Quechee is blessed with an outstanding collection of capable, energetic people who turn their talents to the support of many worthy causes, both local and larger. Notable in this group is Diane Ames, full of vigor and wide smiles. She’s raised three successful sons (and is working her magic on three grandchildren), accumulated an impressive résumé and greased the wheels of the world with extensive volunteering. With good reason she has been called “a volunteer extraordinaire!”

Roots in volunteering

Diane was born and brought up in Washington, D.C. She can remember air raid sirens, and the blackout shades and ration books of World War II.… Read More

Raymond and Suella Clark and their four Clark children—Matthew, 17, Anthony, 15, Erin, 13 and Kiera, 8—have had a home in Quechee for the past five years. This is a family that doesn’t take for granted the quality of life that Quechee offers. They enjoy every minute of their time here.

Ray and Suella grew up in South Africa, in Umkomaas, a small town on the east coast that, Ray says, felt very much like Quechee—Ray’s parents were both born in South Africa, as was Suella’s dad; her mom was born in London. Ray and Suella met when they were nine-year-olds sitting next to each other in school.… Read More

In 1977, the Peter family of Connecticut bought a lot in Quechee and built a vacation home for their family of four children and their wider circle of active friends. Margot and Latham (Lee) loved skiing, tennis, hiking, as well any other sport that looked like fun. Their children followed suit.

Peter Peter, their third child, said his parents wanted a casual home, with an open feel and no grass to mow and many beds. His mom liked the opportunity to have family members and guests share in the cooking. Now it’s the next generation who enjoy the home in a key location near the clubhouse.… Read More

“It’s not an easy story,” says Hartford’s Parks and Recreation Director Tad Nunez. “If the grassroots people don’t get behind it, it could turn into a very ugly mess.” He’s talking about Dewey’s Pond, which needs help from the public if it is to revive and thrive. Help can range from persuading administrators and representatives to work on the issue to joining a milfoil-pulling party in the pond.

The pond is a former oxbow of the Ottauquechee River, just upstream from the Quechee Gorge. A 1940 photo shows the oxbow; “somewhere along the way,” says Nunez, the loop was dredged and the material used to form a dike between the river and what was now a pond.… Read More

“What did we have for snack today?” The teacher asks a group of kindergartners slowly gathering together. “PANCAKES!!!” is the unanimous, loud and long answer from the kids. The next question is a little more difficult “What kind of book is a cookbook?” teacher Erika Wetzel asks with fewer kids managing a response, their inflection evoking a question: “nonfiction?” This time it’s the teacher’s response that is loud and excited “YES!” while most of us adults are impressed and clap in response with the rest of the students joining in.

It sounds like we’re standing in a typical kindergarten classroom waiting for the kids to line up after snack or play time.… Read More

Margot and Gary Ott are a study in contrasts. They are well aware of this, and play up their different approaches to entertain family and friends. She’s chatty; he’s initially reserved. She likes travel and being outside; he likes crosswords and a good book. They share a strong commitment to God and family.

But beneath their different styles is a deep commitment and shared effort that—together with faith—have helped Gary and Margot build a marriage that recently passed its 45th year. The phrase “salt of the earth” comes to mind as they recount their lives: working in worthwhile positions; rearing three capable children, two girls and a boy; and engaging with the communities they’ve joined in retirement.… Read More

Ian Maccini may not have grown up in Quechee, but he certainly left his mark. He was a competitive ski racer on the Quechee Ski Team and put those skills to good use when he started coaching the Mountain Team in the winter of 2003-2004. Racers on the Mountain Team are the skiers who are ready to start racing but haven’t been taught how yet he explains.

While he grew up in Providence, RI, Maccini lived for skiing in Quechee. His parents, Bob and Kristen, own a condo on the top of the mountain. Even now, as Maccini finishes his sophomore year at Providence College, Quechee remains a town he loves, “Everyone is close by.… Read More

Between the months of May and September, the Queche Base Lodge is a hive of activity. Golfers come and go picking up goodies and refreshments for the Highlands back nine. In the front hallway they walk past a shuttered opening on top of a high desk and if they’ve enjoyed a Vermont winter they wouldn’t know that the opening is heart and soul of Quechee Club as soon as the snow falls. Of course, I’m talking about the ski school and once again, returning for the 33rd straight year, Ken Kramberg will be at the helm.

Kramberg’s story is not that of a typical Vermont ski school dynasty and in a way that makes it more special.… Read More

Filling Life’s Stage

I love an audience,” Eleonora Stein proclaims. Throughout her life she has found audiences, in her careers as dancer, singer and teacher. Now 89, she has lived a full and active life that’s provided her with many stories and collections of memorabilia—and she continues to accumulate anecdotes and events. “All the world,” even each local village street, is her stage.

“Mme. Stein,” as she is known to her ballet students, speaks with enthusiasm and precision—and presumably with accuracy—of her life and experiences. “I was born in Budapest on August 16, 1926,” she says. “This year I’ll be 90 years old!… Read More

Hunter Hall, 30, of Quechee, VT, had a few new experiences this past summer that were pretty amazing, culminating in winning the bronze medal in golf at the Special Olympics World Games in L.A. Hunter and his parents, Allen and Sally, and his brother, Camden, are all avid golfers often visible on the Quechee course. Although Sally can’t remember at exactly what age Hunter started golfing, it was somewhere during his middle school years (with two boys close in age, who can remember anything?) Allen had been golfing but, as Sally said, as the boys took an interest, she took up golfing, too, so it could be a family activity.… Read More