Northeast Kingdom

NEWPORT — In an effort to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus, and following established Vermont protocol to limit gatherings, starting today, the lobby at Community National Bank locations will be closed to the general public.

Customers are asked to use drive-thru windows at locations where they are available, night depository, ATM, or online banking services.

Business customers are asked to call ahead with cash and coin orders so they can have orders ready.

Personal deposits can also be easily dropped off in night depositories or at ATMs, the bank says.

Anyone requiring face-to-face meetings for loans, to open deposit accounts, or to access safe deposit boxes, is asked to call and make an appointment.

The bank is also encouraging customers to use electronic banking services, and those in need of assistance signing up or reactivating the service should call.

NEWPORT — North Country Supervisory Union schools will be providing free meals for pick-up or delivery during the COVID- 19 school closures.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided to all children ages 1-18 without charge.

Meals will be provided at schools for pick-up Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. through 1 p.m. starting Thursday, March 19.

School officials say meal delivery will be available via bus routes starting Monday, March 23.

NCSU students or parents may pick up meals at any of the schools and are not limited to picking up meals at your hometown school.

NCUHS and NCUJHS students may pick-up their meals at any of the elementary schools or have their meals delivered by one of those schools.

They also say children do not need to be present at the time of pick-up or delivery.

Locations and contact information:

Brighton Elementary 802-723-4373
Charleston Elementary 802-895-2915
Coventry Village School 802-754-6464
Derby Elementary 802-873-3162
Jay/Westfield Elementary 802-988-4042
Lowell Graded School 802-744-6641
Newport City Elementary 802-334-2455
Newport Town School 802-334-5201
Troy Elementary 802-988-2526

NEWPORT — Sunny Naughton, Regional Prevention Partnerships Grant Coordinator out of Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, was recently named the Top Mental Health First Aid Trainer in Vermont alongside her frequent training partner, Lance Metayer.

The National Council of Behavioral Health gives out these honors based on number of trainings, attendees, and evaluations.

Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues.

MHFA is described as the help you give someone, similar to CPR, before a professional can step in.

The training also offers ways to support those around us living with mental illness every day in hopes of avoiding a crisis situation.

Naughton has trained over 400 Northern Vermont community members in just two years, hosting over 30 training sessions in various sectors of the community including educational staff, human services, security, and college resident advisors.

The process to become a trainer is 40 hours in which students learn the materials as well as best practices for presenting from seasoned facilitators, take several written tests and present to classmates to be adjudicated.

Naughton is certified in both Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid.

“I feel that everyone should take this training,” Naughton said. “While much of the information is likely already something someone is accustomed to, having the chance to see it laid out in a way that can allow us to think differently about how we interact with one another on a daily basis can be life-changing.”

Naughton went on to explain that you never know what someone else is experiencing, and a little extra kindness or offer of support can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Mental Health First Aid has been offered in Vermont through partnerships at NEKLS, Northern Vermont Regional Hospital, Northeast Kingdom Human Services and Vermont Care Partners.

The training is free of charge and can hold between 10 to 30 participants.

To learn more or to schedule a training for your community, workplace or extracurricular organization, email sunny.naughton@neklsvt.org

NEWPORT — The Northeast Kingdom Young Professionals Network (NEK YPN) recently received a $3,000 grant from the Vermont Community Foundation’s Northeast Kingdom Fund.

The grant will help further NEK YPN’s mission of supporting young professionals both socially and professionally by expanding outreach efforts and promoting a new Welcome Wagon Program.

“We are really excited to launch a new chapter of the Welcome Wagon Project here in the NEK,” said Maire Folan. “It will complement our efforts to connect residents and newcomers and build social capital in our communities”

The NEK YPN is a network for young professionals living and working in and around the NEK.

It strives to bring together all professionals that value connection and collaboration in work and play.

They see ‘young’ as subjective and the group encourages everyone to engage.

Visit the group’s Facebook page @Northeast Kingdom Young Professionals Network or email them at nekypg@nekchamber.com.

The Northeast Kingdom Fund is a permanent philanthropic resource dedicated to supporting the people and communities of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties.

NEWPORT — Artists and educators, organizers and entrepreneurs from the Northeast Kingdom will be hitting the hallways and committee rooms of the Vermont Statehouse on Tuesday, January 28, for the second annual NEK Day.

The goal is to celebrate recent successes in the three-county region, share the innovative rural community development models that are forming in the NEK and work with legislators on solutions for current and prospective residents and businesses.

“Like many rural communities across the country, the Northeast Kingdom faces significant challenges, but we are coming together as a region and developing innovative solutions to build vibrant rural communities,” said Katherine Sims, Director of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative. “Our future is bright and we’re excited to share our best practices and to work with legislators to support rural communities across the state.”

Advocacy Training with Amy Shollenberger from Action Circles at 9:00 a.m. in the Snelling Room at the Vermont Historical Society Museum.

This training will introduce participants to the legislative process, how to talk to legislators and tips for testifying in front of committees.

Welcome & Press conference at 10 a.m. in the Cedar Creek Room with NEK leaders, Lt Governor David Zuckerman and other key leadership.

Pie Social and NEK Business Showcase in the cafeteria lounge from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Reps from NEK businesses and non-profit organizations including Northern Vermont University, Catamount Film & Arts, Kingdom Trails and HEAT Squad will be in attendance, and available for interviews.

NEK leaders will testify before legislative committees throughout the day:

House Commerce & Economic Development Committee: 9 – 10 a.m.
Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs: 10:30 – 10:45 a.m.
House Education Committee: 1 – 2 p.m.
Senate Education Committee: 1:30 – 2 p.m.
House Energy & Technology Committee: 1-2 p.m.
House Agriculture Committee: 11 a.m. – noon
Senate Agriculture & Forestry Committee: 1 – 2 p.m.
Small group discussion with the Rural Caucus: noon – 1 p.m.
House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife: 1:00-1:45 p.m.

The NEK Collaborative has been working to increase coordination and communication
among NEK businesses and nonprofits for more than 20 years.

Since their first NEK Day this time last year, the region has made incredible strides towards building vibrant, thriving communities in the Northeast Kingdom.

The organization has brought together dozens of partners to implement strategic action plans in two key areas:

1. Expanding leadership development
2. Advancing economic growth at the intersection of the creative, recreational and food sectors.

For more information visit: www.nekcollaborative.org/nekday

NEWPORT – The Vermont Welcome Wagon has landed in the Northeast Kingdom with its second chapter in the State open and ready for participants.

The VT Welcome Wagon Project (VTWWP) is a program where new arrivals or returnees are connected with current residents, or ‘hosts’ through an informal meet and greet.

It provides new folks with the opportunity to learn more about the region and ask honest questions with honest answers about the ins and outs of the community—where’s the nearest laundromat? Where do you go out to eat? What’s there to do on a rainy day? What’s the childcare situation like?

The goal is to accelerate the time it takes to “figure out” Vermont and get connected to the community in meaningful ways.

The Northeast Kingdom Young Professionals Network (NEK YPN) decided to take on this initiative last spring upon learning about the program that began in Chittenden County.

“We are simply thrilled that the NEK YPN has partnered with VWWP to launch a local chapter of the program,” VWWP co-founder Krysta Sadowski said. “Their commitment to connecting and serving their community combined with the energy and skills of their leadership team makes them an ideal partner for leading this program in the NEK.”

While the VT Welcome Wagon Project is for all ages, the NEK YPN was thrilled to take on the leadership of this program and offer it to all community members and new arrivals in the NEK.

Thanks to grants from both the Vermont Community Foundation and the NEK Collaborative, the NEK YPN has been able to secure a part-time administrative staff member to oversee the unveiling of the project.

This program is open to anybody new or returning and there are no age limits or restrictions.

The NEK YPN manages the program but participants do not need to be a member to utilize it.

Materials and sign up information can be found at https://www.vtwelcomewagon.org/

NEWPORT — Report For America has selected Vermont Public Radio to host a journalist next year to expand coverage of the Northeast Kingdom.

VPR’s Northeast Kingdom reporter will be one of 250 emerging journalists in 164 host news organizations to serve local communities across 46 states in the coming year.

Report For America will cover half the salary of the one-year-long appointment, with VPR and local fundraising initiatives covering the rest.

“VPR has been working toward more Vermonters hearing and seeing themselves in our coverage,” said Sarah Ashworth, Vice President of News. “Our reporter will live and work in the region and will weave the voices and perspectives of the Kingdom into our broader coverage of issues in Vermont.”

Report for America is a national service program that positions emerging journalists into local news organizations to report on under-covered issues and communities for a duration of one or two years.

Newsrooms were selected through a rigorous national competition, and Report For America announced that VTDigger and the Valley News would receive corps members next year.

“It’s a big deal that our region will receive three Report For America journalists,” said VPR President Scott Finn. “There’s been a scary drop in the number of journalists in Vermont, but with support from our members, we can preserve great journalism here and across rural America.”

NEWPORT — The Vermont Community Foundation’s Northeast Kingdom Fund awarded Salvation Farms a grant to support a growing partnership with the Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging.

Together, the organizations are increasing the amount of fresh, local produce used by community meal sites within the Kingdom.

“We’re thrilled to establish the partnership with Salvation Farms in the Northeast Kingdom,” said Laura Valcour, the Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging’s Director of Nutrition and Wellness. “What an incredible opportunity to support our local farms, our communities, and our food system. It’s a win-win for all.”

Located in Morrisville, Salvation Farms is a non-profit organization that coordinates and distributes the collection of Vermont grown surplus fruits and vegetables.

“Salvation Farms started gleaning the Lamoille Valley in north, central Vermont fifteen years ago,” said Theresa Snow, Executive Director of Salvation Farms. “We are eagerly exploring this expanded distribution opportunity with the Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging, making Vermont’s agricultural bounty available to seniors in the state’s northeast region.”

In 2018, their Lamoille Valley Gleaning program captured and moved an excess of 210,000 servings of wholesome, locally grown produce that would have remained unused.

This nutritious food was provided to programs that feed some of the regions more vulnerable residents.

During a fall and winter pilot, Salvation Farms has delivered a variety of gleaned produce to six senior meal sites biweekly in Barton, Glover, Lyndonville, Orleans, West Burke, and Danville.

The goal is to enable senior meal programs to use locally sourced food more regularly and to improve the nutritional value of the meals.

The deliveries also provide kitchen managers and meal site staff time to share recipes, storage techniques, and to build a network of support.

Photo: Amber Robbins, Phil Brooks, Shari-Lee Ryan, Kyle Ingalls, Jennifer Jacob-Harlow, Frank Sawicki, Allyson Howell, Dave Jacobs, Terry DiFazio and Todd Pronto.

NEWPORT — Experts in youth substance, youth mental health, and law enforcement came together on Tuesday to film a panel regarding underage drinking produced by the Prevention, Intervention, Treatment and Recovery Collaborative (PITR).

Sunny Naughton and Allyson Howell of Northeast Kingdom Learning Service received a modest grant from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration to promote a local forum.

The duo brought together partners active in the PITR Collaborative to answer questions from both the community and a live audience.

Terry Difazio facilitated with direction from Tod Pronto, both from NEK-TV.

The panel can be seen on NEK-TV on:

Monday, December 16, at 2 p.m.
Tuesday, December 17, at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, December 18, at 8 p.m.
Thursday, December 19, at 9 a.m.
Friday, December 20, at 2 p.m.

Copies are available by contacting NEK-TV by calling (802) 334-0264

NEWPORT — We all know that the NEK’s got talent, but Joshua House Inc. is having a benefit fundraiser to see people prove it.

There will be two local events this winter to both showcase local talent and raise funds for this important local non-profit.

The local talent search will kick off on Tuesday, December 17, at the Dancing Sail Event Room at the Eastside at 6:00 p.m. with a buffet and a cash bar.

Judges will choose the contestants who will go on to the talent show, which will be held at the Municipal Building on Saturday, February 8, 2020.

This search event is for ages 16 to 106.

There will be another search event in January for ages 5 to 15.

The talent show in February will be giving away cash prizes, with 1st prize coming in at $300.

Examples of acts for the talent show are people who are not being paid for their talent; people who juggle, do impersonations, card tricks, or have a chicken that plays the piano, is a comedian or an old person that has a funny way of reading jokes, and groups of friends that have something only they can do.

Organizers say the benefit is all about fun, with examples of acts for the talent show including but not limited to juggling, impersonations, card tricks, maybe even a chicken that plays the piano.

Joshua House Inc. is a local nonprofit Christian organization, which helps to prevent homelessness by providing services to people from all walks of life, faiths, and non-faith backgrounds in northern Vermont.

As a privately funded organization founded in Irasburg in 1996, it receives no federal or state funds.

All support for those in need comes from ongoing fundraisers, caring individuals, businesses, and other non-profits.

Tickets are available through catamountarts.org, at Madame Archetypes Panopole and The Eastside Restaurant & Pub in Newport, and Hearth & Home Country Store in Island Pond.

Audition information/applications are available where tickets are sold, and/or by contacting Sunny Naughton at sunny@sunshinesilverlining.com.

NEWPORT — The Vermont departments of Fish and Wildlife, together with the Forests, Parks, and Recreation department are extending the public comment period on future management and use of a group of conserved lands in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom until December 15.

Future planning is under review for how the Bill Sladyk Wildlife Management Area, Black Turn Brook State Forest and Averill Mountain Wildlife Management Area may be used for sustainable forestry, fish and wildlife habitat, and outdoor activities.

“These lands occupy a special place in Vermont,” said Doug Morin, a biologist for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. “Large areas of interconnected conserved lands with healthy forests and waters such as these are essential in Vermont.”

The draft plan may be viewed here: PLAN.

NEWPORT – Conrad Bellavance, Chair of Newport City Downtown Development Board of Directors, recently announced that James Davis has accepted the position of the Downtown Economic Development Specialist.

Davis is the former Director of Indoor Recreation of Orleans County (IROC), and an active youth sports coach for hockey and soccer for many years.

“Jim has many years of experience in business and in the nonprofit sector,” said Bellavance. “He has a proven track record of fundraising, organizational management, and development.”

NCDD is Newport’s downtown management organization, funded with major financial support from the City of Newport.

It is responsible for promotion, marketing, design and economic development in Newport’s designated downtown district.

“I am excited to get started,” said Davis. “The NCDD Board of Directors has laid a great foundation with their commitment to promote and preserve historic downtown Newport to be a vibrant economic, social and livable community.”

NEWPORT — If you’re 22- 40 years old, The Vermont Futures Project and the Northeast Kingdom Young Professionals Network would like to learn your insights about Vermont’s current economic challenges, your personal economic and work aspirations, and your recommendations on how to secure Vermont’s future to be a great place to work, live and play.

At the Work Commons in Newport on November 11, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., facilitators Sunny Noelle Naughton, Vice-Chair of the NEK YPN and head of Sunshine Silver Lining Consulting and Lori Smith, Executive Director of the Vermont Futures Project, will be there to discuss your future and that of Vermont for the younger generation.

Space is limited to 15 for each session, so organizers ask that you reserve your spot by emailing Lori Smith at: lsmith@vtfuturesproject.org

Another meeting will be held on November 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Passumpsic Bank, in St. Johnsbury.

The Vermont Futures Project, in partnership with the Statewide Young Professionals Groups, is planning several focus groups around Vermont this fall.

As the project works to create an actionable statewide plan for sustainable economic growth, they say they want to hear from young professionals currently living here, about what is most important for a thriving future.

The Vermont Futures Project works to promote the long-term economic health of Vermont through leadership, research and education.