AROUND TOWN
Library benefit
RUTLAND — Draw Go Games, the local tabletop game store, completed their June nonprofit raffle event with a $700 check for the Rutland Free Library. The store hosted a set of raffles for donated items. The “big ticket” item was a fully painted tabletop miniature army for the Games Workshop game Warhammer 40K.
Food Pantry
RUTLAND — Green Mountain Food Pantry is now open from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays, 158 Stratton Road in Rutland. If you’re in need of extra food, stop by once per week and bring your own bags.
Grant for RCHS
PITTSFORD — The Rutland County Humane Society is set to receive a $7,500 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love during a celebration held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 22, at Rutland Petco, 312 Route 7 in Rutland, in support of their lifesaving work for animals in Rutland County.
Park opens
POULTNEY — The Slate Quarry Park Group Inc. and the Town and Village of Poultney invites the public to a grand opening of the Slate Quarry Park at 5 p.m. Friday, July 29, 76 Main St. in Poultney. The new park features slate flooring and seating walls, an amphitheater and three slate monoliths bearing carved plaques.
Falls prevention
CASTLETON — Sponsored by Southwestern Council on Aging, this falls prevention program, Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls, will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 4 through Sept. 22 at Castleton Community Center. This program emphasizes practical strategies for managing falls. To register, call (802) 468-3093 or email [email protected].
Block Party
WEST RUTLAND — The Town of West Rutland presents the annual Community Block Party from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, on the Town Hall Green and Marble Street. Marble Street from Campbell to Main Street will be blocked off to traffic to host the festivities. The day will feature games, craft vendors, food trucks, musical entertainment and an evening fireworks display. Admission is free, bring a chair. Vendors are welcome; a 10-foot by 10-foot space is $20. Call (802) 438-2263 for more information. This event is sponsored by Fabian Earth Moving.
Health care scholarships
RUTLAND — Rutland Area Medical Community recently awarded six $2,000 scholarships to local students pursuing a career in health care. The scholarship program has been made possible through the generosity of Rutland area physicians, retired physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
This year’s recipients include Joshua Edgerton (Vermont Technical Center); Crystal Hartman (Community College of Vermont); Kaitlin McCarthy (St. Joseph’s College of Maine); Colin McLeish (Geisel School of Medicine/Tuck School of Business, DHMC); Molly Pfenning (Castleton University); and Brittni Racine (Walden University).
The volunteer members of the Rutland Area Medical Community Scholarship Committee are co-chairs Stanley Shapiro, MD, FACC, FASNC, and Vic Pisanelli, MD, FACS; Sarah Bache, APRN; Brad Berryhill, MD; Matthew Conway, MD, FACS; Jean Corbett, RRT, MD; Dan Mitchell, MD; Amy Pfenning, PNP; and Matt Zmurko, MD.
YOUTH NEWS
CLiF’s virtual seriesWATERBURY CENTER — Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) offers a virtual summer series exploring the Collaborative Summer Library Program theme, “Oceans of Possibilities.” These 11:30 a.m. midday half-hour sessions are free and appropriate for children of all ages. To attend via Zoom, email [email protected].
On Wednesday, July 27, Vermont author Steve Swineburne will tell stories, sing songs, and share poems about tide pools and sea turtles. On Tuesday, Aug. 2, Vermont poet Ted Scheu will host a workshop compiling ideas, questions, facts and stories into poems written by participants.
VCIL honor
MONTPELIER — Izabel Estrin, of Putney, Hannah Gallivan, of Bristol, and Sean Plumer, of Huntington, will each receive a Deborah Lisi-Baker Youth Leader Award during a celebration of the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26 at Capitol Plaza.
Lisi-Baker was an advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities, served as Vermont Center for Independent Living’s executive director for many years until retiring in 2009 and continued to serve on many disability advocacy boards up until her recent passing.
Dairy Show
NEW HAVEN — On July 9, 4-H’ers from Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, Rutland and Windsor counties showed the dairy cows and calves they raised through their 4-H projects this year at the Multi-County 4-H Dairy Show held at the Addison County Fair and Field Days site in New Haven.
Karissa Livingston, of New Haven, was named the Senior Fitting and Showmanship Champion. Reserve Senior Champion was won by Lorryn Trujillo, North Clarendon.
The Intermediate Fitting and Showmanship Championship went to Bella Roell, Bristol, and the Reserve Championship for this 12 to 13-year-old age group to Jayden Ploof, Panton. Rounding out the winners’ circle were Caroline Allen, Ferrisburgh, and Caroline Compagna, Whiting, as champion and reserve champion, respectively, for the 8 to 11-year-olds.
Taking top honors in conformation was Austin Washburn, Bethel, whose Jersey winter yearling White Rock Doorman Lexi was named Grand Supreme Champion (all breeds). Reserve Supreme Champion went to Caroline Allen, Ferrisburgh, who showed her Milking Shorthorn summer yearling Classy Creek Dsny Snoop Dogg P.
Breed championships were awarded as follows:
Ayrshire: Junior Grand Champion, Isabella Wilbur, Orwell, with her winter calf; Junior Champion, Bella Roell, Bristol, with her fall calf; Honorable Mention, Ava Wood, Shoreham, with her spring calf.
Brown Swiss: Junior Grand Champion, Emma Edenfield, Colchester, with her fall calf; Junior Champion, Rowdy Pope, Bridport, with his spring calf.
Guernsey: Junior Champion and Grand Champion, Colt Card, Williston, with his winter calf.
Holstein: Junior Grand Champion, Karissa Livingston, New Haven, with her winter yearling; Junior Champion, Erica Goodhue, Fairfield, with her winter calf; Honorable Mention, Mason Livingston, New Haven, with his spring yearling.
Jersy: Senior Champion and Grand Champion, Austin Washburn, Bethel, with his 2-year-old cow; Junior Champion and Reserve Grand Champion, Kylee Shepard, Panton, with her winter calf; Reserve Junior Champion, Isabella Wilbur, Orwell, with her spring yearling; Honorable Mention, Emma Deering, Middlebury, with her summer yearling.
Milking Shorthorn: Junior and Grand Champion, Caroline Allen, Ferrisburgh, with her summer yearling; Reserve Junior Champion, Bristol Card, Williston, with her winter calf.
COLLEGE NEWS
Molly Sanderson, of Center Rutland, was named to the spring 2022 dean’s list at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York.
Leslie Novak, of Mendon, Anthropology/Archaeology major, was named to the 2021-22 dean’s list at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, and inducted into the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society.
AROUND STATE
Extra food benefits
The Department for Children and Families announced many 3SquaresVT households will continue to receive a higher benefit in July and August. This extra help is a temporary increase from the federal government to help those affected by the pandemic. Households at a zero benefit will not receive a benefit. Everyone else will receive the maximum benefit for their household size.
Maximum allotments are 1 person $250; 2 people $459; 3 people $658; 4 people $835; 5 people $992; 6 people $1,190; 7 people $1,316; Each additional person +$188. Households already at the maximum allotment will receive an additional $95. All other households, except for those receiving a zero benefit, will receive at least $95 as their maximum allotment benefit.
3SquaresVT households don’t need to do anything to receive this increased benefit. If eligible, they’ll automatically receive it the same way they receive their benefits now: on an EBT card, through direct deposit, or by check. If eligible in June 2022, benefit will be made July 29 by direct deposit or when check arrives. If eligible in July 2022, benefit will be made Aug. 17 by direct deposit or when check arrives.
Heat waves and dementia
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) advises family caregivers of patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses to take the following steps during heat waves:
— Help the person stay hydrated — Dementia can diminish a patient’s ability to know when they are thirsty, making it critically important for caregivers to monitor them and encourage them to drink frequently. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages.
— Watch for hyperthermia — Caregivers cannot depend solely on waiting for the patient to express they are too hot or need to cool off. Hyperthermia symptoms to watch for are excessive sweating, exhaustion, flushed or red skin, muscle cramps, a fast pulse, headaches, dizziness and nausea.
— Watch out for wandering — Wandering is a very common behavior among patients with dementia as they can easily become lost or disoriented and not know how, or who, to call for help. In extreme heat conditions, hyperthermia can develop in a matter of minutes. Ensure the person’s basic needs (water, food, using the restroom, etc.) are being met, as wandering can often stem from an unmet need. Keep a recent photo and medical information on hand, as well as information about familiar destinations they used to frequent, to aid in search and rescue efforts if the person does wander.
— Look for signs that something is amiss, including hot, dry skin, rapid pulse, dizziness or sudden changes in mental status.
— Take immediate action — Resting in an air-conditioned room, removing clothing, applying cold compresses and drinking fluids can help cool the body. If the person faints, exhibits excessive confusion or becomes unconscious, consider this a medical emergency and call 911.
— Know where to cool down — Many municipalities will open air-conditioned “cooling centers” where people who do not have air conditioning can go to cool down. These can include senior centers, libraries, community centers and other municipal/public buildings. If your patient does not have air conditioning, find out if there are cooling centers nearby.
— Plan ahead — Blackouts and other power failures can sometimes occur during heat waves. Make sure that cell phones, tablets and other electrical devices are fully charged. Flashlights should be easily accessible in case of a power failure. Have the emergency contact numbers for local utility providers, as well as the police and fire departments, readily accessible.
— Have a long-distance plan if necessary — If you don’t live near your patient, arrange for someone who does to check on them. Inform them of emergency contacts and where important medical information can be found, such as their insurance card. Make sure the person has plenty of water and access to air-conditioning or other cooling mechanisms.
For more information, call the AFA Helpline at (866) 232-8484, web chat at www.alzfdn.org, or text to (646) 586-5283. The web chat and text message features can serve individuals in more than 90 different languages.
Bear conflicts
High-risk bear conflicts such as home and vehicle entries are being reported more frequently this summer than in previous years, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. Bear incident reports to the department have been on the rise for a decade, from 135 reports in 2011 to 650 in 2021. This year, over 700 reports have already been submitted. The department recommends securing garbage, taking down bird feeders, locking vehicles and be sure not to store food in vehicles, composting properly, and protecting backyard livestock with an electric fence, are necessary.
Breakfast on the Farm
ADDISON — Vermont Breakfast on the Farm welcomed the public to Gosliga Farm in Addison with nearly 2,000 visitors enjoying a local Vermont breakfast and then a self-guided tour of the dairy farm in the Champlain Valley. The Gosliga Dairy Farm has been part of the Addison community for more than 50 years, building up to be a large dairy farm with 800 milking cows and 1,500 total livestock. Since 2014, the Vermont Breakfast on the Farm educational event has worked to raise awareness of a farm’s dairy practices, community contributions and family life.
Animal trainers
BRATTLEBORO — An animal trainer retreat will take place Oct. 21-23 at Lemon’s Hope Sanctuary in Brattleboro. This event provides support, collaboration, education, recreation and rejuvenation for participants. Visit fearfuldogs.com/animal-trainers-retreat online or email [email protected] for more information.
Nonprofits benefit
Goodwill Northern New England is investing $100,000 in local nonprofits to expand its impact. Goodwill will issue gift cards to local food banks, shelters and others, for the people they serve. Its Partner Stability Fund is possible because of generous donors, corporate partners and shoppers at Goodwill stores who “round up” at the cash register.
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