Registration is already sold out for the 33rd Covered Bridges Half Marathon (CBHM), happening on Sunday, June 1, 2025, but excitement continues to build as the summer nears on – and you can still get involved (continue reading to find out how and why you’ll want to!).

The 13.1 mile tri-town race, which begins at Saskadena Six Ski Area in South Pomfret and ends at the Quechee Polo Field, has donated over $2 million back to our local communities since 1992. And that’s really why it exists – to give back while having fun and enjoying the scenic routes that run through Pomfret, Woodstock, and Quechee.

Folks waiting to cheer on runners toward the fi nish line in front
of Strong House Spa in Quechee

“We really give 95% of our income out to the community,” says CBHM race co-director, Mike Silverman. Funds are raised through race registration fees, runner pledges, and donations, which are funneled back into the community as donations to support the volunteer organizations whom the event wouldn’t be possible without – a symbiotic arrangement which has kept the Covered Bridge Half Marathon thriving for several decades.

“I really love how our three race communities support this race,” says race co-director, Nancy Nutile-McMenemy. “Pomfret, Woodstock, and Quechee really host this race; Mike and I just organize it.”

This year, over 2,500 runners signed up for the CBHM, coming from all over New England, with a few from Canada and as far as the West Coast. Runners span all ages – the youngest this year is 13 and the oldest runner is 81 years old.

Now a race co-director alongside Nancy, Mike first became involved with the Covered Bridges Half Marathon 25 years ago as a volunteer raising money on behalf of Vermont Adaptive – a nationally recognized organization that promotes inclusivity and independence through adaptive sports programs and activities.

Some of the shared race director responsibilities include managing registration, coordinating with volunteers, vendors, and race sponsors, verifying the course and traffic control, maintaining a website and social media, and staking out at the Quechee Polo Field on the day of the race to make sure everything runs smoothly. A CBHM board of directors and race committee also band together to support different aspects of the event – from finances to the finish line.

Nancy Nutile-McMenemy started by maintaining the race’s website and social media presence in 2012. When Bill Blaiklock, the former CBHM race director, retired in 2018, Nancy took over as race co-director with Mike. “I take care of the race course,” Nancy says. “I get the road permits from our three host towns; I coordinate with the police, fire, and safety folks; I mark the course with my friend.” Nancy has worked together with Mike, who is also the race director for the Vermont 50, in coordinating the Vermont 50 and Vermont 100 Endurance Race for many years. Mike asked Nancy to join him in running the CBHM in 2012, and since then, “I haven’t looked back,” Nancy says.

In 2021, Nancy walked the 13.1 mile course with friends on the team “TuTu Much Fun” when the race was held virtually due to Covid-19. “Usually, we’re volunteering at the race, so the ‘virtual’ race was a great opportunity for us to check out the full course,” she says. “It took us four hours to cover the 13.1 miles: we walked, stopped and took photos, stopped for snacks in Woodstock, and basically took our time…I can tell you the last mile was brutal. We almost called it quits, but we pushed each other to keep moving.”

Nancy also takes care of booking the bands that are scattered across the course to motivate and entertain volunteers and runners alike during the CBHM. “We call them ‘Bands on the Run’,” she says.

Covered Bridges Half Marathon race co-directors, Nancy Nutile-
McMenemy (far left) and Mike Silverman (far right) on the race
course in Quechee during a “virtual” race in 2021

This year, runners will enjoy music by the Firehouse Six Dixieland Band playing at Marshland Farms (mile 12.8), who have been performing at all 33 Covered Bridge Half Marathon races over the years. Tuck’s Rock Dojo will perform at the finish line, where runners are met with warm welcome, food, drink, and a place to rest, recover, and celebrate. “Most of all, I’m looking forward to welcoming back our returning runners and welcoming our first-timers to the CBHM family,” Nancy says.

For Jo Allsopp and Ann DeLoach, co-presidents of the Friends of the Quechee Library, the Covered Bridges Half Marathon is an opportunity to represent and raise money for the library and have fun while doing it. “Our job is to fill the water cups and stand out in the street and hand [them] to the runners,” Jo explains.

Early in the morning before the marathon begins, race organizers drop off tables, cups and pitchers, close to 30 five-gallon water jugs, and Gatorade in bulk. Ann and Jo and other water station volunteers arrive around 8:30am and set up the tables, and they carefully pour water jugs into the pitchers, which are used to fill the water cups to hand to runners, who usually start passing through as early as 9:45am and finish by around 11:30am. There are six water stops throughout the race, plus the start and finish. Runners can also bring a water bottle or hydration vest.

“You always have to keep on your toes to keep the water going,” Ann says. “It’s fun…people are appreciative as they come through. It’s a sense of boosting them on.”

Jo and Ann are typically among a dozen or so volunteers manning the Mile 12 water table in front of the Quechee Library, which is the last stop for runners before the race ends at the polo field on Deweys Mills Road in Quechee. The Friends of the Quechee Library volunteer group is often joined by volunteers from various local school sports groups, or sometimes, “neighbors across [the street]” who walk over to lend a hand, Ann says. Some volunteers help with traffic control to protect runners from turning and oncoming vehicles.

“We’re always looking for other volunteers…the more the merrier,” Ann says. Volunteers also help pick up the cups after runners use them and throw them to the side as they continue on their way.

But the water stops serve as more than just a spot for runners to re-hydrate. They’re also important for morale-boosting and runner support. “That’s part of our job too…clapping and cheering them on,” Ann and Jo explain. “‘Only a mile left!’ is what we say,” Ann adds. “It’s really almost two miles…I always say ‘It’s all downhill from here!’,” Jo continues. The library water stop is also a music stop, where runners enjoy some live musical motivation. This year, the Upper Valley Music Center will be providing music at this location.

CBHM race co-director Nancy Nutile-McMenemy (left) and her
team “TuTu Much Fun” walked the 13.1 mile course when the
2021 race was held virtually

After passing the Quechee Public Library and continuing down Main Street in Quechee, runners pass by the Quechee Covered Bridge, where traffic tends to get tricky. The race organizers and traffic control volunteers instruct runners to stay left along most of Main Street, before switching to the right side of the road after passing “Heartbreak Hill”. This traffic pattern allows for vehicles coming from Bluff Rd., High St., Old Quechee Rd., and Marshland Farms to access Route 4 through the Quechee Covered Bridge.

“[Quechee] is a very congested area of the race,” race co-director Mike Silverman says. “Most years, everything runs smoothly. But when there is a difficulty at some point, there’s good communication to make the next year better.” For example, in past years, the race began after 10am, but organizers realized that starting earlier in the morning would help beat the early afternoon heat. But starting at 8:15am could cause a conflict with churchgoers in town on a Sunday morning. So, race organizers and local businesses and organizations have to work together to find a suitable plan.

“We’ve interrupted the community on the first weekend in June for a long time,” Mike says, reflecting on one of the biggest challenges of organizing a half marathon event like this. “In general, we do bring some economy to the local communities that we disrupt.” Runners and other race attendees often find lodging and food locally, and support other local businesses while they’re in town for the weekend, which helps account for the disruptions caused by the race itself.

As to volunteers, the race revolves around them. “Over the years, we have found ourselves setting up and tearing [things] down, and we’ve now established [volunteer groups],” Mike says. “Our volunteers at the water stations are actually groups that are paid to be there so they can raise money for whatever organization they are involved with. Most of them are youth organizations, it could be a library…multiple, local community groups…We can rely on them being there.”

The CBHM also has a mutually beneficial relationship with non-profit partners – The Family Place, David’s House, Positive Tracks, Upper Valley Haven, and WISE – who recruit runners that raise a minimum of $500 on behalf of their organizations. According to CBHM’s website, around $150,000 are collected in donations each year by these non-profit partners as a result of the race.

Covered Bridges Half Marathon volunteers

The Friends of the Quechee Library have been participating as volunteers with the marathon since around 1995, and Ann and Jo have been water table volunteers since about 2012. For them, volunteering at the race each year is a reliable way for them to raise money and contribute to a good local cause. The Covered Bridges Half Marathon is one of the major fundraisers for The Friends, and it directly benefits their efforts to make the library an even greater resource for the community. Some of the things The Friends contribute to are library programs for kids and adults, a NYT recipes subscription, and things outside of the library’s normal operational budget, like resealing the parking lot.

Volunteering at the water table during the Covered Bridges Half Marathon is “a Friends tradition,” Jo says. “We have many longtime volunteers…One Friend who volunteered said ‘I didn’t know what I’d been missing’.”

Volunteers who are interested in joining the Friends of the Quechee Library at the water table and to cheer on runners are welcome. A sign up sheet is available at the Quechee Public Library, or email info@quecheelibrary.org for more information.

The Friends of the Quechee Library are having their annual meeting on May 29, 2025 at 5pm at the Quechee Library. All are welcome to join and interested community members are encouraged to reach out to learn more about becoming a Friend.

You can tell a lot about a town by its library. And at its beating heart? A dedicated library director. After 33 years, the Quechee Public Library bids farewell to Kate Schaal as she retires and welcomes new library director, Michaela Lavelle, in her absence.

Like every good story, there’s a beginning and an end. But it can be read, and remembered, over and over again.

Where It All Started

Kate Schaal reading books at a children’s storytime at the
Quechee Library in 2017.

Kate, who grew up in Merrydale Farm (Murphy Farm), moved back to Quechee in 1988 with her family, shortly before beginning her career as a librarian. Kate’s involvement with the Quechee Library began as the assistant librarian and children’s librarian for three years under the mentorship of Pauline Cole, prior library director of over 40 years. After Pauline tragically died in a traffic accident, Kate stepped into the role of library director in 1993.

If our calculations are correct, Kate has been writing quarterly Library News updates for the Quechee Times for just over 30 years, with her first appearance as an author in the spring issue of 1993. At the time, the library was searching for a new space to expand from the 465 square foot brick building that it used to call home.

In that issue, she began her tradition of detailing library events and programming for readers, along with sharing special book recommendations and library resources available to the community. “Hillel Pitlik took a core group of fourth graders to Kenya via books, magazines and newspapers and his video in March,” Kate wrote. “It was the first of what will be an ongoing program to challenge students to learn beyond school walls, and to develop fine library skills in this computer networked world.”

Three decades later and under Kate’s direction, the library has continued to provide patrons with many opportunities to tone their minds and exercise their imaginations, especially encouraging youth to explore the benefits of the literary world through specific programs. The library has also gracefully embraced the ebb and flow of modern technology, utilizing ebook and audio book software such as Libby and Overdrive, digital libraries, streaming services, and news subscriptions to broaden resources for the community.

In the winter issue from 1995, Kate’s “Quechee Library News” detailed the groundbreaking for the new library building at 1957 Main Street. “The Quechee Library will at last put down its landing gear, stop moving, stop packing and unpacking, and open the front doors to its own glorious new space,” she wrote. At the beginning of her new career, Kate saw the library through an incredible transition, as they temporarily uprooted their home base to make way for construction, fundraised thousands of dollars towards the $450,000 building campaign, grew the library collection, expanded library hours, and recruited a strong base of volunteers.

“The statistics provide affirmation that it is all worthwhile. The Library is being used as had been hoped,” Kate wrote in the following issue of the Quechee Times in the spring of 1995, sharing the various donations, pledges, and volunteer work that had been supporting the library’s transformation. “Regulars stop in to read the newspapers, school children do their research and use the computers to write up the results, smaller children fill the bright primary area for storytimes, computer neophytes of all ages benefit from Bill Marcon’s computer tutorials, and a dozen or so readers gather monthly with Mary Dow for book discussions.”

Recent Quechee Times library news excerpts emphasize nearly the same sentiments, the only difference being that more and more patrons and community members get to join in these experiences as time goes on. With ongoing programming targeted at all different groups within the community, this little library continues to create cherished moments in time for many.

A Librarian Knows Best

Perhaps spurred in part by her background in English, or maybe her Vermont Dept. of Libraries certifications, but more likely a natural affinity, Kate has always had a knack for finding the cure to any particular reader’s symptoms, satisfying literary cravings across any genre, knowing her collection like the back of her hand.

“Her eye for a good book is outstanding and our collection, often noted by patrons and visitors as “really good,” reflects that,” says new library director, Michaela Lavelle. “Kate’s work at the library is interwoven to the fabric of the building, literally, as she led the move to the Quechee library’s current space, and metaphorically as her imprint on our community extends generations of readers and residents.”

“I appreciate that Kate hones in on the interests of her volunteers and always tries to assign them something that appeals to them and takes advantage of their abilities,” shares Gail Ferney, who has been volunteering at the Quechee Library every Friday for the last 20 years. “Personally, I can not cover a new book properly, but I enjoy sorting out and cleaning the craft shelves in the kids room. She’s never asked me to cover a book…but relies on me to expertly sort crayons and glue and blunt scissors!”

Kate’s special gift “for knowing just the right books to recommend for frequent patrons” also stands out to Gail, “and her ability to order new books that will please the general population.”

“I think she could pick out every book in that library,” adds Paula Pitts, another longtime library volunteer. “I think she knows where it all is.”

It’s All About Community

“Quechee Library News” excerpt from the Quechee Times
spring Issue, 1995.

Through it all, the Quechee Library has been and continues to be a center for community – a place of refuge in the storm of everyday life, a space to gather, pages of uncharted territories to discover and imagine, an environment to learn and grow in, and a hold of memories that will make returning visitors smile to see a new generation pulling their next book down from the shelf.

“Kate has made a great contribution to our community by making the library not only a welcoming place for library patrons but also as a meeting place for reading groups, stamp collectors, needlecraft groups, and more,” says longtime library volunteer Kathleen Davis. “Her generosity of spirit is one of Quechee’s jewels.”

“Kate truly believes that a public library is for the public,” echoes Gail Ferney. “To this end, she is always open to outreach. She started the daycare program years ago: Once a month, Kate or a volunteer visits a local daycare with a bag of 12 books and a story or two to read to the children. The bag stays at the daycare for a month so teachers can share them with little ones. Bugbee Senior Center also benefits from Kate. She initiated the mini-library there and introduced a monthly book club where seniors can share their love of books and camaraderie.”

“Years pass and times change, but Kate has never changed in her dedication to the patrons of Quechee Library,” adds Paula Pitts. “She has worked tirelessly to be sure that our village has the best…It is more than a job to her, it’s a calling.”

Little Library, Big Impact

“That little library has been the life to so many people,” says one library patron. “[Kate] has been so instrumental in that.”

Kate Schaal, from one of her early
Quechee Times library news excerpts.

Volunteers are one way that the library is able to serve the community at the level they do, and organizing volunteer support has been one of many focuses of Kate’s over the years. Many past and present library volunteers describe their involvement as evolving somewhat spontaneously, only due to Kate’s expert way of delegating duties based on the unique needs of the library and the characteristics of each volunteer.

“I moved to Quechee in 2007,” shares Jo Allsopp, volunteer and Friends of the Library co-chair, “and as libraries are some of my favorite things, I started visiting. I don’t know how long into it I let Kate know I’d be interested in volunteering as I had done it in previous towns I lived in. If anyone will tell you, she is not so quick to take your word for it. Somehow I think I forced my way in and became a long-time front desk volunteer.”

Paula Pitts first met Kate when she was looking for a local volunteer opportunity. “I came in looking to see what I could do at the library and I started at the book sale and then went from there,” she says. “She knew where she needed people to help, and so once I got going, she [asked] if I would like to work at the circulation desk, which I did, and I really love that because you get to see everybody that comes in, so that’s where I’ve been for the last 12 years or so.”

On top of managing volunteers, Kate also plans and coordinates library events and programs, doing research to find relateable topics of interest to bring for the community to enjoy, in addition to running the children’s programs at the library.

On the importance of the library in the community, Paula says, “It’s a resource for information – everything from recreational reading right down to math and history of the town, but in addition to those academic things, there are wonderful, imaginative programs for children, there have been music concerts, there have been poetry readings, there have been panel discussions – all meaningful to the times, and what is going on at the time in town.”

This little library is more than just a home to books; it’s a “connection to people,” Paula adds, and a “very local, welcoming place to go.”

A New Chapter

Kate and Alex Prudhomme at an author talk in 2023.

“Kate’s retirement marks a true end of an era,” says library Board of Trustees president, Tommy Bauch. “I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve encountered something novel to her experience as the library’s director. She will be sorely missed.”

“I could sing her praises forever,” Paula Pitts says. “She is an unbelievable asset to this town and has been all her life. We are really going to miss her.”

After Kate’s official retirement earlier in February, assistant librarian, Michaela Lavelle, stepped into the role of library director. “The Quechee Library is a community staple and that is in large part due to Kate. She has championed not only the Quechee Library, but also the Wilder Club & Library and the importance of high quality libraries in Hartford in general during her tenure,” Michalea says. “I am deeply grateful to have been mentored by Kate during my time at the library and overwhelmed by her support in my taking on the role of director. It is an honor to have such large shoes to fill, and I could not be luckier to inherit such a well cared for library and library community.”

The Quechee Times and the Quechee community thanks you, Kate, for your years of service as library director and your dedication to making the community a better place through your work. We wish you the best as you turn the page to your next chapter!

At the end of last summer, Conor Teal saw a need in the community, and he put his brain to work to fill it. Off of Sykes Mountain Avenue heading into downtown White River Junction, on the corner of Walsh Avenue, kids in the Chambers Village mobile home park wait every day for the school bus to pick them up in the morning.

Teal, who works at COVER Home Repair & Store in White River Junction as the volunteer coordinator and assistant crew leader, noticed their predicament on his morning commute to work: “Adding a space for them to stay dry as they started their school day felt necessary to do,” he said. So, as an independent service project at the end of his AmeriCorps service term in August, Teal set to work to find a solution.

First, Teal asked the park owner, Toby DeBattiste, for his approval of the idea. DeBattiste was interested from the start, and he “gave me free rein to do what needed to be arranged to make it work out,” Teal said. Then, Teal checked in with the Town of Hartford to check on the feasibility of building a bus shelter in that area. “I have to give special credit to the Hartford planning department,” Teal said, “in particular, Jo-Ann Ells, for guiding me through the requirements, gathering and sending documents, and connecting me to appropriate resources and other staff.”

At first, Teal was gearing up to build the structure himself, with the help of tools and materials in the shop at COVER, but, after news of his planned project circulated within the community, Adams Carroll of Advance Transit recommended an already-built bus shelter at Yestermorrow Design School in Waitsfield, VT. “They had one built through AARP funding, but had to cancel its installation due to a siting issue,” Teal explained. “I told my idea to their executive director, Britton Rogers, who supported moving it to Chambers Park.”

Now that the shelter had been secured, all Teal had to do was arrange its pick-up and delivery, which he achieved with the help of Carriage Shed in White River Junction, and Advance Transit, who helped cover the transportation costs. “It was a smooth delivery process and placement,” Teal said. “The shelter is a striking complement to the neighborhood and a promotion of artistic design that White River Junction continues to represent.”

Since it was installed, the bus shelter has been a welcome addition to the park. Rebecca O’Connell, who has three kids, said, “It’s been a game changer.” Kathryne Severance, another Chambers Village resident and a student of COVER’s “Construction 101” course, said it’s been great to be able to wait with her child for the bus and not have to worry about standing outside in the elements. “It’s just tough to start your day in the cold or the rain,” she said.

One of Teal’s personal goals is to help make public spaces more available to people, and the bus shelter project has been a perfect example of that. “I’m glad the kids are making use of it, and really, it can become a great public hub for the residents,” he said. Besides serving as cover for those waiting to be picked up by transportation, it’s also become a place of socialization, play, and community. Since its placement, Teal has ‘modded’ the bus shelter with an indoor bench and a metal ramp donated by COVER, making it wheelchair accessible. The creativity doesn’t end there – “All kinds of additions could be made,” Teal said. A trash receptacle is next on the list, as the kids are keen to respect their new sanctuary and keep it clean. Next – Garden boxes? Chess table? The sky’s the limit.

In the fall, I was lucky enough to visit and work alongside Teal and residents of the community to install an entry step for easier access to the bus shelter. I got to see a truly inspiring display of community as parents and children worked together to help – leveling the step, holding it still to screw in, even problem solving as one helper came to the rescue with some scrap pieces of wood, and of course, testing it out to make sure it was in good working order.

At the end of the day, Teal proves that one good deed goes a long way, sparking positive change and bringing people together in the pursuit of a common goal for the greater good. So roll up your sleeves and find a need, lend a hand. You never know what might happen!

To read more about COVER Home Repair & Store’s mission and volunteer coordinator Conor Teal’s work there, check out the “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” article on pages 6-7.

Meet a Few of the Volunteers Behind the Quechee Balloon Festival

The awe and wonder of witnessing a hot air balloon travel up, up, and away in the sky above is one Upper Valley childhood memory that will live in my mind forever. The coming of summer means that many fun community events are just around the corner, and the Quechee Balloon Festival (QBF) is one such event that keeps families, visitors, volunteers, and community members coming back year after year to celebrate a special summertime tradition in each others’ company.

This year, the 44th annual Quechee Balloon Festival (organized by the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce) will bring back all those fun memories from Friday, June 14 to Sunday, June 16. A celebration of community and togetherness, the Quechee Balloon Festival continues to create memorable experiences through good food, entertainment, local vendors, and a colorful spectacle as balloons launch into the sky.

The scale and success of the Quechee Balloon Festival over the years is due in large part to the team of dedicated and generous volunteers who give their time and resources to help make the event possible and enjoyable for everyone. “The Chamber couldn’t put this together with the help of our community and volunteers,” says Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce’s executive director, Havah Armstrong Walter. “I think [the balloon festival] is the warmest thank-you we could offer for all of the year-round support from our business partners.”

Walther, who recently stepped into the role as the Chamber’s new executive director in December, views the Quechee Balloon Festival as a “quintessential Vermont experience”. The local lineup of craft vendors and entertainers, along with the beautiful Quechee scenery, and not to forget, kind and helpful volunteers, makes it a favorite event for locals and visitors alike.

“I remember the first time I went to the Quechee Balloon Festival, my husband and I were still in our 20s and my in-laws were not happy that we had moved all the way to Vermont,” Walther says. “That first year, they came up on Father’s Day weekend and shared a day with us at the festival and it was the most beautiful day full of artists, balloonists, and some great bands. After that visit, they said they understood why we live in the Upper Valley.”

For 44 years, the Quechee Balloon Festival has captured the very essence of the culture and community nestled in these Vermont hills that we call home. Read on to hear from some volunteers whose kindness and generosity has enabled the festival to flourish and grow over the years. And join us this June as we celebrate another festival together; up, up, and away!

Find more information and tickets for the Quechee Balloon Festival at quecheeballoonfestival.com.

What does the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival mean to you?

BOB: It means fun and seeing the excitement in the eyes of all the kids there when the balloons stand up and launch. It means great festival food and entertainment on the big stage and of course, the frisbee dogs (Pups in the Air!). It’s a great event that brings people from all over the place together every year.

ELY: The festival is a wonderful event that is exciting. We get to see old neighbors and friends, all while helping people from many different states with the balloon rides.

HEATHER: The kickoff to summer! And time where my adult children, Caitlyn and Cameron, and I can work together giving back to our community. And have some fun too!

RANDY: It means an opportunity to play with the community in a way that very few people have the opportunity to do. There just aren’t that many hot air balloon festivals.

SCOTT: An opportunity to showcase our region as a destination for tourism. It is also the one event that our agency, Hartford Parks & Recreation, participates in for the benefit of the Brian Hanson Scholarship Fund. The Fund supports registrations to those in need of financial support to participate in recreational programs, Sherman Manning Aquatic Facility and the WABA arena memberships. Visitors for the Balloon Festival pay a suggested donation of $3 per car. 

How did you become involved as a volunteer at the Quechee Balloon Festival?

BOB: I do get paid for some of what I do there, as I am the emcee for the event and I’m there the entire time the gates are open and for every launch, as well as some significant setup time. I was approached by PJ Skehan a few years ago when the position became available. He was familiar with me and my work from things I did for Halloween in Quechee and my volunteering to emcee the Polar Express rides that PJ is also involved in.

ELY: I started by helping my husband Bob who is the MC for the festival. I am his official roadie. It was the second year that I officially signed up as a volunteer in the balloon booth. The excitement on the faces of people when they are getting tickets for a balloon ride is so much fun.

HEATHER: Sixteen years ago, my former manager was on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He was talking about the Festival so I decided to sign up for a shift. I was hooked after that. I arrive at the Quechee Green Friday morning at about 7:30am and I don’t go home until Sunday night! I set up my tent and camp out (I only live three miles from the Green). 

RANDY: When I moved here from Cape Cod in 1994, I knew no one. Friends from the Chamber of Commerce recruited me to help at the QBF as a volunteer.

SCOTT: Our agency is a partner in the event. We provide the parking and crowd control setup for the event. We seek other volunteers to assist us with parking throughout the entire weekend. 

What makes volunteering at the Quechee Balloon Festival special to you?

BOB: When I moved to Quechee in 2008, I bought a condo in the Red Barn that shares a parking lot with the festival. I got to know several of the local balloon pilots and one that also had a condo in the same building. I crewed for at least three balloonists and loved it. I also attended every Balloon Festival since I moved there since I already had a front row seat. When I was asked to take on the emcee position I jumped at it. By then the festival was already a ritual for me and I was excited to be a part of it instead of just attending.

ELY: I look forward to it every year. I love the people and seeing all the vendors; some are the same year after year and some are new. Seeing the balloonists getting ready on the field and starting to fill the balloons with air is exciting. 

HEATHER: I spent time at the Festival when I was younger. We would hang out with my uncle Jim helping  with the chase crew and getting to hang out on the field as the balloons were launching.   Volunteering brings me back to those days and makes new memories with my children. My son was six when he started volunteering (highlighting vendor spots on the map) and my daughter was volunteering with her field hockey team. My husband, Jeff, loved the Balloon Festival. The music, food, entertainment, and balloons. In his memory, several family members now volunteer because he loved it so much and invited everyone to come hang out with him. 

RANDY: Since working at the festival all these years, I have an enhanced appreciation of the efforts that go into other events or festivals in general. You sort of peek behind the curtains and see what makes the QBF amazing.

SCOTT: It’s an opportunity to be with folks that are passionate about helping Hartford Parks & Recreation raise money for the Brian Hanson Scholarship Fund. In addition, it is an opportunity to socialize for a good cause. 

When was the first time you attended the Quechee Balloon Festival? What do you remember?

BOB: My first Balloon Festival was in 2008. I remember being in awe of all the balloons out in the field. There were so many and they were huge. I had never been to a hot air balloon event before and had never seen so many balloons in one place.

ELY: My first year attending was in 2015. I had just moved to Quechee and Bob was a balloon chaser for Gary Lovell. I really enjoyed the ride back with the passengers and hearing what a wonderful time they had in the balloon.

HEATHER: I was around 10 years old when my aunt and uncle started dating. He is the one who introduced my sister and me to the QBF. We became unofficial chase crew members. 

RANDY: Back in about 1994, I noticed the QBF looked a bit “ragtag”. Signs were handmade, last minute issues were the norm…over time, this all gave way to the excellent clock-like creation of our yearly QBF today.

SCOTT: As a spectator, it was with my wife and first child over 25 years ago.

What do you look forward to most about the Quechee Balloon Festival?

BOB: Seeing the people pouring in and watching them get excited for the ascensions. I especially love to watch the children because they are the most impressed and excited.

ELY: I look forward to the early morning flights. I have had wonderful conversations with passengers as they check in for the morning flight.

HEATHER: Seeing the people that I only see once a year including volunteers and repeat vendors. Seeing the kids getting so excited when the balloons launch. My favorite part is the controlled chaos when the cash gates get busy when the weather cooperates. 

RANDY: Seeing the returning pilots. They are a fun bunch who enjoy the camaraderie of ballooning.

SCOTT: It’s a busy time of year for us at Hartford Parks & Recreation. However, the festival is something we look forward to assisting with. We appreciate the outcome which provides youth and families with financial support for programs, camps, and passes throughout the year.

What is one memory you have of the Quechee Balloon Festival?

BOB: Seeing the Balloon Glow (hot air balloons lighting up at dusk) for the first time. Now I’m the one playing for the Balloon Glow.

ELY: We had an afternoon last year that was windy and the sky divers were not able to jump onto the field. However, this was the best kite flying day and I bought a kite and joined the others on the field having a great time flying a kite!

HEATHER: June, 2018: my children worked out a way to surprise me with a balloon ride to spread some of my husband’s ashes. He said he would never go up in a balloon; well, the joke was on him! I also have a picture of each of my children and my husband on their 1st Father’s Day with him feeding them their morning bottle while we waited for the balloons to launch. 

RANDY: I remember years where the weather was perfect and the pilots got to fly the five scheduled flights; then there were the weekends that it rained and was uncomfortably cold or we had dusty hot weather where the balloons were challenged to get off the ground.

SCOTT: Last year’s washout had to be the wettest.

What’s something you’re excited about for this year’s event?

BOB: For me, it will be revamping the audio system a bit to make the sound coverage area larger and more uniform to avoid loud hot-spots which have always been a problem there.

HEATHER: Good weather and 5 for 5 balloon ascensions! That is what we all are excited for every year!

SCOTT: Hopeful for good weather, lots of balloons, and good times with a great group of Brian Hanson Scholarship Volunteers.

For someone who isn’t familiar with the Quechee Balloon Festival, how would you describe it to them?

BOB: It’s a full weekend event. It would be worth it even if there were no balloons. There are scores of vendors that are selling all kinds of things, some great food, excellent entertainment, and as a bonus, tons of hot air balloons. I would tell people to try and get a ride, but get tickets early because they sell out in hours, and it will be an experience you will never forget.

ELY: A nice festival packed full of lots of entertainment.

HEATHER: The entry fee is good for the whole weekend. There are a variety of craft, food, and commercial vendors, entertainment (music, dancers, and comedians), fair food, and of course, the balloons. But, don’t expect to see the balloons between 6am and 6pm launch times. If the weather cooperates, there will be a balloon inflated for tethered rides throughout the day.

RANDY: If your only experience with hot air balloons is the Wizard of OZ movie, you’ll be amazed how big these balloons are and what it takes to launch one.

SCOTT: A great opportunity to enjoy amazing food, music, and the balloons. The balloon glow is colorful and entertaining.

Describe a hot air balloon that you distinctly remember from over the years and why it stood out to you?

BOB: A number of years ago, there were several specialty balloons. The one I remember best was a Snoopy balloon that was shaped like Snoopy flying his dog house looking for the Red Baron.

ELY: One local balloonist has an orange balloon and I love that one.

HEATHER: I have to say I’m partial to the Balloon Meister Bill Whidden’s balloon, “Great Balls Of Fire”. I’ve flown with him three out of the four rides I have taken (he is who my uncle crewed for). The shaped balloons are always a favorite. One year, it was ”The Purple People Eater”. 

RANDY: Occasionally in our area, the woods will reach out and grab a balloon since they didn’t make it to an open field to land. That becomes an adventure to extract the balloon from dense wooded areas.

What is your favorite thing about Quechee?

BOB: Quechee is a great little town. It’s very quaint and has lots of history. I love the covered bridge, both the old one and the new one after Irene ruined it, and of course Simon Pierce. But I think mostly, it is the friendly people.

ELY: I love the river and all the antique shops.

HEATHER: I love taking pictures of the scenery, especially in the fall. 

RANDY: It’s not the boonies and it’s not the city, yet both are nearby.

SCOTT: The Village of Quechee, in the Town of Hartford, is a destination with a small town charm that includes destination type attractions like the Balloon Festival, VINS, Quechee Gorge, Quechee State Park, and several eating establishments. 

What is one thing you want other people to know about the Quechee Balloon Festival?

BOB: It has something for everyone and every age.

ELY: Even when the balloons are not able to launch, we still have a wonderful festival.

HEATHER: It is the longest running balloon festival in New England (40 plus years). Balloon pilots come from all over the East Coast. Many of them for 20 years or more.

RANDY: The QBF is a “gem” of a festival because of the volunteers and the community.

SCOTT: As a partner in this event, handling the parking and other logistics, we annually raise between $7,000 and $13,000 for the Brian Hanson Scholarship Fund. We appreciate that the Chamber of Commerce supports this cause.

One Family’s Story of Finding Purpose and Joy in an Ever-Changing World

It’s safe to say that, for most people, life doesn’t tend to follow a linear path. There are twists and turns, ups and downs, joys and sorrows, lots of uncertainty, and usually, where we end up and how we got there isn’t necessarily how we imagined it.

This universal truth is part of what inspires Quechee resident and entrepreneur, Marin Phoenix, to live a life with intention and heart, and to help others do the same. The founder of Embodypreneur, Marin’s professional talents align harmoniously with her personal values, grounded in faith, surrender, and service.

Through her business, Marin offers transformational coaching and childbirth education to clients, with an emphasis on empowering others as they find their authentic purpose, meet a certain entrepreneurial goal, or prepare for a sacred and foundational experience such as childbirth.

Marin and her life partner, Jeremy Wheeler, are passionate members of the Quechee community, and were drawn here upon discovering the Upper Valley Waldorf School (UVWS) because of its unique approach to learning and its nurturing educational environment.

Marin and Jeremy’s two children, Austin (a rising first-grader) and Allen (early childhood education),
both attend UVWS, and Marin serves on the development committee, helping to plan events and outreach that foster connections between the school and the local community. The school’s curriculum and approach meets each student where they are at, Marin says, and sets a good example in their mission to create a learning environment that respects each child and is inclusive to students’ unique personalities.

“I have two very high-spirited children,” Marin says. “The way that [the teachers] navigate [the students’] energy levels and meet them as exactly who they are just blows my mind.”

For Marin and her family, navigating the uncertainty of the past four years has led them on some interesting adventures. In early 2020, Marin’s family felt called to travel to the West Coast together so they could continue to serve others despite the limitations of the pandemic. Instead of traveling by plane, they discovered Spirit Bus, a remodeled RV that brought Marin’s family of four on a memorable cross-country trip from Vermont to California, and many places in between. Along that six-month journey, Marin and Jeremy continued to meet with clients virtually and in-person, while also creating new and loving memories with their two toddlers.

When they returned home to Quechee, Austin began at UVWS mid-year, and was welcomed with encouragement and flexibility that allowed him to thrive.

To help balance Austin’s energy and enthusiasm in his classroom, his teacher created a “meditation room” (an activity Marin and Austin had been doing together at home) as a space for all students to calm down when they needed a break from the classroom.

“She just turned it into such a loving and embracing gesture,” Marin says.

Similarly, Marin seeks the same outcome in her approach to serving others. Meeting each unique person
where they’re at, Marin guides others in “discovering [their] authentic purpose and bringing it to life,” she
says.

After growing up in Southern Vermont, Marin left home for the West Coast for college. In her twenties, she entered the corporate world of Finance working for Bear Stearns and later J.P. Morgan where she ran operations for a high net worth wealth management group. Looking out of the window of a 24th floor office in the financial district of San Francisco, she knew her path was taking her in a different direction.

“I still draw on that experience today,” she says. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do as a career…and I was
looking around me like ‘who can help me figure this out? Because I’m having a really hard time figuring
out my purpose on my own’.”

This deep questioning about her purpose in life began to pave the way towards Marin’s future career
as a transformational coach.

After seven years in the finance industry, Marin moved back to the East Coast to participate in a new
degree program at the University of Vermont, called SEMBA (Sustainable Entrepreneurship MBA). The
program was designed “to focus on sustainable impact and integrity at every level of business,” Marin said. After completing the program, Marin pursued a Master’s degree in Environmental Law and
Policy at Vermont Law School (VLS).

At this point, Marin had a better feeling about her purpose: “I was so much more clear on my direction, I just didn’t know what job it was [yet],” she remembers. Marin liked the idea of starting her own business, and this was when what she calls “serendipity central” came into play.

Little did she know, while finishing up her studies and preparing for her law exams at VLS, Marin would
meet her future partner, Jeremy, at the Starbucks in Hanover. “This man walked in and sat down next to
me and struck up a conversation with me,” she recounts. “I felt like we already knew each other so well.” Jeremy was also just returning from a 15 year sojourn on the West Coast where he played a crucial role in the Human Genome Project and pursued a master’s degree in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Religion from the California Institute for Integral Studies in addition to a career in teaching and curriculum design.

Jeremy was from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, while Marin was from Southern Vermont, and through conversation, they discovered that they had been following each other between coasts for years, but had just never crossed paths until this one serendipitous moment. “[Jeremy] was looking for a partner to build a life with that was conversant in both the expansive and vibe-sensitive sense of California…and someone who had the ability to be that deeply-rooted, hard working, East Coast Vermonter,” Marin says. “Finding each other was incredible and completely spirit-led.”

Marin and Jeremy decided to start a business together – Small World Networks, inspired by their desire “to create local to local connections between businesses that were in Vermont…and the local communities on the West Coast that we loved and knew so well,” Marin says.

This business later evolved to encapsulate Marin’s transformational coaching practice and her birthing
education course, Beyond Birthing, which helps prepare women for an empowered and more peaceful
labor and delivery experience.

After experiencing the overwhelming pain and exhaustion of giving birth to her first child, Marin wanted to find a better way to prepare for labor and delivery. “You can’t control birth,” Marin says. “It’s going to have its own journey as every right of passage does.” But with the right preparation and guidance ahead of time, the birth experience can be a fearless one, where women are “showing up in a way that feels empowering and confident and calm throughout birth so that no matter what happens, [they’re] feeling like it’s a positive experience.” The birth of Marin’s second son was nothing like her first. Shifting her mindset to be calm, positive, and trusting had allowed the outcome to shift as well.

As a transformational coach, Marin helps people at all different points in their life journeys, whether her clients already know what their passion and purpose are, or if they’re still trying to figure that out. “Honestly, everybody knows what it is, there’s just confusion around it or it’s cloudy,” Marin says. “People know when they want to be a writer, people know when they want to be a teacher; it’s this deep hidden dream within them and just bringing that out is such a beautiful process.”

Marin’s motivation to offer insight and coach individuals stems from experiencing transformational
moments in her own life – from childhood to feeling uncertain about her career path in her twenties, to the births of her two children, or navigating the stress and tension that ensued from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Helping people to find freedom and joy within, to be able to do what they love, their authentic purpose, and to tap into a deeper source of faith” is Marin’s number-one priority and joy as a coach, she says. For this reason, Marin especially loves coaching other creative-minded, female entrepreneurs, and guiding people toward an empowered and authentic experience of life, even if that path may feel unconventional or intimidating.

Marin, Jeremy, and family also love their church community at St. James Episcopal Church in Woodstock,
teaching and participating in classes at Artistree, and being involved at the Waldorf School. In her day-to-day life, Marin embraces her purpose to live through faith, surrender, and service, and finds joy in guiding others to embrace their own unique gifts they offer the world.

Among the thriving artistic culture here in Quechee and the greater Upper Valley, and the many talented people who live here, there is a notably rich presence of choral singing, which is supported by a growing network of interested artists, as well as the Choral Arts Foundation of the Upper Valley (CAFUV).

The Choral Arts Foundation, like most non-profits, aims to support and uplift the community it serves – and in this case, that means promoting choral singing in the Upper Valley.

The CAFUV mission statement emphasizes providing “inspiration and support to those who sing, those who direct, and those who listen.” With these three main categories in mind, the Foundation works specifically to support the 20 or so community choirs throughout the Upper Valley that don’t normally receive internal funding. Support is shown in multiple ways, including small grants, providing community programs for choral singers and directors, and promoting local choral events to listeners.

“We try to say yes when we get a grant proposal because if somebody’s asking, they’re trying to do something that’s meaningful, but at the same time, our role is supportive in many different ways,” says Jo Shute, current president on the board of CAFUV.

Small grants go a long way in “[making] it possible for a chorus to do a program that they particularly want to do,” says Shute. “$1000 to $2000 can make a big difference for a chorus.”

A Quechee resident and former CAFUV board member, Helen Clark, has witnessed the impact of these grants firsthand.

Clark got involved on the board of the Choral Arts Foundation around 2015, when
she was also a member of the Handel Society of Dartmouth College – a choral arts group founded in 1807 –and a member of Wrensong, a Woodstock-based Renaissance Acapella group. Clark co-founded Wrensong with her husband, Dave Clark, and the group will be performing this holiday season at the Quechee Library on December 21.

“We were invited to submit for grants to help with things that small groups need, such as buying music,” Clark says. “You have to make sure you have properly licensed music if you’re going to use it to sing and practice, so [CAFUV] helps support musicians in ways you wouldn’t expect.”

One recent CAFUV grant supported the creation of a “music library” at the Upper Valley Music Center. “Think of it like any other library: you can search the catalogue; So, every choir doesn’t have to buy music that already exists in the Upper Valley that they can borrow,” Shute says. The Choral Arts Foundation provided a grant for the project to pay for the software, some hardware, and a part-time librarian. “It makes the idea of ‘we’re all here, let’s share’ come to life,” Shute adds.

The Choral Arts Foundation is able to provide grant funding to area choirs through an annual appeal fundraiser and an investment fund. Sometimes CAFUV initiates grants in response to unusual circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020.

During the pandemic, the Choral Arts Foundation invented a unique program called the “Driveway Choir System,” which enabled the choral arts to continue in the Upper Valley in a time of uncertainty.

“Imagine a parking lot and a director (outside or inside) and some form of keyboard that provides accompaniment – if that’s called for in the music. Through a radio channel, you have a microphone that you’re singing into and headphones where you hear the whole thing, and it’s in real-time with no lag,” Shute says. “It was totally wild.”

Many choirs took advantage of this creative resource, and some choirs, like the Handel Society of Dartmouth College, spent months rehearsing a piece using the Driveway Choir System that they later performed on stage once pandemic-related restrictions were lifted. “It was a way to keep [people] together and keep things going,” Clark says.

“We made it available to all of the choirs, and they could come on their regular rehearsal night to a specific place where we had it all set up,” Shute adds.

For this particular project, CAFUV acquired special funding to support purchasing the equipment for the Driveway Choir System, in the form of a generous donation from the Byrne Foundation. “Once groups started to feel more comfortable coming together masked and distanced… we initiated what we called ‘COVID relief grants’,” she adds. “We sent checks to all of the participating choruses which they could use to buy masks (like N95s when those weren’t easy to get), or they could use it for some other purpose that was an unusual expense due to COVID-19.”

Another CAFUV project – the “Summer Sings” series – also aims at bringing members of the choral arts together.

It’s “a way for singers to come back at the end of the summer(summers are quiet for most choruses.) It’s a way to fill that gap but also prepare for the coming season with their own chorus,” Shute says. “We bring out local directors and they pick repertoire.”

With nearly 100 participants at Summer Sings events this past summer, the now three-year-old CAFUV tradition continues to grow.

Outside of programs like these, the Choral Arts Foundation is a reliable resource for information on existing choruses in the Upper Valley. On their website, choralartsuv.org, prospective choral members can search for choirs to join. “We’ve got a pretty good listing [of choruses],” Shute says. “If people move to the area and they want to sing, they can find lots of information.” CAFUV could also be a resource for those looking to start a new community choir. With a network of choral connections, the Foundation often helps connect directors with singers and vice versa.

CAFUV also works with local directors to offer professional development programming for certain types of choral music. “Sometimes there’s an interest in a particular type of singing – like body percussion,” Shute explains. “We would create a workshop and we bring in a clinician to run the workshop in that particular area of interest.”

In support of listeners, the Choral Arts Foundation helps to publicize local concerts through a triannual newsletter. “We are really trying to make sure that the word gets out to a broader group,” Shute says. “Every chorus has its own publicity, but we’re building a community of people who particularly are interested in this type of music,” Shute adds. “We try to make sure that every group that wants to be publicized is a part of that.”

And though Clark no longer sings herself, she attends every Handel Society concert to continue to show support for the choral arts as a listener.

“Even since I left CAFUV, the choral community has grown so much around here,” she says. “I’m pleased that there’s a group of people that’s so dedicated to this music. It’s just wonderful that it’s respected and has so much support in the Upper Valley.”

As for the choral arts community as a whole, the Upper Valley is a “choral hotspot,” according to the observations of Shute. “There are a few places around the country that are just alive with choral singing, and the Upper Valley is one of those,” she says. “We’re small, but if you looked at the number of singers per capita or something, (it’s not really a statistic), we have a lot. We’re fortunate in the Upper Valley that choral singing is such a joyful thing for those who do it and those who hear it.”

For April Lawrence and Ben Pauly, opening and operating their Quechee-based doughnut business, Farmer and the Bell, has been a serendipitous endeavor.

Now about a year old, their bakery – which doubles as their shop – attracts a long line of customers waiting for fresh doughnuts before 8 am when they open on the weekends.

“Each weekend it’s just so much fun for us to go in, and waking up super early doesn’t even matter because we just meet smiling faces (on) every single customer,” Lawrence said.

Farmer and the Bell, a name inspired by the couple’s memory of growing up in families that used a dinner bell, was an idea conceived during the pandemic and the result of picking up a new hobby to help pass the time while at home, Lawrence said.

“We’re both makers and creators,” Pauly said. “We’re constantly looking for outlets to express that.”

Pauly, 41, who works as the creative director of landscape and design at the Woodstock Inn, and Lawrence, 43, who has background in apparel design, run Farmer and the Bell as a part-time pursuit, though they hope to expand the menu to include more items in the future, like their new savory cheddar and bacon scone with whipped maple herb butter.

“It’s an evolution,” Lawrence said. “When you’re creative with one thing, you can’t help but continue to kind of poke and pick away and try new things.”

Farmer and the Bell is the result of “marrying food and design,” Lawrence said, and it gives her and Pauly a chance to serve their community in a new and creative way.

“I kind of feel like a mad scientist in the kitchen sometimes just coming up with really fun flavors,” Lawrence, who enjoys experimenting with new doughnut glaze flavors, flavor combinations, and garnishes, added.

The shop’s menu rotates every weekend, with six doughnut flavor offerings, though the Vermont Maple and Sugar & Spice doughnuts are always available. Other flavors include chocolate, blueberry crumb, Girl Scout cookie-inspired Samoa, Pina Colado, and more. Local drip coffee and cold brew, as well as homemade raspberry lemonade, are also available for customers to purchase.

At first, the couple experimented with sourdough doughnuts, but eventually turned to a traditional cruller recipe, a crispy and flavorful egg-based choux pastry.

Using the surplus of eggs from their farm in Woodstock, Lawrence experimented and slowly perfected the recipe over time.

“There (are) like ten different ways to mess it up,” she said, noting that things like proper timing, temperature, moisture content, and mixing technique are all part of the meticulous process to make a good cruller.

While living in a cabin on a lake last summer, Lawrence made some of her first successful cruller batches on a tiny camp stove.

Lawrence debuted her doughnut recipe at a friend’s birthday party, where it received so much praise that it encouraged the couple to think about starting a business to sell them. 

“Everyone said it was the best donut they’d ever had,” Pauly said.

In the summer of 2021, Lawrence and Pauly sold their doughnuts at several pop-up events using the kitchen of Woodstock restaurant Angkor Wat.

“Every day we sold out,” Pauly said. “We learned a lot of lessons about how to make donuts on a big scale.”

After their immediate success selling their doughnuts, Lawrence and Pauly began the hunt for a commercial space to move the business. They eventually found the Parker House, which Simon Pearce had bought and renovated a couple of years earlier, and they have been there since early May.

Now, the pair of doughnut entrepreneurs start baking in the early hours of the morning every weekend and serve customers from 8 am to noon on Saturdays and Sundays. They also pack pre-orders which can be placed online for a dozen or more doughnuts.

“Even though it just completely took our breath away with how challenging it was, it was also so rewarding because people were so excited,” Lawrence said. “It was a lesson in learning how to be more efficient.”

“Figuring out things as we go and creating our efficiencies and the community have been spectacular,” she added.

Quechee, which attracts seasonal traffic from tourists, is also home to a vibrant community of locals.

“People are craving uniqueness and a sense of place,” Pauly said. “That energy exists so strongly in Quechee.”

Creating new delicious recipes, using local ingredients, and giving customers a decadent dessert experience to look forward to each week is at the heart of Farmer & The Bell.

Moving forward, Lawrence and Pauly plan to keep Farmer & the Bell open year-round, serving customers on the weekends. For now, the pair are happy with their current location.

“We don’t really have an answer of where (the business is) going to go, and that’s totally fine with us,” Pauly said. “We’re looking to be here through foliage at the very least.”