Vermonters Warming Up to Advanced Wood Heating • Page 8

D ecember 20, 2018

to
J anuary 9, 2019

25th Anniversary Issue

IN THIS ISSUE: What’s Meant the Most to Me at The Bridge
Pg. 4: Busing Eyed for Main
by Nat Frothingham
Street Middle School

Pg. 10: Holiday Blues and
Winter Depression
A bout two or three years ago I was interviewed at radio station
WDEV by longtime owner and broadcaster Ken Squier. Midway
through the interview, Squier asked me a question I had to ponder 25th Anniversary Articles
deeply. “During all my years at The Bridge, what had meant most to
me?”

Pg. 11: Local Businesses
That Give
U.S. Postage PAID
I paused to consider his question. Then it was all clear. Pg. 13: Revisit of First Article
What had really given me the most pleasure during my time at The
Bridge was seeing writers—often young writers who never imagined Pg. 14: Montpelier by the Numbers
they would break into print—get their work published in The Bridge.
From time to time, we’ve seen some stunning stories from young, first- 1990 vs. 2018

Permit NO. 123

Montpelier, VT

time writers, or from writers who have published before but keep on
PRSRT STD
ECRWSS

writing and suddenly produce a memorable story.

Pg. 15: 25 Years of The Bridge Covers
On December 4, 2014, The Bridge published what we now remember
as the “Passion Issue” of the paper. Our aim with that issue was to
spotlight people in our community who had found and pursued a Pg. 16–17: Timeline of The Bridge
passion that often gave meaning to and changed their lives. Passion is a
wonderful thing, and discovering a passion can change a life.

The first of these people was Lucas Wilson, then a sixth-grade student Pg. 18: A Picture of Hope
at Fayston Elementary School. Interestingly enough, we celebrated
Lucas not for his writing but for his photography. He had taken a photo
of an agitated, roiling stream in winter crashing through some cakes of Pg. 19: A New Media Landscape
ice. We loved his photograph, and it became the cover of our “Passion
Issue.”
Pg. 20: Rememberances of The Bridge
Writing under his photograph, Lucas said, “My name is Lucas, and I
love photography. This passion started last year when I heard about
Montpelier, VT 05601

the Vermont Drinking Water Photo Contest. I ended up winning the Pg. 21: Things to Do with The Bridge
contest. And I’m very happy that I won.”
P.O. Box 1143

Since its beginnings, The Bridge has been a fragile project. Often we
The Bridge

have faced crises. From time to time we have lost high-performing—

Continued on Page 12

We’re online! montpelierbridge.com or vtbridge.com

PAG E 2 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 3

Congratulations to Renee
Lagala, winner gift certificate
to Sarducci's from The Bridge.
Many thanks to Sarducci's and
to all the community members
who responded to The Bridge
Reader Survey.

Advertise in the NEXT ISSUE:

Advocates
and Activists
In Circulation January 9–22
ALL AD MATERIALS AND AD SPACE
RESERVATIONS DUE FRIDAY, JANUARY 4.
For more information about advertising deadlines,
rates, and the design of your ad, contact

Rick McMahan • 802-249-8666

rick@montpelierbridge.com

Nature Watch by Nona Estrin

Fundraising Campaign
Watercolor by Nona Estrin

K
ick myself outdoors, slow down, take a breath and watch....wait....
even just for a minute, on foot, on skis, on the way to the car. This
is the darkest time, and all life feels it. Our sense of what is solid Five months into our $50,000 Bridge to the Future campaign, we are
in life is based on it. Soon the days will begin to lengthen, the cold will
deepen for weeks, before the season here begins to turn again. almost 1/2 of the way to our goal. Thanks to all those who have already
given.
Bridge Community Media, Inc. Please send your potentially tax-deductible donation to:
P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601 • Ph: 802-223-5112 Friends of The Bridge, P.O. Box 1641, Montpelier, VT 05601.
Editor in Chief: Mike Dunphy
Managing Editor: Tom Brown
Publisher Emeritus: Nat Frothingham You can also donate online at www.montpelierbridge.com/make-a-donation/
Copy Editor: Larry Floersch
Calendar Editor: Marichel Vaught
Layout: Sarah Davin, Marichel Vaught
Sales Representatives: Rick McMahan
Distribution: Sarah Davin, Amy Lester
Board Members: Chairman Donny Osman, Jake Brown, Phil Dodd, Josh Fitzhugh, Larry Floersch, Greg
Gerdel, Irene Racz, Ivan Shadis, Tim Simard, Ashley Witzenberger
Editorial: 223-5112, ext. 14 • mdunphy@montpelierbridge.com
Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, Stone Science Hall.
Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by mail for $50 a year. Make out your check to The Bridge,
and mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601.
montpelierbridge.com • facebook.com/thebridgenewspapervt
Twitter: @montpbridge • Instagram@montpelierbridge
PAG E 4 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
Busing Proposed for Main Street Middle School
S
tudents at Main Street Middle School (MSMS) in Montpelier would no longer have to
navigate traffic and icy sidewalks and their parents would no longer have to explain why
they were late for work if a plan to provide busing is approved as part of the 2019–20
school budget in March.
The plan to add two bus routes at a total cost of about $120,000 is included in the budget
proposal now being considered by school board members, who must finalize the spending
plan before it goes on the Town Meeting Day ballot. The proposal is among very few
additions to the annual spending plan, which in year two of the merged Montpelier-Roxbury
district would rise about 2.7 percent. The budget process has just begun and not all the state
data is known so the impact on the school tax rate is not yet known.
Also included in the initial $23.7 million budget proposal are requests for a full-time human
resources specialist to assist the more than 200 district
employees and a full-time social-emotional learning
coordinator to train and support staff members in
addressing what school officials say is a rise in behavioral
issues in the schools. Increased personnel costs, such as
health insurance, along with debt service make up the
rest of the 2.68 percent increase in spending over the
2018–19 level. Unlike many Vermont school districts,
Montpelier’s enrollment is rising and will see an increase
of more than 100 students by the 2022–23 school year,
projections show.
Parents have pushed for middle school busing for many
years as a way to improve safety for students, to ease
traffic congestion around the Main Street building, and Montpelier School Superintendent Libby Bonesteel and district business
to provide options for parents who sometimes sacrifice manager Grant Geisler. Photo by Tom Brown
employment opportunities in order to get their kids to
and from school.
Community Support
New Superintendent Libby Bonesteel, when hired went last summer, went on a literal and
figurative “road show” to meet with the community and listen to their wants and needs. The
lack of middle school bus service was a common refrain, she said.
“One of the things that came up pretty much from nearly everyone was transportation for the
middle schoolers,” said Bonesteel, who also has a child in the school system. “Many parents
By Tom Brown
who I spoke with were talking about how they were making career decisions based on whether
or not they could get their kids to school.”
One of those parents, Carrie Stahler, took Bonesteel on a road trip around the district, where
she saw the distances students had to walk and how some routes lacked sidewalks. Walking
from areas such as Towne Hill Road, out Route 12 toward Northfield, far up Berlin Street,
down lower State Street and elsewhere poses risk for students who walk, supporters say, not
to mention our capricious weather conditions.
“In the outside reaches of the city, they are not walkable,” Bonesteel said. “I wouldn’t allow
my child to walk there, and I don’t expect any of our children to. It’s a major safety issue for
me as superintendent.”
Stahler and other parents wrote letters to school board members and district officials
encouraging them to include busing in the budget and
launched an online petition that garnered more than 200
signatures.
“I am fortunate that my employer is very supportive of my
childcare needs, but many parents don’t have that luxury,”
said Stahler, who has two children in Union Elementary,
which provides busing, and lives off Towne Hill Road
where sidewalks are inconsistent.
Jim Hutton, parent of an eighth-grader who won’t benefit
from middle school busing if it is approved, has been
lobbying for the service for years. The new administration,
he said, has been much more receptive than previous ones.
“There are so many reasons that this makes sense,” he said.
“The amount of money is relatively small for the positive
impact it will have for the community.”
In addition to safety and socioeconomic benefits, supporters
of busing say the service will ease traffic in the downtown core during busy commuting hours
and theoretically reduce environmental impact. Hutton estimates that a parent driving his
or her child to and from MSMS over their grades 5–8 years makes 1,400 trips in and out of
town.
“I don’t think that makes sense in a city that is trying to get to net zero (energy use) and a
city that consistently supports busing for residents in the downtown core (through GMTA),”
Hutton said.
Bonesteel stressed that parents should not be concerned by the addition of middle schoolers
to the bus routes.
“School systems do that all across Vermont,” she said. “The bus company (Student
Transportation of Vermont) works with the ages of the students. The kindergarten kids sit up
front and the older students sit toward the back.” Buses also have monitors on board.
Paying for the Buses
The busing proposal would add bus routes to the three currently used to bring students to
Union Elementary School. A total of five buses would carry K–8 students to and from both
schools, shortening the routes, said Grant Geisler, the district’s business manager. That would
increase the district’s total bus fleet to seven, including the bus that serves Roxbury Village
School and the bus that carries Roxbury students to Main Street and the high school.
Geisler said the $120,000 price tag will be mitigated as the state reimburses schools for 40
percent of their transportation costs, but there is a two-year lag in payment. Therefore, the
district’s cost would be reduced to $72,000 over time. The district will also receive a six-cent
tax decrease in FY 2020 as an incentive for merging under Act 46 requirements. However,
that is deceiving because it received an eight-cent decrease last year under the state’s system
that reduces the incentive by two cents each year until gone.
The impact of the merger with Roxbury is also lessening as tuition paid for Roxbury students
in grades 9–12 who were already attending other high schools phases out. The district budgeted
for 26 students in FY 2019 but has been billed for only 18. Next year it is budgeting for 12.
The administration presented its budget proposal to the school board on December 5 in Montpelier
and on December 19 in Roxbury. The next budget discussion will take place January 2 in
Montpelier. The board will ultimately determine the final amount to be put to voters in March.
Design Your Own Budget
The municipal budget season has also begun with a base budget proposal of $14.3 million,
which represents a 2.7 percent increase over FY19 (see City Page).
City officials left it to the City Council to decide on a menu of additional spending options
and gave them a cool tool to help. The city manager’s office created an interactive Excel
spreadsheet that allows users to choose from a list of funding requests and see the impact
on the tax rate,
The tool will soon be linked on the city’s website, enabling the public to play the budget
“game” as well.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 5
New Bike Path Work Is Underway on Barre Street
T
he eastern end of Barre Street in Montpelier
has been a busy place in recent months.
In addition to the construction of the new
Caledonia Spirits distillery, there has been rerouting
of railroad tracks and a ribbon of orange tape
stretched along the existing tracks and an inactive
railroad spur that extends along Old Country Club
Road, where installation of a new bike-path-related
culvert is getting started.
This activity is a sign that, after decades of talk
and planning, preliminary work has begun on a
nearly 2-mile section of bike path—part of it to be
paved—that will run from the end of the current
bike path at Granite Street to the Central Vermont
Memorial Civic Center ice rink on Gallison Hill Road.
Construction of the path—recently named by the city as
the Siboinebi Path, based on an Abenaki term meaning
“river water”—should be in full gear by next summer and
completed by October 31, 2019, according to Tom McArdle,
director of the Montpelier Public Works Department.
The bill for the project, including permitting, engineering,
legal fees, payment for rights-of-ways, and construction
costs of $4.7 million, adds up to $6.5 million. The federal
government is paying $5.27 million toward the project,
the state is paying $580,000, and the city is kicking in
$650,000 via two approved bonds, McArdle said.
At its eastern terminus, the bike path will eventually
connect to a new segment of the Cross Vermont Trail. At
the western end of the new path, users will travel onto the
existing bike path along Stone Cutters Way. But changes
are coming to the route going west from there.
The official route will turn north from Stone Cutters Way
to Barre Street, along the side of the recreation building,
then head west along the north side of Barre Street
(potentially eliminating as many as 17 parking spaces)
before reaching the intersection of Barre and Main streets.
McArdle said the city will conduct a robust public process
before any final decisions are made about the shared-use
route along Barre Street. He noted that residents and
businesses, as well as the Senior Center and the Recreation
Department, may have concerns about the loss of parking.
Another piece of the puzzle is the busy intersection at Barre
and Main streets, which the path will have to cross to reach
the new bike/pedestrian bridge over the North Branch
currently being built as part of the separate transit center
Siboinebi Path
project on Taylor Street.
The Barre and Main intersection, graded “F” by the state,
is the subject of a study conducted for the city by the
engineering firm of DuBois & King. McCardle said the
final report will not be finished until later this winter, but
a preliminary draft recommends “signalization,” with a
traffic light at the intersection and lights to indicate when
a train is coming.
If a traffic light is installed, the city may be able to make
use of new video-based “adaptive technology” for that light
and other nearby traffic signals that would monitor vehicle
back ups and keep traffic moving, McArdle said.
Another possibility for the intersection that will appear in
the report is a roundabout, but McArdle said that would
be more complicated, especially with the train tracks that
run across Main Street near the intersection.
The construction of the 2-mile stretch of bike path will
mark a milestone for McCardle, who has been involved
with planning the project since the city received a grant
20 years ago. At one time, the path was going to travel
into Berlin and eventually to Barre, but that plan has been
abandoned for now.
Among other challenges the city has encountered is working
with the Washington County Railroad, owned by Vermont
Rail System, according to McArdle. For example, an earlier
alternative route that would have run by Sarducci’s was
nixed due to limited space and the refusal of the railroad
to reduce or change its right-of-way.
The city also had to do a complete redesign of the project
when it became apparent the railroad was not willing to let
the path travel along the inactive rail bed it owns, according
to McArdle. The redesign, which will require building
By Phil Dodd
more retaining walls, is just as well, he said, as the
railroad says it could reactivate that railroad bed at
any time. The staked orange ribbons were erected to
show the location of the right-of-way.
Two possible uses for the inactive rail bed that runs
along the bottom of Sabin’s Pasture and out along
Old Country Club Road are to lay down tracks to
store railroad cars or turn it into the main route
to Barre, which would avoid two bridges over the
Winooski that the railroad currently uses, McArdle
said.
The redesigned bike path will now travel along Old
Country Club Road itself. McCardle said the city
plans to build eight parking places near where a house now
exists on the road, and then discontinue the road there (the
path will continue beyond that). The house, the only one
on the road, was purchased by the city in a foreclosure sale
and will be torn down this winter, he said.
Next summer will also see the beginning of a three-
year construction project to build a section of the Cross
Vermont Trail from the end of the Siboinebi Path at the
Civic Center to U-32 High School, back down to the
Winooski River near the hydro dam, and then parallel
to Route 2 toward East Montpelier, according to Greg
Western, executive director of the Cross Vermont Trail
Association (CVTA). It will be separated from the high-
speed traffic of Route 2 to make it safer for children and
others, he said, and steep portions will feature switchbacks
to make the trail accessible to bike riders and pedestrians
of all abilities.
The 5-foot wide path will be made of compacted crushed
stone and is being managed for non-motorized uses,
Western said. A federal grant of over $1 million will
cover 80 percent of the project, and CVTA has raised
$200,000—with another $50,000 to go—to cover the
cost of a new bridge and other expenses, he said. Most of
the work on the trail will be done by volunteers and youth
conservation groups, which is why it will take three years
to complete the work, Western said.
“When we are done, the bike path won’t end at the civic
center, you’ll be able to keep going,” Western noted.
Eventually, the plan is to use a patchwork of existing paths
and roads to extend the Cross Vermont Trail across the
entire state, from Lake Champlain to the Connecticut
River. For more information, see crossvermont.org.
Cody Chevrolet Congratulates
The Bridge On 25 Years of Business!
PAG E 6 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
A Message From City Hall
This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.
Budget Choices
I
wish everyone a very happy and peaceful
holiday season. I hope that each of you
have the chance to enjoy the many
offerings here in our small city. In addition
to shopping and gift wrapping, city officials
have been busy working on the annual
budget.
Guidelines:
The Staff Leadership team prepared a
budget that maintained the municipal
property tax rate within the 2.5 percent
consumer price index. Key elements of the
budget consideration were:
• Budget must reflect the City Council’s
strategic plan.
• Must continue planned funding for
capital and equipment needs.
• Must deliver responsible levels of service
to the residents of Montpelier.
Assumptions:
For tax rate planning purposes, the budget
assumes an independent ballot item for
the Kellogg-Hubbard Library at their new
requested amount. The budget does not
assume any other external ballot funding
requests. Additionally, the budget assumes
that the Water/Sewer/CSO Benefit charges
will remain at the present level. No
assumptions have been made about the
School Budget or Education Tax Rate. A
slight (0.5 percent) increase in grand list was
assumed.
Property Tax Impact:
• The net result of revenues and expenses is
that $9,688,342 in property tax revenues
are required for the municipal portion
(non-school) of the budget. This is an
increase of $269,523 or 2.9 percent over
FY19.
• Requires a 2.6 cent (2.3 percent) increase
in the property tax rate. This follows a
0.5 cent (0.25 percent) increase in FY14,
a 1.5 cent (1.6 percent) increase in FY15,
a 2.4 cent (2.5 percent) increase in FY16,
3.1 (3.0 percent) increase in FY17, a 2.7
cent (2.6 percent) increase in FY18 and
a 2.5 cent (2.4 percent) increase in FY19.
For the average residential property, this
tax rate represents an additional $57 on
the tax bill.
Budget Numbers:
• FY20 General Fund Budget totals
$14,322,823, which is an increase
of $373,054 (2.7 percent) from the
comparable FY19 spending plan. This
increase is primarily composed of $51,211
in Capital/Equipment and $280,524 in
personnel costs. Those two items total
$331,735. All other combined items in
the budget are only $41,319 higher than
FY19.
• FY20 General Fund non-tax revenues
total $4,574,481, which is an increase of
$103,421 (2.3 percent) from FY19 non-
tax revenues.
• Revenues from the State of Vermont
such as Highway Aid and Grand List
Maintenance funding have been assumed
by William Fraser, City Manager
to remain at their present funding levels.
Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) was
adjusted to reflect actual collection in
FY19. Local Rooms, Meals and Alcohol
tax revenues were included based on
actual collection history and trend.
• Grand list value is calculated at 0.5 percent
increase from the FY19 level. With the
projected grand list, $87,264 represents
one cent on the tax rate.
Infrastructure:
• The Capital Projects, Equipment and
Debt Service Program is funded at
$2,400,000. Of this $1,201,945 is in
annual funding, $683,005 is in existing/
projected debt service and $515,000 is for
equipment. This represents an overall
increase for these combined items of
$51,211 (2.2 percent).
• The Capital/Equipment Plan anticipates
an additional increase of $50,000 in
FY21 in order to bring funding levels to
a projected steady state of maintenance
and improvements and accommodate the
new bond proposals. After FY21, we will
consider annually adjusting equipment
and/or capital funding consistent with
CPI.
Personnel:
• Total number of Full Time Equivalent
Employees (FTEs), is 116.25, which is 4.2
FTE more than FY19. Added positions
are 1.0 Police officer, 1.0 Dispatcher, 1.0
Tree management, 0.5 Finance clerk, 0.5
Assistant to City Manager (these last two
were adjusted during FY19) and 0.2 net
DPW. (DPW positions are not new, these
are reallocated from other funds).
• Cost of living allowances and step
increases are built into all employee
wage and salary accounts consistent
with collective bargaining agreements
and personnel policies. For this budget,
that represents a 1.5 percent contracted
adjustment for Police, 2.25 percent for
Public Works, and 2.0 percent for Fire
Union employees and a 2.0 percent
adjustment for all non-union employees.
Overall wage costs are up by 5.6 percent
in this budget. This number is higher than
simple pay adjustments because it includes
the additional positions referenced above.
• The budget continues the high-
deductible health insurance plan that was
implemented five years ago. Thanks to
favorable health insurance and worker’s
compensation rates, the overall benefit
costs are reduced 0.2 percent in this
budget.
Operating:
• As with prior years, many lines have been
held tight stay within fiscal guidelines.
Operating expenses are up by $50,035
(1.8 percent). Department operating
budgets are now very tight after multiple
years of reductions.
• Police: This budget adds an additional full
time Police Officer. The Police budget
continues the contractual relationship
with Capital Fire Mutual Aid System
for dispatching services. This provides
additional revenue and improved services
for Montpelier. An additional 1.0 dispatch
position is funded, in part, through
overtime efficiency and increased revenue.
School Resource Officer shared with
school is included. The Police Department
continues sharing administrative support
with the Fire Department.
• Fire & Emergency Services: Paramedics
continue being successfully integrated
into the department.
• Planning, Zoning & Community/
Economic Development: The Planning
& Development department budget
has been left largely unchanged. They
have been implementing the new zoning
regulations, beginning work on a new
Master Plan and trying to keep up with
an increased building permit/inspection
demand.
• Public Works: DPW staffing and
operating budgets remain comparable
to FY19. They are focusing heavily on
implementing the stormwater master plan,
the Montpelier in Motion transportation
plan, and overseeing major projects such
as One Taylor Street and the new Parking
Garage.
• Government Services: The Finance and
Manager department staffing remains
unchanged from its current levels. Two
positions were each expanded by 0.5
during FY19. Longer term planning
around future retirements is underway.
A new full-time Facilities and Energy
Director position has been added but will
not be filled until April of 2020, meaning
that only 0.25 funding is in this budget.
• Community Justice Center budget includes
all funding for all programs with
commensurate revenue offsets. There is
no net property tax funding projected.
• Community Services. The budget continues
implementing the Community Services
department plan, which consolidates work
between the Senior Center, Recreation,
and Parks/Tree departments. The
combined tax appropriations for these
three functions are increased by $69,481
from FY19. This increase is mostly due to
the addition of a full-time staff position
for Tree management, largely driven by
concerns about the Emerald Ash Borer.
Other Services:
• Funding for the Housing Trust Fund is
increased from $60,000 to $75,000.
• The Montpelier Community & Arts Fund
is increased from $115,500 to $124,500.
• Community enhancements funding,
including Montpelier Alive and MEAC,
remains at $41,600.
• $100,000 to the Montpelier Development
Corporation to implement the Economic
Development Strategic Plan is again
included.
• $60,000 in funding for the Downtown
Improvement District is shown in the
budget as both expense and revenue.
• The GMT circulator bus route remains
at $40,000.
• The budget includes funding for the
monthly Montpelier Bridge article.
Items Not Included:
While developing the budget within the
financial target, several items were given
substantial consideration but are not part of
this proposal. Some of these may appear in
future budgets.
• Funding for Central Vermont Public
Safety Authority
• Funding for 55 Barre Street improvements
or new Community Center
• Funding for LED street lighting in
downtown
Other items have been identified as priorities
by the City Council and will be under
consideration during the budget process.
• Housing Trust Fund $75,000
• New Parks Position $55,000
• Art Synergy Project $50,000
• Facilities Director all year $75,000
• Montpelier Alive $10,000
• Citizen Survey (3 year funding)
$5,000
These items represent a combined $275,000
or 3.2 cents (2.9 percent) if fully funded.
Fiscal constraints continue to conflict
with desired goals and increasing service
demands. This budget maintains direct core
services while enhancing infrastructure,
energy efficiency, and public safety priorities.
Process:
The City Council is holding a workshop on
January 2 and Public Hearings on January 9
and 24. There is an interactive spreadsheet
on the city’s website that allows people to
select budget choices and see the tax impact
of those choices.
Thank you for reading this article, your
interest in the budget, and in Montpelier
city government. Please feel free to contact
me at wfraser@montpelier-vt.org or
802-223-9502 with any questions or
concerns. I wish you the happiest of
holidays.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 7

Settling in for
the holidays
with grandma.

Photo by
Lorenza Fechter
PAG E 8 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
Vermonters Warming Up to Advanced Wood Heating
By Mike Dunphy
S
ince high-grade Austrian wood pellet boilers first
began arriving in Vermont about 10 years ago, they
have grown significantly in popularity, providing
ever increasing amounts of supposedly carbon-neutral
heat to Vermont homes and buildings, with 85 systems
installed statewide in 2017, the highest amount yet on
record.
These are not the simple, compact pellet stoves that heat
living rooms and bedrooms around the state, but state-
of-the-art systems dubbed “advanced wood heat” (AWH)
by proponents such as Ansley Bloomer, assistant director
of Renewable Energy Vermont, and Emma Hanson,
wood energy coordinator of the Vermont Department of
Forests, Parks and Recreation.
“It’s literally just like any other fuel type,” says Bloomer,
with a delivery truck that pulls up and delivers the fuel
to either a storage bin or silo to be automatically fed
into the boiler as needed and free of the heavy lifting,
muscle straining, or constant cleaning associated with
traditional wood stoves, fireplaces, or pellet stoves. Just
turn the thermostat on the wall, as you would with oil,
propane, or gas.
Technological improvements in advanced wood heating
in the past decade have put its energy efficiency at
85 percent or more, on par with the most up-to-date
gas and oil systems. One example is the inclusion of
“turbulators,” which plunge up and down the heat
exchanger cylinders to keep the point of contact between
the hot flue gas and water free of particulate matter and
ash, thereby maintaining the heat transfer rate. Systems
now also come with thermostats that can read weather
forecasts and adjust accordingly.
The economic benefits of AWH are also improving,
according to supporters. They point to the wildly
fluctuating cost of oil to start with. “Who knows how
much a gallon of oil will cost next month,” Bloomer
asks, “let alone next year. With advanced wood heating,
you know that your fuel is going to stay the same and
will help save more money over time.”
The data does seem to bear this out, with the price of
heating oil per gallon in Vermont bouncing between
$1.79 and $4.04 since 2012, according to the U.S.
Energy Information Administration. Propane in the
same time period ranged between $4.36 and $2.84
per gallon. Pellets on the other hand, show much less
variation in price, with the current price of about $235–
$290 a ton little different than the $247 average per ton
in 2012 or $294 in 2015.
“We track fuel prices and the amount of oil and propane
that is replaced with wood pellets for the 164 boilers
we’ve helped install in the region,” points out Maura
Adams of the Northern Forest Center, “and switching
to pellets has generated $3.5 million in economic benefit
for the region. Plus, the homeowners, businesses, schools,
and municipalities that switched have saved more than
$200,000 thanks to the stable cost of wood pellets.”
It goes without saying that the economic benefit of
advanced wood heat also extends to the many workers
who keep the industry going, most of whom are local,
from harvesters to millers to deliverers. With fossil fuels,
78 cents of every fuel dollar leaves the state.
But the greatest benefit of AWH to proponents is the
“carbon-neutral” (or “low-carbon,” “carbon-beneficial,”
or “carbon-better” in the literature) element of the
energy. The basic argument is that whatever carbon is
released by burning the wood will be reabsorbed by the
trees growing back.
A case study can be found in a report, “A Summary of
Carbon Emission Impact of Modern Wood Heating in
Northeastern U.S.,” by the Biomass Energy Resource
Center, a program of Vermont Energy Investment
Corp. While a total short-term gross emissions of a
biomass boiler plant and “upstream” supply chain
activity (basically all the carbon released in the process
of producing and transporting pellets) accounts for
214.8 pounds of carbon dioxide per one million British
Thermal Units (MMBtu)—compared with 165.5
pounds per MMBtu from burning heating oil—forest
regrowth sucks 90 percent of it back in over 20 to 100
years, making a sum total of 29.58 pounds—an 82
percent reduction in the long term.
Continued on next page.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 9
Vermont Warming Up to Advanced Wood Heating
A second important element to this formula is in the type
of carbon produced, with fossil fuels considered “geologic”
and wood “biogenic.” “The easier way to look at it,”
explains Adam Sherman, a manager at Biomass Energy
Resource Center, “is that oil is a really old biomass that
took a hundred million years to convert from organic
matter to dense carbon stored below the surface of the
Earth over a geologic time period.” When released, they
take a one-way route to the atmosphere.
“Forests, on the other hand, are constantly emitting and
absorbing carbon,” Sherman adds. “There are times and
stages in forest growth where they’re sequestering more
carbon than they’re emitting. But that carbon then gets
released when they grow older, or a pest comes in, or a
windstorm or a wildfire. And then they’re releasing more
than they’re absorbing. So while there’s more carbon
emitted per unit of energy from the wood system than
an oil system, you can’t really compare them as apples to
apples.”
So why not just burn only fossil fuels, don’t chop any trees,
and let the forest absorb that carbon? “The forest will
eventually emit carbon, so you won’t achieve any offset.
So then it’s hands down, wood heating, if it’s displacing
a fossil fuel, is an incredibly effective long-term carbon
emission mitigation strategy,” Sherman said.
Furthermore, the existence of a pellet industry, which
draws on low-grade wood in Vermont, helps maintain the
health and growth of the forests. Having healthy markets
for both high- and low-grade wood is essential to forest
health, Hanson emphasizes, noting the current low-grade-
wood market crisis in Vermont after the collapse of the
paper industry. “Without the pair it is impossible to carry
out a sustainable forest management plan. The majority
of forest land in Vermont is privately owned, and when
landowners can’t make a small income off of their forest
land that’s when we start to see forest fragmentation and
development. Wood heat represents one solution to this
low-grade-wood market crisis.”
Harvesting wood responsibly also helps Vermont’s forests,
particularly when low-quality, damaged, diseased, dying,
or other trees are removed. “You’re stimulating more
growth and vigor of the remaining trees by opening up
the canopy and allowing more sunlight and nutrients and
water to the remaining trees,” explains Sherman. Healthier
forests sequester more carbon and add value to future
timber value so that 20 years from now they’ll be worth
more as timber products than they would otherwise.
Vermont certainly has plenty of forest to keep healthy,
too, and is nowhere near its allowable harvest. “Vermont
is 76 percent forested, and we are currently harvesting less
than half the net growth in the forest,” explains Hanson.
In other words, the forest grows each year twice as much
as is being harvested, be it high-grade wood for carpentry,
or low-grade wood for wood chips, pellets, and the like.
The key, however, to achieving this carbon-neutral
effect is that forests indeed be managed ecologically and
sustainably—and therein lies the rub. If they are not, then
the end result can be greater environmental devastation
than fossil fuels. This has been borne out in the mega pellet
plants in the South, where producers such as Enviva—
the United States’ largest exporter of wood pellets—for
example, have been charged with clear-cutting ecologically
sensitive bottomlands. They are not alone.
Andy Boutin, general manager and founder of Pellergy (an
advertiser in The Bridge) stresses the sustainability of the
industry in Vermont. “We have to separate that style of
pellet manufacture with what happens in the Northeast,”
he explains. “I would even broaden that to include all of
New England and even Quebec. Every pellet that comes
out of Quebec now is sawmill residue. So they are actually
using waste product that would otherwise be left to rot or
decompose.”
Vermont’s lone pellet producer, Vermont Wood Pellet
Co., also claims sustainable practices, focusing on “local
softwoods from Vermont woodlands that have a Forest
Stewardship Plan administered by Vermont County
Foresters and overseen by the Vermont Agency of Natural
Resources,” according to the website.
While softwoods do grow back faster, and thereby re-
absorb carbon faster, it’s somewhat too simplistic for
Sherman, in part because the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, the foremost entity looking at climate
change and policy, looks at everything on a 100-year life
cycle—plenty of time for hardwood trees to grow back.
Other important reasons for a preference for softwood
are that it’s easier to debark and there is a lack of a good
market for softwoods in the area, making the price
cheaper. “Does it make a good pellet? Yes,” says Sherman
confidently, “but is it the only type of feedstock that is
sustainable? Absolutely not.”
Thanks to the success of AWH, Vermont Wood Pellet Co.
can’t come anywhere near to meeting local demand, with
more than 90 percent of pellets used in the state coming
regionally from Quebec, New York, New Hampshire, and
Maine, but also from as far away as British Columbia.
That’s led some AWH advocates such as Sherman to
push for a “Heat Local” slogan, and possibly even a label
on locally produced pellets—just as they appear on food
products. “We want people to be mindful of where their
BTUs come from in the same way that people are mindful
where their food comes from,” he says.
Just asking that question is step forward to achieving
carbon-neutral energy, Sheman believes. “What’s
interesting about wood heating is that it actually creates an
opportunity for people to ask that question,” he explains.
“Nobody calls their oil dealer and says, ‘You know that
500 gallons you delivered to my house yesterday, was
that Venezuelan or Saudi oil, or Alberta tar sands? Where
did that come from and who made it?’ But when we buy
pellets, we do ask that question. It gets people thinking
about their energy consumption and where it comes from
and how it was produced.”
PAG E 10 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
Battling the Holiday Blues and Winter Depression
by Richmond Scott, Outpatient Clinician, WCMHS
W
inter came early to Vermont this year. It arrived with unseasonably cold and
snowy conditions. For many Vermonters this was welcome news. Ski areas
opened with fantastic conditions for skiers and riders, and folks were enjoying
cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the woods. For others, the shortening days, cold
weather, and gray skies were unwelcome bearers of lowered moods and feelings of sadness
and hopelessness.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression, is an issue that many
people grapple with. As much as 10 percent of the population in areas such as Vermont,
those that lie in the northern latitudes, can be affected by it. Seasonal Affective Disorder
expresses itself as major depression, which is something that many people grapple with
throughout the year and is one of the leading mental concerns in America. Depression is
generally defined as a period of two weeks or longer in which there is either depressed mood
or loss of interest or pleasure that results in clinically significant distress or impairment in
social and occupational functioning. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that
6.7 percent of all U.S. adults and 12.8 percent of adolescents suffer at least one episode of
major depression.
It is hypothesized that SAD is triggered by the reduced amount of available sunlight, which
causes alterations in circadian rhythms and disruptions in the neurotransmitters that help
regulate emotions. A lowering of vitamin D levels resulting from a lack of sunlight is also
something to be considered when addressing SAD. Low levels of vitamin D have been
implicated in lowered mental functioning and might be linked to higher levels of depression.
Vitamin D levels can be checked with a blood test administered by a physician if this is a
possible concern.
Furthermore, for some people the bleakness of the winter days can trigger existential anxiety.
Looking at the seasons through the lens of the cycle of life, winter represents the seasonal
equivalence of death. The plant life has retreated, the leaves have fallen from the trees,
and the world outside doesn’t feel welcoming and safe. This reality of winter can lead to
experiences of heightened anxiety and increased feelings of sadness and worry.
Add to this the stress of the holiday season, and for many Vermonters, what appears a festive
time of year can feel bleak and hopeless. Taking a walk down State Street in downtown
Montpelier one will be greeted by wreathed light posts, festively decorated storefronts, and
sparkling lights. People are out and about with family and friends, shopping, sharing a meal,
or perhaps enjoying a hot cup of cocoa.
Some people find the holidays to be a time of warmth and community connection, and they
revel in the season. However, for some people it can be a reminder that they don’t share in
this community and family holiday experience. Perhaps they live alone, or their families are
some distance away. “Human beings are inherently and biologically social beings and we
tend to struggle when isolated. For many people the holiday season highlights this feeling of
aloneness,” says Margaret Joyal, director of Washington County Mental Health’s Center for
Counseling and Psychological Services.
Also, financial stress can become elevated as families struggling to make ends meet might
feel guilt at not being able to provide a materially abundant holiday experience for their
loved ones. Perhaps difficult memories of past events that are linked to the holidays might
get triggered and cause people to have hard emotional experiences around this time of year.
There are also people who don’t celebrate Christmas and might feel left out and alienated by
a holiday that is so encompassing of the mainstream American culture. Whatever the reason,
for many people the holiday season can trigger strong feelings of loneliness and sadness.
It is important to remember that sadness and loneliness are natural human experiences. In
the context of the holiday season and the winter season it is understandable why many people
would find this a difficult time. Remember that if a person is having difficult feelings during
the winter or around the holidays, it doesn’t mean they are clinically depressed. They might
be experiencing the painful feeling of having the “winter blues” or the “holiday blues,” which
are not clinical mental health diagnoses.
If you or someone you know is facing these issues, there are many things one can do to
help reduce the difficult feelings associated with these experiences. “We’re social beings and
connecting to other people, even strangers, can be helpful during difficult times such as the
holiday season,” says psychotherapist Jessica Wright.
Volunteering to help at a community soup kitchen, helping with a toy drive, or getting
involved with other community or church groups can help foster the felt sense of human
and community connection. Reaching out to family and friends can feel challenging when
anxious or lonely but can prove a valuable way to connect. Also, if you know someone who
you feel might be struggling with depression, reaching out to them is an important and
caring step.
If you think that you might be in need of additional support please contact Washington
County Mental Health Services at (802) 229-0591.
Rocque Long
Painting
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802-223-0389
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 11

Local Businesses that Give Back to Their Community

By Sarah Davin

G
iving and sharing are fundamentals that we learn as children, but how often do Feed a Family Program through Hunger Mountain Co-op.
we remember and practice these as adults? According to Dr. Brett Steenbarger, Photo courtesy of Hunger Mountain Co-op
professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at SUNY Upstate Medical
University, in his December 2017 article for Forbes magazine, the action of giving
is like a muscle that needs to be exercised or it will be lost. He writes, “In the spirit of ‘use it
or lose it,’ we build the traits that we exercise and express. When we fail to actualize traits,
these atrophy. Over time, that means we can become more or less giving, more or less loving,
more or less engaged with the well-being of others.”
Thankfully, the spirit of giving is alive and well in the Central Vermont community—in
the streets, shops, markets, and homes, but also the offices and boardrooms of some of the
region’s largest businesses. The Bridge pays tribute to four local large companies that flex their
giving muscles to the benefit and betterment of the community.
Hunger Mountain Co-op
Since the program’s beginning, National Life has awarded $500,000 to schools and school
The Co-op has long been committed to sustaining a vibrant and healthy community, with employees.
particular attention paid to the Montpelier Food Pantry. “The impactful work the food
National Life has featured some of its nominees on the The Today Show, and profiles
pantry does with supplying emergency meals to individuals and families in our community
of every nominee are created and displayed on the LifeChanger of the Year website:
supports that mission,” said Stephani Kononan, senior manager of community relations
lifechangeroftheyear.com. If you would like to nominate an educator in your life, do so by
and marketing. For each reusable bag that someone uses at Hunger Mountain, the Co-op
December 31.
donates a nickel to the food pantry. Since the program was launched in 2016, the Co-op has
donated $25,294.60 to the food pantry and replaced 505,892 paper bags. Vermont Mutual
The Montpelier Food Pantry is only one of many nonprofits the Co-op supports. Each Vermont Mutual established its Giving Fund in 2014 to honor the contributions of three
month, the revenue of its “Give Change” program goes to a selected area organization. If Vermont Mutual presidents: William H. Brooks, Thomas J. Tierney, and William A.
you would like the cashier to ask you about rounding up your purchase, you can sign up at Catto, and since then, the fund’s contribution has tripled. Vermont Mutual favors causes
hungermountain.coop/give-change. that promote education, help Vermont’s youths, and satisfy basic needs such as housing and
food. Some recipients of the Vermont Mutual Giving Fund have been Camp Ta-Kum-Ta,
National Life
The Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, The Vermont Foodbank, the YMCA of Burlington,
National Life’s “LifeChanger of the Year” award honors teachers, principals, and school staff and The Vermont Futures Project.
members who make a difference in their school communities. The company created the
Vermont Mutual says it is especially proud of its involvement with Habitat for Humanity,
recognition program in 2011, with the goal of highlighting the good work that happens in
not only financially, but with on-site projects where employees assisted with construction
schools around the country and reward the nominated educators and employees. The grand
efforts. Thomas Thamm, Vermont Mutual’s communications specialist, elaborated,
prize winner receives an award of $10,000, with $5,000 of it going to the individual and the
“Affordable housing remains an important subject throughout the state and we were very
other $5,000 to the winner’s district or school. Four other grand prize finalists receive $5,000
pleased in recent years to have been able to support [them].”
to be also be split 50/50 between the individual and the school.
Vermont State Employees Credit Union (VSECU)
VSECU empowers Vermonters through multiple small programs, focusing on the basic
needs of Vermonters—food, shelter, heat, financial literacy, and the environment. In
winter, the dollars become all important to the recipients of the “Fuel Your Neighbors”
campaign, which supplies emergency heating to those in need.
“This is Fuel Your Neighbors’ third year and we are very excited to see our fundraising
goal go up,” said Rachel Feldman, public relations specialist. As of December 15, Fuel

Recycle
Your Neighbors had reached $25,405 of its $100,000 goal. When you donate to Fuel Your
Neighbors, the donation will be doubled thanks to support from VSECU. To donate to
Fuel Your Neighbors, go to fuelyourneighbors.org.

THIS PAPER!
PAG E 12 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
What’s Meant the Most to Me at The Bridge
even indispensable people—who left The Bridge often for better money and benefits
elsewhere. We had such a crisis in June 2011. We were without a managing editor and
looking hard for a good replacement. But there was no such person available.
Just at that moment, when things looked grim, Marisa Keller and Rachel Rudi, both
college students on a summer breaks appeared at our door. And throughout the
summer of 2011, the two became our editorial team. One of our first projects was an
“A through Z”—al fresco through ziplines—guide to summer in Vermont. Marisa
and Rachel traded off in writing A through Z entries and there were other entry
contributors as well.
Marisa’s entry for “E” was “Entomology,” which began this way:
“Why study bugs?” Marisa asked, speaking to Chip Darmstadt, executive director of
the North Branch Nature Center. “They’re very accessible,” Darmstadt replied.
Rachel wrote the entry for “F” about the Fresh Air Fund. Rachel started off by
quoting from a Fresh Air Fund press release, “Imagine summertime without making
s’mores, playing in the backyard or gazing at the stars.”
Writer Marsha Barber interviewed Bryan Pfeiffer on “B” for “Birding,” and began her
entry with a quote from Pfeiffer: “‘I’m sort of a nature evangelist, nature guide, author,
essayist, teacher, photographer, and popular leader of bird-watching tours.”
As a way to get a handle on summer, the A to Z project—really a response to a crisis—
was a total delight.
As part of the January 18, 2018, issue of The Bridge, intern Adam Blachly, a recent
graduate of U-32 High School, wrote a memorable story about a short visit he and a
few other recent high-school graduates took to the West African country of Senegal.
Continued from Page 1
Blachly’s story was published at a time when here in America there were many
gratuitous attacks on people of color and people from faraway lands.
In his story, Adam described how as an American visitor he was welcomed by the
people of the village of Temento Sama in southern Senegal. He described what it
was like when he first met his host “mom,” what breakfast was like. He went on to
describe an evening ritual:
Another ritual I came to love was the evening star-gazing. Every night, after supper, my
family and I would lie on the outdoor bed and stare up at the clear and crisp array of stars.
As we lay, the kids from the neighboring huts would join us. Sometimes we’ d all look for
shooting stars and compete to see who could spot the most. Sometimes we’ d talk and laugh
and listen to music playing off my host sister’s flip phone. Other times we’ d just lie there,
look up, and enjoy the coolness of the night air, the whir of field insects, and the collective
moment.
I believe that almost anyone who can talk can also write. I also believe that writing—
not unlike reading—is a valuable way of thinking. When someone writes, and their
writing is published, they begin to reach a larger audience. When we start to write
as children, we are writing for ourselves and our parents and sometimes our teachers
and fellow classmates. But when our writing is published, we are writing not just for
a larger audience but for readers who might be perfect strangers.
Just think of the excitement and affirmation that comes from writing and publishing
and finding an audience. I’ve seen this happen with writers, and when it happens, it
always gives me great pleasure.
Nat Frothingham was co-founder, publisher, and editor of The Bridge through June 2018.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 13

Printed December 1993

Montpelier’s Newspaper is Born

by Nat Frothingham

I
n this, the birth of a Montpelier newspaper, I feel a resurgence of community life. I see a common
resolve to take responsibility for our own lives, for the lives of our families, neighborhoods, and
everything that happens in the city we call our home.
This is what we want from The Montpelier Bridge. Free the seed of a bold idea, and out of the meetings,
discussions, phone calls, letters, acts of organization, and finally from the generous advertising support that
has followed, we want the emergence of a community newspaper that celebrates the spirit and diversity of
life in Montpelier.
Just this past June, New York Times writer and columnist Tom Wicker visited Montpelier. He was at the
Statehouse, speaking to a planning meeting of the Vermont Commission on Democracy. Toward the end of
his talk, Wicker reflected on newspapers and the revival of local news, and he told us about a local paper he
had come to know as a boy growing up in eastern North Carolina.
Splashed across its masthead were these words: “The only newspaper in the world that gives a damn about
Jacksonville, North Carolina.” We might well tear a page from that paper and say about The Montpelier
Bridge, “The only newspaper in the world that gives a damn (let’s say an exclusive damn) about Montpelier,
Vermont.”
It was Montpelier resident, writer, and attorney Phil Dodd who first gave public voice to the idea of a
Montpelier community newspaper. Phil proposed this idea in the February 1993 newsletter of the local
community group, Montpelier 2000.
Some weeks later I joined my friend Don Pfister for a long drive down to New York City. We talked in the
car. And at some point during the journey, I said to Don that I felt Montpelier needed its own community
newspaper. Don told me about Phil Dodd. Phil and I were soon in touch. Later, there were conversations
with Mason Singer and Irene Racz. By April, a cycle of meetings has begun. These meetings continued to
May and June and throughout the summer in small and large groups.
We formed a provisional board of directors. Serving on this board were Morgan Brown, Phil Dodd, Nat
Frothingham, Steve Larose, Nickki Parker, Don Pfister, Dan Renfro, and Nancy Shultz. Then we were
incorporated . By this fall, Bernie Folta, who had been with us almost from the beginning, had signed on as
the first of our rotating editors. We were ready to plan a first issue and a Montpelier community newspaper
was being born.
Editor’s note: This is an abbreviated version of the original article.

Editor’s Note By Mike Dunphy

W
hen The Bridge launched its first issue in December 1993, I was deep in the
Dantean pit that is Poughkeepsie, New York, as a freshman at Marist College.
It was there that I received the first email of my life. It came from a close friend
and was an exciting moment until our circle of friends realized the exact same message
was sent to everyone. How angry we all were at the manufactured quality of it and lack of
personal touch.
Those were naive days.
Twenty-five years later, as editor-in-chief, I find myself once again pursuing those ever
dwindling, analog ideals. Indeed, I’ve seen very few of them in my 12 years inside the
publishing world, as everything submits to the Hungry-Hungry-Hippo scramble for clicks
and eyes. In that world, sacrificing a sacred cow is not only the norm, it’s great business.
Against this, The Bridge remains a true unicorn. The demands of data-driven news and
algorithm analysis do not determine the content of each issue. Instead, we carefully
consider what stories will provide the greatest benefit to the community and advance the
conversation of the issues most vital for Central Vermont. And for each story, we stick the
gum to our shoe and pound the pavement as we did 25 years ago.
This comparative purity of the journalism is reason number one why I am proud to serve
as editor of The Bridge and something I vow to preserve as best I can on the road ahead.
Thank you for joining us on this 25-year adventure. And here’s to 25 more!
PAG E 14 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE

Montpelier By The Numbers:

1990 vs. 2018
Compiled by Kevin Casey, Community Development Specialist at the City
of Montpelier Department of Planning and Community Development
The Bridge has witnessed a lot of change in Montpelier during its 25 years.
Below is a snapshot—in raw numbers—of how much (or little) the city has
changed since 1990, the nearest to 1993 reports are available from Vermont
Housing Data and the U.S. Census Bureau.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 15

25 Years of Covers
PAG E 16 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE

History of the Bridge: 25

The board of directors vote to On October 3, Th
A first issue of The Montpelier privatize the paper by selling The publishes its long
Bridge hits the street. Bridge to Jake Brown and Nat ambitious issue e
Frothingham. salute to the City

The Montpelier Bridge board of directors The Bridge inaugurates “Horizons”, a

discuss the paper’s mission, its frequency supplement devoted to arts, leisure,
of publication, and a proposal to hire an and dining out with Edith Zfass as its
editor. editor.

The Bridge discusses an upcoming At a November 7 community supper

fundraising campaign to ask its readers at Christ Church Parish Hall, The
to donate to the paper “to assist us in our Bridge celebrates the paper’s 10th
plans to secure an office.” anniversary.

December Summer April March July October November March June December November September October Septem
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 200

After experimenting with not

The Bridge board of directors names The Bridge over the summer, Th
Jake Brown, managing editor, and Nat reverses course and decides to m
Frothingham, publisher. paper to all households in Montp

After December 2002, The Bridge starts

Mason Singer of Laughing Bear publishing twice a month, with papers
Associates design firm gives The Bridge that hit the street on the first and third
and new and improved design. Thursdays.

After a
The Bridge announces it will take
The Bridge applied for and outline
classified ads beginning in March
received a $2,000 UVM EPIC paper a
2000.
PROJECT grant. paper.
 T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 17

5 Milestones in 25 Years
he Bridge, On January 20, The Bridge publishes
gest and most After an intensive search for a new
its first of what was to become an
ever, a 48-page managing editor, Mike Dunphy joins
almost annual Health & Wellness
y of Montpelier. The Bridge on Dec 4.
issue.

In its August 30 issue, The Bridge in a

notice to readers, shared the news that The Bridge takes note of its 20
a trusted employee of the paper had years of continuous publication
embezzled a significant amount of money by publishing a (16-page) 20th
from The Bridge. Anniversary Supplement.

On January 20, both the Vermont In the January 22 paper, The Bridge
House and Vermont Senate pass a reported staff members and friends of the
resolution to congratulate The Bridge paper had gathered close to 700 signatures
on the 15th anniversary of its founding. to petition the city for an appropriation to
benefit The Bridge.

mber August March January January November January September December

2018
January January December
06 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

mailing It is announced that ownership of

The Bridge The Bridge moves to new offices at The Bridge would be transferred to
mail the Vermont College of Fine Arts. a community-owned, not-for-profit
pelier. organization.

Carla Occaso makes her first

The Bridge, under the leadership of
appearance as managing editor in the
managing editor John Walters, starts
masthead of the paper’s November 6
publishing weekly.
issue.

a community meeting, The Bridge

es that it will continue to be a free Bob Nuner comes aboard as general
and in the near future, a monthly manager of The Bridge.
PAG E 18 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE

OP-ED A Picture of Hope

By Jake Brown

A
couple of weeks ago, a group of 60 or The reverse was also true—many of the newer
so people who’ve been associated with Jake Brown and Nat Frothingham in 2008. Bridge people needed introductions to founders.
The Bridge since its founding a quarter Photo by John Walters (“Hey, current editor-in-chief Mike Dunphy,
of a century ago gathered at Vermont College meet Bernie Folta, the editor of the very first
of Fine Arts to have their picture taken. The issue in 1993,” which, by the way, was laid out
gathering was unpretentious, heartwarming, and with paper on boards, then driven to the printer
delivered, to me at least, a strong shot of hope in a car.)
and optimism. Before we knew it, photographer John Lazenby
We spent less than an hour together, but the set the flash, climbed a step ladder, and began
social gathering/smile-for-the-camera moment to record the moment. We laughed, we smiled,
was full of plenty of geniality. Importantly, I also we fooled around with funny gestures for the
felt an undercurrent of deep resolve. People are camera.
proud to have been involved in the paper. And Key founder and long-time editor of the
they still believe in it, maybe more than ever. paper Nat Frothingham offered brief words of
This part, really, did not surprise me. I was recognition and thanks, and it was a wrap. After
surprised by other things, though. There was a all, at The Bridge, as at any newspaper, there is
diversity of people— ages, interests, backgrounds, always another deadline looming, more work for
perspectives. Also, the event drove home for me (in a way I’d not realized until then) these committed individuals to do. It’s grounded, important, and humble work, but it’s
how many different caretakers the paper has had over the years. Many of these people work. Oh, boy, don’t we know it after 25 years.
had never met. Some of the founders, for example, had never met those who carried Jake Brown was one of the early participants in the development of The Bridge and served as
the paper through the 9/11 attacks, or the move to a “for-profit” model, or the 2008 its managing editor for several years. He currently serves on The Bridge Board of Directors.
recession, or the shot at going weekly, much less through the appointment of today’s
Board of Directors and the new fundraising arm of the paper, Friends of The Bridge.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 19

A New Media Landscape

By Tom Brown

W
hen The Bridge was launched in 1993, there were more people in the
sports department of the Burlington Free Press on a busy Saturday than are
employed in its entire newsroom today.
To say the Vermont media landscape has changed in the past 25 years is like saying
Donald Trump is prone to hyperbole. While we often packed a dozen or more
editors, reporters, and clerks into tight quarters during my decade-plus there, today
the Free Press has 15 editorial employees named on its website. That’s roughly 75
percent fewer than in 1993.
The post-great-recession reality that led to drastic layoffs and corporate consolidation
in the print newspaper industry also hit broadcast news organizations such as the
venerable WCAX, whose “Vermont’s Own” moniker no longer applies.
This is not to point fingers at the Free Press, its owner Gannett, or Channel 3 and
Gray Television, both of which do their best to provide local news regardless of
staffing. Yesterday’s business model in which advertisers paid the freight for news
gathering while generating huge annual profits for shareholders is largely obsolete,
but while the income streams have changed, the need for honest, independent
reporting has never been greater.
While not ideal for readers and incredibly disruptive to the journalists and their
families struck by sudden job losses, the contraction of newsrooms created an
opportunity for innovation. That void was filled by alternative projects such as
VTDigger, whose tenacity and free, all-digital reporting has served Vermonters in
ways we probably don’t even realize.
Likewise Seven Days, Vermont Public Radio, WDEV, and a handful of semi-daily
or weekly regional publications press on in defense of the First Amendment, keeping
an eye on public officials, comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.
As with most any worthwhile enterprise, it takes money to do this important work.
As a small, independent, nonprofit, local news operation, The Bridge still relies on
print advertising and much less so on subscriptions for the majority of its support.
We don’t do pledge drives; we don’t clutter the print product with appeals; we don’t
load our website (which needs a serious makeover) with pop-up ads and solicitations.
This time of year—the giving season—your mailboxes, physical and digital, are full
of requests for donations to many worthwhile causes, from animal rescue to veterans
care to domestic violence to environmental preservation, and on and on.
We hope you think The Bridge is also worth supporting. As we’ve all seen over the
past few years, journalism is essential to a healthy democracy and denigrating it, the
policy of tyrants. And it’s at the local, grassroots level that it often makes the biggest
difference.
Please do consider a tax-deductible donation or a yearly subscription for yourself, or
suggest it to others who care about keeping free, local, and independent journalism
in the heart of Vermont.
We all benefit when we shop locally, act locally, and read locally. Thanks for 25 years
of community support.
PAG E 2 0 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE

Remembrances of The Bridge

I n 25 years, a lot of editors, writers, photographers, graphic designers, salespeople,
bookkeepers, and carriers have passed through the offices of The Bridge.
A few have survived to tell the tale and share them here.

Bridge Beginnings
By Bernie Folta—editor, first two issues
In the summer or early fall of 1993, at one of the public meetings to start a Montpelier
community newspaper, a consensus emerged to call it “M” (Montpelier “M”). But not
long afterward—and out of nowhere—some participants started calling it The Bridge.
That name stuck, and as the masthead used to say for a number of years, “Connecting
Our Community.”
I don’t remember exactly how I fell into becoming the editor of the first issue in
December 1993—whether I tripped or was pushed. The core group included the
founders, Nat Frothingham and Phil Dodd, as well as Jake Brown, who was heavily
involved in the early days. Phil sold many of the ads, convincing businesses to sign on
sight-unseen (and pay up). The printer could be paid (yay!). Nat wrote a piece for the
front page informing the community about their new local newspaper.
Steve Larose, also in at the beginning, had a professional computerized graphic arts
setup, and he handled the layout and pagination. I remember well the “production
path.” The stories and photos came in, some on paper and some electronically, but as I
recall, all on deadline. Then the word-processed, edited copy flowed from me, on the
3 1/2-inch square hard-shell diskettes of that era, over to copy editor Jim Wallace, and
then on to Steve and over to the printer. The Bridge hit the street before Christmas;
people’s dreams had become real.
The time came quickly to produce another issue, but nobody was stepping forward
to be the editor, so I did it again. Thereafter, as intended and planned, The Bridge
moved to having rotating editors from the community. There was plenty of literary
and editorial capability in town to handle this. In at the beginning and in those early
days, Nancy Schulz was a significant ad salesperson, helping our “pressling” survive;
she also wrote.
However, after a few years, the original community-published model reached its limits
of sustainability, and Nat and Jake took over, giving the paper a more solid continuity.
And when Jake stepped out some years later, Nat Frothingham, as many people know,
took over as publisher and editor and led The Bridge forward through thick and thin
unto the present. I would say the term “labor of love” aptly applies.
Image by Edith Zfass and Mat Doyle
On this 25th anniversary, then, congratulations! Congratulations to Nat, but also to
everyone who has supported, contributed, and participated over the years and in any
way helped The Bridge reach this milestone. And may it have 25 times 25 years more!
Giving Birth at The Bridge
By Edith Zfass—editor, 2000–2004
Nat and Jake were seeking an editor, someone hip, younger than 35, who hailed from
Montpelier. Under 35? Moi? A remote chronological challenge. I didn’t fit the bill—not
even close. So then what happened to their editorial criteria for the launch of Horizons?
Out the window without even a parachute. I bludgeoned those two remarkable men
into believing that doing without me was unthinkable. Miraculously, I got the job.
A tsunami of frenzied activity enveloped me 24/7. The clock ticked way too fast, as
a whirlwind of writing, editing, activities, and decisions swirled around me. Finally,
miraculously, the paper was put to bed; When the “Horizons” arts section was finally
launched, I felt as though I had given birth. Eventually, the child became a mature
adult and fixture in the life of the arts and culture of Montpelier and surrounding areas.
Gratefully during its tenure in The Bridge, Horizons broadened, enlightened, and
enriched the horizons of my own life, as well. While Horizons was eventually earmarked
to a special place in journalistic heaven, I am thankful, indeed, for the privilege of these
many years of my warm and close connection with Nat, Jake, and The Bridge.
A Community Newspaper Lives On
By Phil Dodd—founding member, 1993–1995; Friends of The Bridge Advisory
Board, 2015–2016; Bridge Community Media Board, 2017–present.
My first memory of The Bridge is meeting Nat Frothingham for a cup of coffee at the
old Horn of the Moon restaurant to hatch a plan for a volunteer-driven, nonprofit
community newspaper. We made some calls, put up some posters, and before long had
gathered 10 or 15 people who stepped up to help launch our first issue in December
1993.
Twenty-five years later, after a long hiatus when I was not involved in the paper other
than writing an occasional article, I am back serving on the board of Bridge Community
Media, Inc., the nonprofit that took over ownership of the paper from Nat a year ago.
I’m struck now by how much community support the paper had in the beginning and
still has now. We have 10 volunteers on The Bridge board and four volunteers serving
on the board of the Friends of the Bridge—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tasked with the crucial
job of raising money to support the paper and its dedicated employees—and dozens of
area residents who donate to the paper, write articles for free, or help out in other ways.
The Vermont College of Fine Arts generously provides us with office space and the
City of Montpelier offers important support through the City Page it pays for. We are
thankful for all of this and of course for our loyal readers. But I’d like to offer a special
shout out to our advertisers, without whom we could never publish a free newspaper
twice a month. Shop and buy services locally!
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 21
A Grand and Misbegotten Adventure
By John Walters—managing editor, Sept. 2007‒Nov. 2009
I was the managing editor of The Bridge for two exhilarating, exhausting, frustrating,
and inspiring years. In 2008, publisher Nat Frothingham decided to go from twice-
monthly publication to weekly. The idea was to provide a more dependable platform for
advertisers, and the increased ad sales would allow us to improve the paper.
There was an obvious need for a robust news source in Central Vermont. The Times
Argus was steadily shrinking. Other media outlets covered the Statehouse but paid little
or no attention to the community.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. We found ourselves trying to fill more than twice as
many pages, but since revenue didn’t grow, we had no more resources than before. I
found myself writing multiple stories every week, and my most reliable staff writer was
Nat, which was a problem because every time he wrote a story, he was taking time away
from the business side of the enterprise.
We produced a lot of great stories, but revenue didn’t follow suit. After roughly two
years, with The Bridge heavily in debt, our weekly experiment ended, and I left the
paper. But I took away far more good memories than bad, and I couldn’t be happier that
The Bridge lives on in its new, nonprofit form.
A True Team Effort
by Carolyn Grodinsky—sales director, Jan. 2010–Sept. 2015
I never ever imagined I’d work in sales in my lifetime. Yet my five years at The Bridge
taught me otherwise. The job connected me with businesses throughout Central
Vermont, which has served me very well in the subsequent years. My years there helped
me land my current job at Grow Compost, a position that ties my environmental
background with selling an important green service.
How to get more out of The Bridge!
O
K, you’ve read your latest issue of The Bridge cover to cover. Now what? Do
you just toss is in the trash? Of course not. Never in the trash! Your free,
independent, and local newspaper has more value than that.
The Bridge is free, independent, local, and recyclable. Toss it in a recycling bin and
let it become new paper. The Bridge is also free, independent, local, and combustible.
Use it as tinder to start your woodstove, fireplace, or campfire. But that’s a no-brainer.
What are some other uses?
The Bridge is free, independent, local, and absorbent. Housebreaking puppies comes to
mind. Or lining your cat litter box. You can even use it to housebreak a pet rabbit. It
can be used to line the bottom of a birdcage. Or use it as a boot mat in your mudroom
for snowy or rainy days.
What about composting it? Yes, you can compost The Bridge as long as you shred
it. What about the ink? Rest assured that The Bridge is free, independent, local, and
nontoxic. If you compost it, just remember to add an equal amount of “green” material
to your compost in addition to The Bridge’s “brown” material.
Years before I sold ads for The Bridge, I used to occasionally write articles on topics that
interested me. My first one (of importance—at least to me!) was where to find public
bathrooms in Montpelier. Though I wrote it years ago, this story would likely still be
useful in 2018. I loved working on the article and photo spread that Nat and I wrote
about yard sales. It included a text box about an eccentric, colorful guy who collected
suitcases and records, and we tallied all his finds over the course of a single day of yard-
saling.
I lived almost across the street from the office and always had a least one dog working by
my side, often foster dogs from the animal shelter. The shelter dogs got lots of attention,
great socialization, helping them transition to their forever home.
During my time there, I worked with an ever-changing group of people who were
incredibly bright, talented, and diverse. Everyone at The Bridge was integral to getting
the paper out; it was a true team effort. Whether I was selling ads or contributing
articles, working at The Bridge felt like family. In these tumultuous times, a good local
newspaper is more important than ever!
It’s a Wonderful Bridge
By David Kelley—long-time contributor
I learned years ago that life’s real heroes aren’t in movies or football stadiums. They
are usually right under our noses. They are in our schools and hospitals. They are in
our fire departments and our court houses. And some of our greatest heroes are in our
newspaper offices. They are the ones that keep government honest and us informed.
Under siege from social media and politicians alike, their efforts are more heroic today
than ever.
For 25 years I have watched local heroes devote endless energy, imagination, and
intelligence to The Bridge and the community it serves. Frank Capra never directed
a movie that was more inspiring than the story of The Bridge. I am grateful to have
witnessed their endeavors, and I hope to be able to continue doing so for years to come.
Don’t forget The Bridge is free, independent, local, and weed-proof. Use it as mulch
around your garden plants to prevent weed growth.
The Bridge is free, independent, local, and expressive. Mix shreds or strips with glue
or plaster of Paris to make papier mache, then harness your inner artist to build your
own replica of the new Ceres statue on the capitol dome.
The Bridge is free, independent, local, and sturdy. Use it to make a paper party hat. See
how at lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/crafts/paper-crafts/paper-hats3.htm.
Be prepared for Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept. 19, 2019). Make a paper hat (see above)
from The Bridge, then draw a skull and crossbones on it and learn to say “Arrgh!”
Protect yourself from alien brain waves. Use The Bridge to make a paper hat (see above),
then cover it with aluminum foil.
Under no circumstances, however, should you eat The Bridge or feed it to animals. The
Bridge is free, independent, and local, but it is not nutritious, except for your mind.
PAG E 2 2 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
Elizabeth Man Sarcka Honored in New Book
I
nspired by The Bridge’s 25th anniversary, I recently
looked back at my own history with the paper as a
writer. As synchronicity would have it, the first piece
I wrote for The Bridge was published on December 19,
2003, almost 15 years to the day of this issue. (It was
about shopping locally for the holidays.) In the same vein
of coincidence, my subject here is also one I am revisiting.
In 2007 I interviewed Anne Sarcka, a community organizer
and artist who has lived in Montpelier since 1978, about
her father’s autobiography, Giving a Lift in Time: A Finnish
Immigrant’s Story. I was delighted to be able to meet with
her again, 11 years after our first interview, to talk to her
about Strong Spirit, Steadfast Heart: The Life and Times of
Elizabeth Man Sarcka, a book by and about her mother.
Born in 1893, Elizabeth Man Sarcka graduated from
college in 1917, a notable accomplishment now, and even
more so 101 years ago. Anne says of her mother, “Some
strong, motivated, women came out of Barnard College at
that time, and she was one of them. It was the era of the
car, the subway, electrification, settlement houses, scouting
for girls and boys. It was an era when some began to take
women’s education seriously, and women were finally able
to vote. My mother made the most of her opportunities.”
Elizabeth was the daughter of a prominent lawyer who,
along with his father, founded the villages of Richmond
Hill and Kew Gardens in Queens, New York. “She grew
up in a Victorian family who were fairly affluent, and her
father was a wonderful role model for her because he was so
committed to the public arena,” says Anne. “She was ready
to go all out and make as much of a difference as she could.”
Strong Spirit, Steadfast Heart is part memoir, part
remembrances of family and friends, and part biography as
narrated by Anne Sarcka with letters, poems, and artwork
mixed in. Anne and her cousin, Laura Jinishian, compiled
what is a celebration and documentation of a life that Anne
describes as “remarkably purposeful.”
Elizabeth was an active leader in the League of Nations
Association in her youth and met her future husband,
Wayne Sarcka, when he was fundraising for the Girl Scouts.
“I think my father was struck by how driven she was. I don’t
think he’d met many other women like that.”
At the center of Elizabeth’s story is Spring Lake Ranch, the
therapeutic community she and Wayne created in 1932 in
Cuttingsville, Vermont. Having discovered Spring Lake
during their honeymoon trek along the Long Trail, they
returned the next year and bought a small farm property.
Elizabeth describes this era of her life in her memoir
saying, “This is the story of a man and woman who—
possessed with an unshakeable enthusiasm for life and an
infinite faith in people—together hewed out of a rocky
Vermont hillside an important center for the treatment of
the mentally ill and developed a philosophy that reaches to
the very core of modern ideas about mental health.” They
spent nearly 30 years running the ranch and, alongside their
By Michelle A.L. Singer
staff, worked with hundreds of residents over the decades.
To this day the ranch continues with its mission to help
people regain their health.
When Elizabeth and Wayne retired from the ranch, and
had seen it safely transitioned into a non profit corporation
with Anne’s help, they went to Jamaica in the West Indies.
It was a better climate for Wayne’s arthritis, and they lived
there for seven years. Wanting to respond to the needs of
their new community, and at the request of some of their
neighbors, Elizabeth wrote, “We started what was intended
as a literacy class for adults, but fast became a night school
offering a variety of basic subjects.”
Wayne dictated his autobiography to Elizabeth in Jamaica
before he died in 1968. Elizabeth then returned to her native
Queens, where she worked for peace and disarmament and
was recognized for her contributions well into her 90s.
When Elizabeth turned 95, Laura Jinishian wrote of her
great-aunt, “One could say her life was art—the art of
caring—for people, for the Earth, for peace, for the United
Nations, for adult education for poor Jamaicans, helping
the ill find meaning in work, in nature, and in others.”
Elizabeth died in 1992 at the age of 98.
On the 75th anniversary of Spring Lake Ranch in 2007, Anne
was moved to publish her father’s book and wished that her
mother had a similar remembrance of her own remarkable
life. When the ranch celebrated its 85th anniversary, Anne
began to compile Elizabeth’s autobiographical writing as
well as pieces written about her.
Strong Spirit, Steadfast Heart was a year and a half in
the making and was designed by Brian Prendergast of
Worcester. The beautiful result will soon be available at the
Kellogg-Hubbard and Aldrich libraries and the Vermont
Historical Society.
Readers can learn more about Spring Lake Ranch at
springlakeranch.org.
Michelle A.L. Singer lives in East Montpelier and can be
reached at michellalsinger@gmail.com. In a final flourish of
coincidence, Michelle shares a birthday with Anne Sarcka, as
well as Anne’s grandfather.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 2 3

Ed Koren Steps into the Vermont Wild with New Collection

By Larry Floersch

Judging from the size of the crowd for his book-signing event at Bear Pond Books last
month, many residents of the Montpelier area already know that Ed Koren has just released
a new collection of cartoons: Koren. In the Wild.
The book focuses on the rural culture of Vermont and often points out, in a humorous way,
how that culture is under threat. It is a threat that Koren knows too well, living in the tiny
village of Brookfield as it struggles for existence just slightly more than a stone’s throw from
the rush of modernity in the northbound lanes of Interstate 89.
Koren, of course, is well known because his work often appears in The New Yorker
magazine, where he has published more than 1,100 cartoons over his career. Although born
in New York, Koren is a Vermonter by nature and has resided here for about four decades.
Great cartoonists are like great poets, able to take something observed or overheard and
extract from it some universal truth. That ability earned Koren the mantle of Vermont’s
second Cartoonist Laureate.
The Bridge recently spoke by phone with Koren and asked him if he could point to three
cartoons in the collection that exemplify the predicament facing Vermont: how to protect
our rural way of life while at the same time allowing it to change in a good way.
The Bridge thanks Ed Koren and Margot Zalkind Mayor of Button Street Press in
Newfane, Vermont, for permission to reprint the cartoons. Koren. In the Wild is available This image speaks to how our villages and towns are threatened and must adjust and update
at bookstores everywhere. themselves to maintain relevance to both their residents and the outside world.
For more information on the author and artist, visit edwardkoren.com and
buttonstreetpress.com.

This image depicts the old way of life losing to the outside world as young folks leave the state for
education and jobs.

Koren says this image was almost “prescient” because it was drawn over four
decades ago yet encapsulates Vermont’s ongoing dilemma—the encroachment of
the “suburbs.”
PAG E 24 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
Wild Animals, Like Humans, Employ Many Strategies to
Survive Winter
T
he calendar might say early
December, but with the cold
winds blowing and the snowdrifts
piling up, it feels like we’re well into
winter. Vermonters typically take one
of three different approaches to winter.
Some (usually retired) Vermonters go the
“snowbird” approach, spending the winter
in a warmer southern climate. Others
“hibernate,” staking out a warm spot
next to the woodstove with a cup of
cocoa, going outside only when absolutely
necessary. But hardier Vermonters
embrace winter, breaking out the skis
or snowshoes, dusting off the sled, and
generally reveling in the snow.
Wild creatures follow the same three basic
strategies to make it through the tough
winter months. From birds that migrate
south, to bears that cozy up and snooze
the winter away, to moose that stick it out
in the cold, wild animals approach winter
using familiar tactics.
The Migrators
Birds, like people, don’t employ just a
single strategy to get through winter.
Many species migrate, but in different
directions and at different times. The
warblers generally start heading south
to the Gulf Coast by August, whereas
some ducks and geese may not head south
until December, particularly in years in
which ponds and lakes remain open late.
Loons head east—not south—to spend
the winter in the ocean along coastal New
England.
Other birds, from up north, such as snowy
owls, redpolls, rough-legged hawks, or
snow buntings, migrate into Vermont.
By Louis Porter
Photo by Tom Rogers
Additionally, not every member of a bird
species will arrive at a single strategy. Some
individual bald eagles or blue jays stay in
Vermont for the winter while others head
out of town. And many of our resident
bird species stay close to home, including
chickadees, waxwings, nuthatches,
juncos, ravens, and woodpeckers. With
more elbow room at the feeder or fruit
tree, these year-round residents face less
competition for food.
One winged migrator stands out from the
rest of the pack: the monarch butterfly.
Monarchs are one of only a small group
of butterflies known to engage in, as birds
do, a north-south migration, with most
eastern monarchs overwintering at a single
site in the mountains of central Mexico.
But come spring, the monarch that leaves
its wintering grounds in Mexico will never
make it to Vermont.
According to Mark Ferguson, zoologist
for the Vermont Department of Fish &
Wildlife, “Instead, several generations are
born and die along the way, meaning that
the grandchildren or great-grandchildren
of the monarch leaving Mexico at the end
of winter eventually arrive in Vermont
each summer.”
The Hibernators
Reptiles and amphibians simply lay
low (that is, go dormant) through
Vermont’s winter months. Most frogs and
salamanders hibernate under rotting leaves
and logs on the forest floor. Turtles while
away the winter on the mucky bottoms
of ponds. And snakes generally spend
the winter in mammal burrows or rock
crevices below the frost line, sometimes
with multiple species of snake curled up
together in the same den.
Bears don’t “hibernate” in the traditional
sense. Unlike other hibernating mammals,
such as woodchucks or bats, the body
temperature and heart rate of bears stay
close to normal during the winter, which
they spend in more of a deep sleep than
a true state of hibernation. They do this
not to avoid the snow and cold (bears
have thick fur and are well-adapted to
cold temperatures) but to conserve energy
while they wait out the winter months and
food once again becomes available.
“Bears are triggered to enter their den
when food becomes scarce in fall or early
winter, usually following a heavy snowfall,”
said Forrest Hammond, Vermont Fish &
Wildlife’s lead bear biologist. “In spring,
the rains and warm temperatures cause
bears to leave their dens in search of
uncovered nuts and green shoots that start
to emerge from the melting snowpack.”
Hammond says that winter rains can
make bears uncomfortable and restless
and may force many bears from their dens
to seek drier accommodations. “Bears
sleep soundly in winters when deep snow
covers the entrances to their dens, but
during years with little snow, bears are
exposed and awaken easily.”
The Survivors and Thrivers
Deer, moose, beavers, otters, and many
other mammals are active throughout
the winter. White-tailed deer are at the
northern edge of their range in Vermont,
and winter is the limiting factor that
defines how many deer can survive here.
When snows get deep and temperatures
plummet, deer seek out patches of forest
with thick evergreen trees that protect
them from biting winds and deep snow,
making the conservation of these deer
wintering areas vitally important.
Deer don’t eat much throughout the
winter and deplete their fat stores as
the winter months drag on. Late March
through April is a critical time of year; if
winter lingers too long and deer don’t have
opportunities to feed on emerging plants,
the statewide deer herd usually declines.
Conversely, moose are well-adapted to
winter and—when healthy—are unfazed
by the cold. They can traverse deep
snows atop their long, spindly legs. In
fact, a harsh winter by human standards
benefits moose, because late season snows
can take a welcome toll on the moose’s
main parasite, the winter tick. Moose
are so well adapted to cold temperatures
that they often find summer more of a
challenge, developing heat stress at 57
degrees or more. When temperatures get
hot, moose may stop feeding to seek out
cool waters in which to wade. As climate
change continues to drive up summer
temperatures, this heat sensitivity worries
some biologists, who are pessimistic about
the future of moose in Vermont.
Giving Wildlife a Helping Hand
For the adventuresome and curious, winter
in Vermont provides a unique window into
the secret world of otherwise invisible wild
animals. With the snow come mammal
and bird tracks, nibbled buds, and other
evidence of active wildlife. These signs
bring the seemingly empty and still forest
alive and remind us that wildlife are all
around and constantly on the move.
Surviving winter can difficult in Vermont.
Wild creatures need to have thick cover
for shelter, an appropriate den site, open
water to drink, wild food to eat, and the
ability to move from place to place easily.
These resources are all found in healthy
and connected habitats.
To ensure wildlife thrive all year,
Vermonters can make a difference and
protect connected habitats throughout
the state. Landowners can work with a
wildlife biologist or forester to improve
habitat on their property to give wildlife a
helping hand.
Other Vermonters can help wildlife by
purchasing a Vermont Habitat Stamp at
www.vtfishandwildlife.com. The stamp
costs $15, with the donations going to
the conservation of important statewide
habitats for fish and wildlife—everything
from streambanks and vernal pools to
denning and wintering areas for all the
species in Vermont.
Louis Porter is commissioner of the Vermont
Department of Fish & Wildlife.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 2 5
Community Events
Events happening
December 20–January 12
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20
Open Ears at Bagitos. Join Montpelier city
councilor Glen Coburn Hutcheson to talk
about the city or anything else. 8:30–9:30 am.
Bagitos, 28 Main St., Montpelier. ghutcheson@
montpelier-vt.org, 839-5349.
Trinity United Methodist Church Community
Lunch. 11:30 am–1 pm. 137 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Talk
Series with Christina Ducharme. Acupuncture
and Chinese Medicine for Immune Support.
6:30 pm. Marshfield Library, School St.,
Marshfield.
Central Vermont Climate Action - Monthly
meeting. Take action for climate justice locally.
Node group of 350Vermont meets every third
Sunday. 7–8:30 pm. Unitarian Church, 130
Main St., Montpelier.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21
Cycles of Life. We invite you to join with us
in this place of comfort where we can all come
together to listen, talk and share about the
things in life’s cycle we are all experiencing in
our own way now for ourselves and the earth
we live on. 11:45 am–1 pm. Twin Valley Senior
Center, Rt. 2, East Montpelier. 223-3322
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
Story Time at Next Chapter Bookstore. With
Grannie Snow. Part of Barre Merry Holiday
Events. 10:30 am. 162 N. Main St., Barre.
To see a listing of Weekly Events and more detailed event listings, visit montpelierbridge.com
Calendar of Events
Medicine Buddha Sadhana. Medicine Buddha
practice is particularly helpful for those who
may be sick, injured, or are suffering in any way,
including beings in the animal realm. Join the
center as they offer this practice and dedicate it
to both the temporal and ultimate happiness of
all sentient beings everywhere. 6 pm. Milarepa
Center, 1344 Rt. 5S, Barnet.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23
Multigenerational Worship Service: No-
Rehearsal Christmas Pageant. Watch or
participate in this retelling of the Christmas
story and celebrate the sacredness and wonder
of each night a child is born. People of all ages
are encouraged to come in costume as angels,
shepherds, or wise Unitarian Universalists. 9 am
and 11 am. Unitarian Church, 130 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Christmas Sunday Service. Bible reading and
music followed by light refreshments. 10:30 am.
The First Church of Christ Scientist, 145 State
St., Montpelier.
Holiday Sing-Along. Family-friendly, non-
political, non-partisan, non-denominational,
old-fashioned Holiday Sing-Along. Activities for
kids who decide not to sing. Consider bringing
cookies or treats to share if you are able. Capital
City Grange Hall, 6612 Northfield St./Rte. 12,
Montpelier. capitalcitygrange.org
MONDAY, DECEMBER 24
Community Lunch at Unitarian Church
Montpelier. 11 am–12:30 pm. 130 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
St. Jacob Orthodox Christian Church
Christmas Eve Services. Holy Supper of the
Nativity (with meal served) at 4 pm; Vespers of
Christmas at 5 pm. 76 Rt 12 North, Northfield
Falls. 673-4042
Performing Arts
THEATER, DANCE,
STORYTELLING, COMEDY
Dec. 22: Stories for a Winter’s Eve. Featuring original short stories by Vermont authors Kathryn
Blume and Mark Nash and songs by Vermont musicians Pete Sutherland and Patti Casey. 3 pm and
7 pm. Old Meeting House, East Montpelier. $15 advance; $18 at door; 4-pack $50; children 12 and
under $10. oldmeetinghouse.org
Dec. 22–23: Green Mountain Nutcracker. Presented by Moving Light Dance Company. A classic
story with an enchanting local twist. Dec. 22 at 7 pm; Dec. 23 at 2 pm. Barre Opera House, 6 N.
Main St., Barre. $15–25. barreoperahouse.org
Dec. 28: Kathleen Kanz Comedy Hour. A wide range of talented standup comics, from here and
away, working longer sets. 8:30 pm. Espresso Bueno, 248 N. Main St., Barre. Free/by donation. 479-
0896. espressobueno.com.
Jan. 5: FEMCOM. All-female standup comedy. 8:30 pm.Espresso Bueno, 248 N. Main St., Barre. Free/
by donation. 479-0896. espressobueno.com.
The Met Opera Live in HD: The Magic Flute
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25 (Mozart). Julie Taymor’s production returns
St. Jacob Orthodox Christian Church to select cinemas this holiday season in an
Christmas Day Service. Divine Liturgy encore presentation of the company’s first-ever
of Christmas. 9:30 am. 376 Rt. 12 North, Live in HD transmission. 1 pm. Spruce Peak
Northfield Falls. 673-4042. Performing Arts Center, 122 Hourglass Dr.
A Movie and Asian Food for Christmas. A Stowe.
fun showing of the romantic comedy “Keeping
the Faith” followed by vegetarian Vietnamese THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27
food from Pho Capital. 2–5 pm. Beth Jacob Open Ears at Bagitos. See listing under Dec.
Synagogue, 10 Harrison Ave., Montpelier. $10 20
meal cost. Reserve a meal at bethjacobvt.org Trinity United Methodist Church Community
Lunch. 11:30 am–1 pm. 137 Main St.,
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26 Montpelier.
The Christ Church Community Lunch.
11 am–12:30 pm. 64 Main St., Montpelier. The Face of Winter. Loving the pure joys of
winter is something we have in common with
Salvation Army Community Lunch. the late, great Warren Miller who helped create
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre. and capture the magic of skiing. This will bring
ArtSmart: Dialogue on Mozart’s The Magic new and veteran athletes together to pay tribute
Flute! Join Kevin Ginter, a classically trained to Miller. 7 pm. Spruce Peak Performing Arts
Center, 122 Hourglass Dr., Stowe. Free. 760-
opera professional, to learn about the story and
history of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. ArtSmart 4638.
is a series of arts education gatherings, talk-backs
and lectures. Noon. Spruce Peak Performing SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29
Arts Center, 122 Hourglass Dr., Stowe. Barre Congregational Church Community
Reservations required: 760-4634. Meal. 7:30–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
PAG E 26 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE
Visual Arts
EXHIBITS
Through Dec. 21: Northern Vermont
University-Johnson Student Art Exhibit.
NVU-Johnson, Julian Scott Memorial Gallery.
NorthernVermont.edu
Through Dec. 28: Seven Women, Seven
Walls. Featuring rotating exhibits by Vermont
artists Mary Admasian, Alisa Dworsky, Karen
Henderson, Evie Lovett, Hannah Morris, Janet
Van Fleet, and Kristen M. Watson. Vermont
Arts Council, 136 State St., Monpelier.
Through Dec. 27: CELEBRATE 3X. Enjoy this
3-floor fine art and craft extravaganza with
work created by more than 80 Studio Place
Arts (SPA) member artists, and CELEBRATE
3X: (1) Find one-of-a-kind handmade gifts &
treasures; (2) Support local artists and crafts
people and fortify our local economy; & (3)
Boost the programs for all ages and abilities at
SPA, your nonprofit art center. Expanded hours
in Dec. Studio Place Arts, 201 N. Main St.,
Barre. studioplacearts.com
Winter S’Morestice Celebration - Bon
Fire Place. Help create the world’s largest
S’More, and celebrate the light and warmth
of a community fire. Music, food, fire artists
and dancers. Evergreen maze and bouncy
house. 4:30–8 pm. Camp Meade, 961 Rt. 2,
Middlesex.
Calendar of Events
Through Dec. 29: Members’ Art Show & Sale
and Festival of Trees & Light. To see artwork
available for sale, please visit helenday.com.
programs@helenday.com. 253-8358
Through Dec. 31: Celebrating Women
Through the Arts. Art Resource Association
Group Show. Montpelier City Center
and La Brioche, 89 Main St., Montpelier.
artresourceassocation.com
Through Dec. 31: Dee Christie & Robin Leone.
Dee Christie repurposes old books into visual
works of art—painting, collaging, and drawing
within the pages to create art infused with
positivity and whimsy. Robin Leone of Robin’s
Hoods handcrafts felted wool hats that are
one of a kind works of art and unique to their
wearer. Cheshire Cat, 28 Elm St., Montpelier.
cheshirecatclothing.com
Through Jan. 2: Digital Photography
Exhibition. Work By Twinfield Digital
Photography Students. Jaquith Library,
Marshfield. 426-3581
Through Jan.4: Current Paintings by Mary
McKay Lower and Elizabeth Nelson. Nelson
will feature works from her travels to Iceland.
Lower will exhibit landscapes and still life
paintings. T.W. Wood Gallery, Barre St.,
Montpelier.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30
Visiting Creative Nonfiction Writer Terese
Marie Mailhot. VCFA MFA in Writing Visiting
Writer Readings. 7 pm. Vermont College of
Fine Arts, Chapel in College Hall, College St.,
Montpelier. Free. vcfa.edu
Through Jan. 7: Altered Spaces Group
Exhibition. The exhibition opens with
a dynamic collection of work—collage,
photography, painting, and multimedia
installation in September that will build
in layers throughout the fall—inviting the
public to revisit and interact as the exhibition
continues. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center,
122 Hourglass Dr., Stowe. sprucepeakarts.org
Through Jan. 18: Northern Vermont
University-Lyndon Faculty Art Exhibit.
NVU-Lyndon, Quimby Barclay.Tucker@
NorthernVermont.edu.
Through Jan. 20: Show 29. The Front
celebrates the opening of Show 29, featuring
recent works by the gallery’s members. 6 Barre
Street, Montpelier thefrontvt.com,
552-0877, info@thefrontvt.com
Through Jan. 31: Illuminate: The Winter
Group Show. Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery,
86 Falls Rd., Shelburne. 985-3848.
Through March 2: Scrap Yard: Drawings by
Mark Heitzman. An exhibit of 10 large-scale
graphite or charcoal drawings of tools and other
objects. On display at The Morse Block Deli,
located 260 N. Main Street, Barre. For info:
studioplacearts.com
MONDAY, DECEMBER 31
Community Lunch at Unitarian Church
Montpelier. 11 am–12:30 pm. 130 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
New Year's Eve Family GLOW party. Say
goodbye to 2018 and ring in 2019 with a
GLOW theme. Come dressed in white or neon
to intensify the glow. DJ Duo–ELMT and
DJ Kaos will be laying down all the best hit
remixes all night long. There will be UV body
paint stations where both adults and kids can be
decorated in paints that glow under the black
light. Parents/Guardians MUST accompany
your children at all times. All ages. 8 pm. Barre
Elks Lodge #1535, 10 Jefferson St., Barre. $10 for
single ticket or $30 for Family Pass (2 Adults/2
Kids).
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2
The Christ Church Community Lunch.
11 am–12:30 pm. 64 Main St., Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 3
Trinity United Methodist Church Community
Lunch. 11:30 am–1 pm. 137 Main St.,
Montpelier.
French Block Open House & Community
Celebration. Tour the newly renovated French
Block Apartments. Lite fare provided by
Montpelier restaurants. 5–7 pm. 34 Main St.,
Montpelier. facebook.com/downstreetvt
Jan. 5–March 2: The Art of the Portrait,
August Burns. The exhibition is a rare
opportunity for the public to view paintings
from this outstanding Vermont Artist. 5031
Main Street, Waitsfield. 496-6682
Through June 1: Thomas Waterman Wood:
The Master Copies. A selection of Wood’s
master copies from the T.W. Wood Art Gallery
collection. While Wood was in Europe he fell
in love with the paintings of the European
Masters, including Rembrandt and Turner.
Following current fashion, Wood copied
paintings to learn techniques from the masters.
T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier. 262-6035.
twwoodgallery.org
SPECIAL EVENTS
Jan. 9: Art Gallery Opening and Reception
– Dianne Shullenberger and John Snell.
This fabric collage and photography show
reflects John Snell and Dianne Shullenberger‘s
fascination with rocks. They focus on patterns,
details, textures and pay tribute to the adjoining
vegetation in a rock’s environment. 6–8 pm.
North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm St.,
Montpelier. northbranchnaturecenter.org
Visiting Fiction Writer Carmen Maria
Machado. VCFA MFA in Writing Visiting
Writer Readings. 7 pm. Vermont College of
Fine Arts, Chapel in College Hall, College St.,
Montpelier. Free. vcfa.edu
FRIDAY, JANUARY 4
Visiting Poet Terrance Hayes. VCFA MFA
in Writing Visiting Writer Readings. 7 pm.
Vermont College of Fine Arts, Chapel in College
Hall, College St., Montpelier. Free. vcfa.edu
SATURDAY, JANUARY 5
Cross-country Ski with Green Mountain Club.
Bolton. Easy. Various distances. All abilities.
Bolton Touring Center. Trail fee. Bring lunch
and water. Contact Mary Smith, 505-0603 or
Mary Garcia, 622-0585 for meeting time and
place.
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30 am–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
Alpenglow Fitness Intro to Studio Cycling.
An instructor will orient you to the studio, get
your bike fitted properly, and guide you through
a gentle first ride. You’ll learn the positions
and lingo in a supportive setting with other
first-time students. 10–10:45 am. 54 Main St.,
Montpelier. Class is free, please bring clean shoes
and a water bottle. Register ahead of time at
alpenglowfitness.com.
Visiting Alumna Fiction Writer Liara Tamani.
7 pm. Vermont College of Fine Arts, Chapel in
College Hall, College St., Montpelier. Free. vcfa.
edu
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 27

Calendar of Events
Dec. 31: The Get Messy (funk), 9 pm Dec. 20: Thursday Concerts at Noon in well as his performances with The Montpelier

Live Music
VENUES
Bagitos. 28 Main St., Montpelier. 229-9212.
Bagitos.com
Dec. 20: Italian Session, 6 pm
Dec. 21: Dave Loughran, 6 pm
Dec. 22: Irish Session, 2 pm; Michael
Stridsberg, 6 pm
Dec. 23: Southern Old Time Music Jam,
10 am
Dec. 27: Italian Session, 6 pm
Dec. 28: Latin Dance Party, 7 pm
Dec. 29: Irish Session, 2 pm; Ron Bergeron,
6 pm
Dec. 30: Siena Facciolo Homecoming CD
Release Party, 6:30 pm
Jan. 3: Colin McCaffrey and friends, 6 pm
Jan. 5: Irish Session, 2 pm
Jan. 6: Eric Friedman Folk Ballads, 11 am
Jan. 12: Irish Session, 2 pm; Barry Bender
6 pm.
Charlie O’s World Famous. 70 Main St.
Montpelier. Free. 223-6820.
Every Tues.: Karaoke, 7:30 pm
Dec. 21: Z-Jaz (jazz), 6 pm; Lightcrusher/
Concillium/ Hell Priest/Sachem (metal), 9 pm
Dec. 22: Mad Mt. Scramblers (bluegrass), 9 pm
Dec. 28: Scott Graves (acoustic), 6 pm;
Pariah Beat/Abby Jenne & Her Dark
Advisors (soul rock), 9 pm
Dec. 29: Blue Fox & the Rockin Daddys
(blues rock), 9pm
Espresso Bueno. 248 N. Main St., Barre.
479-0896. espressobueno.com.
Dec. 28: Loughran & Ladd (classic rock),
7:30 pm
Jan. 5: Kaomi Kingsley (singer-songwriter),
7:30 pm
Jan. 12: Jazzyaoke (live jazz karaoke), 7:30
pm, $5
Gusto’s. 28 Prospect St., Barre. 476-7919.
Ages 21+. No cover unless indicated.
Dec. 20: Jason Baker, 5 pm; DJ Rome 802,
8 pm
Dec. 21: Elizabeth Renaud, 5 pm; Heartless,
9 pm, $10
Dec. 22: DJ LaFountaine, 9:30 pm
Dec. 27: Stefani Capizzi, 5 pm; DJ Rome
802, 8 pm
Dec. 28: Cooie DeFrancesco, 5 pm
Whammy Bar. 31 W. County Rd., Calais.
whammybar1.com
Every Thurs.: Open Mic, 7 pm
Dec. 21: Papa’s Porch (bluegrass), 7:30 pm
Dec. 22: Liz Beatty and the Alternates
(electric blues/soul), 7:30 pm
Dec. 28: Kelly Ravin and Halle Jade, 7:30 pm
Dec. 29: Praxis (jazz/prog), 7:30 pm
SPECIAL EVENTS
Through Dec. 22: Ring, Christmas Tower
Bells! Recitals of Christmas carols will
be played on the historic tower bells of
Montpelier’s Trinity United Methodist
Church. 11:58 am.
Montpelier. Judi Byron, harp. Bring a bag
lunch; coffee, tea, and cookies are provided.
A donation is solicited for the new stained-
glass window designed by local artists.
Christ Church, 64 State St., Montpelier.
christchurchvt.org
Dec. 20: Sam Bulpin. Jazz, contemporary,
and festive tunes. 6 pm. The Café at Highland
Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St.,
Greensboro. No cover. highlandartsvt.org
Dec. 22–23: Onion River Chorus Concert.
Onion River Chorus presents two versions
each of two of the most loved sacred texts—
“Magnificat” and “Te Deum”—by the
Baroque masters Jan Dismas Zelenka and
Antoine Charpentier. The 60-voice chorus
and 16-piece Baroque-instrument orchestra
is led by Larry Gordon. Vocal soloists are
Mary Bonhag, soprano, Lindsey Warren,
mezzo soprano, Lysander Jaffe, tenor, and
Zeb McLellan, bass. Dec. 22, 7:30 pm; Dec.
23, 4 pm. Unitarian Church, 130 Main St.,
Montpelier. $20; students/seniors/low-income
$17. onionriverchorus.org
Dec. 22: The Peter Mayhew Band. 8:30–
10:30 pm. Positive Pie, 69 Main St., Plainfield.
petermayhewband.com
Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve with Dave Keller
with Ira Friedman. Vermont soul blues artist
Keller will be singing songs from his new
album, “Every Soul’s a Star.” Ira Friedman
is well known throughout Vermont for his
soulful playing with The Dave Keller Band, as
Community Gospel Choir and his own Ira
Friedman Trio. 5 pm. Unitarian Church, 130
Main St., Montpelier. $15 advance; $20 at
door. All ages. info@davekeller.com
Jan. 11–13: Scrag Mountain Music Presents
Joy, Pleasure, and Sweet Nourishment:
A Concert of Early Music Concerts. A
performance of works by Jean-Baptiste
Barrière, John Dowland, John Eccles, George
Frideric Handel, Guillaume de Machaut,
Henry Purcell, and a piece that invokes the
spirit of early music by the young New York
City-based Canadian composer Matthew
Ricketts. All shows 7:30 pm. Donations
welcome. scragmountainmusic.org
Jan. 11: Bread & Butter Farm, 200 Leduc
Rd., Shelburne.
Jan. 12: Christ Church, 64 State St.,
Montpelier.
Jan, 13: Warren United Church, 339 Main
St. Warren.
Jan. 12: Kind Bud. 1–5 pm. Stowe Mountain
Rd., Stowe. Free.
Send your event listing to
calendar@montpelierbridge.com.
Deadline for print in the next
issue is January 4.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9 FRIDAY, JANUARY 11

Goddard College MFA in Creative Writing
Visiting Day. An opportunity to meet MFA
Director Elena Georgiou, sit in on a workshop or
two, and take a campus tour. Lunch is provided
gratis, and friends and family are always welcome
to tag along. 9:30 am. Goddard College, 123
Pitkin Rd., Plainfield. RSVP required:
david.delucca@goddard.edu. goddard.edu.
Jan. 6: Montpelier Song Circle. With Jacob
and Gretta Stone. 6–8 pm. Center for Arts and
Learning, 46 Barre St., Montpelier.
MONDAY, JANUARY 7
Community Lunch at Unitarian Church
Montpelier. 11 am–12:30 pm. 130 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 8
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
Orchard Valley Walk-Through Wednesday.
A monthly open house event during the school
day. Observe main lesson in grades 1-8 and visit
mixed-age kindergarten programs, including
Farm & Forest. 8:30–10:30 am. Orchard Valley
Waldorf School, Grace Farm Campus, 2290 Rt.
14N, East Montpelier. Pre-registration required:
enrollment@ovws.org or 456-7400. ovws.org
The Christ Church Community Lunch.
11 am–12:30 pm. 64 Main St., Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
Mid-Week Movie: Marshall. 6–8 pm.
Highland Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick
St., Greensboro. $5 suggested donation.
highlandartsvt.org
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10
Trinity United Methodist Church Community
Lunch. 11:30 am–1 pm. 137 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Naturalist Journeys Presentation Series.
Wolves: Ecology, Conservation and Conflict in
the Northern Rockies. NBNC’s annual winter
event series featuring expert naturalists and
teachers sharing their studies from the wildest
corners of the world. 7–8:30 pm. North Branch
Nature Center, 713 Elm St., Montpelier
SATURDAY, JANUARY 12
Hike Camel’s Hump with Green Mountain
Club. Huntington. 4.8 miles. Moderate to
difficult. Via Burrows Trail. Start at the Burrows
trail-head in Huntington. Returning on the
same trail. We will use snowshoes or microspikes
depending upon conditions. Contact Steve or
Heather Bailey, 622-4516 or stevecbailey@gmail.
com for meeting time and place.
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
PAG E 2 8 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE

Christmas Bird Count

S
aturday's beautiful weather delivered great birds (4,141 great birds, to be exact) for our 58th
annual Christmas Bird Count in the Plainfield/Montpelier area. Our 45 volunteers walked 46
miles and identified 46 different species—several species more than the last several years of
the count. The highlights were a cooperative flock of pine grosbeaks that are still feeding from the
Hunger Mountain Co-op’s ornamental trees, and a rare golden eagle discovered hunting the farm
fields in Adamant.
For the full report, folks can go to northbranchnaturecenter.org/blog/

Photos courtesy of North Branch Nature Center

T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 29

Trash Talk: The Psychology of Litter

by Dot Helling

I
split my time between walking and run- concept measures litter by political attitudes, odical. Another underlying character factor is throwing your trash on the ground is not only
ning the dirt roads in the Adamant area noting as an example that political fliers hit nonexistent childhood training at home. socially taboo, it’s unethical. Trash left behind
and the back roads and trails of Montpelier the ground if not suited to the person receiv- The only true way to change attitudes and in sacred places—such as our forests, on the
with my partner’s dog Rhea. For me, every ing them. People do “follow the herd,” so the behavior toward littering is to increase public moon, off island shores, and on Mount Ever-
day is Green-Up Day. I take bags on walks more incentives directing them to reduce inap- awareness, education, and participation, and est—is untenable.
and usually return with them full of trash, propriate environmental waste and to recycle to stress environmental issues and financial Tis the season for giving. What better way to
year-round. the better. impacts. There is a scene in an early Mad Men give back to your community than to help
It seems to me that there is a psychology to The psychology of a serial litterer includes episode in which the lead character and his clean up before the litter that’s out there gets
litter, which reflects on the character of the traits such as juvenility; narcissism; a penchant family stop along a roadway for a picnic in buried deep under the snow? Christmas colors
offenders, the composition of the waste, and for not wanting to be inconvenienced; and a the 1950s. They spread out their blanket, eat are red and green. Celebrate the green by pick-
the geography of the place where litter falls. I strong, unreasonable, selfish belief in personal from their baskets and leave all the leftover ing up what does not belong in our natural
believe those who litter fit into categories based freedom. Narcissists believe it is the job of jani- packaging and food on the blanket, only to environment. Making it fun and cool to pick
upon class, habit, ignorance, and indifference. tors and maintenance workers to pick up after then shake it onto the grass and leave it as they up litter boosts participation. As for how to
Which class your local culprits fall into can be them. Poor mental health may also be a factor, casually drive away. Those were times when celebrate the red, I’ll leave that one up to you,
determined by what’s been trashed and by the especially “resignation and despair,” according litter was freely flung from car windows with starting with the joy of holly. Happy Holidays
locality. For instance, in secluded locations in to Steve Spacek in Quora, a 2014 online peri- nary a thought about impact. In today’s world everyone!
parts of Hubbard Park, North Branch, and Sa-
bin’s pasture, you might find piles of beer cans
and snack chip bags, presumably discarded by
youthful revelers. I once dragged tarps along
with party remains from the bottom of the Sa-
bin’s quarry, where it was obvious the place had
been a popular merrymaking site, complete
with a fire pit.
I don’t dare to classify litterbugs by their
gender, educational, or financial status. But I
will suggest that you can identify the offend-
ers from what is found along sections of our
beautiful roadways and fields. In Adamant, the
2-mile dirt byway that is Sodom Pond Road is
a depository for many beer cans, particularly
Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Sip of Sunshine
IPA, and Milwaukee’s Best Ice. I have also
picked up a number of Raspberry Twisted Tea
cans, dog food bags, and diapers. These finds
suggest repeat offenders. If you know someone
who regularly enjoys some of these imbibe-
ments and travels this road, take it up with
them and tell them to clean up their act.
A stretch along Sibley Road near Peck’s Farm
Orchard in East Montpelier is consistently
strewn with Burger King and Dunkin’ Donuts
cups and packaging. Around Montpelier’s city
streets it’s shopping lists, receipts, ice cream
napkins, and cigarette butts. Believe it or not,
according to Nancy Schulz, a/k/a Sister Sludge,
the Senior Center’s “Trash Tramps” usually
pick up 3,000 cigarette butts in an hour on
Tuesdays. Along the bike path behind the high
school it's peanut butter cracker, candy, and
energy bar wrappers and snack chip bags, plus
plastic water bottles—the bane of our global
environment—and more cigarette butts.
Research indicates that various behavioral and
attitudinal aspects of littering must be ad-
dressed to understand the phenomenon. There
are active and passive litterers. Active ones in-
tentionally drop or toss, or see a piece of debris
drop yet walk away from it. A passive litterbug
does not know when something has fallen out
of a pocket, does not see it, and therefore un-
knowingly walks away. One concept for help-
ing the passive litterbug is to design packaging
that does not break into multiple pieces, as will
a gum pack or energy gel wrap with separate
parts to open in order to access what’s inside.
Littering degrades space. Studies show the rate
of litter correlates with the amount found in
an area, and that visible, pertinent signage can
deter offenders. Cues such as signage in the
environment and watchful eyes do reduce lit-
tering. The ability to dispose of litter close by
makes a difference, which is a strong argument
for why cities and towns should leave trash
cans outside and accessible in the winter. One
PAG E 3 0 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE

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TRANSFORMATION AND HEALING OFFICE SPACE FOR
WITH A GIFT CERTIFICATE RENT
• Deep tissue massage (relaxes, diminishes PERFECT LOCATION WITHIN A
pain, promotes wellbeing) 3-MINUTE WALK TO CAPITAL.
• Cranio-sacral work (for rewiring the
nervous system out of its trauma loop) Renovated throughout. First floor
• Past-life regression (for healing through handicap accessible, two rest rooms,
Photo courtesy transpersonal experiences) and storage. Includes private off street
of Patty Morse parking, weekly office cleaning, heat,
Isabelle Meulnet, CMT and healer since
hot water, electricity, snow removal,
“I regret to say that I have had to close my shop for good. I have met many wonderful people 1998
landscaping and full maintenance.
over the 33 years I’ve owned and operated Something Sew Right, but now it’s time for me 802-279-9144
to move on. Single or multiple offices starting @
www.bodymindsoulhealing.net $300.00 per month. Phone: 508-259-
I have had allergies to chemicals and mold for years, but it’s gotten much worse of late partly 7941
from it having been such a damp fall, with lots of it coming in on customers drop offs, and
partly because of a mold problem where I live. I’m in the process of moving my home to a
safe place where I don’t have to worry about it.
I will miss all of you but it’s a small town so I’m sure I’ll be running into many of you. Thank
you so much for your patronage over the years, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you.
Happy Holidays to all.”
Most sincerely,
Patty Morse

• New Construction Design & Build

• Renovations Custom Energy-Efficient Homes

• Woodworking Additions • Timber Frames

Weatherization • Remodeling
• General Contracting
Kitchens • Bathrooms • Flooring
Tiling • Cabinetry • Fine Woodwork

223-3447
clarconstruction.com

Since 1972
Repairs • New floors and walls
Crane work • Decorative concrete
Consulting • ICF foundations
114 Three Mile Bridge Rd., Middlesex, VT • (802) 229-0480 
gendronbuilding@aol.com •  gendronconcrete.com
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 • PAG E 31

The Bridge Will Publish On Wednesdays In 2019

For eight months of 2019, the publication date is on the 1st and 3rd
Wednesday of the month. For four months—January, May, June, and
July—the publication date is on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.
The new deadlines are to ensure that the paper reaches Montpelier
households before the weekend.
PAG E 32 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 018 – J A N UA RY 8 , 2 019 THE BRIDGE