The theme of this year’s annual Mud Ball is NEON. Seeking to out-do itself, the Mud Ball, one of the Upper Valley Haven’s celebratory fundraisers, is seeking maximum contrast to spring mud with bright lights and Day-Glo cocktails. Scheduled for Saturday, March 23, from 7pm to 11pm at The Quechee Club, the Ball attracts a crowd of people whose enjoyment of a good party is enhanced by awareness of supporting a worthwhile cause.

This year’s entertainment is Conniption Fits, a high-energy modern rock trio known for getting the crowd up and dancing. They maintain a highly booked schedule touring New England, and are familiar to – and popular with – many who have heard them locally in Hartford and Lebanon.… Read More

We aim to spend about one-third of each officer’s time in proactively building and fostering relationships in the community, says Hartford Police Chief Phil Kasten. The majority of calls to the police are from a crisis of one sort or another, and police officers train for those moments, with the possible need for quick and sometimes drastic action. But preventing crises is even better than helping people through crises. Weaving sociable acquaintance with police officers into people’s daily experience makes it easier for people to call the police for help when they need it. It also reminds would-be troublemakers that police officers are woven into the community and are keeping an eye on what is happening in the community.… Read More

Sitting alone in his wheelchair at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center (VA) in White River Junction, a Vietnam veteran watched the visiting dog and panicked shouting, “I’m terrified of dogs!” Somehow, by the end of the visit he was smiling and Regan, the therapy dog, was in his lap.

Quechee resident Patt Taylor and Regan – his 4-year-old Golden Retriever who is a therapy dog – visit the VA weekly. In preparation, Patt did a lot of research into therapy dogs, he and Regan took obedience classes and went through a rigorous evaluation process for Regan’s accreditation through Therapy Dog International.… Read More

You survive the traffic and the broken pavement on Route 4, and turn gratefully at the blinking light, heading over the covered bridge toward the peace of Quechee. You stop at the T with Main Street, and as you check for traffic, you can’t help noticing – consciously or subconsciously – that you’re facing a tangle of weeds and brush: that opposite bank is a mess. Is this the entrance, the introduction Quechee deserves? “No way!” says a small but industrious group which calls themselves the Friends of the Quechee Covered Bridge.

The Friends began with Dave Duval, Ted York – both past presidents of Quechee Lakes Landowners Association (QLLA) – and Michael Shankman.… Read More

The Beverly Fowle Fiertz Community Center, located at The Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction, Vermont, is better known throughout the community as “Bev’s House.” When you listen to those who work or volunteer at Bev’s House speak about their experience, you can hear the warm familiarity spoken with the name, and walking through the halls and rooms lends one to believe she will come around the next corner and introduce herself. It could be her home after all: Bev’s artwork is found in every room, and her family portrait and diploma are prominently displayed in the front sitting room.… Read More

The Hartford Community Coalition began in 2014 in response to the tragic loss of three young people to suicide in one summer. In the face of such tragedy, members of the greater Hartford community stepped forward and created a grassroots organization. The main mission of the Hartford Community Coalition is a simple but powerful intention to create the time and space needed to facilitate community-wide conversations and action. The Coalition has evolved in only two years into a network of partnerships with organizations already present in the community to help community members seeking to create solutions.

The organizational structure, events and partnerships speak to the Coalition’s focus and commitment.… Read More

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

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

It’s such a good idea, someone must be doing it,” Hartford’s Sonja Hakala told her brother Mark. He had been skimming an AARP magazine and found an article about people donating small quilts for Alzheimer’s patients. Their own mother lay in bed, too weak from Parkinson’s disease to move under the full-size quilt Sonja had made for her—but what about a lap quilt? “You could do this, Sone,” her brother said. And she did.

Sonja is known as a fountain of ideas, both of projects and of how to accomplish them. She’s written and produced books on publishing, and she works helping authors develop and publish their books.… Read More

Growing up in Cleveland, both Susan Miller and her husband Jim had never heard of The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family Program. It wasn’t until they moved to Quechee, and spoke to some of their neighbors that they were introduced to the program. It was initially Jim’s idea to become a host. It had been a lifetime goal of his to help inner-city children. Susan and Jim, along with their two daughters Caroline and Christine, first signed up to host in 2010 for two weeks and since then, they have welcomed Erykah, of the Bronx, back every summer.

The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income neighborhoods since 1877.… Read More

The Upper Valley is blessed with many people who quietly perform significant work to help others. A collection of such folks can be found at the Bugbee Senior Center in White River Junction, VT. The building itself is a gift, the legacy of T.D. Bugbee, a local dentist who died in 1954 leaving money to the town of Hartford for a building in the town’s interest and bearing his name. The Senior Center opened in 1980.

The Center provides social services such as rides to medical appointments, assistance with Social Security, living wills, Medicare and Medicaid. The Center also provides a variety of different activities.… Read More