweizer Merit Scotford & Bill Keegan Rebecca Seibel & Martin Frank Peggy Seward Carolyn Shapiro-Wall Li Shen & Stuart Blood Kathleen & Jack Shepherd Frederick W. Shipman Sarah Shipton & James Nourse Lori & Mike Shipulski Sadie Simpson Sarah Sincerbeaux Helen Skeist

Alcott Smith Nancy L. Smith Wendy Spector Cynthia Stableford Sophie & Matt Starr Kate Stephenson Caroline & Peter Storrs Karen Summer Bonnie & Clint Swift Cynthia Taylor Susan & David Taylor Steven Thomas Thelma & Peter Thompson Cynthia Thompson Barb & Gerald Tolman Jean & Charles Townsend Cheryl & Paul Twerdowsky David Urso Kimberly Vacca Susan & Mark Valence Amy VanderKooi Jessica Walker Suzanne & Graham Wallis Richard A. Warren Mary & Bernie Waugh Carol P. Weingeist Richard Weiss Joanna Whitcomb & Bill Mlacak Tilda & Stuart White Lauren & Doug Whittlesey Helen Whyte & Ross McIntyre Beverly & Robert Widger Stephanie & Stephen Willbanks Karen Bedford Williamson Sybil B. Williamson JoAnne Withington Penny & Peter Wright Susan & John Yacavone Jeanne & Arthur Young Winnifred Zappala Eleanor Zue

BUSINESSES & FOUNDATIONS In-Kind Donations in Italic, *Indicates Multi-Year Award 50,000+ The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation Jane’s Trust Foundation New Hampshire Charitable Foundation – Thomas W. Haas Fund New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food Robins Foundation

20,000–49,999 Dartmouth College Dartmouth-Hitchcock

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The High Meadows Fund, Vermont Community Foundation HNH Foundation HOPE Foundation Mascoma Savings Bank Vermont Agency of Transportation Vermont Community Foundation* – Food and Farm Initiative

5,000–19,999 Canaday Family Charitable Trust Catamount Solar

VitalCommunities.org

Co-op Food Stores Couch Family Foundation Dartmouth Printing Company – Sheridan Harris and Frances Block Foundation Jane B. Cook Charitable Trust King Arthur Flour The Lintilhac Foundation New Hampshire Charitable Foundation New Hampshire Charitable Foundation – Children’s Fund of the Upper Valley, Wellborn Ecology Fund

Norwich Wines & Spirits Salmon Foundation, Inc. Northeast SARE TooCap Foundation USB Donor Advised Fund – McLaughlinKitchel Family Fund Upper Valley Housing Coalition Vermont Community Foundation – Sustainable Future Fund, unnamed fund Vermont Energy Investment Corporation Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Thank You Donors 500–4,999 A.B. Gile, Inc. American Endowment Foundation – La Vendemmia Charitable Fund Bernice B. Godine Family Foundation Boatwright Foundation Cedar Mountain Farm Christina Heroy Foundation Chelsea Green Publishing Co. Chippers, Inc Christ Redeemer Church City of Lebanon Claremont Savings Bank Claremont Savings Bank Foundation Dead River Company DRM Downs Rachlin Martin Emily Landecker Foundation Energy Emporium Farm Credit East Farm-Way Fat Hat Clothing Co. Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty Granite United Way Grappone Automotive Group

Great Eastern Radio Hamill Family Foundation Hypertherm iInTIME: Institute for Innovative Technology in Medicine Jake’s Market & Deli AND Jake’s Coffee Co. John Ring CPA Kendal at Hanover Lake Sunapee Bank LaValley Building Supply, Inc. Lebanon Opera House Ledyard National Bank Local Motion Lyme Green Heat Mascoma Valley Health Initiative Nashua Regional Planning Commission New Hampshire Charitable Foundation – Barrette Family Fund, Bruce M. and Sarah T. Schwaegler Fund Doug & Joanne Wise Family Fund NOFA-Vermont Nomad Communications Ohana Family Camp Red River Computer Company Richard Electric River Valley Community College Root 5 Farm RSG Savage Hart Farm

Second Growth Sharon Academy Shelburne Farms Simon Pearce The Simpson Companies Skinny Pancake Skinny Pancake Subtext Media Suncommon Sustainable Woodstock Town of Enfield Town of Hanover Town of Hartford Town of Norwich Town of Thetford TransCanada Corporation UK Architects, P.C. Upper Valley Haven Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Comission USDA Rural Development VT* Vanguard Charitable – The Benjamin Schore Charitable Fund, anonymous Vermont Community Foundation – Cashdan/ Stein Great Grandmother Fund, Laurance and Mary Rockefeller/Woodstock Foundation Fund, Sturman Family Fund, Vogel-Music Fund, unnamed fund Vermont Institute of Natural Science Village Green Publishing West Lebanon Feed & Supply Yankee Farm Credit, ACA

<500 Allan’s Vending Service Allen Pool & Spas Alice’s Kitchen Angry Goat Pepper Co. AVA Gallery and Art Center Billings Farm & Museum Blue Sky Restaurant Group Bucy Family Fund Building Energy Corporation Cedar Circle Farm Cedar Circle Farm Cedar Mountain Farm The Center for Cartoon Studies Chase Brook Software Collective-The Art of Craft, Inc Copeland Furniture The Country Cobbler COVER Home Repair Crossroad Farm Crossroad Farm

Cygnus Pictures Dan & Whit’s General Store Inc. Dartmouth Regional Technology Center David’s House Deep Meadow Farm Designer Gold Dirt Cowboy Cafe ECFiber Energy Emporium Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund – Dave and Nancy Spencer, Gerke Family Charity Fund, James C. McCracken Charitable Fund, McAllister Family Fund, McKim-Sonnenburg Family Fund, Todd and Loretta Allen Charitable Fund Flora Fauna Farm Gilberte Interiors Good Neighbor Health Clinic & Red Logan Dental Clinic Got Weeds?

Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce Green Energy Times Green Lantern Group Harpoon Brewery Hartford Area Career and Technical Center Heartwood Farm Hogwash Farm Integrity Energy JAM Fuel Key Communications Kiss the Cow Farm Laurel Mackin and Tim Briglin Law Office of Eric W. Janson, PLLC Lebanon Chamber of Commerce Loewen Window Center of Vermont and New Hampshire Luna Bleu Farm Mac’s Maple Medtronic Merchants Bank Mike’s Store and Deli Montpelier Construction Mountain View Publishing LLC New England Grassroots Environmental Fund Newberry Market North Branch Construction Northeast Reptile Welfare League Norwich Bookstore

Norwich Farm Creamery Oh! Veggies Open Door Studio Opera North Pathways Consulting Peachtree Builders Peaked Moon Farm Piecemeal Pies Piermont Plant Pantry Red Kite Candy ReVision Energy Revolution Rotary Club of Lebanon - Riverside Silo Distillery Silver Screen, LLC Solar Source/Melanson Company South Royalton Market Spring Brook Farm Spring Ledge Farm Sugarbush Farm Sunrise Farm CSA Sunworx Northeast Sweetland Farm Sweetland Farm Thetford Academy Thistle Hill Farm Three Tomatoes Trattoria Top Stitch Embroidery Town of West Fairlee Trail Break Taps & Tacos Truckenbrod Mill & Bakery Trumbull-Nelson Construction Co. Tuckerman Capital Twin State Inspections Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission Upper Valley Food Co-op Upper Valley Food Co-op Upper Valley Land Trust Upper Valley Yoga Vermont Community Foundation – unnamed fund Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company Vermont Foam Insulation Vermont Law School The Village Butcher Windows & Doors by Brownell Woodstock Farmers’ Market Woodstock Home & Hardware Woodstock Insurance, Inc. Woodstock Pharmacy Working Landscapes Design Group, LLC

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New Faces

New Faces at Vital Communities

WELCOME, NEW BOARD MEMBERS!

South Strafford resident Rick Mills, JD, has been the Executive Vice President at Dartmouth College since September 2013. He is responsible for the management and coordination of the administrative operations of the institution, including financial, facility, human resources, and other administrative operations.

Nancy Merrill, a resident and former city councilor in Lebanon, is the Director of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Claremont, where she focuses on reinvestment and adaptive reuse as a driver of economic growth. She also serves as a Commissioner at the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission.

Many thanks to Barbara, Rick, and Nancy, and to our entire Board of Directors, for your commitment to Vital Communities.

Find all of our Board members at VitalCommunties.org/Board.

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VitalCommunities.org

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Woodstock resident Barbara Barry recently retired after 15 years as co-owner and innkeeper of Applebutter Inn Bed and Breakfast. A founding board member of Sustainable Woodstock, Barbara was a volunteer for the Solarize Pomfret-Woodstock campaign we helped coordinate in 2014-2015.

When Upper Valley native Elyse Payson stumbled upon a Valley Quest treasure box while out hiking a few years ago (she first thought it was litter and was going to carry it out!), she had no idea it would eventually lead to a job at Vital Communities. In her role as Assistant to the Executive Director and Database Assistant, Elyse enjoys getting to know our programs and supporters as she helps us keep it all together. Elyse replaces Brian Cook, who moved on to a unique business opportunity in Elys eP ay Southern Vermont. s

L au

In September, we welcomed three new members to the Vital Communities Board of Directors. Each has a wealth of knowledge and a passion for Vital Communities’ mission that will strengthen our work over the next several years.

We also had the great fortune to hire Lauren Griswold as our new Valley Quest and Volunteer Coordinator. Lauren joined us in May to coordinate this summer’s POP Clubs.

She will continue in her role with our Valley Food & Farm program in addition to coordinating Valley Quest. Lauren replaces Sara Cottingham, who helped reinvigorate the Quest program during her year with us. Sara moved back to her recent home of West Virginia for a job/fellowship with an environmental consulting firm.

We’re grateful to Brian and Sara for everything they brought to Vital Communities. Many thanks, also, to our summer and fall 2017 interns: Carrie Borowy, Klancey Burford, and Sami Hontas.

This fall, we also said goodbye to Stacey Glazer, who for 16 years has helped weave the Upper Valley together through her work with Vital Communities. Our webmaster for her entire tenure, Stacey created our website and built our Valley Food & Farm Online Guide—a revolutionary tool in the pre-Google era! In recent years, she has brought her knowledge and passion to managing Leadership Upper Valley and our community discussion lists. We’re grateful to Stacey for her years of service and wish her the best in her new position at WISE.

Upcoming Events

UPPER VALLEY HOUSING COALITION AND VITAL COMMUNITIES FALL BUSINESS LEADERS BREAKFAST what:

An opportunity to network with other business leaders and receive an update on the region’s workforce housing and real estate market.

Friday, November 3, 7:30–9 am when: where: Firehouse Inn & Suites, West Lebanon, NH VITAL COMMUNITIES OPEN HOUSE what:

Get to know our staff, board, and other supporters while you enjoy wine and snacks from great local businesses. Volunteer of the Year, Super Quest Grand Prize, and door prizes!

Friday, December 1, 5–7:30 pm when: where: Vital Communities, White River Junction, VT SEASONS MID-WINTER CELEBRATION DINNER what:

Our annual fundraising dinner celebrates local foods and the work of Vital Communities. Learn more or reserve your seat by emailing Rachel@VitalCommunities.org.

Thursday, February 8, 2018, 6 pm when: where: Enfield Shaker Museum, Enfield, NH FLAVORS OF THE VALLEY what:

The Upper Valley’s premier tasting event for locally grown and produced food. Learn more about vending or attending at VitalCommunities.org/Flavors.

Sunday, April 8, 2018 11 am—3 pm when: where: Hartford High School, White River Junction, VT

Find more upcoming events at VitalCommunities.org/Calendar.

STAY CONNECTED WITH VITAL COMMUNITIES VitalCommunities.org/Newsletter

Facebook.com/VitalCommunities

Sign up to receive our e-newsletters

Find news and events on Facebook

Download our Valley Quest app from the iTunes store

Fall 2017

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Nonprofit U.S. Postage

195 North Main Street White River Junction, VT 05001 802.291.9100 VitalCommunities.org To correct your contact information or duplicate mailings, please contact Elyse@VitalCommunities.org or x104.

KEEP IT LOCAL AND

LOOK FOR THE LOGO! THANK YOU, LOCAL FIRST ALLIANCE MEMBERS! Locally owned businesses support your community. Shop locally with these businesses!

Find members in our online directory at VitalCommunities.org/ LocalFirst.

PAID

WRJ, VT 05001 Permit No. 60