The Quechee Club was certainly rockin’ and rollin’ on a Saturday night in July when it hosted the 23rd Annual CHaD Gala, presented by QLLA Charities. More than 120 guests joined in the fun, all to benefit the Ken & Vickie French Child Advocacy and Protection Program (CAPP) at Dartmouth Health Children’s. This year’s theme was “Rock ’n’ Roll for the Kids” and many of the guests had fun interpreting that theme through their choice of dress–with some definite attitude thrown in! There were hippies alongside country music fans, greasers, a few sock hoppers, a flapper, and some hard core hard rockers! “Celebrities” made appearances, too – ”Madonna” stopped by as did “Stevie Nicks” and lots of folks who looked like they just flew in from the London club scene or Haight-Ashbury! Kudos to Madison and Ryan McDuff who took the prize for best-dressed with their very cool Sonny & Cher look!

On the Highland golf course supporting the Classic (L-R): Eric
Bradshaw (chair), Julian Jaworski, Eric Emery, Darren Linder.

An addition to our fundraising totals this year are the proceeds from the first annual QLLA Charities & Quechee Otters Swim-a-Thon. Twenty-six swimmers participated in early July raising nearly $2,700 to be included with the Classic and Gala funds. A presentation was made during the Gala to the new chair of the CAPP program, Dr. Amy Roy. The swim-a-thon was created with the thinking that it would be a great way to include some of the community’s younger families in a fundraising activity while at the same time introducing kids to the idea of philanthropy and giving back. Diane Fokas and Susan Carey, co-chairs of the event, look forward to an even bigger turnout next year as word of how much fun it was is spreading! The Otters are Quechee Club’s swim team.

Funds raised this year by QLLA Charities for the CAPP program, including the CHaD Classic Golf Tournament (held in June) and the CHaD Gala, total more than $117,000 with donations still coming in. Together with Dartmouth Health Children’s and the kids who are served by their state-of-the-art programming and dedicated, compassionate staff, we express our sincere gratitude for the support of the Quechee community. The importance of philanthropy to these programs cannot be understated. When a community such as ours comes together to lend a hand, the sky’s the limit in providing hope to the kids who are our future. Until next year…

Gala volunteers in front of the Wall of Hope (L-R): Cindy Gould (interim chair of the Gala), Shantel Bill, Phyllis
Shankman, Dawn DeStefano, Linda Bradshaw, Gail Ferney, Katie Liptak.

Quechee’s venerable F. H. Clothing Company owner, Joan Ecker, designed and produced her first “Fat Hats” 46 years ago on a human-powered treadle machine, selling them out of a wooden barrel at craft fair shows all over the Northeast. On one occasion, while selling in front of Lincoln Center, a New York Times reporter asked what else she made. Joan spied a passerby in a poncho – a popular garment at the time – and said “ponchos!” Soon after, while caring for her young children as a single mom, Joan made the proverbial leap into entrepreneurship and never looked back. Joan’s straightforward personality and ‘can-do’ attitude led to bartering with a builder friend willing to trade his carpentry skills to help construct her dream home for a “warm, fun hat” from her then sewing workshop, set up outside under a tarp. It’s this kind of collaborative thinking that has grown the F.H. Clothing Company into not only a successful clothing company, but also an environmentally conscious business that supports the local community.

The Mesh Bag Mama mascot, created by Cornish-based metal
artist, Joanne Clifford

Joan runs “Fat Hat”, as it is fondly known locally, with her daughters Sara and Jenn, along with professional pattern maker, Lak Vorachek, and several sewers. Each season’s clothing designs are sewn in New York in a facility that is open, airy, comfortable, and with safe working conditions for the sewers. In addition to keeping the business humming along serving 130 boutique clothing stores across the country and the national catalog Artful Home, the trio has supported a number of community causes over the years. The Fat Hat team made masks to sell all over the country to keep the staff employed during COVID and donated free Fat Hats to cancer patients nationwide in honor of Joan’s mother.

Most recently, Joan agreed to support the “Mesh Bag Mamas” project, an initiative of the NH Network Plastics Working Group. The project offers free, handmade reusable mesh bags to area grocery stores to encourage customers to ‘Ditch the Produce Plastic’ and reduce single-use plastic bag waste and pollution. The bags are made of washable organic cotton mesh decorated with the Japanese symbol for Earth, and they can transport fruits and vegetables home before they’re stored either in the refrigerator or on the counter top. Included with each bag is a postcard that outlines the hazards of single-use plastic and how to reduce its use to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

The Mesh Bag Mamas project began in 2023, with 30 volunteers from around the Upper Valley sewing 1,200 bags for distribution at area co-ops and grocery stores. Funding was provided by the Food Co-op, Sustainable Lebanon, Community Action Works, and private donations. NH songwriter, Mary Armstrong, wrote the “Mesh Bag Mama” song, which was performed at the Lebanon Co-op, and metal artist, Joanne Clifford, of Cornish created the Mesh Bag Mama mascot – a metal sculpture of a goddess wrapped in scraps of mesh. Fundraising efforts for supplies and labor for the project are ongoing by members of the Plastics Working Group, and the first round of 250 bags will be made available at the Woodstock Farmers Market this summer. Amelia Rappaport, a manager at the market, says the bag project aligns with the market’s sustainability efforts: “We love reusable bags, and would love for everyone to have them!”

Interestingly, Vermont has had a ban on single-use items in place since 2020, which includes plastic bags, but only covers bags distributed at the check out. The use of single-use plastic bags in grocery store produce and bulk departments is one of the exceptions to the law, so giving customers the choice for a reusable produce bag furthers the reduction of single-use plastic.

Joan Ecker, owner of F.H. Clothing Co. in Quechee

F.H. Clothing Company provides space for the cutting of the mesh bag material, and the bags are sewn at the home of one of Fat Hat’s part-time employees. Joan explains what inspired her to support the Mesh Bag Mamas project: “It’s always nice to participate in things that touch the community in some way. We’ve got to be concerned about the environment and continue to raise consciousness.” Joan foresees being able to continue to support the project around the company’s seasonal schedule, engaging other sewers as time goes along and demand for the bags increases.

Sara Ecker oversees the informal sustainability efforts for Fat Hat and notes several practices the company uses to try to reduce waste from purchasing goods to production, shipping garments to retailers, and store operations. “We try hard not to overbuy fabric or goods so we don’t have a lot of leftover yardage and garments, but this is also customer-driven. We donate clothing we don’t sell to Apparel Impact (a non-profit redistributing clothing to those in need) and to the Lyndonville Thrift Store during the recent floods because a lot of people lost their homes,” says Sara. “We also donate fabric, buttons, and other materials to area senior centers and afterschool programs.”

Fat Hat clothing is intentionally made to last, which is often not the case in the fashion industry. The company also uses recyclable bags for its shipping operations, and paper bags are used in the retail store. Jenn runs the retail store and even sources the ribbons used to wrap packages from a company that uses 100% compostable, water soluble material, non-toxic adhesives, and ink that is chlorine and acid free. You can leave the ribbon for the birds in your neighborhood or in the garden for safe nest building. Garment boxes are purchased from New England based company Packaging Specialties and are made of recycled material along with the bags, jewelry boxes, and small gift boxes. Both the ribbon company and Packaging Specialties offer carbon neutral shipping.

While many textile businesses and fashion designers come and go with the trends of the day, F.H. Clothing Company has stayed the course, developing a loyal customer following for its comfortable, sophisticated clothing lines, and its design mantra, “clothing that loves you just the way you are.” As a lifelong entrepreneur, Joan Ecker has perfected the art of continuous learning, decisiveness, curiosity, and willingness to experiment with new ideas.

From the first Fat Hats in New York to a thriving clothing business in Quechee, Joan describes the company’s evolution on her website. “After all these years, it strikes me that we’re not making and selling clothing at all…we’re selling our sense of humor, our independent Vermont lifestyle, and our comfortable attitude about dressing… clothing is just how we’ve packaged it!” F.H. Clothing Company is a great example of a business that can be successful, enduring, and make intentional choices to care for the planet.

For more information on the Mesh Bag Mama project, visit the Ten Towns Ten Actions website at 10towns.org.  

Often, on Sunday afternoons, when the sun is shining, kids ages 6-13 get ready on the Quechee Club Golf Course to play a nine-hole match after practicing with coaches Curt Goldsberry and Dustin Ribolini on Saturdays. The sounds of laughter, shouting, and high-fiving can be heard as the kids hit golf balls far and wide.

This has come to fruition thanks to Quechee Club’s junior golf league – a club led by Goldsberry and Ribolini that introduces kids ages six to thirteen to the competitive side of the sport of golf. Founded in 2017, the Junior Golf League arose from humble beginnings, with only four kids enrolled in the original program. However, with each passing year, more kids began to participate, and in 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic encouraging people to spend more time outside and with golf rising in popularity around that time also, the program exploded and grew to about 40 members. Since then, the junior league has continued to sustain those participant numbers. “Going from four kids to 40 is a testament, not only to us but the kids as well, with their interest and eagerness to learn golf,” says Ribolini.

The league meets every Saturday and Sunday, with Goldsberry and Ribolini leading practices on Saturdays and match days on Sundays. Saturday practices can involve anything from mastering the driving game at the driving range to tinkering with putting on the putting green. Practicing golf can be tedious at times, says Goldsberry, so he and Ribolini keep things interesting during practices, with competitions and prizes during practices to keep everyone engaged. The matches are shotgun starts, meaning everyone shoots their first hole simultaneously. With that many kids playing rounds at the same time, “It’s always a great atmosphere,” says Goldsberry. “It’s really fun for the kids and the parents too, watching their kids play.” Every golfer is fit with an orange and blue jersey of their choice, with their names on the back and a number from 00 to 99, further invoking the team spirit and competitive drive of a match day.

Beni Robledo playing during a junior league match in Quechee on July 28

Despite offering plenty of tips, help, and coaching during lessons, Ribolini and Goldsberry say that they tend to back off during the Sunday matches, leaving it up to the kids to figure out what golf clubs to choose and where to aim. Parents are encouraged to keep their distance as well on match days; aside from a helpful word or two, most of the match is up to the kids to figure out.

“We’re not out there giving strict instructions; rather, we’re letting the kids figure it out on their own,” says Ribolini. “Eventually, it’ll be on [you] to figure out the shots, as golf is a game where you have to police yourself.”

Both Ribolini and Goldsberry have had long histories in golf. Ribolini started golfing at a young age, around seven or eight years old. After continuing to play through high school, he attended Campbell College to continue a career in golf, earning himself a PGA degree. After working at the former Hanover Golf Club, he joined forces with Goldsberry at the Quechee Golf Club in 2021.

Goldsberry was born into a golfing family. Two of his uncles played golf at Division I colleges. Curt also played D-1 golf at Ohio University before earning his PGA degree online. After working at Dunegrass Golf Club, he joined Quechee Golf Club around a year after TJ Anthoine became the director of golf at Quechee Club in 2015.

Quechee Club Junior golf program member Teddy Carroll
on the course during a match in July

For Goldsberry and Ribolini, the motivation to coach youth golf players hasn’t been difficult to maintain. From witnessing the kids’ improvements each week to the joy they experience during and after every match – jumping up and down after an excellent shot, or high-fiving each other after a nice round – the junior league is a highlight of the two coaches’ careers. With young kids of their own who could potentially join the program a few years down the road, the junior league is even more relevant and special to them. Quechee Club also considers the junior league a crucial part of its golf program: It can provide more people with access to the sport of golf, from kids to their parents and relatives, while also growing the sport within the Upper Valley.

The two coaches say that the kids enjoy the matches regardless of their scores, which invites a new perspective on the game that can be refreshing compared to their experiences coaching adults who place more emphasis and pressure on their scores. “They don’t care what they shoot,” says Ribolini. “For them, it’s all about having fun.”

For the children who enjoy the program, keeping up with golf can have significant benefits down the road, says Goldsberry. From playing in high school and beyond to going into golf management, golf can be a pathway to a future career for some. Golf can also be a networking asset in the world of business as it helps foster connections and build rapport, Goldsberry adds.

One former junior league member actually did use his experiences in the program to influence his future career. Dylan Jopp, one of the original members of the program back in 2017, played golf throughout his early education at Hanover High School and now attends Penn State University, where he participates in the Professional Golf Management (PGM) program. Recently, Jopp had the opportunity to intern at Quechee Golf Club, learning the business to potentially be a golf pro himself – a story that Ribolini labels as coming full circle for his former player.

At the end of the day, the junior golf league is designed for youth golf players to have fun and to learn and play golf. That’s what is emphasized during the practices and matches and what brings the two coaches the most joy. “We don’t care what the kids’ abilities are,” Ribolini says when asked about the league. “We just want the kids to go out and have fun, and that’s the number one thing we push.” Despite often having long work weeks, Ribolini and Goldsberry always look forward to Sunday afternoons with their junior league. “It’s a breath of fresh air to see the kids play golf, and it’s really fun to be around. It’s really a cool thing.”

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.

“We’re beginning to appreciate that as individuals we have to take ownership of our learning. When we silently join others in removing ourselves from the conversation about our community, the collective impact of that silence can amount to something that can be harmful.” – Brian Cook of Groundswell Change, a Colorado based organization that assists organizations in diversity, equity, and inclusion training

I am one of approximately 40 people serving on The Quechee Club’s recently formed ad hoc committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The club has affirmed its commitment that “anyone who lives, works, recreates, or visits the Quechee Club and Quechee Lakes will adhere to our standards of conduct and respect for the individual.”

Events last summer remind us that our bucolic community is not immune to issues of racism, equity, and inclusion and we have chosen to take action as individuals as well as a committee. Our goal is to better understand and recognize what the problems, aspirations, and challenges are within our community and beyond our backyard.

As a first step in our DEI work, the club engaged Groundswell Change, a Colorado based organization that provides DEI training in addition to strategic planning and organizational development support. Brian Cook, founder of Groundswell, initiated a “Listening Tour” over a three-week period in December. Via Zoom, he met with representatives from the club’s leadership team, the Board of Trustees, and the ad hoc committee. Conversations covered members’ perceptions of the challenge, as well as knowledge, motivations, and readiness to engage in racial equity and DEI work. Cook also explored the potential pushback and members’ aspirations for the work.

“A real reckoning has begun to take root in this community,” said Cook. “It’s inspiring to see so many members of the community come together of their own volition to address these issues. Members may not see overt discrimination, bigotry, or prejudice – which can often turn peoples’ stomachs – but they have come to realize the  gravity and nature of harm, even at the smallest level. When it comes to symbols or simple communications, these can all have an impact and be amplified by historical trends and current events.”

Cook shared perceptions from the listening tour: “most members describe the community as ‘well-meaning’ with good intentions, yet some shared nervousness about ‘getting it wrong.’ Many often struggle to name the harm, and for many who desire to name the harm, there is a high cost of speaking out. The past summer’s pool incident was a perfect case in point. If seen or acknowledged, these types of incidents are usually categorized as a one-off, an anomaly – but to some, that is a harmful minimization of a trend that is simply less visible than words written on a wall.”

He added, “There is also consensus there is not a great deal of overt resistance to visible diversity and inclusion, but there is a sense that bias occurs, and stories are not always being shared.”

These observations and more were shared with the Trustees, executive staff, and committee members with the goal to improve the club’s competency in communications and awareness building in a more proactive, consistent, and visible manner.

A second Trustees session in late January, focused on equity audits and levers for inclusion, and will align with the ad hoc committee’s strategic planning focused on best practices, focus areas, and mission/vision setting. In addition, affinity spaces will be offered as another learning platform and enable more meaningful strategic planning. Affinity spaces are recognized as locations (Zoom calls or Meetups) where groups of people are drawn together because of a common, strong interest or engagement in an activity and allows people to share stories and build relationships in a spirit of vulnerability.

“We’re beginning to appreciate that – as individuals – we have to take ownership of our learning. When we silently join others in removing ourselves from the conversation about our community, the collective impact of that silence can amount to something that can be harmful,” added Cook. “People seem eager to enhance their knowledge and learn from tangible engagement and real-life moments with one goal in mind: everyone belongs.”

For more information contact mailto:mDEI@quecheeclub.com

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

“I grew up in Hanover and was a volunteer with the program for many years,” said Lacasse. “In fact, we started a year or two after the HNHBP began. I invited several of my friends and their children to sponsor a family. Our children would use their allowance money to purchase some of the children’s gifts.”

Shopping Elves do the shopping and Donation Elves prefer to donate money. At the beginning of November, Quechee members sign up for a child or children to purchase specific gifts that the family has asked for. The average spent on a child is approximately $130. Donations are made out to QLLA Charities with a memo that it is for The Holiday Baskets. “The key to this program is the people – I feel privileged to work with such compassionate and fun people,” said Lacasse. “It’s been an honor to run this program with so many Quechee Lakes members lending support and helping hands.”

Part of Quechee’s charm is the array of volunteer activities in which members can become involved. QLLA Charities, Inc. is the service arm of QLLA, for example, and sponsors several other charitable functions besides the Elves each year to help support the extended community. It has been fundraising for 35 years, according to volunteer Sharin Luti. “Most, but not all, of the dollars have gone to programs and/or bricks and mortar to benefit CHaD (Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock),” Luti said. “Some of the other beneficiaries have included Holiday Baskets, WISE, The Haven, Quechee Cares (pandemic support), and Hurricane Irene aid.”

CHaD provides an extended system of care that offers advanced pediatric services. It has often been referred to as a children’s hospital within a hospital by the Children’s Hospital Association. It is New Hampshire’s only children’s hospital and one of more than 220 children’s hospitals in the country providing care specifically focused on children.

CHaD is the recipient of two large fundraising events held at Quechee. One is the CHaD Classic Golf Tournament held in June and the other is an accompanying Gala in July. The QLLA Charities donates to CHaD as a result of these successful events, and volunteers begin early in the spring to plan for, and work on, both of these events.

QLLA Charities has donated over $2.5 million through funds raised from the CHaD Classic Golf Tournament and the CHaD Gala. “This year, we were unable to run these events and did a virtual fundraiser which netted $30,000 for CHaD,” said Luti.

In addition to organizations that go through QLLA Charities, there are also volunteer efforts put forth by members including the Community Affairs Committee whose members make masks, repair hospital gowns for Dartmouth Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, and make quilts for those who need them.

Another volunteer organization is The Haven that, since 1980, has provided temporary shelter and educational programming for homeless families and adults as well as food to anyone in need. Its mission is to serve people struggling with poverty by providing food, shelter, education, service coordination and other support.

Quechee Cares is a new fundraising endeavor from The Quechee Club community. They raised over $27,000 during May 2020. Donations were given to the Haven to fund the Food Shelf and other programs. In addition, Quechee Cares paid Quechee Pizza Chef and The Public House Pub to provide “thank-you meals” at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Hospital and to supply meals to those in need through the Haven.

Over the years, Quechee Club members have volunteered at local hospitals, Quechee Library, the Haven, local schools, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Headrest, David’s House, Friends of Veterans, Listen, WISE, and the Garden Club, to name a few.

For more information, contact Lisa Lacasse at quecheeelves@gmail.com.

Sooner or later, it happens to all of us. An injury changes the regular routine of life, or an illness pops up to put a severe crimp in our passions.  Possibly a life-changing disability forces us to give up a once vigorous lifestyle. These changes to our physical being, whether temporary, or permanent, cause us to re-think our activities, and adapt to a new normal.

Quechee resident Gail Seaver knows all to well how an illness can disrupt one’s life, and dramatically change a lifestyle.  A diagnosis of a rare form of cancer, followed by surgery, and chemotherapy, proved to her that life is an evolving series of unexpected occurrences. But when traditional medical procedures were not effective in eradicating the disease, Seaver chose not to merely accept her fate, but found other, emerging holistic treatments to combat the illness, help return her health, and give hope.

There are many options, and many alternatives, when attempting to recuperate from an injury or illness. One local source devoted to inspiring a holistic lifestyle, and help those dealing with physical setbacks, is the Strong House Spa in Quechee.

For over 25 years, Sheila Armen (along with co-owner Shelly Yusko) has operated Strong House, offering a wide range of health inspiring services to clients.  Dedicated to helping those with chronic pain and injury, Armen says not only do the professionals at Strong House work to correct problems, “We help to prevent injury,” she says.

Help with physical issues are far from the only form of help provided here; relaxation techniques that work to put the mind at ease, through processes such as meditation, also take place. Armen says, that stress is a major factor in both physical, and emotional problems. Referring to our seemingly easier lifestyle resulting from modern technology, Armen makes the point that “Life is hard, even when it’s easy.”

“Mental tension causes physical stress,” Armen adds.

Working to relieve stress, and find peace through mind relaxation, has proven important to Gail Seaver. Meditation, and classes stressing mindfulness, is an important component in her recovery plan, she says.

Assessing physical problems, resulting from a specific trauma, or from a chronic pain condition, is key to putting together a plan of recovery, and avoiding further injury. Quechee’s Dr. Randy Schaetzke, says it is important to go beyond merely treating a client’s symptoms. “It’s important to go after why they have the symptoms,” he says. Dr. Schaetzke, a chiropractor who incorporates many forms of wellness in treating his clients, says that a symptom such as a chronic sore back may very well result from an issue originating from another part of the body, such as the neck, or lower extremities. He relates the story of a client coming in with symptoms of painful, numb legs; yet the solution to the issue was correcting a problem with the client’s neck.

This tactic of treating the body as a whole unit, with interconnected parts working together, seems to make a great deal of sense in a recovery plan. Sheila Armen stresses the importance of skin care in one’s overall health. The skin is our largest organ, Armen says, and many negative entities can invade our body through the skin.

What we put in our bodies for sustenance is a great example of this interconnected system with which we function. Proper hydration, eating healthy, whole foods, and augmenting a diet with proper supplements can all help in recovery, and reduce the likelihood of future illness. Restoring good bacteria in the gut, and eliminating bad carbohydrates and sugar from a diet are important health considerations, says Dr. Schaetzke. “Processed white sugar is a poison,” he says.

When surgery and chemotherapy did not prove to be an option for helping Gail Seaver, she turned to local research scientist and nutritionist Dr. Laleh Talebian for help in putting together a diet and nutrition plan. Dr. Talebian is a strong advocate for illness prevention through proper eating; her mantra is “I am what I eat.”

Seaver says her nutrition plan devised by Dr. Talebian included the elimination of dairy, grain, and sugar, while relying on foods such as non-GMO, grass fed meats, vegetables, and wild-caught fish. “It was hard at first,” says Seaver of the eating plan, but the results proved impressive.  After starting the regimen, she noticed her pain diminished, and upon later medical exams, there were indicators that the tumors had stabilized, and even reduced.

As often happens, Seaver says that after a while, she strayed a bit from the new eating regimen, but noticed the results. “I didn’t feel as well.”  Realizing this strict diet was making positive changes in her overall health, she returned to following it more carefully than ever. “It’s now a lifestyle for me,” she says.

This points out to an important aspect of recovery, or rehabilitation from illness or injury; making it a full time commitment. Spending a few hours a week at a gym, or involved with treatment at a facility such as the Strong House Spa is important, but so is continuing that commitment at home, or on the job. Dr. Schaetzke says he gives his clients homework; that being following the proper dietary and exercise procedures he recommends, while at home.  Armen says that those working with the various treatment options at Strong House “leave with self care,” which extends to their daily lives.  As Gail Seaver points out, the recovery treatment process needs to become a lifestyle.

Both Sheila Armen and Dr. Randy Schaetzke say they see all manner of clients facing struggles. With an aging population, Dr. Schaetzke says many that come to him for help are dealing with injuries from years back. “Old injuries come back to haunt us,” he says.

Sheila Armen finds clients come to her facility with a variety of issues, from chronic pain, to sports injuries, to medical conditions such as MS and Parkinson’s disease. Though the wellness treatments offered through Strong House may differ from medical treatments offered by physicians at hospitals and in private practices, Armen says she and the various treatment specialists at Strong House maintain a good joint relationship with area medical professionals, who have a good deal of respect for the work done at the Strong House Spa.

From my interview with Kristen Coats, I have no doubt that the Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction is incredibly lucky to have her. The Walden University graduate in public health spent almost six years working for Dartmouth-Hitchcock where she coordinated the Upper Valley Heal program. It was at Dartmouth-Hitchcock that Coats says she developed a true appreciation for the fact that people are healthy if their environments are healthy.

Having been at the Haven for only a year, it’s easy to see that Coats infuses her work with that same passion today. As leader of the nutrition program, she has no problem talking effortlessly about all the different areas in which the program has grown. Healthy Eating is a component of the program that involves the community food shelf and reaches the most people, around 1400 households every month. The program began when staff and volunteers noticed that many people accessing the food shelf passed up a lot of the fresh produce that the Haven “is lucky enough to get on a daily basis,” say Coats.

The strategy involved the staff and volunteers seeing what’s available for the day, heading to the café kitchen – a cooking space with a pass-through to a large dining area – and working up a recipe with the available ingredients. People coming through can stop and chat with staff and see what recipe is being created for the day. If they’re interested, they receive a recipe card and a bag with the ingredients. At these times, the kitchen and connected café serve as a teaching model in which staff can explicitly teach or simply model a cooking process.

Newly launched in November, the Haven has started a small food pantry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) for new or expecting moms going through recovery. The pantry is accessible for moms to fill a bag of food staples such as eggs, milk, cheese, and canned goods once a week. There’s also a large focus on grab-and-go snacks for moms to get nutritious food before meetings or appointments. The food pantry remains open at night so that intensive outpatient clients going through treatment have access to the food as well.

The third dynamic program that described is the Haven’s involvement with the Ledyard Charter School located on Hanover St. in Lebanon. The public school serves about 40 students and doesn’t have the facilities for meal preparation and serving. The Haven has become an integral part of the program by being the school’s largest food donor. Through the non-traditional food process at the school, the students are gaining some valuable education by helping with menus for the week, food deliveries, and prepping. One of the goals is for students to have a better understanding of the current management of food systems. Through the program, breakfast is provided at the school along with snacks and bags of weekend food for students to take home.

How do these programs get funded? Coats can’t speak highly enough about the Vermont Food Bank and local grocers who donate fresh food and other products. Haven drivers pick up 18,000 pounds of food per week, which doesn’t include all of the donations. Willing Hands delivers to the Haven seven days a week as well. Willing Hands started in 2004 at the Hanover Food Co-op as a progressive food-recovery program. Members reach out to local farms and grocery stores and glean fields after harvest. Find out more about willinghands.org.

Coats is extremely humble talking about her work. For her, a major achievement is helping someone make any small change to their diet. When it comes to food quality, she uses the phrase “little by slow” to remind herself and others, that food culture is intensely personal, and “that changing those behaviors can be a slow process in which the little victories amount to meaningful progress.” She explains that the Haven is constantly striving to create an equitable space for community members. I was quickly convinced that, when considering the resources, time, and coordinated efforts by volunteers and community businesses, the Haven food programs are indeed accomplishing some amazing things every day, every week and every month for our neighbors in need.

Ranks of street shoes line the narrow entrance hall. Young people of various ages fit themselves into small spaces on the floor, engaged in stretches. Some girls lean on the wall, helping each other with hairpins. Costumes of shiny brocades adorned with fur trim, sequins, and ribbons weigh down tables along the edges of entrance and the smaller dance hall. The atmosphere is focused but not panicked. All over the Upper Valley, students were enjoying April vacation week. Lebanon Ballet School was delighted–more rehearsal time!

Students at the school were in the throes of preparing to participate in City Center Ballet’s spring show, Sleeping Beauty, a version of the classic ballet Maurice Petipa choreographed to Tchaikovsky’s music. The ballet was first performed in 1890, but like all the best classics, it continues to delight new generations who discover it.

Linda Copp, the founder and director of the school, serenely takes a moment to chat. She herself started ballet classes at three years old, “way too young” for formal training, she says. “I’ll take kids as young as three or four for our ‘First Steps’ program, but it’s not till they’re six or seven that they can really begin. Then they understand the concept of counting and can begin to work on their bodies, for example, if you tell them something about their stomach muscles.” With today’s children spending more of their time indoors, she finds even eight-year-olds need to develop motor skills such as the running, jumping, skipping and hopping that used to become ingrained years earlier.
Dreaming of stardom like any young dancer, Copp trained after high school in Hartford, CT, where her primary teacher recognized her skill as a teacher, and “helped me make [teaching] something I felt good about.” She has run the Lebanon school for 30 years, training approximately 3,000 students—and counting.

Where the Boys Are—Not

Most of those students have been girls, of course. Ballet’s appeal to girls is legendary. But every serious performance requires male dancers, so Linda is particularly glad to have several boys enrolled in her school. Two recent additions are Ben Stroud of Quechee and Sam Bradley of Etna, both students at the Quechee Waldorf School. Stroud has loved theater for years, and has played locally in shows such as Pentangle’s Pirates of Penzance. A theater coach recommended ballet training to help him know where his body and hands are, and when some female classmates challenged them to try ballet, Stroud and Bradley both signed up.

These remarkably self-possessed and well-spoken boys talk frankly of the rarity of male dancers. They note that other athletes study ballet, like the Bruins’ goalie, who took ballet as a kid. Football players sometimes add ballet to their training to improve movement and landing from jumps. “The stigma about it is not true,” Bradley says. “If people tried it, they’d like it.” Ballet goes beyond pure athleticism, Copp explains, adding “Einstein called dancers ‘the athletes of God.’ They have to be athletic and look good at it.”

“Ballet started with guys, and migrated to women,” explains Stroud. Yes, male dancers help make the women look good, assisting in pas de deux, for example, creating classic images. Choreography for male solos or small groups of male dancers features flashy leaps and feats of strength and balance.

Just for Boys

Sam Bradley, left, and Ben Stroud

Stroud and Bradley are working hard at ballet and loving it, though their days are also full of other projects; Bradley is on the Quechee Ski Team, and Stroud plays cello and saxophone. “It’s good exercise, but not strenuous,” says Stroud, though he admits, “If you do it well, it should be hard.” Bradley explains, “I like it because of the people here—the teachers are great and the kids. Once you start you see the older dancers and you want to be them. The better I get the harder it gets, because the teachers know you, and push you harder. Class is physically hard, and mentally hard.” He and Stroud both flash big grins that show they meet this challenge happily.