Some people restlessly move from place to place, while others find themselves, fortunately, placed in an environment that offers work and entertainment to fill a lifetime. Ron Paprocki is an archetype of the second category. Born in Rochester, NY, he went to school there, and went to the University of Rochester as an undergraduate, receiving a degree with high distinction in French Literature. However, his degree was not a good indicator of where he was heading.

A foundation in higher education

Ron stayed put and began working for the University as an advisor, in academic support and counseling positions. Then he moved into administrative work, beginning with budgeting and planning.… Read More

While it might be true that in the spring a young man’s fancy turns to love, for us older guys it turns to more practical things: like ice fishing. Or, is that just me? Contrary to what you might have heard it is ice fishing, and not polo, which is the true Sport of Kings and manly men.

My friend Doug Cheng told me “Roll down your window” as we crept his three-ton Toyota Tundra out onto the frozen surface of Lake Fairlee in Fairlee, Vermont. “Why?” I asked, having never done this before in my life. “Because if we break through the ice, you can swim out the window,” he explained.… Read More

Graduating Hartford High School senior, Natalie Charron, is known throughout the Quechee area by many different people in various facets. She had grown up running around the Quechee Club. Natalie spent hours swimming and skiing, and at 15 she began working as a hostess there, later becoming a health desk attendant. Most who have spent time at The Club have run across Natalie and, rumor has it, simply adore her.

Her love of music

Natalie is an accomplished musician. She began playing the piano at the age of 7 and stopped when at 10 she picked up the saxophone in the fifth grade.… Read More

A to Z Cakes is an inspiring entrepreneurial tale based right here in Quechee. Abbi and Dan Courtemanche have built a successful cake making company out of what Abbi describes as a “happy accident.” Not quite ten years ago, Abbi and Dan were planning their wedding. For reasons most of us could not fathom, Abbi decided that she could make their wedding cake despite having never attempted such a fete before. The cake was such a success that wedding guests asked for the name of the baker. Abbi was shortly hired to make what would be the second of many cakes to come.… Read More

Mike DeLaus and Susan Feindt and their three sons Michael, Robert, and Daniel, live in Andover, Massachusetts. Sam and Janet Nork, also from Andover, introduced the DeLaus family to Quechee. Susan says they like being part of the Quechee community because of “the people” and the fact that is very family-oriented. “Everyone that we’ve met through the ski team have been great,” says Susan and adds, “We really like getting away from school, work, just relaxing. There is always something to do outdoors no matter what the season.” Noting that the scenery and surroundings are beautiful, Susan says, “We want to be in Quechee whenever we can.… Read More

Too much of something isn’t always a good thing – but sometimes it can be. Residents at Woodstock Terrace discovered just that when they inventoried the many donations of crafting supplies, books, and jigsaw puzzles they’ve collected over the years. Their storage closets were bursting! “This is a generation that doesn’t get rid of anything,” said Briana Maxham, the Terrace’s Life Enrichment Director, “which is how the Puzzle Club got its start.”

A few years ago, two residents who were avid puzzlers decided to start a club to work through the large supply already on hand. They started by counting the pieces of each puzzle and discarding any puzzles missing more than one or two pieces.… Read More

In 1979, while living in our home town of Lowell, MA, a friend invited Deb and I and, at that time, our three little boys — Rob, Peter, and Mike — to use his house in Quechee in the winter. We wound up having a great week and loved every aspect of the Quechee lifestyle.

From 1979 to 1982 we rented, and in 1986 we bought our home on Hard Road. In 1990, having been impacted by the recession, and with lots of college tuition on the horizon, we decided we needed to become a “one home family.” Despite having lots of professional advice about where the best career opportunities were, we chose Quechee, and have never had a moment of regret!… Read More

We aim to spend about one-third of each officer’s time in proactively building and fostering relationships in the community, says Hartford Police Chief Phil Kasten. The majority of calls to the police are from a crisis of one sort or another, and police officers train for those moments, with the possible need for quick and sometimes drastic action. But preventing crises is even better than helping people through crises. Weaving sociable acquaintance with police officers into people’s daily experience makes it easier for people to call the police for help when they need it. It also reminds would-be troublemakers that police officers are woven into the community and are keeping an eye on what is happening in the community.… Read More

There is a new gem hidden in the surrounding hills and hollows of the Upper Valley. The Grange Theatre in Pomfret, Vermont, formerly the Teago Grange Hall, is the newest branch of the ArtisTree Community Arts Center. The theatre’s first season wrapped up in late October. Maybe you were lucky enough to see The Little Mermaid or get a seat for the sold-out Patsy Cline. If you’ve been to a show already, you were probably impressed before it even started. The old grange still looks like a well-maintained meeting hall where over the years countless couples married and community dinners were served.… Read More

The Smithsonian Museum is referred to as the nation’s attic. In Hartford, Vermont, the Historical Society performs this same function, though without much in the way of resources; it’s an attic at capacity. The Society’s collection is currently displayed in Garipay House at 1461 Maple Street (near the intersection of Route 14 and Christian Street). The house-museum is open weekday mornings, and the whole project is a labor of love for a few devoted volunteers.

You’d never know it from the well-kept, crisp displays, but Garipay House is bursting with additional objects of interest in storage rooms. Gray storage shelves hold boxes of various sizes and shapes.… Read More