Tis the season, and no one knows this better than the Upper Valley non-profits that are now gearing up to help adults and children in need. Ten years ago, for example, Quechee resident Lisa Lacasse started the Quechee Elves program to benefit the Hartford-Norwich Holiday Basket (HNHBP) program that began in 1983. Through their efforts, children are sponsored and supplied with clothing and toys to make their holiday a bit more special.

“I grew up in Hanover and was a volunteer with the program for many years,” said Lacasse. “In fact, we started a year or two after the HNHBP began.… Read More

By now, you’ve heard, seen, or followed them – those heavy trucks with plows down to pavement, salt granules dispensed from the back, travelling back and forth over area roads during snow, sleet, and icing events. At times you may find them irritating, delaying your progress. Other times, the heavy plows scraping over pavement may waken you from a sound sleep. Despite these inconveniences, one thing is for sure – without them and the drivers that operate them, travel for several months of the year would be at a near standstill. The men and women that drive, maintain, and coordinate the work those trucks perform are vital to the lives and economy of our area in wintertime.… Read More

It is 4:30 in the morning and Quechee photographer, Lisa Lacasse, is out the door looking for the perfect shot. “It’s hard to explain why I get up so early and head into the dark, but I love being in nature and my camera takes me places I might not otherwise go, plus the light is just so fabulous in the early morning.” Whether it’s a simple sunrise, kayaking out on her favorite pond to find a mother loon and her babies, exploring the back roads of Vermont or the coast of Maine, or just stepping out into her backyard, Lisa’s off on an adventure looking to capture an image that will resonate with others.… Read More

We live in the age of Covid-19. Years from now, people might well harken back to the Covid Era: “Where were you during the pandemic of 2020?” they may ask. Unless the disease has claimed a member of our family, in a decade or more most of us won’t have a distinct memory of any specific event. Not so for John Grondin, a genuine Quechee kid who has fought the pandemic on two fronts.

Grondin’s parents, Emile and Ruth, moved their large family (John is the 8th of 9 children) from a small town in Connecticut to Quechee where Emile worked in management for the QLLA complex.… Read More