Northeast Kingdom - page 3

NEWPORT — More than 5,000 acres of corn fields will be planted with a cover crop in Orleans County this fall, and thousands of more acres received other conservation practices such as no-till planting and conversion to grass crops.

New roadside signs are helping to highlight this work that can be otherwise very hard to notice.

There are four different signs, “Cover Crop,” “No-Till Planting,” “Growing Grass” and “Stream Side Planting.”

They all share the tagline, “For my land. For our water,” because these conservation practices usually improve the health of soils and crops, as well as protecting water quality.

“Most people don’t realize that a lot of farmers here are already doing a good deal of work for soil conservation and water quality,” said Sarah Damsell, who assists farmers with many of these practices through her role at Orleans County Conservation District.

Cover cropping, or “green manure,” is the practice of growing plants for the purpose of covering the soil, especially through the late fall, winter and spring, when many fields would otherwise be bare.

The plants protect the soil from erosion and build soil organic matter, retaining valuable soil in fields and keeping it out of waterways.

Cover crops also hold nutrients through the winter and release them in the spring, providing a boost to the spring crop and reducing the potential for nutrients to leach from the soil during the winter.

Perennial crops improve soil health and water quality because they have deep roots, diverse plant mixes, and never leave the ground uncovered.

Although the signs simply name “grass,” farmers usually grow a diverse mix of grasses and legumes.

This hay and pasture is an important forage source for most farmers, and many Vermont farms don’t grow anything but perennial grass-legume crops.

Farmers who do grow annuals, however, plant grass crops in strategic areas like along streams, in steep areas, through low-lying swales, and in contoured strips.

In all of these places, the grass crop serves to prevent sediment and nutrients from leaving fields and entering streams.

No-till planting is a method used to plant and grow a crop such as corn while leaving a year-round cover of living or residual plant material on the field.

The practice boosts soil organic matter, increases soil tilth and infiltration, and protects the soil from erosion.

While the benefits are significant, the learning curve can be a challenge.

The practice is catching on.

NEWPORT — Green Mountain Farm-to-School will host harvest festivals with 11 Northeast Kingdom schools in celebration of local food, agriculture, and healthy communities.

The harvest festivals are an opportunity for the community to gather around and share a meal prepared by students from produce harvested from school gardens or sourced from local producers.

The festivals take place between September and October and are open to the local community. They reinforce farm-to-school programming by providing students with the opportunity to connect the dots between planting a crop, harvesting it, and turning it into a healthy meal.

Since most students were involved with planning, planting, and caring for their school gardens the previous spring, the festivals are an exciting time for students to reap the benefits of their work and share that experience with their families and friends.

At all-school harvests, each student participates in an aspect of harvesting, whether that be up-rooting beets from the soil, collecting ripe tomatoes from the vine, or cutting broccoli off its stalk.

After the produce has been harvested, coordinators work closely with students on the day of the festival to prepare the meal that they will later share.

Each class takes a turn preparing a different aspect of the meal.

Kindergarten students may help stir the batter for beet brownies, 2nd graders might shred carrots for a slaw, and 5th graders might help chop vegetables for a vegetable stew.

At the end of the collaborative process, almost every student has been involved in preparing the meal, sharing a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Once the meal has been completed with the help of students, volunteers, teachers, and food service staff, the community gathers around for a shared experience and a delicious meal.

The festivals are a component of Green Mountain Farm-to-School’s multifaceted approach to farm to school programming that reaches across the classroom, cafeteria, and community.

Contact your local elementary school for dates and times in Barton, Coventry, Derby, Glover, Irasburg, Jay/ Westfield, Lakeview, Lowell, Newport City, Orleans, and Troy.

NEWPORT — The Memphremagog Community Maritime (MCM) group says they are moving towards their goal of keeping the Northern Star in the Northeast Kingdom.

MCM has been working to keep the boat in the community so that it can continue to be available for cruises and as a floating classroom for lake studies and nautical experiences.

The group was recently awarded non-profit status, making it eligible for grants and able to accept tax-deductible donations.

Treasurer Susan Watson confirmed that the organization had received its first grants and is now raising money to ensure that the purchase of the Northern Star can happen as soon as the boat is available.

“The absence of the Northern Star on the lake has been a significant loss for the community this year,” said Patrick Martell, President of the Charter Member Board. “She has been missed. People are constantly asking when they will be able to cruise again.”

The group is now actively fundraising to allow for the purchase of the Northern Star.

Once that happens the boat can be inspected and the hull repainted, restored, and made ready to sail Lake Memphremagog again.

The group says they plan on having a full schedule of cruises for next spring and summer, as well as special onboard events.

Through partnerships with other lake based organizations, a curriculum for environmental lake based studies are being developed.

“We would love the community to become more involved,” said Vice President Mark Hayes. “We are looking for imagination and investment of time as well as of dollars.”

Member Patricia Kilday added that it is the perfect time to keep the Northern Star here as we are recognizing the real concerns for the long-term health of our international lake.

“This beautiful boat will give us a way to do that and encourage younger people to become aware of how to keep our waters clean,” she said.

The group says they feel that if the boat is lost it is unlikely another boat will be available in the future.

“Keeping her afloat for the benefit of the community seems important,” Martell added.

If you are interested in keeping the Northern Star afloat go ahead and contact Patrick Martell at 802-673-0115 or email MCMNorthernStar@gmail.com

NEWPORT — A total of 239 Vermont schools have been awarded safety grants totaling $4 million, which will fund infrastructure upgrades designed to improve school safety.

Locally, this money will be distributed to the following schools:

Albany Community School
$14,643.38

Barton Graded School
$14,546.25

Brighton Elementary School
$7,079.25

Charleston Elem School
$15,629.25

Coventry Village School
$8,432.25

Craftsbury School
$24,750.75

Derby Elementary School
$24,996.75

Irasburg Village School
$7,500.00

Lake Region
$25,000.00

Lowell Graded School
$13,687.50

Newport City Elem Schools
$3,975.00

North Country Union Jr High
$25,000.00

Orleans Central Early Childhood
$14,963.51

Orleans Elementary School
$16,706.06

Purchases will include interior and exterior door locks, indoor and outdoor public address systems and other infrastructure upgrades to improve safety.

Schools were eligible for up to $25,000 and will be responsible for a 25 percent grant match. The average award is around $16,000. The funds will be distributed by the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year.

“Getting these projects started quickly will help students, staff, and administrators focus on learning,” said Gov. Phil Scott.

A statewide safety assessment, directed by Governor Scott and conducted on schools throughout Vermont earlier this year, helped schools and State officials identify needs and priority projects for the available funding.

NEWPORT — According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, an estimated 44 million Americans age 18 and older provide unpaid assistance and support to older people and adults with disabilities who live in the community.

Evidence shows that most caregivers are ill-prepared for their role and provide care with little or no support.

To provide support to caregivers, the NEK Council on Aging (NEKCOA) is offering two self-care classes in Newport this fall.

The first is Managing Stress, a 90-minute free workshop focusing on tools to manage the daily stresses faced by caregivers.

The class takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 12, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the downstairs Meeting Room at North Country Hospital.

The workshop will be facilitated by Nancy Oakes, the NEKCOA Director of Family Caregiver Support.

“Family caregivers need to take care of themselves,” Oakes said. “When we take care of ourselves, we can prevent or recover from some of the negative effects of stress that caregivers experience. By reducing resentment, caregivers can offer more loving and supportive care.”

Powerful Tools for Caregivers, is a six-week, in-depth class to help caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, communicate needs and feelings more effectively, balance their lives, deal with difficult emotions, and increase their ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources.

The class begins on Wednesday, September 26th and runs every Wednesday until October 31st from 3 – 4:30 p.m. in the Vermont Room at Goodrich Memorial Library in Newport.

It will be facilitated by Nancy Oakes and Lucy LeMay, a Case Manager for NEKCOA.

Organizers are requesting that a small donation is made to cover the cost of the class book, but is not required.

Registration is required.

Call Nancy Oakes at 802-751-0435 or email info@nekcouncil.org and place “caregiver” in the subject line.

NEWPORT — The Orleans County Restorative Justice Center will hold a community education event about sex offenders in Orleans County Vermont.

This event is free, and starts at 5:00 p.m. on August 1, 2018, upstairs at the Goodrich Memorial Library.

Gary Marvel, Field Operations Manager for the Vermont Department of Corrections, will provide statistics, discuss treatment options, and address types of sex offenses.

He will also relate some of his experiences investigating and supervising sex offenders, and respond to questions.

Marvel is also the co-director of the Vermont Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Abuse.

Please let the Justice Center know you are coming or get more information, by emailing them at bmorrow@kingdomjustice.org or calling 802.487.9327.

NEWPORT — North Country Hospital recently purchased five new “comfort cots,” that should provide more comfort and positive experiences for patients and their families.

This new generation of furniture is a love seat, large enough for 2-3 people to sit in, a lounge chair, as well as a pullout hide-a-bed.

The new piece has multiple uses, with the opportunity for parents to be close to a sick child in a pediatric room or for a lactation consultant to sit beside a nursing mom.

“What a difference these new comfort cots are going to make for our families,” said Anne Flynn, RN, Director of Maternal Child Health at North Country Hospital.

Previously each of the patient rooms in the department provided an outdated hospital bed, out of commission for patients but referred to as comfort cots, for dad or a family member to stay overnight.

The purchase of five new cots was made possible by the hospital Auxiliary.

When hospital staff finally found the right piece of furniture, they approached the Auxiliary, proposing that this might be a project of interest.

“A few of us attended a demonstration when the hospital was in the process of selecting a model, and we were so impressed,” Auxiliary President, Betty Lahar said. “On behalf of the Auxiliary I am happy that our group voted to make this purchase for Maternal Child Health.”

NEWPORT — The popular Youth Discovery Program that last year saw 300 third grade students from Orleans County learning about the area aboard the Northern Star boat, has been continued on land.

The program used a similar approach as was used on the Northern Star.

Students from Newport City, St Paul’s, Charleston, Derby, and Newport Town became “Lake Detectives,” using their senses to observe and explore during a nature walk.

They learned the origins of Lake Memphremagog, where all the water in the lake comes from, and their school watershed address.

They also investigated the damage the can happen from runoff and how to protect our lakes and streams with buffer planting.

Since participants could not be on the water they went in the water and added a near-shore experience, wading in and collecting some macroinvertebrates living in the water.

Later students observed them under a magnifying lens.

Continuing this program on land will enable the Memphremagog Watershed Association to jump the program back onboard when the boat floats again.

NEWPORT — Eighteen new healthcare scholarships were recently awarded to high school seniors and one adult, totaling $18,000.

In addition, North Country Hospital has renewed scholarships for consecutive years providing students stay in healthcare education and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Each year the scholarship review committee makes selections based on student essays, transcripts, extra-curricular activities, as well as financial need.

Applicants and families must also live in the hospital’s service area in order to initially apply.

This year a total of 10 awards were received from this fund.

They went to Lake Region Union High School graduates Krystianna Ingalls and Melanie Joubert, and North Country Union High School graduates Jacob Bean, Chelsea Daigle, Carley Giroux, Lettie Hale and Brooklyn Szych-Brown.

Cara Strona, Elizabeth Gaudreau, and Brianna Doty also received scholarships from this fund.

Caryl B. Custer Scholarship for Nursing Students awards went to North Country graduates Brianna Crouch, Gwen Pettengill, Mariah Poutre and Chantal Therrien.

Lake Region graduate Paige Menard also received this award.

The fund was created by summer resident Dr. Keith Custer in memory of and on behalf of his wife Caryl, who was a nurse manager in Florida for many years.

She individually supported many nursing students with scholarship monies in the past.

This year NCU graduates Emily Perkins and Riley Laffoon received The Legends Scholarship.

This fund was created in 2010 and has since named five “Legends” of North Country Hospital, including Merrilyn Barry, Robert Trembley, MD, Thomas A.E. Moseley, MD, A. David Alsobrook, MD, and Cecile Gelineau, RN.

In 2015 the Sidney A. Toll Scholarship Fund was created, honoring long time previous CEO and founder of North Country Hospital’s scholarship golf tournament.

This year’s recipient is Jaime Kramer, having received her bachelor’s degree and going on to become a physician assistant.

Contributions to North Country Hospital for any of the scholarship funds help sustain these awards for years to come.

Students receive awards for 2-year, 4-year as well as graduate programs.

The Healthcare Career Scholarship is made possible by the annual North Country Hospital Scholarship Golf Classic, with proceeds each year going directly to awardees.

The 30th annual scramble is set for Sunday, July 22, with 8 a.m. registration and a 9 a.m. shotgun start at Orleans Country Club.

For more information, call the Development/Community Relations office at (802) 334-4186.

NEWPORT — Newport Police Department Detective Jennifer Harlow has been recognized as “One of Orleans County Children’s Advocacy Center’s Best,” in an article detailing her work protecting children from becoming victims of crime.

The article, published by the Vermont Children’s Alliance, details Detective Harlow’s work, training, and education.

“Jenn Harlow has been a Detective with the Orleans County Child Advocacy Center since 2010 and has been an integral member of the CAC/SIU since she first walked through the CAC doors almost 10 years ago,” the article states. “Having been in law enforcement for 22 years, more than half of her life has been spent in public service, protecting her community. It would seem that at the heart of the Orleans County Child Advocacy Center, there is a real-life Wonder Woman!”

The article also chronicles how Detective Harlow has completed a number of advanced training and educational courses to further her work with the Newport Police Department, including:

• Extended Forensic Interviewing training in 2013

• Advanced Forensic Interviewing training in 2010

• Obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology

• Working as an instructor for the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council where she teaches domestic violence courses.

• Working as an instructor at the Vermont Police Academy teaching a three-day course to all new police officers on sexual and physical abuse investigations.

Detective Harlow also regularly is called upon to serve as an expert witness in child sexual abuse cases as well as domestic violence cases.

She visits area schools and conducts Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes and talks to young students about technology/internet/smart phone safety and how to maintain healthy relationships.

As a detective, her work takes her around the Northeast Kingdom, and she has conducted more than 1,000 investigations into child sexual abuse, physical abuse and/or sexual assault cases.

“Detective Harlow is truly an asset not only to the Newport Police Department but also to law enforcement agencies and children’s advocacy organizations all around Vermont,” Chief DiSanto said. “I would like to express my gratitude to the Vermont Children’s Alliance for their amazing work every day and for recognizing Detective Harlow for her lifesaving and life-changing police work.”