Rutland Audubon
Tickets are on sale for the raffle of a 10 ft. Lifetime Cruze100 kayak with paddle. Tickets are $2 for one; $5 for three. Drawing will be May 10. Proceeds will support Rutland County Audubon Scholarship Fund. To purchase tickets, email birding@rutlandcountyaudubonsociety.org.
— 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, “Using Listening Software and Our RCAS Citizen Scientist Data to Enhance Your Birding Experiences” talk by Lee Allen at Grace Congregational Church Conference Room in Rutland.
Call for vendors
CASTLETON — Friends of Castleton Parks and Recreation Inc. will host their second annual Castleton Town-Wide Yard Sale from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Castleton Recreation Center, 47 Mechanic St., Castleton.
To be included on the map of same day local yard sales, the cost is $10.
Individuals or small groups, can reserve $25 vendor spaces. Vendors can set up from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 2; setup starts 7:30 a.m. Saturday, May 3; no refunds and no early bird setups.
Vendor application deadline is April 25, space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Food vendors welcome to apply for outdoor locations.
For more information, emailcampsue1035@gmail.com, or call 802-273-3969, or visit friendscastletonre.wixsite.com/friends-of-castleton.
West Rutland Town-Wide Yard SaleWEST RUTLAND — Town of West Rutland’s Wicked Good Yard Sale, will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 9 and 10.
To be included on the event map, register with the town. If you don’t have a big yard but still want to participate, limited spaces are available on the Town Green on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information or to register, call 802-438-2263 or email info@westrutlandvt.org.
Animal Welfare
The Department of Public Safety announced the selection of Lisa Milot to lead the newly created Division of Animal Welfare.
She begins work in May, at which time the new division will begin creating a comprehensive plan to coordinate animal welfare services throughout Vermont.
Director Milot served as a faculty member at the University of Georgia School of Law since 2007 with a focus on animal welfare policy. She also has experience at the federal level as a policy consultant, and in the Georgia state animal welfare movement.
Ladder safety
March has been designated as Ladder Safety Month, spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 500,000 people in the U.S. are treated in emergency departments for ladder-related injuries each year.
ALI promotes its free, comprehensive, training tools on proper ladder usage for businesses, trade schools and individuals. These courses are available at www.laddersafetytraining.org online.
Farm Credit East
Farm and forestry business owners and operators across Vermont have received an estimated $6.9 million in patronage dividends from Farm Credit East, ACA, the Northeast’s largest agricultural lending cooperative.
As owners of the financial cooperative, Farm Credit East customers share in its financial success through patronage dividends. This model enables Farm Credit East to offer competitive interest rates up front, and then return a share of net earnings to customer-owners via patronage dividends.
Mountain Top Resort
CHITTENDEN — Mountain Top Resort was named the World’s Greatest Wedding Venue by World’s Greatest TV in the summer of 2024.
On Feb. 1 and 8, their segment aired on Bloomberg Network as part of the 385th episode of the show. Their segment and the rest of the episode are available to watch on most streaming services, such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Hulu. The segment is also available to watch on the World’s Greatest TV website, free for a limited time.
VCBB
Vermont’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (VT-BEAD) Program is now accepting proposals from internet service providers to implement Vermont’s $239 million, federally funded, program to deploy broadband internet service throughout the state.
The VT-BEAD Full Proposal portal will close 11:55 p.m. April 16.
The VCBB is aware the BEAD program is under federal review. Meanwhile, VCBB will continue to implement the program in accordance with Vermont’s initial proposal.
For more information, go to BEAD website or email VCBB.BEAD@vermont.gov.
Call for artists
POULTNEY — Stone Valley Arts announced the call for submissions for the 2025 Artist Member Show, opening with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. April 26, and will run through June 8.
Open to artists and creators of all genres and techniques, artists may submit up to five pieces, with the deadline of April 1. Acceptance notifications will be sent by April 6. Accepted works cannot be withdrawn before the show’s end.
All images should be uploaded in high resolution at 300 dpi. You can submit your art at tinyurl.com/SVA25. If not yet a member or need to renew membership, do so at tinyurl.com/SVA26.
Artwork drop-off is from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13, or by appointment. All pieces must be prepared for display, with a wire or sawtooth hanger, and labeled with the title, medium, price and artist’s name. At least one piece must be for sale (unless approved otherwise); artist receives 70%, Stone Valley Arts 30%. Artwork pick-up is from 1 to 4 p.m. June 8, or by appointment.
For questions, email stonevalleyartscenter@gmail.com.
Special Olympics Vermont
WILMINGTON — Special Olympics Vermont announced the conclusion of its 2025 Winter Games, March 2 and 3 in Wilmington.
Nearly 150 athletes from Vermont and surrounding areas gathered to compete in various winter sports: alpine skiing and snowboarding held at Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain; cross-country skiing and snowshoeing competitions at Marlboro Nordic Ski Club at Potash Hill.
Special Olympics Vermont thanks The Hermitage Club, Potash Hill, Rally 2 Give, and the Hodson family, as well as Dover Police, Wilmington Police, Windsor Police, Windham County Sheriff’s Office, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and Vermont State Police who came out to support the athletes and award their medals.
Maple Open House
Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association will host the Spring Maple Open House Weekend Saturday and Sunday, March 22 and 23.
Vermont continues to lead the nation as the top maple producing state. Over 90 sugar makers and maple partners statewide are opening their doors on Maple Open House Weekend to celebrate Vermont’s first crop of the year.
Visit www.VermontMaple.org/MOHW for more information.
Red Cross Month
Gov. Phil Scott issued a proclamation recognizing March as Red Cross Month. During its annual Red Cross Month celebration, the Red Cross honors people who deliver support when help can’t wait, including volunteers who comprise 90% of its national workforce, blood, platelet and financial donors, and other supporters.
Truth and Reconciliation
The Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission announced Amanda Lucía Garcés as the newest commissioner.
Garcés brings experience in social justice advocacy, education equity, and immigrant rights to her role.
As director of policy, education, and outreach at Vermont Human Rights Commission, she led efforts to shape Vermont’s Education Quality Standards and Ethnic Studies Framework. She also chaired the Vermont Criminal Justice Council Fair and Impartial Policing Committee.
As a commissioner, Garcés will continue her mission to confront Vermont’s past injustices and work toward a more equitable future for all Vermonters.
VAMHAR award
Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery presented its Legislative Champion Award to Patty McCarthy at Recovery Day 2025, recognizing her dedication to advocating for individuals in recovery and shaping policies that support substance use disorder treatment and recovery services.
McCarthy has spent over 25 years working to prioritize dignity, access to care, and person-centered recovery support services. A Vermont native, she previously served as director of Friends of Recovery-VT before becoming CEO of Faces & Voices of Recovery, a national advocacy organization for the recovery community.
She played a role in passage of the SUPPORT Act to strengthen national recovery infrastructure, and has been a voice in Vermont’s legislative efforts to expand harm reduction, peer support, and recovery housing.
Grant award
DUMMERSTON — The Landmark Trust USA has been awarded a $50,000 Historic Property Redevelopment Program Grant from The 1772 Foundation in cooperation with National Preservation Partners Network.
The grant will support the organization’s preservation stewardship model, rescuing historic properties and funding their continued maintenance and management by offering the properties as short-term vacation rentals.
Currently managing five historic properties in southern Vermont, the first project to be undertaken will be Naulakha Stable rehabilitation, the 1896 horse stable on the grounds of Rudyard Kipling’s Naulakha estate, scheduled to be completed this year.
Cheese champions
Vermont dairy teams had success at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. The 2025 dairy processing competition was hosted by Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.
This year, Vermont Cabot Creamery Cooperative/Agri-Mark teams racked up 15 ribbons, including seven first place finishes. The Cabot teams excelled in several cheese classes, including cheddar, natural slices and shredded. Cabot also took first place in the “Sour Cream” category with Cabot Crème Fraiche. The Agri-Mark team, based out of Middlebury, earned two first place finishes in the “Whey” category.
Jasper Hill Farm, from Greensboro, and Cabot teamed up to win a blue ribbon in the “Natural Rhined Cheddar” category. Cabot Clothbound was nominated for best overall. Jasper Hill went on to place “Best of Class” in three other categories with Bayley Hazen Blue, Withersbrook Blue and Willoughby, a cheese also nominated for best overall.
Waitsfield’s von Trapp Farmstead earned second place in the “Blue Veined Cheeses” category for Mad River Blue. Springbrook Farm Cheese, from Reading, took home a blue ribbon in the Raclette category and was also nominated for best overall cheese.
In the goat’s milk cheese categories, Vermont Creamery, from Websterville, brought home several awards, including a first place finish for Blueberry, Lemon & Thyme Goat Cheese.
For a list of all the award winners visit: uschampioncheese.org/results.
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