Shelburne News - 4-20-23

HomeShare Vermont offers housing option with broader meaning

Shelburne resident Cathy Bergeron has been volunteering with HomeShare Vermont for nearly a decade and has seen firsthand its positive impacts, especially in a difficult housing climate.

“From being a school counselor, I was looking for something meaningful to do and I’ve done volunteer work all my life,” she said. “I was looking for something to kind of jump into and have a more meaningful role. A friend of mine had been volunteering with HomeShare for several years and was about to move out of state. So, as she left, I slipped in on her coattails.”

For more than 40 years, HomeShare Vermont has been bringing

two or more people together to share a home for mutual benefit. Simply, a person offers a private bedroom and shared common space in exchange for rent, help around the home or a combination of the two.

It differs from a typical roommate situation because, at its core, it is about two people helping each other. Each home-sharing arrangement is tailored to the unique needs and interests of the people involved through an extensive application process overssen by case managers and volunteers with the organization.

The program operates mostly from state and local grants and although there is no fee to apply

See HOMESHARE on page 16

Irish Hill Path project receives long-awaited funding

LIBERTY DARR

STAFF WRITER

Shelburne’s long-awaited Irish Hill Path project — the cyclist bridge over the LaPlatte River at the intersection of Falls and Irish Hill roads — will soon make some headway after receiving $235,000 in grant money.

After costs for the project

skyrocketed to $400,000 — primarily for the 100-foot bridge component over the LaPlatte — due to supply chain shortages and other rising costs, the town submitted a grant proposal in September for $294,000 that “may have gotten lost in cyberspace. No one knows,” according to Shelburne town manager Lee Krohn. “So that one didn’t happen.”

Although that grant proposal failed, Krohn announced at the April 11 selectboard meeting that another grant proposal had been accepted under the Transportation Alternatives Program.

That program “provides funding for projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure

projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhancing mobility, community improvement activities and environmental mitigation,” according to the Vermont Agency of Transportation.

Voters at Town Meeting Day last year also approved allocating $168,000 as the town’s local share in building the pedestrian bridge,

and in 2019, the town received a state grant for more than $100,000 for engineering, municipal project management and other work.

“We are analyzing current hopeful cost estimates now to see where we are in the total funding arrangements,” Krohn said. “It now

See IRISH HILL PATH on page 13

PHOTO BY AL FREY

The CVU girls’ ultimate Frisbee team in action against Burlington April 12. The team lost 14-7. More sports on page 11.

Head’s up

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

Group welcomes George Will

National political columnist George F. Will is the featured speaker at the Ethan Allen Institute’s 30th anniversary celebration at the Doubletree by Hilton in South Burlington on Wednesday, May 31. The topic of his talk is “Why Conservatism is Important in a Place Like Vermont.”

A social hour with cash bar begins at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m.

Will is widely regarded as one of the most influential conser-

vative-libertarian commentators in the nation. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1977 and has been awarded 16 honorary doctorate degrees. He continues his half-century long career as a member of the Washington Post Writers Group. His columns are syndicated in more than 400 newspapers.

“We invited George Will because of his eloquent advocacy for the fundamentals of a free society — indi-

FRED THYS VTDIGGER

One is a vineyard and winery on one of Vermont’s most crowded routes, attracting plenty of visitors and buyers. The other is a cider maker off the state’s beaten paths that has had to develop a robust distribution system.

Now, Shelburne Vineyard and Eden Ciders are merging to take advantage of what each has to offer, according to the vineyard’s founder.

“It’s sort of a synergistic kind of alliance,” said Ken Albert, who founded Shelburne Vineyard in 1998.

Albert said the vineyard and winery, located south of Burlington on Route 7, has “probably … one of the best retail locations for any farm-like location.”

Meanwhile, he said Eleanor Leger, who founded Eden Ciders in the Northeast Kingdom in 2007, is “located in an area

vidual liberty, private property, competitive free enterprise, limited and frugal government, strong local communities, personal responsibility and expanded opportunity for human endeavor,” Ethan Allen Institute president Myers Mermel said.

Will’s academic background includes Trinity College, Oxford and Princeton. He has taught political philosophy at Michigan State, University of Toronto and Harvard. He has authored 16 books, including “American Happiness and its Discontents.”

More at ethanallen.org.

cidermaker merge

in Newport, Vermont, which is probably one of the least positive places for retail sales.”

As a result, Leger was concentrating on distributing her cider.

“She developed a very large distribution network out of state,” Albert said. “We’ll be helped by working with her distributor network.”

In turn, Albert said he could offer Leger a place to sell cider directly to consumers who drive in to taste the wine.

Leger did not respond to a voicemail left at Eden Ciders Friday.

Albert said he also hopes to take advantage of Eden Ciders’ platform for online sales.

There will be no layoffs due to the merger, he said, calling the two organizations “pretty tight ships.”

“I’ve got four full-time people that make wine-slash-work in the vineyard. If I would lose one of those people, I’d have to give up

some of the grapevines,” he said. “It’s not like I could afford to lay off people. We can’t.”

Albert said he employs “something above” the equivalent of 10 full-time employees. He believed Eden employed fewer people. Shelburne Vineyard grows grapes that are hybrids of European and North American varieties that can withstand temperatures of 20 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.

“I think they make wonderful wines,” Albert said.

Leger will be the chief executive officer of the merged company, which will preserve its separate brand identities, according to an email from Albert to Shelburne Vineyard employees.

For internal purposes only, the new company will be called ESV Holdings, Albert wrote in the email announcing the merger. “This is not a case of one company ‘absorbing’ the other!”

Albert wrote that he and his wife, Gail, will ease into retirement but keep an ownership stake. Sam Coppola and Scott Prom, minority owners, would also continue to keep a stake in the company, Albert said, as would all of Eden Ciders’ shareholders.

He and Leger planned to meet with employees this week, he wrote. In her own email to Shelburne Vineyard staff, Leger wrote that she is “committed to working with you all to carefully steward our company into the future, building on the strong foundation that Ken and Gail have worked so hard to establish.”

The merger comes days after two other Vermont beverage companies announced a joint marketing agreement, in which a canned gin and tonic made with Barr Hill gin at Montpelier-based Caledonia Spirits, would be distributed by The Beer Guy, the distribution company of Lawson’s Finest founder Sean Lawson.

George F. Will Shelburne Vineyard,

Ukrainian musician revives spiritual tradition of the kobzar at All Souls

“Kobzar’s Prayer for Ukraine: The Lost, Sacred, Traditional Instruments of Ukraine: Bandura, Kobza, and Torban,” featuring Jurij Fedynsky, is a free concert, lecture and presentation at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne on Thursday, May 4, 6:30 p.m.

Fedynsky, a 48-year-old Ukrainian American, was born in the United States and has resided in Ukraine for the past 23 years. He is a musician, researcher and instrument maker who for decades has been reviving the lost music and spiritual tradition of the kobzar. The kobzar were traveling musicians, storytellers and spiritual leaders who for centuries went around Ukraine spreading their art and wisdom.

With the rise of Stalin and Soviet control over Ukraine, the kobzar were killed, their instruments destroyed, and their traditions almost forgotten. Almost. Fedynskiy and his colleagues work to recreate lost traditional instruments, including the kobza, the bandura and the torban.

He has witnessed the current war in Ukraine first-hand. When Russia invaded Ukraine on in 2022, Fedynsky and his fellow musicians performed at checkpoints, barracks and shelters. Wherever possible, his guild performed for civilians and soldiers alike.

On this North American Tour, Fedynsky

will carry on the kobzar tradition, hoping to enrich the world, sharing the truth about Ukraine through historic songs that have preserved the emotions and national character of Ukraine.

Donations will be collected, and proceeds will go to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Poltava Kobzar Guild.

For more information, contact Jeanette Bacevius at 802-363-8287 or jjbacevius@ yahoo.com.

COURTESY PHOTO Jurij Fedynsky

Total reported incidents: 70

April 10 at 9:01 a.m., a caller told police his mother was acting delusional and believed neighbors were hacking the Wi-Fi connection, police said. The call was turned over to Outreach for further assistance.

April 11 at 5:15 a.m., a guest at the Countryside Motel told police another guest had threatened her and knocked her over her table. Police determined the woman was having mental health issues and Outreach was notified.

April 11 at 10:01 p.m., police responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence on Brentwood Drive. Officers said both parties were cooperative and said nothing had happened so no further action was taken.

April 11 at 12:33 p.m., a caller told police an unwanted guest was refusing to leave the Harbor Place property. Police escorted the individual off of the property.

April 11 at 12:42 p.m., police responded to a report of a

Shelburne Police Blotter Business Notes

woman at the Countryside Motel walking near the roadway wearing a blindfold. Shelburne police, rescue and Outreach were dispatched, but the woman refused transport to the hospital and Outreach assistance. She was instructed to stay out of the roadway.

April 11 at 3:01 p.m., a caller told police a woman was on the side of the road near the Countryside Motel “yelling and acting strange,” police said. The woman refused assistance and said she was waiting for a ride.

April 11 at 3:57 p.m., police received another call that the same woman was acting strange walking up Ridgefield Road. She was found and transported back to the Countryside Motel but refused to speak with Outreach.

April 11 at 8:23 p.m., a LaPlatte Circle resident told police their neighbor was burning yard debris without a permit. Shelburne Fire extinguished the burn.

April 12 at 5:26 p.m., police

responded to a second illegal burn, this time on Spear Street and Westview Drive. The fire was located and extinguished.

April 12 at 10:40 p.m., Shelburne police assisted Hinesburg police with an “out of control” drunk person.

April 13 at 3:26 p.m., a two-car crash was reported with no injuries on Shelburne and Webster roads.

April 13 at 3:53 p.m., a residential burglary was reported on Beaver Creek Road.

April 13 at 10:01 p.m., police got a call of a noise disturbance, but the source of the noise — three individuals in a car on Bay Road — was considered reasonable so no action was taken.

April 14 at 1:08 p.m., a fraud complaint was reported and is under investigation.

April 15 at 6:35 p.m., Shelburne police found a woman wandering along Shelburne Road who they knew lived in a residential care facility in Burlington. The woman was transported to the hospital.

Efficiency Vermont wins Partner of the Year Award

Efficiency Vermont has received the 2023 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Efficiency Vermont was honored for saving Vermont residents and business owners 49,471 megawatt hours in electricity use and 11,183 MMBTU in thermal and process fuel use from January to October last year.

“We are proud to be an Energy Star partner,” Peter Walke, director of Efficiency Vermont, said.

“Through this program we can bring energy savings to Vermont residents and businesses while furthering our commitment to reduce carbon emissions.”

While most consumers know Energy Star from the logo on their newly purchased efficient appliances, its reach goes much further. It is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency providing unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make decisions.

Each year, the Energy Star program honors a group of businesses and organizations that have made contributions toward protecting the environment through energy achievements.

Since 2000, Efficiency Vermont has saved residential,

commercial, industrial and institutional customers more than $3.2 billion in energy costs, keeping the equivalent of 14.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Arbors at Shelburne receives Circle Award

The Arbors at Shelburne has received the Benchmark 2023 Circle Award for the second year.

The award recognizes the Benchmark facility that consistently achieves the highest resident and family satisfaction through surveys.

At the company’s 20th annual awards gala on March 9, The Arbors was recognized over 64 other Benchmark independent living, assisted living and care communities throughout the Northeast.

“At The Arbors we take our mission and values very seriously. Dementia challenges the entire family so it’s important to us that we create rewarding and fulfilling experiences for our residents and their families every day that help keep them connected to each other,” said Wendy Brodie, executive director of The Arbors at Shelburne.

The Arbors at Shelburne is the area’s only dually licensed residential care home and nursing facility.

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Lawmaker explains details of climate action legislation

From the House Rep.

Jessica Brumsted

I have heard from many friends and neighbors about their support, concern and confusion regarding S.5, the Affordable Heat Act. A few weeks ago, the Vermont Senate passed this legislation and sent it to the House Committee on Environment and Energy for further testimony and debate. After talking with my colleagues on this committee, I thought it might be useful to share what I learned in today’s column.

According to a report last month from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “deep, rapid, and sustained reductions” in fossil fuel emissions are needed this decade to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Vermont has set a goal of 75 percent renewable energy consumption by 2032, with 10 percent of that sourced locally. Vermont is not on track to meet this goal.

In 2020 Vermont established a climate council charged with creating a compre-

hensive, equitable plan to lower greenhouse gas emissions as part of the Global Warming Solutions Act. One of the most urgent and compelling reasons for this work was to help Vermonters adapt their lives, communities and businesses to the accelerating effects of climate change. With Vermont’s citizens and small businesses facing a global fossil fuel economy, the climate council has recommended adoption of the clean heat standard, which is the most impactful action proposed in the Climate Action Plan. The intent is to transition Vermont to a cleaner, more predictable, more affordable energy future. The standard requires fossil fuel sellers to reduce emissions created by the fuels they sell.

A clean heat standard is not a new concept. It’s modeled after policies working to reduce transportation emissions in California, Oregon, Washington and western Canada. Colorado passed a clean heat standard law last year and other northeastern states are considering efforts

See BRUMSTED on page 6

Sound wildlife conservation depends on regulated trapping

Guest Perspective

Brehan Furfey

Wildlife conservation is complicated. In Vermont, that complexity is front and center in recent conversations around regulated trapping. Although this topic deserves Vermonters’ careful consideration, I worry that some are losing sight of the conservation benefits that regulated trapping provides.

I am Vermont’s new state furbearer biologist. I earned my master’s degree in biology at Arkansas State University, and I have worked on complex conservation issues across the country, most recently with wolves in Oregon. In each case I have seen knee-jerk reactions overshadow the nuances of effective conservation, often to the detriment of wildlife. I see the same trend playing out, again, as Vermonters argue about trapping without seeing the full picture.

I want to be clear: even if it seems counterintuitive, regulated trapping is a critical wildlife management tool that benefits furbearer populations.

Vermont is at the cutting edge of furbearer conservation. Species like

bobcat, mink and eastern coyote thrive on this landscape, and populations of every species that is trapped in our state are healthy and abundant. Vermont owes much of that conservation success to data collected during our regulated trapping seasons.

Vermont’s trappers are part of a community science system. Samples from our regulated trapping seasons contribute to one of the country’s longest running datasets on furbearers, helping state biologists identify potential threats to both wildlife and humans.

We analyze tissue from fishers and bobcats for potential exposure to rodenticides. We track rabies distribution to measure spread on the landscape and evaluate the success of ongoing control efforts with our partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services. And our collaborators at the University of Vermont use genetic samples from fisher, bobcat, coyote and fox to map furbearer movements across the landscape and to look at the spread of Covid (CoV2) in wildlife populations.

Rep. Jessica Brumsted

BRUMSTED

continued from page 5

similar to S.5. Vermont’s own renewable energy standard similarly requires electric utilities to annually increase the amount of renewable energy in their portfolios.

If S.5 passes, the Vermont Public Utilities Commission will be required to undertake a two-year public process, engaging with fuel dealers, manufacturers, public advocates and citizens in a manner that seeks to ensure those Vermonters and small business owners most likely to be affected are not only part of the process, but influencing the makeup of the standard along the way.

During testimony in the House environment and energy committee, the region’s largest wholesale oil companies were asked what strategic investments they are planning for the next decade. These companies planned investments in solar and wind. Other fuel sellers are augmenting their businesses with investments in selling, installing and maintain-

ing heat pumps and weatherizing homes.

Our smallest fossil fuel dealers, and the Vermonters reliant on them to heat their homes, are in danger of being left behind in this increasingly volatile and evolving global energy market. Inaction threatens to hurt small fossil fuel dealers and their most vulnerable customers.

Passage of the clean heat standard adds predictability and time to a transition that is already underway. The detail and complexity of S.5 requires careful study. This bill sets forth a process for fossil fuel providers to gain credits to offset the impacts of their fuel costs.

Once the study is complete, the Legislature would examine its results and make decisions whether to move forward on any sort of clean heat standard, including the ability for Vermont to meet its electric needs, what kind of backup plans would be necessary, plus much more before legislative enactment of a bill authorizing the

utility commission to adopt any sort of final rules.

The objective of the clean heat standard, as well as other provisions of Vermont’s Climate Action Plan, is to ensure Vermont meets its emissions reduction targets and ensure Vermont businesses and Vermonters are adapting at a pace that leaves no one behind.

Remember, I am available along with Rep. Kate Lalley, and senators Thomas Chittenden and Ginny Lyons on the fourth Monday of every month from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Shelburne Pierson Library community room to listen to your concerns, answer questions and strategize together on important legislative work.

Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale just had a beautiful little girl, so she will not be with us in April. This month the fourth Monday falls on April 24. You can also always find more information on the legislative webpage at legislature.vermont.gov, or reach out to me at jbrumsted@leg. state.vt.us.

Rep. Jessica Brumsted, a Democrat, represents voters in St. George and Shelburne in the Chittenden 5-2 district.

As we consider the role of regulated trapping in Vermont, it is important to understand that there is no alternative way to gather these valuable samples for research and monitoring.

Wildlife cameras cannot collect tissue. Furbearers trapped by professionals for damage or nuisance reasons would not provide a comparably large or diverse sample to that generated during our regulated trapping seasons. Without regulated trapping, state biologists and our conservation partners would lose our ability to gather sex, age and distribution data that are essential for monitoring species like bobcats and otters. We would also lose the ability to detect and respond to emerging wildlife diseases, environmental toxins and habitat loss.

Regulated trapping provides social benefits as well. Many of Vermont’s wildlife conflicts are addressed during our regulated trapping seasons. The animals taken are utilized for food and fur. The costs, labor and rewards of coexisting on a landscape with furbearers are shared by our neighbors.

So, what could it look like for Vermont communities if regulated trapping was outlawed, and

nuisance control trapping was outsourced to businesses?

When regulated trapping was banned in Massachusetts in 1996, the beaver population doubled. Public support for beaver and the valuable wetlands they create declined. The cost for dealing with conflicts between humans and beaver increased dramatically. Towns and highway departments faced bills from $4,000 to $21,000 per year from 1998-2002 to deal with those conflicts. Individual landowners paid upwards of $300 per beaver to have them trapped by nuisance animal control contractors. In many cases animals trapped as nuisances were not used for fur or food.

Of course, Vermonters need to weigh the scientific and social benefits of regulated trapping against understandable concerns about the safety of pets and the suffering of trapped animals.

Recognizing this, the Fish and Wildlife Department is developing new trapping regulations at the direction of the Legislature. In 2022, we worked with a diverse group of stakeholders and drew from peer-reviewed research to identify ways to make trapping safer and more humane. This spring, we will invite public comment on proposed regula-

tions to limit legal trap types in Vermont to the most humane standards based on peer-reviewed research; protect birds of prey and pets from being attracted to baited traps; and create a 25-foot to 50-foot safety buffer between public roads, trails on most state lands and the places where most traps can be set. Once finalized, these regulations should go into effect in 2024.

We believe that stronger regulations to reduce risks are in line with public opinion. Sixty percent of Vermonters supported regulated trapping in a statistically representative state-wide survey last fall. Although Vermonter’s opinions vary regarding different reasons people may trap, 60 percent also supported the right of others to trap regardless of their personal approval of trapping.

As Vermonters consider regulated trapping’s role on our landscape, it is crucial to understand the complexity of the conservation challenges at hand — and the practical solutions the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is working toward.

Brehan Furfey is a wildlife biologist and the furbearer project leader for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

FURFEY continued from page 5

Inaction threatens to hurt small fossil fuel dealers and their most vulnerable customers.

COMMUNITY

Community Notes

Historical society event explores landscape history

On Sunday, April 23, at 2 p.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center, the Chittenden County Historical Society hosts a presentation and nature walk on how to read old forested farmscapes featuring preservationist and landscape historian Samantha Ford.

The presentation will be augmented the following week on Sunday, April 19, with an interpretive field walk at Wheeler Nature Park in South Burlington from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Ford and naturalist Alicia Daniels will illustrate the concepts outlined in the talk and trace 300 years of land use.

Shelburne Farms hosts ‘Urine My Garden’ talk

Join the Rich Earth Institute at Shelburne Farms to learn all about why and how to fertilize your garden with urine on Saturday, April 29, 1-2 p.m.

Reclaiming urine as a fertilizer is a safe and simple practice. By pee-cycling, gardeners can reclaim waste as a resource, access an abundance of free fertilizer and prevent nutrient pollution. Pee-cycling kits for home gardeners will be available for interested participants to take home.

Funding for this workshop comes from the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

‘Wild About Wild Habitat’ with Sue Morse

When it comes to wildlife, photographer and wildlife researcher Sue Morse puts it this way: “If you don’t build it, they will come.” In other words, wild animals need intact, interconnected wild habitat to survive and thrive.

Join Morse as she shares her photos and insights about the wildlife that calls Vermont home, the need for wild habitat and the actions individuals and communities can take to promote wildness. In this online talk on Thursday, April 27, 7-8:30 p.m., Morse will focus on the Champlain Valley — Vermont’s most densely populated region — where opportunities still abound to encourage wild habitats.

To register and receive a Zoom link, go to bit.ly/41edrQe.

Morse has monitored and photographed wildlife since 1977.

The talk is hosted by St. Michael’s College Center for the

Environment and is co-sponsored by Vermont Family Forests, The Watershed Center and Lewis Creek Association.

Camp registration opens for kids with disabilities

Summer in Vermont is just around the corner, and Partners In Adventure offers a one-of-akind summer camp experience for young people with disabilities.

Four two-week sessions for kids over 7 years old are packed with adventures, including sailing, kayaking, outdoor education, crafts and music. The first session will begin Monday, June 26. Base camp this year will be at the Williston Federated Church in Williston, anc camp runs Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3p.m.

More at partnersinadventure. org.

Vermont filmed ‘Antiques Roadshow’ airs soon

“Antiques Roadshow” will air three new Vermont-based episodes from Shelburne Museum on April 24, May 1 and May 8 at 8 p.m., on Vermont Public television.

During the event, 2,893 guests attended the all-day appraisals where they received valuations of antiques and collectibles from specialists from the country’s leading auction houses and independent dealers.

Some highlights from the three Shelburne Museum events include:

• A 1999 Pokémon Card collection, Winold Reiss Morning Star mixed-media art, ca. 1934 and a Raymond Yard platinum and diamond ring, circa 1940. One is valued at $75,000-$100,000.

• A women’s Rolex gold and diamond bracelet watch, an American Girl Barbie and wardrobe, circa 1965 and a schoolgirl needlework, circa 1740. One find is $50,000-$125,000.

• A 1956-1958 Celtics teamsigned photo and basketball, a Buffalo Bill poster, circa 1893 and an Edwardian sapphire and diamond ring. One is appraised for up to $150,000.

Shelburne Age Well hosts Grab

and Go meal

Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, May 9.

The meal will be available for

Gardening with tried-and-true perennials

pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon and are available for anyone 60 or older. Suggested donation is $5.

The menu is lasagna roll-up with tomato marinara meat sauce, vegetable blend, wheat bread, strawberry cake and milk.

To order a meal contact Kathleen at agewellstcath@gmail.com or 802-503-1107. Deadline to order is Wednesday, May 3. If this is a first-time order, provide your name, address, phone number and date of birth.

If you haven’t yet filled out a congregate meal registration form, bring a completed registration form with you or send one to: Age Well; 875 Roosevelt Highway, Ste. 210, Colchester VT 05446. Forms will be available at meal pick up. Learn about restaurant tickets to dine at participating restaurants at agewellvt.org.

VTrans provides more than $4 million grants

The Vermont Agency of Transportation has handed out $4 million in federal funds for municipal grant projects through its Transportation Alternatives Program.

“These projects will enhance and expand the state’s transportation infrastructure,” transportation secretary Joe Flynn said.

“Improvements to sidewalks, bike paths and shared-use paths provide Vermonters more transportation options and improve their quality of life.”

Selected projects this year include:

See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 10

Community Bankers – Chittenden County

Temporary Positions Available

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

There is no better time to join our Team!

Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest banking institution headquartered in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Consider joining our team as a Temporary Community Banker!

Relevant Skills:

• Customer Service

• Cash Handling (we’ll train you!)

Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com

and open to the public.

Invasion of the jumping worms

You may have heard of jumping worms, sometimes referred to as snake worms. Worm castings that resemble coffee grounds on the soil’s surface are likely the first thing you’ll notice.

Jumping worms pose a threat to home gardens, agriculture and woodland areas. Their presence disrupts the soil structure and chemistry, depletes nutrients in the soil and can result in loss of plant vigor or death.

Jumping worms thrash violently when touched. An adult can be up to 8 inches long and 1/5to 1/3-inches wide. Their most distinctive feature is the clitellum, the pale, flat band that entirely encircles its body. By contrast, the clitellum of common earthworms does not extend completely around the body and is darker and slightly raised.

Adult jumping worms don’t overwinter in Vermont, but their cocoons do. The small and difficult to see cocoons hatch in spring when temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Adults will be present in summer, producing more cocoons. As temperatures drop in the fall, adult worms die.

As we add plants, expand garden beds and tidy things up with fresh mulch, jumping worms, in their various stages of life, can arrive in soil, compost, mulch and manure delivered to our gardens. They also hide in the soil of potted plants. The cocoons can easily be moved on the soles of garden shoes.

Unfortunately, there are currently no approved pesticides or other treatments to prevent or eradicate jumping worms. Prevention is the most effective action, and there are several things you can do to limit their presence in your garden.

Any organic materials should be solarized prior to being introduced into the garden. To do so, make a pile 6 to 8 inches high of organic material on a clear plastic sheet, allowing plenty of uncovered plastic on the outer edges. Cover with another piece

of plastic, pull up the edges from the bottom and tuck the upper piece below the bottom to prevent worms from escaping.

Leave the enclosed pile in the sun for two to three days. The internal temperature needs to exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the jumping worms and their cocoons. Materials purchased in plastic bags can be solarized right in the bags.

When ordering plants, shrubs and trees, consider ordering them bare root. If buying potted plants, jumping worms or cocoons may be in the soil. Even when buying plants at annual plant sales of local organizations where the plants are grown nearby, jumping worms and cocoons may be present.

To avoid introducing them into your home garden, remove the plant from its pot and wash its roots. Fill two buckets with water. Remove as much soil as possible, and then submerge the roots in the first bucket of water, gently swishing.

When most of the soil has been removed, inspect the roots for worms or cocoons. Rinse the roots in the second bucket to remove any remaining bits of soil. Repot in fresh soil that has been solarized.

Solarize any soil removed from incoming plants before adding it to your compost or garden. For more information on preventing jumping worms, see bit.ly/3zTqNp4.

Growing from seed or taking cuttings to root are other options that will prevent including jumping worms when adding plants to your garden.

If you do find jumping worms in your yard, you can hand pick and destroy them by dropping them in a bucket of soapy water. While hand picking worms won’t eliminate the problem, it can reduce the number of adult worms present, which will in turn reduce the number of cocoons and future generations of jumping worms.

For more information on jumping worms, see vtinvasives.org.

DEBORAH J. BENOIT UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT EXTENSION

Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM Extension master gardener.

PHOTO BY JOSEF GORRES/UVM DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCE

An adult jumping worm, with its distinctive clitellum — the pale, flat band entirely encircling its body — can grow up to 8 inches long and 1/5- to 1/3-inches wide.

Budding essayists

Shelburne Parks & Rec News

Field hockey camp

This camp is a summer introduction to field hockey for beginners or a chance to practice skills for those who already play with instructor Megan Maynard-Jacob. Players must provide mouth guard, shin guards and a full water bottle. Sticks are available if needed. Registration deadline is Monday, June 19.

The camp runs from July 10-14, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Shelburne athletic fields, 166 Athletic Drive. Open to ages 7-14 for $145 per participant.

Women’s empowerment self-defense

On Wednesday, July 19, the Shelburne Rec Department will host a 2.5-hour beginner workshop on women’s empowerment and self-defense at the Shelburne Town Gym. By adhering to a 5:1 student-to-instructor ratio, the trauma-informed trainings focus

on boundary setting, affirmative consent and relevant sexual assault information, as well as the mental and physical skills of empowerment self-defense.

More information about the program can be found at bit.ly/3GMDmXg. Registration is required. The level 1 workshop requires at least 12 participants and a maximum of 20. The registration deadline is July 10, or when class is full.

The workshop runs from 6-8:30 p.m. and is $55 per person for residents or $65 for non-residents and is open to women and girls ages 14 and up. Girls 12-13 are welcome but must be accompanied by mother or legal female guardian; women 14-18 need a signed permission slip by parent or legal guardian.

See shelburnevt.org/160/ parks-recreation for program details and registration or register at the recreation office with a hard copy and payment of check or cash.

News from Pierson Library

Vermont Day School 8th grader Oonagh Guyer of South Burlington is the winner of this year’s Lincoln Essay contest. Hosted annually by Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln’s family estate, 8th-grade students from across the state were asked to submit essays focused on civil discourse and difficult subjects. The topic of this year’s essay was censorship and the rise of book bans in the United States. In addition to Oonagh’s top place finish, Vermont Day School students Jesse Kim of Burlington placed third. Margot Dator of Shelburne and Parker Wildey of Charlotte were finalists. A total of 198 essays were submitted. On May 21, Guyer and Kim will travel to Manchester to celebrate their accomplishments. From left, Jesse Kim, Parker Wildey, Oonagh Guyer and Margot Dater. Visit hildene.org to learn more.

Multicultural movie series

On Saturday, April 22, from 1-3 p.m. the Pierson Library and Shelburne Equity & Diversity Committee will present “Wadjda.”

This is the first movie directed by a Saudi Arabian woman and is a story of a spunky, independent 11-year-old girl who wants to ride a bike, wears Converse sneakers and loves to compete against her best friend. The film explores

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 7

Hinesburg: Relocation of a sidewalk on the intersection of Route 116 and Charlotte Road.

South Burlington: Construction of a new box culvert near Bartlett Bay Road and a scoping study for a shared use path on Allen Road.

Shelburne: Additional funds for a five-foot-wide sidewalk along an 870-foot portion of Irish Hill Road.

Lions Club holds Thanksgiving food drive

The Lions Club offers residents an opportunity to share their blessings by contributing to a community food drive on Saturday, April 22, at the Shelburne Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lions will be accepting contributions of non-perishable food

topics such as religious traditions and law, but it’s also a study of female empowerment.

National Poetry Month

On Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m., local Poet Jack Mayer will be at the Pierson Library in the Community Room for National Poetry Month. He’ll be reading from his latest book, “Before the Court of Heaven.”

items for the Shelburne Food Shelf. Contributions can be made in the form of food, personal care items or cash. Used eyeglasses and hearing aids, plus new socks for the homeless, are also being collected.

Most needed items include peanut butter, hot cereal packets, canned tuna and chicken, canned soups, stew, chili, spaghetti, rice and pasta helpers, applesauce, cleaning products and personal care products such as shampoo, small soaps, feminine hygiene products and toothpaste.

Check before you donate at shelburnefoodshelf.org.

The Lions Club serves Shelburne, South Burlington, University of Vermont and Burlington (south). For more information call or text Mark Hanna at 978-7640694.

COURTESY PHOTO

Redhawks recap

with Kate Boget going 2-for-3 with a triple at the plate.

Softball

South Burlington 12, Champlain Valley 2: After opening the spring season with a win over Rice, the Champlain Valley softball team fell to South Burlington Saturday, April 15.

Mackenzie Yandow took the loss, giving up six runs on four hits in one inning.

The Redhawks beat Rice, 10-3, on Thursday to open the season,

CVU baseball welcomes female pitcher

Fresh off a stint as the first Vermonter to play with the U.S. Women’s National baseball team, 17-year-old Elise Berger makes her debut as a new pitcher for the Champlain Valley Union High School boys’ varsity baseball team.

Berger, a junior, said her passion for baseball has always been a part of her.

“I’ve been playing baseball as long as I can remember,” she said. “I played T-ball probably when I was 5 or 6 years old and just kind of continued playing since then. It’s just always been in our house, whether it’s on the TV or playing with a little foam ball in the house. It’s just always been part of me growing up.”

Although she had played with the junior varsity team for the high school for two years, being the only girl on the varsity team is a different ball game. However, her time with the women’s national baseball team

— one of 40 girls from around the country — taught her a few things that she thinks prepared her well for the challenge.

“We got to train at Target Field in Minneapolis, and I was able to compete again in Canada, in Thunder Bay, Ontario,” she said. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is just being able to talk with a lot of the other better pitchers. Those women have been playing on the team since I was born and just being able to hear their experiences and learning from them was definitely a big key thing. Then just tiny things in my delivery, which when you add it all together can make a big difference.”

The new head coach for the varsity team and Berger’s middle school coach, Nicky Elderton, said that he only remembers one other female who made the Champlain Valley Union boys’ varsity team, Emily Sackett, in 2009.

“Junior varsity is a little different,” he said. “But for varsity teams, you don’t see a lot of

females playing on the baseball team. It just shows how dedicated she is to her craft and her work ethic just to become the best baseball player possible. At every level that she’s been in, she’s been very successful.”

Although she was the only girl that tried out for the varsity team this year, Elderton said that the point of tryouts is to pick the best baseball players in the high school regardless of any other kind of distinction. It was clear that Berger made the cut.

“We put everyone through tryouts, and we selected the 20 best players at the school,” Elderton said. “We don’t ever look at male or female. We just look for the 20 best baseball players at Champlain Valley Union. It was pretty apparent that she was clearly in the top 20. She has a lot of very impressive skills. She’s an incredible teammate and an incredible athlete to coach.”

See BERGER on page 12

Juliette Chant threw a complete game and allowed three runs on six hits.

Boys’ lacrosse

Champlain Valley 12, BFA-St. Albans 2: The boys’ team moved to 2-0 after beating BFA-St. Albans on Friday, April 14.

Peter Gilliam paced the Redhawks with six goals, while

See REDHAWKS on page 12

Community Bankers – Chittenden County

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What NSB Can Offer You

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Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com

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PHOTO BY JENNA HISCOCK/USA BASEBALL

Elise Berger pitching for the U.S. Women’s National baseball team last summer.

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SALES EXECUTIVE

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Community Bankers - Chittenden County BUILDERS I MAKERS I DOERS

There is no better time to join our team!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest banking institution headquartered in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Are you looking to start or continue a career in the finance industry? Consider joining our team as a Community Banker!

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This frontline position is crucial in creating a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience for NSB customers. The successful candidate for NSB customers. The successful candidate will have exceptional customer service and communication skills.

The Community Banker will be responsible for receiving and processing customers’ financial transactions as well as opening and maintaining customer accounts and services. We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain relationships with our valued customers, protect bank and customer information, and uphold customer confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent is required. If you have customer service, previous cash handling, or banking experience we encourage you to apply!

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REDHAWKS

continued from page 11

Jacob Bose and Conor Malaney each tallied two.

Ryan Boehmcke and Calvin Malaney each added a goal and Harper Anderson (two saves) got the win.

Baseball

Champlain Valley 7, Rice 6: Champlain Valley earned a comeback win over Rice on Thursday, April 13, in high school baseball.

The Redhawks scored five runs over the final three innings to complete the comeback.

Stephen Rickert got the win in relief, pitching two innings and giving up just one run on three hits. Kyle Tivnan had an RBI and scored, while Russell Willoughby went 2-for-4 with a double.

Girls’ ultimate Frisbee

Montpelier 11, Champlain Valley 7: The girls’ ultimate frisbee suffered two losses in the first week of play, falling to Montpelier on Thursday and Burlington on Wednesday.

BERGER continued from page 11

Her father, Chris Berger, explained that although he was really involved with his daughter in Little League, there was never any push on his side for her to love the sport.

“We’ve just tried to support her whatever she’s wanted to do,” he said. “I think first and foremost, these things have to be fun. We’re fortunate that we live in a community where there’s never been an issue about her playing baseball.”

Although she has dabbled in other sports like basketball, she hopes to continue playing baseball

In the 11-7 loss to Montpelier, Grace Thompson paced the offense with four goals and Ella Polli and Teryn Hytten each added a goal.

In a 14-7 loss to Burlington on Wednesday, Stella Ewald led the team with five goals and Thompson chipped in two goals and two assists.

Boys’ tennis

Champlain Valley 5, Rice 2: The boys opened their spring season with a 5-2 victory over Rice Thursday.

The Redhawks are 1-0 to start the year.

Girls’ tennis

Champlain Valley 7, Rice 0: The girls’ tennis team opened the season with a sweep of Rice on Thursday.

Cassie Bastress, Anna Dauerman, Tabitha Bastress, Erin Fina and Sage Peterson all earned straight set wins in the singles matches for CVU.

Stella Makay and Eliza Willoughby teamed up for one win in doubles, while Maya Vander Els and Kennedy Desautels wrapped up the win with another doubles victory.

Boys’ ultimate Frisbee

Champlain Valley 15, Colchester 3: Champlain Valley easily handled Colchester Wednesday, beating the Lakers 15-3 to start the season.

Girls’ lacrosse

Champlain Valley 17, Essex 5: Champlain Valley has gotten off to a good start in girls’ lacrosse, beating Essex on Tuesday and St. Johnsbury on Friday, April 7. Emerson Rice led the way for the Redhawks, scoring a hat trick and dishing out two assists. Stella Dooley, Bibi Frechette, Amelie Scharf, Tess Everett, Dicey Manning and Grace McNally each tallied twice for CVU. Clare Stackpole-McGrath had five stops in goal.

in college and with the national team as well. For now, she’s just excited for warmer weather and the team’s season opening win on April 13 against Rice Memorial High School.

“We came back from 5-0, and we ended up winning 7-6,” Elderton said. “It’s a special group that we have this year. I’m really excited to see what the season holds for us.”

Berger’s father said that the experience of playing baseball, oftentimes on an all-boys team, has never been a struggle, but

instead has always been something that encourages her to push her abilities to the next level.

“We started to joke she’s almost one of the guys,” he said. “She’s always been treated the same as everybody else, and that’s all you can actually ask for, right? She doesn’t get cut any slack because she’s a girl, but she also gets the same chances and opportunities and that’s exactly what you want for anybody, just for them to be able to do what they can do based on their hard work and ability.”

PHOTO BY AL FREY

Brian Rutherford heads down field in a 12-2 win over BFA-St. Albans April 14.

IRISH HILL PATH

continued from page 1

needs final reviews within VTrans, along with document amendments to reflect both the original and now the new grants and then determining the best time to go out to bid.”

Since this project has been in the works for much longer than originally anticipated, one possibility involves the town going to bid in late summer with the hopes of getting the 500-foot path phase of the project done this year and wait to do the bridge until next year. However, Krohn advised the selectboard that it is much more efficient to simply wait and go to bid all at once in January of next year.

“We haven’t yet been able to put it out to bid because these kinds of grant programs are very complicated in all the steps that are needed,” he said. “Of course, with materials

RABIES BAIT

continued from page 2

costs have escalated dramatically in the last year and a half. We’re hopeful that we may have close to enough money to actually get this done.”

Although Krohn had hoped to see this project through, Shelburne’s incoming town manager will take the reins on the project, among others, come June.

“No one has wanted this project to actually get built more than me. I’ve been trying to get it done for several years now,” Krohn said. “It might actually be 2024 construction, given the time for VTrans review, going out to bid, and suddenly it’s summer and contractors are all committed for the year. But taking the long-run view, it’s now more possible than it was before to get it done, and patience may be rewarded at last.”

The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

Buying Sports

Bob & Jessica Trautwine

Cell/Txt: 802-233-1451 • Office: 802-497-1681

Hyperreliccards@gmail.com • hyperrelic.com

The Town of Shelburne has two openings for team-oriented Truck Driver / Laborers. These full-time positions are responsible for operating trucks and equipment to maintain Town roads and properties and working as laborers on Town projects.

One position has an immediate opening; the other position will have a July 1st start date. A commercial Driver’s License or the ability to obtain one within six months is required.

Complete job description is available at https://www.shelburnevt. org/237/Human-Resources.

For information or to apply, contact Nini Anger at nanger@shelburnevt.org. Equal Opportunity Employer

saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal.

ANTIQUES WANTED

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

SHELBURNE DAY

continued from page 4

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food vendors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

face painting. Towards burne-Hinesburg head to the Fire Golf Ball depending land. Proceeds Rotary’s

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

You don’t want to have mundane tasks hanging over your head, Aries. Try to check as many of them off your to-do list this week as you can. This will free up a lot of free time.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Taurus, you may be planning a much-needed vacation at the present time. Figure out a place you’ve never been and then ll your itinerary with plenty of fun things.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

You likely will have to devote a lot of attention to practical matters in the days to come, Gemini. This includes taking a hard look at your spending and making cuts.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, the coming week will be a busy time for social opportunities. Other people will want to be around you as you can be the life of the party when you come out of your shell.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Don’t be surprised if your energy level is high this week, Leo. This leads to you feeling restless at home and even at work. This could be a ne time to take up a hobby.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, you may be looking forward to an evening out with a romantic partner or close friends. Try to narrow down a day this week or next. Have a few restaurants at the ready.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Take advantage of some free time to get things done around the house, Libra. Cleaning or other home improvements should be a priority.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

There’s a lot of activity expected close to home, Scorpio. A new business may open or there could be a movie star who is spotted in town. Maybe you’ll get new neighbors.

SUDOKU

Here’s How It Works:

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must ll each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can gure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

The thought of nancial prosperity has you scouring the recruitment sites this week, Sagittarius. Speak to others about the pros and cons of leaving your current job.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Capricorn, you are surrounded by positive energy and eager to be out and about with friends this week. Start exploring all of the possibilities around you.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

This may be a good week to devote a large chunk of time to being alone Some time with just your thoughts and a little silence could be everything you need.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Pisces, discussions at work could get a bit heated. It’s best to distance yourself from these situations as best as you can.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Dylan and Marley are two

5. Makes healthy

10 The Who’s “O’Riley”

14. Side sheltered from wind

15. Flat-bottomed sailboats

16. Egyptian supreme god

17. Advice

18. Mass of small, loose stones

19. Online learning services provider

20. “Lords” in Northwest Semitic languages

22. Of she

23. A place to relax

24. Critical and mocking

27. Consumed

30. You get one in summer

31. Bath

32. Luxury automaker

35. Spiders spin one

37. Guy (slang)

38. Greek personi cation of Earth

39. Large instruments

40. Domestic cattle genus

41. Appetizer

42. Oil group

43. Where to put groceries

44. Speak incessantly 45. Popular color

46. A place to sleep

47. Make fun of

48. Former CIA

49. Salts

52. Bleated

55. Never sleeps

56. Sword

60. Water (Spanish)

61. Cyprinids

63. “Dark Knight” actor Christian

64. Fictional demon

65. Old World lizard

66. The content of cognition

67. Makes a mistake

68. A way to make wet

69. Tide

CLUES DOWN

1. One-liner

2. Evergreen genus

3. College in Rome

4. Prevents from seeing

5. Cycles/second

6. Mischievous child

7. Less common

8. Honorably retired

9. Midway between south and southeast

10. A confusion of voices and other sounds

11. Bony sh genus

12. Type of pear

13. Egyptian cross

ANSWERS

21. Satis es

23. Founder of Babism

25. Bar bill

26. Chicago ballplayer

27. Performer

28. Hairpiece

29. Partner to owed

32. Aircraft formation

33. You have 3 per day

34. Goes into

36. College athletic organization

37. Wet, muddy ground

38. Talk

40. Witty conversation

41. Gurus

43. “French Price of __ Air”

44. Sports equipment

46. Try to get

47. Flower cluster

49. Sea dwellers

50.

for the program, there is a one-time match fee of $60 to $500 depending on income.

Ric Cengeri, the communications and outreach specialist for the program, explained that the average length of a match is somewhere around 19 months, but the longest couple has been matched for 17 years — a testament to the targeted compatibility matching the HomeShare team strives to achieve.

“We don’t move particularly fast, because we’re trying to create these compatible matches. So the average length is about a year and a half. So the idea is, if someone’s going to open their home, we want to do as much background work as we can to find somebody who could really be a good guest with them.”

Of the 74 recent home share matches, 46 are in Chittenden County where median rent prices top more than $1,250 a month, according to housingdata.org. The average rent price for a HomeShare guest is $340. Although the average age of a home sharer is 70, ages have ranged from 28 to 98.

“The cost of finding housing in Chittenden County is extremely high. The availability is extremely low right now,” he said. “So we hear from people every day who are having difficulty

finding housing.”

Apart from hoping to remedy some of the problems found in such a tight housing market, Bergeron also explained that this organization often benefits people who can’t stay in their homes because the expenses, the death of a spouse or a variety of other reasons.

“It matches people with people and it creates in many cases, sort of a little family,” she said. “I just had somebody say that to me. She’s been in her match for a year and the woman who opened her home up said, ‘I have a new friend.’ They do things together like go to a movie, they go shopping, whatever. That doesn’t always happen, but that’s really nice when it does happen.”

Along with six full-time employees, the organization relies heavily upon eight dedicated volunteers, like Bergeron, who work closely with the case managers and advocates to help manage new applicants, resumes and interviews. Along with vetting guests and hosts with intense background and reference checks, the team places a significant emphasis on compatibility with HomeShare acting as the agent between hosts and guests.

“The one thing we will not do is just give somebody a name and a number and say, ‘You want to

live in Addison County? Here are the people down there, give them a call,’” he said. “We don’t just send somebody out to someone’s home, a case manager is there to facilitate the conversation. The first thing we do is try to establish really compatible matches. That’s the tricky part.”

Because of the efficiency of the process, Cengeri emphasized that the organization does not do emergency housing.

“There’s a two-week trial. You maintain your current residential situation, you pack a suitcase, move in with someone, see how it

goes. And if the two of you both agree to move to the next step, then a formal match is created,” he said. Cengeri said that during the height of the pandemic, the program saw a significant drop in applications, but as COVID19 numbers in the state decrease, applications are ramping back up and people are looking to fill the void of social isolation that many experienced over the past three years.

Recent data analysis done by the team shows that 50 percent of those sharing their home reported they would not be able to live

safely and comfortably at home without a home sharer, while 80 percent of people feel less lonely and 73 percent say they feel happier.

“The social isolation that people experienced, this really fills that need for people to just have someone there in the evening,” he said. “Guests aren’t required generally, to hang out all night with someone, they have their lives but that presence of having someone there sharing their days, talking to each other, eating meals together, really does have a very positive effect on both hosts and guests.”

KAREN PIKE PHOTO

HomeShare Vermont staff from left, Joyce Touchette, Kathy Johnson, Kirby Dunn, Anne Farley, Ric Cengeri and Amy Jelen.