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.

Stamp collecting is a vocation often taught to school age children to learn about history and geography. The present writer was one such child who took extraordinary interest in the subject extending into adulthood.

Few people in Quechee may be aware that the community has a stamp club of its own, called the Upper Valley Stamp Club, which has been running since around 2000. This group of collectors meet at the Quechee Public Library on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 7-8pm. Most meetings include a speaker discussing a diverse subject for 30 minutes. Four times a year, the meetings include a member auction where stamps are bought and sold at very reasonable prices. The club also organizes a stamp show twice a year at the Mid-Vermont Christian School gymnasium in Quechee, where local stamp dealers can set up booths. Stamp and postcard dealers from New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and as far as Massachusetts offer worldwide or special stamp collections and other collector items (coins and postcards), and concessions are sold by local Boy Scouts (coffee, tea, hot dogs and hamburgers). This activity is great fun and also offers free stamps for kids.

Margaret Russo (left), president of the Upper Valley Stamp Club
based in Quechee, receiving her 25-year participation certificate
in the American Philatelic Society.

The president of our club is Margaret Russo. On her experience with the hobby, she says, “Stamp collecting was not my first choice of hobbies, but in 1996, I found myself in Keflavík, Iceland – I was there doing a stint in the Navy – and not being an outdoorsy person, and not a fan of snowy cold weather, stamp collecting was a great choice. After over 25 years of collecting, I don’t know why I didn’t start earlier. The history, art, nature, science, and even [outer] space [topics] that are covered in this hobby could interest anyone.”

The most famous U.S. stamp is called the “inverted jenny”. As a result of a printing error, one hundred of these airmail stamps were issued in 1918. Quite scarce and valuable, these stamps often reach one-half million dollars at public auction. This stamp has been so enamored by collectors that the U.S. Postal Service issued a facsimile of the design in 2013. Now every collector might have the pleasure of placing one of these most remarkable stamps in their collection.

Stamp collecting was more widespread during the 20th century, sometimes called the pastime of kings and presidents. King George the Fifth amassed an extraordinary collection of Great Britain and colonies, known today as the Royal Philatelic collection. It is considered the most complete collection known, missing only the 1p magenta British Guiana – the rarest and most expensive stamp in the world, valued at 10 million dollars today. In casual conversation, an aid of King George V once remarked about how some fool had overpaid at auction for a particular stamp, to which the King reportedly admitted, “Yes, I was that fool.” So, while the King was known to overpay for stamps, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was much the opposite. Given his movements were largely restricted to a wheel chair, stamp collection became a natural pastime for him. The president spent many hours maintaining a worldwide collection consisting mostly of stamps of average value. Mr. Roosevelt didn’t have to spend much on his collection because it grew as a result of donations by his many adoring fans.

Former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt working on his
stamp collection.

The secretary of the Quechee-based stamp club is Joyce LaPoint, who came to the hobby in a unique way. She says, “Believe it or not, I did not get interested in stamps until Bugs Bunny & the Looney Tunes sets, which were issued around 1997. Then, there was John Wayne and others. Most people I have met in [stamp] clubs started collecting when they were young. And at first, I didn’t want to collect worldwide, as there were so many different countries. Now, however, I am amazed at how time flies when I start checking out my collections. I have also sold stamps on eBay for over 10 years – this was a way to make a little money to buy more stamps which I needed. I even take the newer (self-stick) postage off paper with an easy procedure using Pure Citrus Orange Air Freshener…I now have U.S. 1920s to present day [stamps], and yes, I buy each new mint U.S. stamp as they are issued.”

While Joyce has expanded her vocation through use of the internet, technology is not for everyone. Paul Cook is the treasurer of the Upper Valley Stamp Club and also a dealer of old picture postcards, as well as stamps. Paul shuns the latest technology, conducting business as he does using an old flip phone. Recently retired, Paul has built up professional contacts through the years and has become a terrific asset for the stamp club.

Paul Cook, Upper Valley Stamp Club treasurer, manning his dealer booth at a Crossroads Postcard and Stamp
show at the Mid-Vermont Christian School in Quechee.

The present writer has been a member of the club on and off for 15 years. My specialty is paper and paper mills of the 1800s. I’m a long-standing member of the APS (American Philatelic Society), U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, and the Collectors Club in New York City. I have authored several lengthy and significant articles on early American stamps and stationery and am also a member of the expert committee of the APS that issues certificates of authenticity. My recent exhibit, “History and Technology of the American Paper Industry in the 1800s”, garnered a gold medal at the 2023 national show in Chicago.

Inverted Jenny airmail issue of 1918 – the most famous U.S.
stamp.

Being a member of the Upper Valley Stamp Club affords its members hands-on knowledge of the hobby. Here, one can make new friends and chat with people who have similar interests. Anyone attending a stamp show will see a real slice of America: young and old, male and female, people of all races and creeds, rich and poor. As the stamp club’s president Margaret Russo says, “Stamp collecting really is for everyone.”

Upper Valley Stamp Club meetings are held at the Quechee Public Library, 1957 Quechee Main Street, on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 7-8pm. All are welcome to join. Some upcoming summer and fall events to look forward to include a club stamp auction on June 9 and September 8, and the next Crossroads Postcard & Stamp Show at the Mid-Vermont Christian School gymnasium on October 4. Visit the stamp club’s website for more information and to see a full list of upcoming programs for the remainder of 2025: uvstampclub.com.

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!

When learning to play the piano, five-year-old Lester Gibbs was not aware, but music, and specifically keyboards, would influence the trajectory of his life to come. Lester grew up in Hartford, the son of a man who had been raised in the small village of Quechee, which, prior to the 1960s, was a thriving mill town with a sawmill, gristmill, and fabric mill, where uniforms were made for the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.

Lester Gibbs (top right) singing in his choir at Hartford High
School, class of ’58.

Nearby, Lester and his family lived in a second-floor apartment. When his parents purchased a house, where they would live for the rest of their lives, it was necessary to relocate their upright grand piano, a feat that would be done with ropes and a pulley, into the bed of a truck. As fate would have it, during the lowering phase of the operation, the pulley failed and the piano fell straight into the truck bed. The truck suffered a blown tire, but the piano was unharmed – quite a durable instrument! The tire was repaired, the piano moved, the piano tuner called, and Lester’s future – unbeknownst to him – was back in safe hands.

Lester’s piano lessons were interrupted by scarlet and rheumatic fever when he was in the first grade. Lester was quarantined at his grandparents’ farm in Jericho, where there was no piano, but there was a pump organ. Industrious little Lester surmised that one keyboard would translate to another, so he taught himself to play the organ, even though reaching the pedals proved to be a challenge. After many months of recovery, Lester’s doctor suggested that he forgo the keyboards and opt for a wind instrument instead to help strengthen his lungs. He was given a recorder, a common first instrument for elementary school children, before growing into a clarinet.

The challenge for Lester was that he would play the clarinet lessons on the piano, then play the clarinet by ear. Once challenged, and his secret discovered, it became necessary to literally transpose one instrument to the other. Lester never missed a beat, mentally making the changes necessary to remain “in key”. While wind instruments, including the bagpipes, came easily to him, the organ remained a challenge.

Lester Gibbs playing the St. Thomas Church organ while
stationed in Verona, Italy, one of 56 organs he played while
assigned to the Southern European Task Force from 1965-’66.
The historic organ was once played by Mozart.

He started playing the organ for Sunday school at the Quechee Congregational Church at age 12, when he still could not reach the pedals. That required some “fancy fingering” to sustain the sound while moving his hands from one keyboard to the next. Lester’s cousin, Ethel Churchill, was the organist at Quechee Church, and Lester would stand in for her when needed. His family also attended the Quechee Church, along with the Second Congregational Church in Hartford, which contained the first church organ that Lester learned on.

Word got around that Lester had some talent and he was being called upon to play at the Methodist church. Not long afterward, his services were requested by the Catholic church, followed by the Episcopal church. Lester was in musical heaven. He was being trained by four professional organists, and playing four excellent instruments, honing his skills along the way.

After graduating from high school in 1958, Lester enlisted in the army, signing up to be a cook. “My father always told me,” he said, “there are two things every person will do: eat and die.” So, being a cook was a responsible choice. One Sunday morning during basic training, Lester and his squad filed into the chapel and sat in the front pew. Being the squad leader, Lester went in first.  Singing that Sunday would be led by the pastor, as the organist was ill. The pastor was not blessed with musical skills, and Lester described him as, “tone deaf as a bat, and it was just horrible.” Eighteen-year-old Lester recognized the gravity of the situation, and put his superpower in gear.

He snuck up and seated himself at the B3 Hammond, turned on the power, and by the time the pastor had reached the second verse of the hymn, Lester started playing, and played through the balance of the service. There might have been a collective sigh from the congregation when the organ sang under Private Gibbs’ direction.

Les playing the organ, 2025.

The next morning, the company was up at 5am and heading to the firing range to zero-in their weapons. Lester was pulled aside and told that the Captain, the Company Commander, needed to see him. A sense of dread came over him. All of the soldiers had been told that only two reasons would cause one to be summoned to the Company Commander’s office: either someone in your family was seriously ill or had died, or you were being unceremoniously discharged. Once in the Commander’s office, the Captain reached out his hand. Private Gibbs snapped to attention with a sharp salute.

The Captain said, “Don’t you know how to shake hands?”

“Sir?” Lester replied, confused.

The Captain continued, “That was a fine thing you did yesterday! We’d like to keep you here at Fort Dix.” With that, Lester relaxed, slightly, shook the Captain’s hand, and his future took a new path. Instead of cooking school, Lester would train as a chaplain assistant, and assume one of the four open organist positions at Fort Dix.

As a new chaplain assistant and organist, Lester was given responsibility for the children’s choir, Sunday school, and Sunday service. After four months in that position, the adult choir director received orders for a different assignment, and Lester was given the additional duties. Lester was all of eighteen-years-old, and this was a huge responsibility for him. Fortunately, he had been involved in both the choir and band programs throughout his four years at Hartford High School (“an excellent program,” Lester remarked), which had prepared him well for this task.

Lester, talking about stories from his life, 2025.

Lester made a call to his old choir director, looking for some moral support and professional advice. She assured him, “You can do this!” And, she shipped a box of sheet music for him to use with his choirs, for which he was grateful.

A year later, Lester received orders for Korea where he would direct a twenty-member Korean choir on Sundays, and during the week teach them English for an hour, followed by an hour of choir practice, and then a meal. Young ladies and men went to separate schools, so the time they spent together for English study and choir practice was an important social event. “They were a great group to work with, and we were all about the same age,” Lester said. “We did Handel’s Messiah at Christmas, and the Easter portion [of The Messiah] at Easter. It was a great experience.” The organ, he also remarked, was exceptional, as was the Korean organist. The organ itself had been built by an engineer on the Army post, and had excellent sound.

Many years later, in San Antonio, Texas, when doing mortuary work, Lester was counseling a man whose mother had died. After a while, the man said, “I am sure I know you. But from where?” They determined that they’d both been in Korea, and the man recognized Lester as the choir director from the Korean chapel. As it turned out, the man was the engineer who had built the organ!

Les directing the second infantry division chorus at Fort
Benning, Georgia, 1962.

Lester spent twenty-three years in the Army, leading choirs and playing the organ. He also served at Fort Benning (Georgia), Italy (Verona), and Vietnam, among others. When he retired, his plan was to go into a mortuary position in the Civil Service. As he had played the organ for many funeral homes, and counseled grieving families in the Army, he thought it a perfect transition from military to civilian life. Lester used his GI Bill for mortuary school and became a San Antonio funeral director for ten years, but didn’t end up entering the Civil Service.

In 1995, Lester returned to Hartford, “temporarily,” when his father became ill. He went around to all the churches, dropping off his business card, and offering his services as a substitute organist, fully intending to be in the area only a short time. After substituting at the Woodstock Congregational Church for the summer, until their full-time organist returned in October, he was asked to come on permanently, as their “winter organist” was made an offer he couldn’t refuse at his summer location. Lester stayed at the Woodstock Congregational Church for eighteen years.

As for the instrument that launched Lester’s long career as an organist, it still serves as a staple of The Quechee Church, and is now played by teenage organ prodigy, Eleia Bouton, daughter of Pastor Ryan Bouton. The organ, which is said to have been built in the 1880s, is an enduring legacy of Quechee history, and now is providing a platform for a new generation of organists. Eleia, and the organ, may be experienced on Sundays at 9am at the Quechee Church.

Now 84, Lester still plays the organ at the Methodist Church in Whiter River Junction and answers the call when an organist is needed from time to time for Sunday services or special events in the area.

While “technically” retired, Lester was moonlighting at the Catholic church in Lebanon until late 2020, when physical limitations in his hands became problematic. Without a highly trained ear, you’d never know, but Lester knows.

For Quechee resident Kristen Lessard, organizing volunteers for the annual Woodstock Wassail Weekend is a fantastic way to get to know area residents and visitors, and to welcome the holiday season. With its milestone 40th anniversary fast approaching this December, this year’s Woodstock’s Wassail Weekend is sporting renewed energy and expanded event offerings targeting families, long-time residents, and visitors to the area.

With the long days and nights of the New England winter approaching, Wassail Weekend represents an opportunity for us to enjoy a bright and cheerful event of the season. The event brings light and good cheer to downtown Woodstock, with the hope that the festive mood will help carry us through the long winter until spring returns.

Last year’s Woodstock Rotary Gala, with Quechee resident
Kristen Lessard, Mary Bourgeois, Belinda Needham-Shropshire

The newly formed Woodstock Wassail Committee, composed of area businesses and volunteers from Woodstock, Quechee, and surrounding towns, has been meeting monthly throughout 2024, and the group is excited to share the reworked event on December 13-15 in Woodstock. The committee is working with the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce – the event’s main sponsor – to continue the parade’s legacy, and the annual Wassail Weekend Getaway raffle has already kicked off its ticket sales with gift certificates to area businesses and restaurants, and a weekend at the Woodstock Inn & Resort. Thousands of people from around the country have historically attended the weekend’s festivities.

Recruiting volunteers, including outreach to Quechee residents, is about to get underway, and Kristen has a number of strategies in mind to seek out volunteers. “One of the things I’ll probably do is to post a request on the Quechee FB page,” she says. Kristen is excited about the return of more equestrian events in the annual parade this year, one of several enhancements to the Wassail event, along with a new crafts fair to be held inside the covered bridge downtown. “The committee was brought together much earlier this year…we’re working hard to bring this [event] to a new level.”

The lighting of 400 luminaries on the Woodstock green organized by the Woodstock Rotary Club adds to the festive flair, and the iconic Wassail Parade will take place on December 14 at 2pm, featuring elaborately decorated carriages reminiscent of a Currier & Ives Victorian celebration.

As a member of the Woodstock Rotary Club, Kristen has found that volunteering in community events since relocating to Quechee in 2015 has given her the opportunity to really get to know her neighbors, both in Quechee and in the Woodstock area community. “There’s so much opportunity to do good things in Quechee,” she says. “The Rotary Club has always been involved in Wassail, and there are a number of volunteers from Quechee who volunteer on the Wassail project.”

Fellow Quechee resident and Rotary volunteer, Belinda Needham-Shropshire, echoes Kristen’s appreciation for the Quechee community. “Quechee is halfway between Woodstock and Hartford, and the reason I’m part of the Woodstock Rotary is because I grew up in Bridgewater, and went to Woodstock High School,” she says. “My husband and I were looking for a home along the Route 4 corridor, and we fell in love with Quechee because it was easy to get to my mom in Bridgewater and close to his work.” Belinda notes that she and her husband can walk to downtown Quechee, and were frequent visitors to the Quechee Ski Hill with their children. “It’s been a perfect location for us for the 27 years we’ve lived here, and we’ve met a lot of great people.”

Belinda appreciates the beauty of Wassail Weekend, including the many horse-drawn carriages, the beautiful period costumes, and the caroling. Residents around the Green open their homes to display holiday decorations as well. “Two years ago, the Hallmark Channel came to film some footage of the event, and a visitor told me that it really was like a Hallmark movie,” she says. There is something for everyone at the event: “Children come out to join the parade with their dogs, and the Green is absolutely stunning when the luminaries are lit,” Belinda adds. “It really gives you the spirit of the season and makes you want to give your neighbor a hug.”

The event draws inspiration from the traditional English Yuletide beverage, “Wassail”, historically a communal bowl of hot spiced cider, ale, or wine passed around to celebrate community and togetherness. This ancient tradition remains central to the Woodstock celebration today.

Another aspect of the tradition, though rarely practiced today, is ‘wassailing’, which involves either singing door-to-door or blessing the apple orchards in the countryside to summon a good harvest the following year. According to the Woodstock Wassail Weekend website, British villagers believed that the spirits who lived in the apple orchards needed to be appeased during the winter months with twilight processions and a bowl filled with the spiced Wassail ale or cider to insure a successful harvest in the year ahead.

The annual Wassail parade during Wassail Weekend features horses, festive cheer, and community spirit. PHOTO FROM 2015 BY ABBY ROWLEE

One milestone event this year has been the restoration of the star on the top of Mt. Tom. The original wooden star, in place and traditionally lit November through March, has been replaced with a metal version, and will continue to be a part of the Wassail Weekend celebration as it has for the past 40 years. The Woodstock Rotary raised the $120,000 needed to replace the star for future generations to enjoy. As a former president of the Rotary Club, Kristen applauds fellow Rotarian, Norm Frates, and a team of volunteers for getting the new star in place with the help of a large crane.

Other events planned for the weekend include a candle light walk through downtown Woodstock, with a bagpiper descending from Mt. Tom to the Green, children’s stories and ornament making, a book sale, music and singing, a portrayal of Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales, carriage rides, a yule log, holiday artisan’s market, traditional Wassail punch tasting, and fire pits and s’mores stations.

Many partners come together to make the weekend a success, including Billings Farm & Museum, the Woodstock Inn & Resort, Mascoma Bank, Rotary Club, Pentangle Arts, and the Town of Woodstock, along with many local arts venues hosting musical events. Kristen notes that Quechee residents are welcome to join the Wassail Weekend effort, as well as Woodstock Rotary, to become involved in this and other festive holiday events in the community.

Join the festivities at the upcoming (40th annual) Wassail Weekend on December 13-15! The Wassail Parade will take place on Saturday, December 14 at 2pm. For more information, visit the Woodstock Wassail Weekend website at woodstockvt.com.

Even with technological difficulties during an interview over Zoom, you can absolutely tell that Nancy O’Brien has a friendly, outgoing personality; her energy shines right through the screen. This attitude is just one of the many skills the Vermont native possesses and uses as Quechee Club’s director of Quechee Ski and Sports School at Ski Quechee. After 17 years as a ski instructor, O’Brien is coming into her first full year in the role of director, and she feels right at home.

“My dad started taking me skiing when I was two,” she recalled with a laugh. Through the winding landscape of Gilman, Vermont’s backwoods, he would ski, with toddler-O’Brien in tow in their trusty toboggan. “Skiing is a way to keep his spirit alive.”

O’Brien’s love for the winter and the outdoors started when she
was little, and she would accompany her father
on ski outings and toboggan rides through the snow.

However, it wasn’t just her father who motivated her love for the sport; O’Brien’s mother made certain her children would thrive in and ultimately love and welcome the winter season. At the time of this interview, O’Brien’s mother had just passed away, which O’Brien interpreted as a message of hope that her mother was still with her, a snow angel watching from above.

“I know that the universe has a way of making things happen at just the right time,” she said. “My beautiful mom…instilled my love of all things winter and had me outside on cross country skis just about every day as a child.”

Both of her parents dedicated countless hours to volunteering at the local ski tow and skating rink in town, which further cemented her love for community involvement and skiing. “My love of sharing the passion and fostering opportunities for youth in the community to love being outdoors and active – especially in the winter – came from their dedication, commitment, and passion,” she said.

At age 14, O’Brien’s parents encouraged her to start ski instruction on her own at Bretton Woods, and she spent her teen years teaching young children the art of the slopes. Through this experience, O’Brien was further inspired to venture into all types of skiing, including backcountry, snowboarding, cross country, downhill, and Acroski, also known as ballet skiing. “I was never very good at that one,” she admitted with a laugh.

This dedication to trying new experiences propelled O’Brien to pursue educational heights as well, obtaining a BS in Human Services with a concentration in child and adolescent psychology, and a master’s in Business Administration. Through all of this, skiing remained an aspirational aspect of her life, eventually leading her to meet her husband, Sean O’Brien.

“We met as ski instructors, with a group of ten kids at Smuggler’s [Notch],” O’Brien said. She admitted that in that first week together, she knew Sean was trying to impress her, but it worked so well that others noticed their developing connection. “I had to leave early one week because my dad was sick,” she explained, “so I had to leave on Thursday, and that following Friday, one of the parents came to Sean and asked, ‘Where’s your wife?’”

24 years later, the couple is going strong, sharing their passion for both volunteering and skiing. For years, they have volunteered together at both the Ottauquechee Elementary School Friday ski program and the Hartford middle and high school ski and snowboard varsity teams.

These interests don’t end at their generation, though; both of their sons are active in the local community as well. “Giving back to our community and sharing this passion is a family tradition,” O’Brien said. “Both of our children, Ian and Cavan, teach at Quechee Ski and Sports School and volunteer for the Ottauquechee School program on Fridays as well.”

O’Brien isn’t alone in this cyclical tradition of family involvement with skiing over generations. At Quechee Club, there are various family members who have experienced Ski Quechee programs and then promptly proceeded to become instructors themselves. This year alone, 22 people who had attended the ski school as teenagers applied to help out as instructors. In total, there are 75 instructors who work under O’Brien’s guidance.

“I love the culture; it has such a family community that not only our instructors feel like family, but our students and their families do too.” she shared. “There are always new faces, always smiling. In addition to our very dedicated group of core employees, we also employ college students and high school kids.”

Nancy O’Brien

Learning from these youthful instructors is what keeps O’Brien’s mind fresh and ready for the new winter seasons that approach. “I’m always open to new things, to learn more from students and instructors than I do through books or videos; I love listening to everyone’s ideas, watching my students and how they learn and absorb,” she said. “It’s such a great opportunity to be around kids.”

Nancy included that being outside with her own children has helped her in her personal life as a parent. “I have a better mindset and feel better,” she said. “We’re not stuck at home, and it doesn’t even matter if it’s exercise or not; just being outside is beneficial.”

As the days get shorter and the light departs earlier and earlier, winter can be a difficult season to endure. O’Brien said one of the best ways to make the most of winter is to get out of the house and get some sunshine while you can. “It’s not just skiing that I love,” she said. “It’s not the gliding, not the way it works, but the whole experience, being outside in the winter when others are hibernating: I love being outdoors and I love life in the winter.”

“Skiing is such a metaphor for life,” she added. Similar to the difficulties presented in life, O’Brien believes that sometimes you just have to go out and face discomfort head on. “You kind of have to psych yourself up and go tackle the elements; you have to gear up, put everything on, and go out. But once you get out there, the joy is just incredible.”

When the Ottauquechee School Girls on the Run (GOTR) program was founded 15 years ago by 5th grade teacher Sandra Rhoades, the 24 member team became part of what is now a 25 year statewide legacy of supporting girls in 3rd through 5th grade in developing confidence, life skills, and a love of physical activity. Girls on the Run Vermont is one of the oldest ‘councils’ in the country; collectively, its 120 programs have reached more than 39,000 girls and thousands of coaches over the course of 25 years, averaging 550 volunteer coaches each season.

Hannah Whitney and her mom, Becky, share a special
moment before the 5K celebratory race in Essex.

So what exactly is Girls on the Run? The national non-profit was founded in North Carolina in 1996 and is now active in all 50 states. GOTR offers a research-based curriculum that focuses on positive youth development paired with physical activity, primarily running. Research has shown that even today, girls can have limited access to physical activity and less social support for participation. Despite the advances in girls and women’s sports since the passing of Title IX – a law requiring equal funding and access to sports – inequalities still persist. The Girls on the Run mission and vision explains it well: “We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.” Coaches receive extensive training in the program lessons, hands-on skills, and role playing, and the curriculum is refreshed every three years to incorporate new language and expand accessibility.

For Sandra Rhoades and her teaching colleagues – Nancy Burke and Gigi Stone – who subsequently joined the coaching team, GOTR has been a fun way to engage with students outside of the classroom and support girls in reaching their full potential. Sandra notes, “Girls on the Run is more than just running. The main focus is the lessons and on becoming a strong, empowered young woman. The running activities are designed around the curriculum.” Sandra began running and competing at age 35 and fell in love with the sport, running in the Western NH Trail Running series and the Covered Bridges Half Marathon. She went on to co-coach the Hartford High School Cross Country team for 12 years. “Running is easy. You just need a pair of sneakers; it doesn’t cost a lot of money, there’s no gym membership, and you can run when you want to.”

Dads on the Run Chris Baker and Even Eccher joined in
the fun with their daughters Emma and Berkely.

Sandra notes that girls who participate experience the same lessons each season, with different activities introduced along the way. “At the end of each 10 week season, we do a reflection, and some of the lessons come out as favorites – the lessons about gossip (you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube), body imaging (it’s what’s on the inside that counts, not on the outside), and loving yourself no matter what you look like in particular.” Among Sandra’s favorite aspects of the program are the conversations with the girls, and seeing the impact the program has back in the classroom. “Often, the girls will tap into the GOTR skills like stopping to take a breath before reacting to a situation and expressing themselves more confidently over the course of the program in school and at practice.”

For their part, assistant coaches Nancy and Gigi, 14 and six year veterans of GOTR respectively, echo the benefits of the program in helping girls find their “star power”, (one of the curriculum lessons), as well as other life skills. The program specifically addresses topics and challenges that girls encounter during late childhood and adolescence. Nancy recalls one girl early in the program who didn’t say much in school and wasn’t really connected with her classmates. “Through the program she found her voice, participated, laughed, and made friends, which probably wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t been in the program. She built her confidence both in GOTR and in the classroom,” she says. Gigi shares a similar story of transformation: “It’s great to hang out with the girls in a casual setting as opposed to the classroom and keep the relationships going. Girls who may have been overwhelmed at first seem to experience the greatest transformation over the course of the program, because they often don’t think they can do it when they start, and are so proud of themselves when they participate in the end of the season 5K fun run.”

Retiring Girls on the Run and Ottauquechee School
teachers, Sandra Rhoades and Nancy Burke

Over the 25 years that Girls on the Run Vermont has been operating (the state organization is led by professional staff), the main mission and message has remained the same with curriculum adaptations every three years to address emerging social conditions. GOTR Vermont founder Nancy Heydinger recalls being inspired by the idea that a nurturing environment could help girls reach their full potential. “I decided to do something that would positively impact and benefit young girls’ lives. I felt that I had found the formula in GOTR – that combining physical activity, team building, encouragement, and fun would bring about increased self-esteem and health. It was so important to me to give my daughters opportunities and experiences that would inspire them to believe in themselves and give them tools and strategies to navigate life.”

The statewide 5K fun run is the culminating event of the program, and most girls have a running buddy but it is not required as long as they run with a group. One of the themes of the non-competitive event is something that is emphasized during the season: “You don’t have to keep running, but you do have to keep moving.” The event is a chance for the girls to come together in a fun atmosphere and meet other program participants. According to current GOTR executive director Rachel Desautels, “…the Manchester 5K, one of two statewide events, hosted approximately 550 girls, 200 coaches, 250 running buddies, 150 volunteers, and numerous spectators cheering the girls on with cowbells and smiles!” Supporting fellow runners is a hallmark of the 5K event, so much so that this year the girls asked their coaches if they could join the final finishers as they neared the finish line. Coach Gigi notes, “When they support teammates, they are demonstrating kindness, compassion, and caring. Sometimes it takes going beyond your comfort level to have the courage to show you care.”

Many parents are involved throughout the season and are provided with an overview of the curriculum and activities they can do at home with their daughters to reinforce lessons like perseverance, making friends, and finding courage in tough situations. The hope is that the lessons will carry over beyond the GOTR program and into other life experiences. This has been true for several of the Ottauquechee GOTR alumna according to Sandra: “Quechee resident Maddie Carbino ran with us as a 5th grader; she ran track and cross country at Hartford Middle School, and will be running as a freshman at Hartford High School in the fall.” Maddie remembers the GOTR program fondly and credits the program activities and coaches for inspiring her to continue running. “We learned a lot about how your mental health helps with your running. We talked about emotions and we did a bunch of fun running activities that really stuck with me. The coaches made everyone feel like they could belong and I really liked that,” she says. GOTR alumna have gone on to race in college and there are even some Olympians with GOTR experience. Another way participants stay involved when they age out of the program is to become junior coaches.

Teammates cheer on 5th grader Emma Baker crossing the practice 5K finish line at Ottauquechee School

What about boys who like to run? This is a question that emerges from time to time, which the Ottauquechee School administration has proactively addressed by also offering a co-ed program called “Finding Our Stride”. An Upper Valley based initiative open to both boys and girls, the program is focused on fitness, social/emotional learning, and community engagement. All three GOTR coaches support broad participation, and also appreciate the focus on girls development that comes with a curriculum-based gender-focused program. “We feel strongly that having a program for just girls lets them say what they want without judgment and provides a safe space for them to become strong and confident as young women,” Nancy says. “They have a chance to grow and shine independently.”

Community service is a cornerstone of the GOTR program as well. Some of the local projects include working on the Ottauquechee Trail to build a bridge, sprucing up flower gardens at the school, creating musical instruments for the school playground, and helping Veterans put flags on graves in the cemetery near the school. The projects are girl-led and supported by parents, coaches, and community organizations.

At the end of this past spring season, Sandra, Nancy, and Gigi were honored at the Ottauquechee School by GOTRVT executive director Rachel Desautels and program coordinator Stephanie Dorgan, along with the school principal as they retired from their jobs in teaching as well as the GOTR program. “They have been mentors and positive role models for the girls in their elementary school by facilitating this program for so many years and have coached approximately 250 girls. I cannot express how much their dedication and love for their community has impacted our organization and helped foster the social, emotional, and physical well-being in 3rd-5th grade girls in Quechee,” Rachel says. Nancy Heydinger echoes the accolades: “Their commitment to ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to benefit from learning and practicing critical life skills, cultivating friendships, and experiencing the joy of physical movement is extraordinary.” Many former program participants and students wrote notes of congratulations for the time the coaches gave to the GOTR program as well as for their years of teaching at the Ottauquechee School.

The Ottauquechee School Girls on the Run team.

Sandra reflects on her tenure helping girls develop confidence and important life skills: “It’s nice to retire on the 25th anniversary of GOTR Vermont. There were special medals for the 5K race this year, and it’s an honor to have worked with the girls over the 15 years.” A 25th Anniversary Scholarship fundraiser has also been launched to support girls looking to further their education.

In coaching, there’s a saying: “You never know when you’re making a memory.” For these three coaches and the girls they’ve w orked with over the years, it’s certain that lifelong memories, as well as a solid set of life skills to lean on beyond the program for both the coaches and the girls, is part of the GOTR legacy.

For more information on how to become involved as a coach or team helper with the Ottauquechee GOTR program, contact Rachel Desautels, executive director at 802-871-5664, mrachel@girlsontherunvermont.org, or visit the GOTR Vermont website at gotrvt.org.

“I wear a lot of different hats,” says Michaela Lavelle, referring to her work as assistant librarian at the Quechee Public Library. In managing this space for library patrons, Lavelle is in charge of programming, finding volunteers and delegating jobs to them, running the tech desk, maintaining the library’s website and social m edia pages, reading advisory, assisting patrons with finding books and storytime, and crafting events.

While she puts time and passion into all aspects of her job, Lavelle’s specialty is programming. With this task comes observing those who visit the library and what they’re interested in, and then curating events that will draw a crowd and the community based on this research. The Quechee Library has a strong regular patron base which Lavelle takes advantage of when planning events. She’s able to hone in on what people are already interested in and hopefully bring in new crowds.

Michaela Lavelle, assistant librarian, outside of the Quechee Library.

In early July, Lavelle organized a special storytime reading and Q&A with Kellie Gerardi – a bioastronautics researcher and one of the first 100 women in space – who has published children’s books that celebrate all things outer space. They ended this event by bringing telescopes out on their local green and stargazing. Coming up in October, Lavelle has organized an event with Louise Penny, a mystery author that library patrons have shown interest in, to perform a reading of a play written exclusively for libraries. Lavelle has also planned for a reading by local author Ken Cadow, a discussion around wealth disparity in the community, and has partnered with the Hartford High School librarian to run a book group with their high school students.

Lavelle also wants to attract members of the community who don’t regularly visit the library and younger patrons to participate in an event this upcoming fall, which will feature an Oreo tasting. Lavelle is encouraging anyone to come in at any point during the day and taste-test Oreo flavors and cast their votes on their favorites. “I try to think of who isn’t coming [to events already],” she says. “It’s nice to have a program that is silly but also easy, time and energy wise.” Programming that allows for flexible participation (without a hard start and end time) is much easier to organize than hosting events within a certain time frame, and it gives more patrons the opportunity to participate at a time that works for them in their personal schedules, Lavelle adds.

The Quechee Library has given Lavelle the space and creative freedom to incorporate fun new ideas to improve the library experience for the whole community: “There has been an overwhelming amount of ‘if you can imagine it and are willing to put the time in to plan it, then go for it,’” she says. “I’m very lucky to get to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks, and I’ve been encouraged to do that.” Over time and as the library environment continues to evolve, Lavelle hopes to draw in more community members in their 20s and 30s as well as teenagers through a variety of programming offerings.

Walking on the rail trail, one of Michaela Lavelle’s favorite hobbies

While she coordinates opportunities with authors and organizes spaces for patrons to expand their knowledge, Lavelle also spends her time managing the library’s tech desk. The tech desk is there to ensure that library technology is easily accessible and to provide patrons with tech support and to answer questions. “Folks see the library as a place where, if they are struggling with tech, operating a device, printing, or faxing, they can find help.” Lavelle doesn’t consider herself a tech expert, but she’lll work with anyone that comes in to resolve an issue. “Patrons know that and are willing to sit there and Google with me and we’ll figure it out together,” she says.

The tech desk isn’t the only technology related task Lavelle is responsible for; she also runs the library’s social media pages. “If someone is curious about the library, they can look and see what we’re about and what we’re doing, but also know that this is a community space that they can use,” Lavelle says. For the library, social media is both a tool for advertising and publicizing events as well as community outreach and fostering connections with patrons and the local community. Lavelle focuses on promoting new events and books, but also reminds the community of the public services that the library already provides. Lavelle has found that it’s often pictures of the library building that get the most likes on social media, which she thinks is due to the fact that people like to feel connected to the library and see an example of its physical presence as an important institution in the community.

Painting the book drop at the Wilder Club & Library

Lavelle moved to the area from Texas three years ago for a job at Dartmouth College working in Student Affairs. After a couple of years, a friend of hers who worked in libraries kept sending her job openings posted by the Quechee Library. At the time, Lavelle wasn’t looking for a new job, nor did she feel like she had the right experience for the position as she had never worked in a library environment before, but one day, she decided to look into it. “At one point, I read the job description and it was exactly what I wanted to be doing,” Lavelle remembers. “Something community-embedded, with lots of programming, and a dynamic job.”

From her previous experience working with nonprofits and event programming throughout college, she had more than enough knowledge to be an asset to the library, and she has continuously proven to do so in her current role as assistant librarian. Coming up on her one year anniversary at the library, Lavelle has cultivated a strong personal connection to and joy for her work, “Overtime, being in the role, I’ve grown my confidence in it and because I’ve learned more and more about the community, I know how to put on events that are going to either attract a new group or identify where holes are [so I can try] to fill them,” she says. “A void that a lot of us feel is a connection with the people around us, and the library is a space that is meant to bring people in to be curious, be open to things, and for learning.”

The Quechee-based Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), a staple of the local community and a refuge for human and animal alike for many years, recently welcomed a new face to its team of 24 full-time and 8 part-time employees: Alden Smith.

Chair of the VINS Board of Trustees, Jack Lee, said in a press release in early April, “After a comprehensive search, we chose Alden Smith from a slate of strong candidates. We are delighted to welcome Alden as VINS’ new executive director and are confident that he will maintain the organization’s excellent reputation in the Upper Valley and beyond while also expanding our reach and impact.”

Smith, a graduate of Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English, has spent a great deal of his career in New England. He takes the reins from executive director emeritus, Charles (Charlie) F. Rattigan, who joined VINS a decade ago and led the organization through a period of impressive developments, such as the award-winning, ADA-accessible Forest Canopy Walk.

Smith recognizes the caliber of talent that precedes his tenure and admires the crucial work that has been accomplished in recent years.

“Charlie, [former assistant executive director] Mary Graham, and the entire VINS team have done an amazing job preserving what is inherently special about the organization and, at the same time, stepping confidently into the unknown of the future,” Smith says.

Smith began his work as executive director in early April and is more than ready to embark on the adventure that is taking up the helm of a vibrant environmental education nonprofit.

As the latest director of VINS, Smith will wear many hats on a day-to-day basis: chief strategist, fundraiser, educational leader, and operational manager, just to name a few. But above all else, being executive director comes down to being a great leader – which Smith has valuable insight into and brings to this new role.

“A great leader is a connector and collaborator, authentic in both one-on-one encounters and group settings. They help others belong by inspiring them to contribute in unique and gratifying ways,” Smith says. “Equal treatment of others is not enough: great leaders focus strategically on equity, and they pay special attention to those in their organization who are doing the essential, often unseen, work that makes the mission truly come alive.”

How did Smith find himself on the path to this particular role, you may ask?

Drawn to VINS because of its critical mission to motivate people to take active steps to protect and rehabilitate nature, Smith also highlights the compelling origin story and development of the organization as part of the draw.

“VINS was born of citizens getting together around the time of the first Earth Day in 1970 to clean up the nearby polluted Ottauquechee River. They were so successful, not to mention so connected, that they kept inspiring healing within the watershed community,” he says.

Smith arrives at VINS after two decades of leading an organization of similar size and mission with deep roots and strong ties to nature and the positive ways in which we interact with it – The Mountain School of Milton Academy in Vershire, Vermont (a clever portmanteau of Vermont and its neighbor state). The Mountain School is a unique semester program for high school juniors located on a hilltop farm that is steeped in communal culture and the value of becoming attuned to all that is going on in the great outdoors.

As the former director of an educational institution that is committed to fostering the intentional care of people, place, and earth systems, it makes a great deal of sense why Smith was interested in making the jump over to VINS.

“I definitely look at this new role through an educator’s lens,” he says. “For example, I love witnessing how intergenerational families experience the canopy walk differently from one another. The children may prioritize play and adventure and dive into the spider web, while their caregivers give pause and look to the signs along the boardwalk to learn something new about the forest.”

So, with a new executive director leading the charge, surely VINS must be working on exciting new things?

Smith can confirm that the nonprofit is currently working on improving their research methodologies. Also, with a limited amount of time and human hands to meet the steadily growing demand for their offerings, VINS is also brainstorming creative ways to create a more lasting impact on students and youth of all ages.

Some things remain status quo as they should, such as the world class care that the talented staff provide to the numerous avian residents and ambassadors that call campus home: falcons, eagles, owls, and even native, wild songbirds.

With “chief strategist” as one of the many hats he wears, however, Smith is of course actively looking towards the future of VINS and forging the path that the organization will follow moving forward.

“We are working on a strategic plan to determine the next great milestone for VINS. It’s important to me that everyone (staff, the Board of Trustees, volunteers) has a role in determining what comes next,” Smith says. “This means that they all need to know that their voice matters; they have a seat at the table. In my first year, we are building trust and habits of collaboration that will make everyone feel included.”

To Smith’s delight, VINS is a living, breathing example of the kind of work that he has grown to love and cherish over the years in the education space.

“I admire the ways that VINS is different from any other organization I know and look forward to ensuring that it continues to serve the needs of a community that could always use further education, hope, and healing,” he remarks. “The world needs the mission of VINS now more than ever, along with the inspiration for all who want cleaner rivers, more diverse forests, and healthier wildlife. My hope is to build VINS into an even more impactful force for good, for our Quechee-based community and beyond.”

TJ Anthoine Keeps a Timeless Sport Alive at the Quechee Club

Quechee Club’s TJ Anthoine, PGA, received the Golf Professional of the Year and Bill Strausbaugh Award in February, and he headlines the list of the Vermont Chapter Award Winners for the year. Anthoine’s award signifies his passion for golf and also acknowledges his steadfast dedication to keeping Quechee Club golf offerings up and running throughout the pandemic and the widespread flooding in Vermont last summer.

Anthoine, executive director of golf and recreation sports at the Quechee Club, manages all golf operations, including golf lessons, tournaments, tee times, budgets, and ensuring a quality golf experience for players in the community. He also manages the golf staff at the Quechee Club. The Quechee club hosts multiple tournaments and programs every year for golfers across all skill levels and ages. Some notable tournaments include The Tommy Keene invitational (which was previously hosted on the now-closed Hanover Golf Course), the Junior Club Championships, and Vermont Golf Association State Days, as well as member-only tournaments.

The Golf Professional of the Year award recognizes the golf professional with the highest overall performance at his/her golf facility, level of service to his/her Section and to the Association, leadership ability, image, and the ability to inspire fellow professionals and promotion of the game of golf in the state of Vermont, according to the official New England PGA website. For Anthoine, who is entering his 9th season at Quechee Club, the journey to receiving this award has been marked with many hurdles to overcome, but these have made the accomplishment even more special.

Over the past several years, the Covid-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to the Quechee Club. “We had to figure out ways to change without closing the Club completely,” said Anthoine. This included carefully scheduling tee times, limiting golf cart capacity to one person, and other adjustments to accommodate restrictions while still keeping the golf program running. Anthoine also received help from others: “I have good relationships with other golf pros in New England, and their assistance definitely played an important part during Covid,” he said.

Though the pandemic brought many challenges with it, there were also silver linings as it pertained to golf offerings at the Club. The pandemic actually boosted golf’s popularity; not only at the Club, but across America, Anthoine said. “People were forced outside,” he explained. “And golf [was] a really good sport to play during Covid. It’s easy to maintain social distance, plus, you get lots of fresh air and walking in.”

A combination of creative flexibility and the rise of the popularity of golf gave Quechee Club enough push to traverse through the uncertainties of the pandemic with success. But just when it seemed that Anthoine and the Club had climbed that mountain, another one came into view: the widespread flooding during the summer of 2023.

“I remember our team meeting in early July after the floods, which is the start of the prime of the golf season, and saying, ‘How can we salvage something to keep the Club going?’” Anthoine said. In his mind, canceling was not a viable option.

Located adjacent to the Ottauquechee River, the Club’s golf courses suffered significant damage as a result of the flooding. Anthoine and the Club were forced to find ways to restructure and rebuild with the goal of keeping golf operations open. Anthoine was able to re-open nine holes within days of the flooding (down from a normal 36), and eventually a hybrid course with 18 holes as the courses were repaired. Sometimes shotgun starts (golfers starting at the same time on different holes) were the only way to ensure that everyone had a chance to golf.

Whatever it took to keep the Club afloat after the flooding, Anthoine and his team tackled through hard work and flexibility. “There were many sleepless nights, but we handled the flood well, and within a few months we were back to having all 36 holes open for golfing,” he said.

The PGA award feels especially rewarding to Anthoine because it acknowledges the adversity that the Club has faced as a whole over the past several years. “For us, it felt like the award was a culmination of everything we dealt with,” said Anthoine. “It was rewarding to see our peers acknowledge all the work that our team did to keep the Club running.”

From an early age, Anthoine was drawn to the sport of golf and golf management. In high school, Anthoine played and worked at his local golf club, where he “[fell] in love with the sport,” he said. Straight out of college, Anthoine went to work at Brae Burn Golf Club in Newton, Massachusetts. He moved to Quechee with his family in 2016 when a job opening came up at the Quechee Club.

Since Anthoine has managed the golf operations at the Quechee Club, one of his goals has been to make golf fun for more people – for both the avid golfer and the amateurs – and encourage others to give the sport a try. “Our junior program, which in 2016 had 300 kids, was up to 1000 two years ago before the 2023 floods,” Anthoine said.

More younger families have moved into the area and joined the Club over the past few years, so a lot of Anthoine’s time is spent working to make golf more appealing to those newcomers as well, he added. A lot of this is achieved through various golf programs that encourage people to come to the golf course and hit some golf balls. Whiskeys and Wedges is one such program where golfers can enjoy whiskey tastings and then play some golf afterward, and learn about different golf tips to help improve their game. Another big program has been the mentor program, where more experienced women’s golfers teach golf to other women. Programs targeting different demographics are important for the popularization of golf for potential and current members, says Anthoine. “The biggest difference between the Quechee Club and other golf clubs I’ve worked with is the diversity of members,” Anthoine says. “We’ve been trying to create programs that encourage all sorts of golfers – pros and amateurs, kids and adults – to play”.

When Anthoine isn’t managing golf operations at the Quechee Club, he often finds time to golf himself. One bittersweet moment for Anthoine was when he played his last round of golf with a beloved mentor, Ben Boyd, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. In that last round they played, Anthoine shot a 68, an incredible round of golf. Anthoine still has a golf ball from that day in his office.

The Quechee Club and TJ Anthoine have been faced with many challenges in recent years, but they plan on continuing to run the Club to the standard they have set so far. As Anthoine put it, “No matter the challenge, we will do whatever it takes to keep the golf course open and available for all golfers.”