Win a $120 Gift Certificate to Sarducci’s • Page 23
D ecember 6 –D ecember 19, 2018
Sho
p
Loca
l!
IN THIS ISSUE: New Goddard President Addresses Challenges
Pg. 9 School Budget
By Cat Cutillo
Season Opens
O
n November 1, 2018, Dr. Bernard Bull unpacked his bags
and rolled up his sleeves as the new president of Goddard
Pg. 11 Local Clergy Share College. His life had been temporarily paired down to
Seasonal Messages exactly two pieces of checked luggage, a backpack, and a carry-on
bag. He was a thousand miles away from his wife and two children,
ages 11 and 14, who are finishing the school year in Wisconsin. But
Pg. 17 Local Holiday for Bull, who has lived his entire adult life in the Midwest, there was
Events an immediate sense of belonging to the quiet Plainfield campus,
which was between residencies. It was a calm before the storm that
was on its way in. Winter was arriving early this year.
In mid-October, word broke publicly that Goddard had been placed
U.S. Postage PAID
Permit NO. 123
Montpelier, VT
PRSRT STD
on probation by the New England Commission of Higher Education
ECRWSS
(NECHE) and given up to two years to stabilize its financial resources,
leadership, and governance or it would lose its accreditation. If a
college loses accreditation, it is no longer eligible for federal funding,
including student financial aid.
“I knew the challenges of Goddard before I accepted the role,” says
Bull. “What I knew was that Goddard has a truly unique offering to
the world, and it’s one that’s incredibly timely. It was literally launched
in response to the growth of fascism in the West and the belief that
the best way to fight fascism was to equip people who think for
themselves and have a deep sense of ownership and agency.”
Known for its low-residency model, Goddard offers bachelor of arts
(BA), bachelor of fine arts (BFA), master of arts (MA), and master of
fine arts (MFA) degrees on its Plainfield campus and has instructional
locations in Port Townsend and Seattle in Washington. Bull says the
college is also unique in that it gives narrative feedback instead of
Montpelier, VT 05601
operating on a grade system and invites students to be co-creators in
what they learn by having a voice in shaping their own curriculum.
“A narrative feedback system is much more authentic and tied to
P.O. Box 1143
a culture of learning because it fits with how we learn. It’s like I’m
The Bridge
learning from a parent, a friend, or a colleague,” says Bull.
We’re online! montpelierbridge.com or vtbridge.com
d
li e
ay
w
o
H uid
n G
to ing 12
w n p ge
o op Pa
D Sh
As charted by the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment
at Goddard in recent years has dwindled from 802 students in the
fall of 2010 to 409 students enrolled this fall, according to Goddard
College officials
“I’m less than a month in and part of my job is to dig in and figure
out what changed,” says Bull. “If you look at the concerns from the
accreditor in the reports, there’s nothing about academics there. In
fact, Goddard continues to be a model in many ways.”
Bull speculates that the growth of online institutions over the past
decade, which spend millions on marketing campaigns to recruit
a similar kind of student, has impacted Goddard’s enrollment, as
has the fact that Goddard doesn’t have a strong endowment and is
tuition-dependent.
“If that tuition fluctuates 10 or 20 percent, that’s a massive problem
for the organization,” says Bull. “We’re not like some of the elite
colleges on the East Coast or other parts of the world where they have
these massive endowments that fund their annual operating budget.”
His immediate course of action is to partner and network with
affinity groups and strategically launch more digital marketing. “I
believe strongly, deeply that what we have to offer is of incredible
value,” he enthuses, “and there are many people who just don’t know
we exist or that we’re an option.”
He says he will even reconsider the current format.
“Right now, we focus very much on our low-residency program,
which really meets a niche, and we’ve chosen not to focus upon the
residential population. But that’s another thing. We can look at the
appropriate mix,” says Bull.
Bull has been a scholar and student of alternative and innovative
experimental models in education for almost two decades. He spent
a dozen years at Concordia University in Wisconsin, most recently
Continued on Page 10
PAG E 2 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 3

HEARD ON
Advertise in the NEXT ISSUE:

THE BRIDGE
THE STREET 25th Anniversary
Local Coupons Available
The Buy Local coupon book sponsored by Local First Vermont is available at several
Issue
Central Vermont retailers. The book costs $20 and offers more than $3,000 in In Circulation Dec. 20–Jan. 9
discounts at Vermont businesses. It is available in Montpelier at Capitol Grounds,
Capitol Stationers, Onion River Outdoors, Savoy Theater, and Woodbury Mountain ALL AD MATERIALS AND AD SPACE
Toys. Coupons are valid through August 31, 2019. Local First Vermont is a program RESERVATIONS DUE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14.
of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. For more information about advertising deadlines,
Winner of Name the Path Contest Announced rates, and the design of your ad, contact
The Complete Streets Group has awarded Jamie Granfield the winning prize for the
Name the Path contest. The group selected the name “Siboinebi (see-bo-WEE-neh-bee)
Rick McMahan • 802-249-8666
Path,” which is based on Granfield’s suggestion of “Sibobi Path.” The group worked rick@montpelierbridge.com
in consultation with the Abenaki Tribal Council, and the meaning of “Siboinebi” in
the Abenaki language is “river water.” The group proposes that this be the name of
the shared-use path running along the Winooski River from Junction Road to Stone Bridge Community Media, Inc.
Cutters Way, with planned expansion to Gallison Hill Road in 2019. P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601 • Ph: 802-223-5112
What’s in the Ceres Time Capsule? Editor in Chief: Mike Dunphy
Managing Editor: Tom Brown
While the outside of the new Ceres shines out to Vermonters today from the Capitol Publisher Emeritus: Nat Frothingham
Copy Editor: Larry Floersch, Valentyn Smith
dome, the inside holds messages for Vermonters 100 years hence thanks to a time Proofreader, Calendar Editor: Sarah Davin
capsule. Among the contents are the pen used by Gov. Phil Scott to sign the Gun Layout: Marichel Vaught, Sarah Davin
Sales Representatives: Rick McMahan, Lee Wilschek
Safety (H.422, S.55, S.221) bill; a U.S.S. Vermont Challenge Coin; a U.S.S. Vermont Distribution: Sarah Davin, Amy Lester
sticker; a Tropical Storm Irene Challenge Coin; a Vermont Life magazine; a Rolling Board Members: Chairman Donny Osman, Jake Brown, Phil Dodd, Josh Fitzhugh, Larry Floersch, Greg
Stone magazine; a page from a racing magazine featuring Gov. Scott; a Quebec/ Gerdel, Irene Racz, Ivan Shadis, Tim Simard, Ashley Witzenberger
Editorial: 223-5112, ext. 14 • mdunphy@montpelierbridge.com
Vermont flags pin; and a Vermont driver’s license with a mock-up of Ceres. A flash Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, Stone Science Hall.
drive full of digital media is also included. This includes Scott’s U.S.S. Vermont Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by mail for $50 a year. Make out your check to The Bridge,
and mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601.
speech; his gun speech transcript and video; gun legislation; Scott’s statement on montpelierbridge.com • facebook.com/thebridgenewspapervt
demographics and the labor force; a State of the Lake report, Vermont Day at Fenway Twitter: @montpbridge • Instagram@montpelierbridge
photos; and an 18-minute video by The Bridge ad representative Rick McMahan of the
Ceres carving process entitled, The Statue on the Dome.

Nature Watch by Nona Estrin

Fundraising Campaign
Five months into our $50,000 Bridge to the Future campaign, we are
almost 1/2 of the way to our goal. Thanks to all those who have already
given.

Please send your potentially tax-deductible donation to:

Friends of The Bridge, P.O. Box 1641, Montpelier, VT 05601.

You can also donate online at www.montpelierbridge.com/make-a-donation/

Watercolor by Nona Estrin

T
he year of the turkeys! Our small f lock of wintering tree sparrows
has left, as the turkeys quickly dispach seed left in a sheltered spot
each morning. This is new for us, as is the vast low pressure which
brought snows, fogs, early skiing, and, for me, the earliest date at which,
in all the gloom, I sudenly saw its beauty! And today, a sublime opening
of blue sky and burst of sun as the weeks of grim weather give way!
PAG E 4 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE

Ceres Rises Photos by Lené Gary

Design & Build

Custom Energy-Efficient Homes
Additions • Timber Frames
Weatherization • Remodeling
Kitchens • Bathrooms • Flooring
Tiling • Cabinetry • Fine Woodwork
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 5
State and Federal Tax Changes Include Exemption for Social
Security and Credit for Charitable Giving
T
his is the second article in a two-part
series on recent revisions to the state and
federal tax systems.
Vermonters will see quite a few changes
when they file their 2018 federal and state
income tax forms next year, thanks to major
legislation passed by both the U.S. Congress
and the Vermont Legislature.
At the federal level, about 65 percent of
taxpayers will see an income tax cut in their
2018 returns, according to the Tax Policy
Center, a research group run by a former
Obama administration official. About 6
percent of taxpayers will see an increase.
Critics of the Republican-led federal tax
overhaul passed in December 2017 point out
that most of the tax savings go to the wealthy,
and that the cuts deepen the $21.8 trillion
national debt. Supporters of the Tax Cuts and
Jobs Act of 2017 argue the changes will boost
the economy and bolster federal tax revenues.
Vermont did not stand idly by after Congress
enacted the massive federal tax reform
package. Because of the links between the
federal and state systems, Vermont could have
taken in an extra $30 million in tax revenues
this year, most of it coming from people with
dependents, according to Doug Farnham, a
policy director and senior research economist
with the Vermont Department of Taxes.
Instead, Gov. Phil Scott and the legislature
decided to revise the state’s income tax system
to keep revenues neutral and to avoid boosting
taxes on Vermonters with dependents,
Farnham said. At the end of last session,
the legislature passed Act 11, which included
major changes to the state’s tax system.
As a result of the changes, a fair percentage
of retired and disabled Vermonters will no
longer pay state income tax on their Social
Security benefits, or will have a lower tax on
those benefits. Social Security benefits will
be exempt from state taxation for married
residents filing jointly if their federal adjusted
gross income is $60,000 or less, with a phased-
out exemption for those with incomes between
$60,000 and $70,000.
Vermonters who file as either single, married
filing separately, head of household, or
qualifying widow or widower will have Social
Security benefits exempted if their federal
adjusted gross income is $45,000 or less, with
the exemption phasing out between $45,000
and $55,000.
Before Act 11, Vermont had been one of only
a handful of states that fully taxed Social
Security payments. Thirty-eight states do
not tax Social Security at all, and most of
the others have some kind of income-based
exemption similar to what Vermont has put in
place. The state will collect about $5 million
or $6 million less in income taxes due to the
change, Farnham said.
Another major change at the state level is
the creation of a new charitable contribution
tax credit. Vermonters can receive a credit
against any income tax owed amounting to 5
percent of their charitable contributions, up to
a limit of $20,000 in contributions. In other
words, tax bills will be reduced $5 for every
$100 given to a charity in 2018. The credit is
available whether or not a Vermont taxpayer
itemizes at the federal level.
Act 11 continues a trend whereby Vermont is
slowly decoupling its income tax system from
the federal structure. At one point, Vermont
had a “piggy-back” system in which taxpayers
simply sent the state a specified percentage—
at one time it was 24 percent—of what they
owed in federal income taxes. In the past
couple of decades, Vermont has gradually
created a more independent state income tax
system.
Sen. Ann Cummings (D-Washington), chair
of the Senate Finance Committee, said Act 11
represents an additional and large step away
By Phil Dodd
from the federal system. Rather than simply
collecting an extra $30 million as a result of
the federal changes, state officials “decided
we should be transparent and rewrite the state
income tax code” in a way that was revenue-
neutral, she said. The recent changes make the
system “more progressive” and benefit middle-
income families with children, she added.
One change Vermont was reacting to was
a federal decision to drop the personal
exemption of about $4,000 for each family
member, which also reduced Vermonters’
taxable income. Rather than letting that
exemption change flow through to Vermont
taxpayers, the state enacted its own personal
exemption of $4,150 per family member.
Even as it dropped the personal exemption,
Congress nearly doubled the standard
deduction to $12,000 for single filers, and
$24,000 for married couples filing jointly.
The change means many fewer people will
itemize their deductions (such as state taxes,
mortgage interest, and charitable deductions)
when filing federal taxes. Farnham said that
under the previous federal system about 30
percent of taxpayers itemized. With the higher
standard deduction, that number is expected
to drop to 9 percent, he said.
In its own overhaul, Vermont did away with
itemized deductions entirely for state purposes.
It also replaced the federal standard deduction
with its own. The state deductions are
somewhat lower than the federal deductions:
• $6,000 for taxpayers who are unmarried or
married filing separate returns;
• $9,000 for taxpayers who are the head of a
household;
• $12,000 for taxpayers whose status is
married filing jointly or surviving spouse.
For a married couple with one child in
Vermont, the combination of personal
exemptions and standard deductions in the
state system will roughly equal the new
Cody Chevrolet Congratulates
The Bridge On 25 Years of Business!
federal standard deduction of $24,000. The
total of state exemptions and the standard
deduction will be greater than that for
married couples with two or more children.
On the federal side, families will also
benefit from an expanded child tax credit.
Federal lawmakers doubled the tax credit for
children under 17 from $1,000 to $2,000 per
child (credits are a dollar-for-dollar offset of
taxes due). Congress also raised the income
limit for the full credit to $400,000 from
$110,000 for most married couples, and to
$200,000 for single filers.
Both the federal government and Vermont
reduced their tax rates. The old federal rates
ranged from 10 percent to 39.6 percent
depending on income level, and now range
from 10 percent to 37 percent. Vermont’s
old rates ranged from 3.55 percent to 8.95
percent; the new rates range from 3.35
percent to 8.75 percent.
Corporate income tax rates were also reduced
at the federal level, from 35 percent to 21
percent, although because of loopholes
most corporations have paid and will pay
less than those rates. Congress also passed
a new provision providing a tax break for
“pass-through” businesses: sole proprietors,
partnerships, and S-corporations.
Owners of such businesses now will get a
deduction of 20 percent of the business’s
income if the owner’s taxable income
is $315,000 or less for married couples or
$157,500 or less for singles. Farnham said
Vermont did not change its own corporate tax
rates, and he noted the 20-percent business
deduction does not flow through to Vermont
taxes.
While these federal and state tax changes are
significant, don’t get too used to them. The
federal tax changes expire after 2025, so things
could shift once again at the federal and state
levels in just a few short years.
PAG E 6 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE
A Message From City Hall
This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.
Reflections and Looking Forward
by Anne Watson, Mayor
I
want to express my gratitude to everyone who came out to vote in
the recent election. It is exciting to have so much participation in
government. That’s how democracy is supposed to work. I hope
next time the turn-out is even higher!
I’m very grateful that all the articles passed, and it seemed like three
out of the four were relatively non-controversial. The fourth (or rather
Article 1, about the parking garage) was quite controversial, and
although it passed, I want to acknowledge that there were a lot of
people who voted against it. I appreciate that so many people called
or emailed either me, Bill Fraser, or one of their city councilors to
discuss the details. People were clearly very thoughtful about their
votes, whatever they decided.
One note about the dialogue. I know we’ve each had our own
experiences with the conversations that occurred around this topic.
Regardless of how you voted on the parking garage, you’re still my
neighbor. Even though we may have disagreed, we are all a part of the
same community, and we care about the welfare of Montpelier.
I’m very thankful for our Design Review Committee, whose job it
is to evaluate the design of any changes to the downtown, and for
our Development Review Board, who check designs to make sure
that they align with our zoning. At the time I’m writing this, we’re
awaiting the DRB decision on permits. If anyone still has concerns
about the parking garage, I’d encourage you to get in touch with me
or the rest of the council.
In the meanwhile, I’m very excited for the work that’s currently
happening to design Confluence Park (at the confluence of the North
Branch and Winooski rivers), both on the west and potentially on
the east side of the North Branch. On the west side of the North
Branch, the council has already dedicated some land to be a park.
This space was planned to be a part of the transit center lot at 1 Taylor
Street, but the city is going through a public process to consider the
specifics of how that park space could look. This process involves our
Conservation Commission, the Parks Commission, and the Vermont
River Conservancy. Please reach out to them if you have ideas or
comments on that space.
On the east side of the
North Branch, the city
owns the land where
the Montpelier beverage
building used to be, as well
as some of the land behind
the Drawing Board. The
plan for construction on
that site had included a
new building next to the
Drawing Board and more
parking between that
building and the river.
At last week’s city council meeting, the council voted to ask the city
manager to convene a group of stakeholders to create a public process
and a timeline for reconsidering what to do with that space. We don’t
need to build a building there. It could be green space. It could be
parking. It could be housing. It could also be a combination of things.
The council expressed interest in foregoing a new building on that site
in favor of more green space, but we’d like to hear from the public
and from a variety of groups that have an interest in that site. These
groups include city committees, the Sustainable Montpelier Coalition,
the Vermont River Conservancy, the Montpelier Development
Corporation, Montpelier Alive, and interested Montpelier residents.
I think this is an incredibly exciting possibility, which was made
possible, at least in part, because there will be a parking garage
reasonably close by. Parking pressure for that area will be at least
somewhat alleviated.
On a different topic, I’m looking forward to seeing the report from
DuBois and King about how to connect the bike path from the Rec
Building to Main Street and how to address traffic issues at Barre and
Main streets.
A lot is happening in Montpelier right now. It’s an exciting time, and
I’m grateful to have so many neighbors who care deeply about the
future of our city.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 7

Subscribe to The Bridge

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PAG E 8 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE

Hunger Mountain Co-op Launches “Feed A Family:

Food & Fund Drive”

I
n Vermont, one in four residents struggle with
hunger. This holiday season, join Hunger Mountain
Co-op, Union Mutual, Local 22 (ABC) & Local
44 (Fox) TV, and WDEV radio in helping to provide
healthy meals for our neighbors in need, through Hunger
Mountain Co-op’s second annual “Feed A Family: Food
& Fund Drive.”
Starting Wednesday, Dec. 5, you can stock up your pantry
at the co-op and help fight hunger in the the community
with special “buy one, give one” deals on healthy staples,
including organic peanut butter, applesauce, and soups.
”Feed A Family” food donations can be dropped off in
the co-op’s exit way through Thursday, Dec. 13.
On the final day of the drive, Thursday, Dec. 13, Union
Mutual, Local 22 & Local 44, and WDEV will be onsite
at the co-op working together to collect food and funds
to benefit the Vermont Foodbank and central Vermont
food shelves. Throughout the day, co-op customers will financial donations made that day.
be able to donate funds in a variety of ways, including rounding up their purchase
to the next dollar when they check out, making a donation at the register or a cash Last year, the co-op, its partners, members, and customers raised $5,160 and 870
donation at the exit way. Hunger Mountain Co-op will match the first $1,000 in pounds of food for our neighbors in need. Join this important effort again this year.

Since 1972
Repairs • New floors and walls
Crane work • Decorative concrete
Consulting • ICF foundations
114 Three Mile Bridge Rd., Middlesex, VT • (802) 229-0480 
gendronbuilding@aol.com •  gendronconcrete.com
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 9
New School Superintendent, Board Member
Enter First Budget Season
A
s administrators and board
members prepare to tackle the
second Montpelier-Roxbury School
District budget, it will be the first for a new
superintendent and a new board member.
New Superintendent Libby Bonesteel and
newly appointed board member Andrew
Stein enter the budget season this week with
enthusiasm and optimism as details of the
merged relationship between the capital city
and tiny Roxbury continue to be forged.
Stein, a research economist with the state
tax department, brings to the board a deep
understanding of the mechanism used to
pay for schools. Stein is about to switch jobs
soon, however, to become deputy auditor
of accounts under Doug Hoffer. Stein was
appointed to the school board to replace
Peter Sterling, who resigned in August. Stein
said he will seek election to the post in
March.
The board has a full slate of responsibilities
this year as, in addition to the annual budget
process, it faces teacher contract negotiations
and works to unify school policies in the wake
of the Act 46 merger between Montpelier
and Roxbury. As a member of the board’s
finance and negotiations committee, Stein
will be quickly thrust into the heart of these
often thorny debates.
“I’m happy to do this work for our
community,” said Stein, who previously
By Tom Brown
served on the city’s energy advisory
committee. “It is extremely time-intensive,
and it’s putting my technical skills to good
use for our community.”
One item that could show up in the budget
proposal is a remedy for parents seeking
transportation for students who attend Main
Street Middle School.
“Including transportation in the budget
could be a net gain for Montpelier families
at large,” he said. “If you have dozens of
families that are driving their kids to school,
there is an economic cost in terms of lost
work and an effect on career paths.” He
said he would have to see the details before
endorsing any specific solution.
Montpelier is somewhat unique in bucking
the statewide trend toward declining
enrollment. Projections show Montpelier’s
K–12 student enrollment increasing by
about 100 students by the 2022–23 school
year, from 350 next year to 444 in ’22–’23
(both figures include Roxbury students,
which number about 40 this year in grades
5–12). Higher enrollment helps the district
by raising student-staff ratios, increasing
state funding, and possibly enabling more
opportunities for students.
“Many of the issues that I’ve been hearing
about in terms of educational or athletic
or extracurricular opportunities really come
down to scale,” Stein said, “not having
enough kids to field a team or to offer certain
courses, such as foreign language, computer
science, or additional history classes. I don’t
think that we move our education system
forward by nickel-and-diming teachers. I
think that we achieve greater value by, in
some cases, achieving greater economies of
scale.”
How to pay for schools will once again
dominate debate in the Vermont Legislature
next year, with many renewing the effort to
move from a system based on property values
to one that is geared toward income. As a
tax economist, Stein said the devil is in the
details but believes maintaining the state’s
progressive income tax structure is vital.
Bonesteel said voters should not expect a
large increase over the current $23.4 million
budget and credits district business manager
Grant Geisler with providing continuity in
the budgeting process while she gains a
foothold in her new job and praised the
board for its efforts.
“We have a very dedicated group of people
who put the needs of all our kids first,”
said Bonesteel, who was hired in June to
replace former superintendent, Brian Ricca.
She came to the Montpelier-Roxbury district
from the Franklin Northwest Supervisory
Union (Swanton-Highgate), where she was
director of curriculum and instruction.
Stein, who is married to Mairead Harris,
Andrew Stein
a teacher of Mandarin Chinese at Stowe
High School, said Montpelier is fortunate to
have great outcomes among its high school
graduates and to have a community that
supports quality public education.
“When I approach a decision on the board, I
am consistently thinking how we can provide
high-quality education for all of our students
at the highest value and how we insure
that we are investing across socioeconomic
statuses; how we are investing this money
to support students who have special needs
as well as accelerated learners; how we help
them achieve their goals and pursue their
interests,” he said. “Because, at the end of the
day, as a public education system that’s what
we should be doing. It’s not that it wouldn’t
be great to make things more affordable, the
question is how can we do it and maintain
our quality.”
PAG E 10 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE

New Goddard President Tackles

Challenges Continued from Page 1
serving as chief innovation officer and vice
provost for curriculum and academic innovation.
There, he focused on serving post-traditional
learners through off-campus locations and
online and low-residency programs.
He has written several books, including
Missional Moonshots: Insight and Inspiration in
Educational Innovation, What Really Matters?:
Ten Critical Issues in Contemporary Education
and Adventures in Self-Directed Learning. He
holds a doctorate of education in instructional
technology from Northern Illinois University
and two master’s degrees.
He wasn’t actively looking to leave Concordia,
which is his alma mater, but he couldn’t deny his
immediate intrigue when he caught word that
Goddard was looking for a president.
“This is a college that I know well. And any
of us who study experimental and alternative
models of education, we know Goddard really
well because Goddard was the place where many
of the innovations that have been embraced by
colleges around the country were started,” says Goddard President Bernard Bull
Bull. Courtesy of Goddard College
In fact, he says he carries the first book written
about Goddard’s formation and its first president, Tim Pitkin, To Know For Real, around
in his backpack, and that he’s read it a half-dozen times. For a man who admittedly clocks
a hundred books per year on his reading list, that’s a highly scrutinized short-list to be on.
“I’m drawn to models that celebrate the unique gifts, abilities, and passions of each
individual and that seek ways to nurture that as opposed to the mass-production model
of education where we’re going to get as many people with as many degrees as possible—a
broad, lifeless matrix that some people seem to get focused on, or standardized tests that
become the tail of the wag that educates the dog,” says Bull.
Giving back to education is something that resonates with him personally. When he was
12 years old, his father died of a massive heart attack, and he says it was the people in the
schools that were there for him.
“Contributing to the growth of an education system that’s deeply humane and that is there
for people in critical times of their lives and that helps them to discover their strengths and
their passions that they can use for their own well-being and to benefit others in the world,
that’s really meaningful work and it was deeply personal,” says Bull.
The lesson came full circle 14 years ago with the birth of his daughter, when Bull began
studying innovative schools and visited his first project-based, alternative high school.
Something took hold, and Bull felt compelled to become a champion for alternative and
experimental education.
“Because of the fact that I was a parent at that time, too,” says Bull, “I just remember
looking at it through those eyes and thinking this is the kind of education that I would love
for my children.”
He says at the core of every alternative and experimental education institution is a deep
sense of learner agency. He defines this as a type of education that centers on learners
realizing their voice matters and that they have the capacity to set their own goals. He says
the real challenge any learning organization faces is to make sure its community is a culture
of learning and not a culture of earning.
“One thing that happens in traditional education is that learners go through a process
of learning how to play the game of school,” says Bull. “Oftentimes what’s most
rewarded is how well I comply or I conform to the rules of the game.”
“A culture of earning is one in which people are driven or compelled to earn the grade,
achieve the point, and that’s why I use that word ‘game’ intentionally,” says Bull. “I’ve
visited hundreds of communities and done thousands of interviews with people who
lead these culture-of-learning type of communities and when you visit them you can
literally feel it. It’s such a tangible difference.”
Bull says Goddard is one of only a dozen colleges in the country that embraces this
learning-versus-earning culture. Still, it is not the only college in Vermont trying to
weather a storm right now. The College of St. Joseph in Rutland was also placed on
probation earlier this summer.
So how does a small college survive in Vermont these days? “The first thing I believe
a college has to do whenever it finds itself in this new landscape is to really pause and
ask the questions: Is what we’re offering still needed and of value in the world? And are
there people in the world who want what we have to offer?” says Bull.
“It’s not only my belief that Goddard can survive and thrive well into the future, but
my conviction that it should and needs to.”
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 11
Local Clergy Share Seasonal Messages for Troubled Times
Compiled by Tom Brown
The Bridge invited local clergy to share their seasonal messages. Here are the responses we received:
Goodness and Light
At this time of year, when the days get shorter and the nights are cold and long, perhaps the
way in which we can bring light, life, and warmth into the world is through engaging in
simple acts of kindness; Perhaps through the gift of an afternoon visit with one’s neighbor?
Or through an act of service by shopping or shoveling snow for an elderly friend? Or perhaps
even by anonymously buying a cup of coffee for the person in line right behind you. These
are all simple ways of bringing joy, light, and hope into another person’s life by giving the gift
of yourself.
During this present time, when there is so much darkness and despair on the news, in our
country, and around the world, why not make the world a little brighter place right here at
home by being the kind of neighbor you’d like others to be to you?
Be kind. Be thankful. Be generous. Be hospitable. Be loving. Be the light that scatters the
darkness, both during this Christmas season and into the new year ahead. Doing good feels
good—and it’s catchy!
Paul Habersang, Priest-in-Partnership at Christ Episcopal Church
May Hope Prevail
“The hopes and fears of all the years are met in you tonight,” sings the carol, “O Little Town
of Bethlehem.” These words continue to ring true. We are bombarded by the fears—climate
change, economic inequity, rising intolerance, mass shootings, political gridlock, and war. It
is easy to get caught up in fear.
Yet, in this season, hope also rises in our hearts, no matter our faith—hope that lights a candle
in the darkness and looks for the good, and hope that expresses itself in generosity, love for
one’s neighbor, and a willingness to risk sharing. When we shift our attention from fear to
hope, we become better people and the world a better place. As the hopes and fears meet in
your life, may hope prevail, that together we may work for a world in which all God’s beloved
children (that’s everyone!) are blessed with love and peace, including you.
Rev. Amy Pitton, Bethany United Church of Christ
Awake to Truth
As the short days and long nights usher in the winter season and a new year, we search for the
luminous in the darkness. We stay present to lights that shine despite all the odds. We find a
spark of hope, of love made flesh, of seed buried deep beneath the cold earth waiting its time
to awaken into life once again. We grab the hands of those near to us for comfort. We reach
out our helping hands with gestures of kindness and generosity. We rest in the mystery and
wonder of the season. May the new year usher in solace where there is grief, peace where there
is unrest, goodwill where this is discord, and love where there is fear. May we continue to be
awake to truth and willing to act for justice as travelers on this turning Earth.
Rev. Joan Javier-Duval, Unitarian Church of Montpelier
Practice Love
Chanukah commemorates the Maccabean struggle against oppression and is a celebration of
liberation. At Chanukah, as we remember that struggle, we light candles for eight nights to
bring light into the darkness: The light of hope, the light of wisdom, the light of God. Some
years we feel the need for light more than others.
The concept of Tikkun Olam is central to Judaism: acts of kindness to repair the world.
It is our continuing duty to practice love and acceptance as alternatives to discord and
discrimination. We are proud to be part of the Montpelier faith community that continues
to do this essential work, and we are thankful for our 100-year history in Central Vermont,
where tolerance and acceptance are commonly held values.
Beth Jacob Synagogue wishes you light throughout the coming year.
Andy Robinson and Charon Goldwyn, for Beth Jacob Synagogue
Lift, Build, and Support
As we take time to reflect this holiday season, we express our gratitude for the gifts we have
received of our Heavenly Father, especially for the comfort we find in the promise of Christ:
“in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I
have overcome the world.”
As we set goals for 2019, let us be mindful of our ability to help bring peace to those around
us. There are hearts to cheer, souls to warm, and mouths to feed. Our prayer for 2019 is that
we might join in our communities in unity to lift, build, and support our neighbors, and
strengthen the rising generation to take their place as leaders in these beloved “green hills and
silver waters” of Vermont.
Erik Worthington, Barclay Tucker, and Gabe Lajeunesse, Montpelier Vermont Stake Presidency
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Beauty of Ordinary Life
The truth is, shiny ornaments and long shopping lists help us to escape from the less-pretty
side of reality—at least temporarily. Perhaps it is necessary to have that seasonal break to
start fresh in the new year. As I reflect on 2018, there were many times I had to make myself
sit in silence, so that I am not unconsciously identified by those immediate anxieties and
frustrations of mine as I process the brokenness of our world today. During those times of
solitude, one of the things that I was thankful for was the gift of breath: the valuable gift of
ordinary life.
As Trinity United Methodist Church will be celebrating our 145th anniversary in 2019, we
hope to remember where we began, to appreciate who we are now, and remind others how
awesome they are.
May hope, love, joy, and peace be filled in you and your families!
Pastor Yunki Kim, Trinity United Methodist Church
PAG E 12 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE

Unique Downtown Gifts You Won’t Find on Amazon

Compiled by Mike Dunphy and Dot Helling

C
Photo by Meet Max Flannel Bandana—Roam
ommunity lies at the heart of what makes Montpelier such a special place to live. Max Jennings
And it’s a hard truth that to create the kind of community we want to live in, Meet Max products could hardly be more
we must invest in it, particularly during this holiday season—it is the season on local—hand-sewn by Max Jennings and his
which so many downtown business depend. That means both resisting the temptation wife Denise just a couple of blocks from the
to shop on Amazon and recognizing that each dollar you spend downtown goes much shop and delivered to Roam on foot by Max
further than just covering the cost of the item itself and the shop’s overhead—it grows himself. The reversible flannel bandana comes
the community. with a convenient Velcro closure, ideal to keep
That’s not the only benefit. Shopping locally means getting personal attention and face and neck covered and cozy in everyday
immediate gratification, too. According to Yvonne Baab, owner of Global Gifts, the adventures outside.
uniqueness of the product and the ability to “feel and touch the item to know exactly $24
what you’re getting” is lost when you buy online. “Reading reviews on the internet is
Be Well Bath Salts—Hunger Mountain
not like a conversation and dialogue about the product and what fits you,” says Corrie
Co-op
Wilcox of Roam.
Be Well Bath Salts by Love & Tea Company
With that in mind, The Bridge has created this shopping guide of 12 great local gift
are made in Montpelier, where they are
ideas that cannot be found on Amazon. That makes them all the more special for the
handcrafted in small batches. Made with
recipients of your gift.
organic essential oils and a variety of salts,
this healing and comforting bath salt blend
is in the Wellness Department at the Co-op.
$9.49 Photo by Robert Barossi

Scout Wrap—Bailey Road

This one-size-fits-all accoutrement of semi-precious
gemstones can be both a bracelet and a necklace.
Personalize it further by color, style, or stone, with
12 options available, from rose quartz (stone of the
heart), lava stone (stone of strength), hematite (stone
of balance), and Dalmatian jasper (stone of joy).
Scout is also a women-founded and -led company
that donates 10 percent of net profits to organizations
that help support and promote women.
$28
Photo by Sarah DeFelice

Custom Made Sprinkle Blends—Birchgrove

Baking
What better way to tune up any sweet than a
splash of sprinkles on top? Birchgrove blends
their own sprinkles to create fun new mixes
not available anywhere else, including for
the holidays, birthdays, parties, and other
festivities.
$3 for a 2-oz bag
Photo courtesy of
Birchgrove Baking
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 13

Photo by Claire Benedict offer the full range of the spectrum,
from the fruity Australian Hojiblanca
to the peppery South African Don Carl.
Combine with aged vinegars to make an
unforgettable salad dressing or marinade—
gift pack.
is as pure as it comes—100 percent organic
and no herbicides, pesticides, or chemical
fertilizers. Each drop contains about 2.5
mg of CBD, and about 300 drops fill the
half-ounce bottle, perfect to infuse your
cup of coffee, tea, or just about anything
else.
$72

Bear Pond Beans—Bear Pond Books
Bear Pond Books has teamed up with 802
Coffee and Capitol Stationers to create
Bear Pond Beans for the holidays. The gift
combines a 12-oz bag of medium roast
coffee with a “Go Away. I’m Reading” or
“Booked for the Weekend” Bear Pond logo
coffee mug. This gift package is available
for the holiday season only and supplies
are limited.
$29.95
Photo by Eric Bigglestone
Eat More Kale Gear—Capitol Stationers
Hand-printed by Bo, “the Eat More
Kale guy,” right here in Montpelier and
emblazoned with his famous message,
these ladies, men’s, and youth T-shirts,
baby onesies, shopping bags, and hoodies
are as Vermont as things come. Stickers are
always free.
From $20
Photo courtesy of Onion River Outdoors
Big Gear Coffee—Onion River Outdoors
Big Gear Coffee is roasted in Montpelier,
Vermont and perfect for the bike obsessed
coffee lover on your list. Blends include:
Photo by Maggie Neale “Single Track,” “Uphill Grind,” “Group
Ride,” and “Downhill Flow.” These locally
Leslie Koehler Platter—Artisans Hand
roasted beans will please the pallet of any
Leslie Koehler, a potter from Marshfield, coffee lover.
creates functional terra cotta bowls and Photo by Iris Gage
plates in the Majolica style, with vibrant $12.99 /12-oz bag
and elegant designs of Turkish tulips, Rose Cacao Body Butter­­—Grian Herbs
sunflowers, and even dragonflies. Each Locally handcrafted by clinical herbalist
piece is unique, hand-thrown, hand- Iris Gage, this organic body butter with rose
painted, setting nearly every meal inside a petals infused in shea and cocoa butter will
lush garden. help nourish dry skin, minimize wrinkles,
$85 and reduce redness. It’s a great stocking-
Full Spectrum Super Critical CBD C02 stuffer but only available for a limited time.
Extract—AroMed $12
Cannabidiol, better
know as CBD, has
become an almost
integral part of
wellness in Vermont,
appearing in nearly
every form, including
lattes, dog food, and
chocolate. Utilizing
only organically grown,
CBD-rich hemp from
Vermont farmers, this Photo courtesy
oil extract by AroMed of AroMed

Photo by Buffy Boyce

SimplyBVermont Dog Coats—Quirky

Pet
These dog coats will keep your favorite
canine toasty warm through the winter.
That’s because they are made with two
layers of no-pill fleece and hand-sewn by
Buffy Boyce. The coats are also reversible,
with classic buffalo plaid on one side and
hunter orange on the other.
From $30

Photo courtesy of Alla Vita

Oil and Vinegar Gift Pack—Alla Vita

The best olive oils and vinegars in Central
Vermont drip from the taps in Alla Vita.
Sourced from around the globe, the oils
PAG E 14 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE
Nature Conservancy Receives $255,000 to Improve Wildlife
Migration, Habitat in Wolcott
T
he Nature Conservancy recently received more than a quarter-million dollars
for a multiyear project to improve habitat and facilitate wildlife movement in
the Wolcott area. The main portion, $225,000, came from the Canaday Family
Charitable Trust, with another $30,000 coming from a partnership with the Vermont
Fish and Wildlife Department.
“This is a multipronged project,” said Eve Frankel, director of communications for the
Montpelier-based Nature Conservancy. “This award is a recognition for the science
we’ve been doing.”
The Nature Conservancy, the Fish and Wildlife Department, the Town of Wolcott, and
the Vermont Agency of Transportation will work together to modify an existing Route
15 bridge to enable wildlife to travel safely between forested areas, remove an outdated
bridge, restore a wetland, and plant trees in the West Branch floodplain. The goal is
to restore an important link between significant forest blocks while improving water
quality, flood retention, and road safety.
“This is the first project of its kind in the eastern United States to link together habitat
restoration with improvements and modifications to traffic infrastructure for wildlife
movement,” said Paul Marangelo, senior conservation ecologist with the Nature
Conservancy. All of the money is to be used for the plan, he said. Marangelo said
Wolcott was chosen for the work because it was the best location along the corridor
between West Danville and Cambridge.
Vermont Agency of Transportation biologist James Brady believes the available funds
will be enough to complete the ambitious workload. “Costs from similar projects were
used to come up with a safe estimate for the project as a whole,” he explained. “This,
along with the expertise of the partners involved, gives the team confidence that this
project will have plenty of funding for completion.”
By Gail Callahan
“This specific area is a pinch-point for wide-ranging terrestrial wild animals that are
looking to expand their range to mate, raise young, forage or hunt, and to find cover,”
Brady noted. “There are large habitat blocks north and south of this area, and the
project site will be a major corridor between these blocks. In its current condition, this
site does not effectively allow for all species to feel comfortable moving from one habitat
block to another.”
Brady noted that the area is critical for north-south wildlife movement and is adjacent
to Vermont 15, property that is already owned by the state’s Agency of Natural
Resources, thereby avoiding the issue of land acquisition. “This land is also well-suited
for improvement in forest cover through strategic tree planting,” he added.
Furthermore, the site also includes an existing bridge large enough to allow for wildlife
to cross under Vermont 15. The cost to install a new structure for wildlife movement is
prohibitively expensive, but the existing bridge only needs slight improvement to make
it more effective at allowing wildlife to move beneath it.
As for the benefit to humans, Brady quickly pointed out that the project is primarily
designed for terrestrial wildlife, and once completed, decreases the chance of humans
hitting wildlife with a vehicle.
“The less animals need to navigate land managed for human use, the safer it is for
people and wildlife,” he said. “Wildlife can move freely and increase genetic exchange,
which improves the health and survival of their species.”
Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter emphasizes that the project also matters
to people because Vermonters are known for their zealous concern and support for land
and wildlife habitat.
“Most Vermonters, whether they are hunters or bird watchers or whether they just care
about their landscape, are passionately invested in keeping wildlife and their habitats
healthy, and improving the land,” Porter said. “It also matters economically. Natural
resources, from wildlife to timber production, are an important part of our economy.
We need to keep those resources vibrant and sustainable in order to keep that economy
going.”
Porter also points out that wildlife and wild places are important for Vermonters’
physical and mental health, from the healthy wild food they get by hunting and fishing
(and foraging) to the mental health benefit from spending time in the woods and on
the water, “whether that is with a gun or a pair of binoculars.”
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 15

Shop Local!
PAG E 16 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE
Take on the Holidays with These Yoga Moves
A
long with the extremes of pleasure,
the holiday season can bring plenty
of pain, be it the long hours on the
road, the stress of finding just the right gift,
the pressure on purse strings, or the bloating
of the belly. And then there’s your crazy
uncle with strong political convictions and
few inhibitions. While one remedy to it all
may be turning up your eggnog intake, a
more satisfying—and healthy—remedy can
be found in the breath and movement of
yoga. For every problem, there’s an asana,
starting with these poses to ensure more joy
this holiday season.
Awaken your Holiday Spirit
Are you utterly disgusted the moment they
hang the wreaths downtown? Do you find
yourself muttering “Bah! Humbug!” when
you hear holiday tunes played in your favorite
stores? Consider practicing backbends and
then maybe in Whoville they’ll say that your
heart grew three sizes that day. Backbends
such as camel pose (ustrasana) physically
open your chest and emotionally open your
heart, so you can give and receive more love.
Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?
Come to a high kneeling position with the
tops of your feet on the floor and your toes
pointing back. Place your hands on your
lower back, take a deep breath in, roll your
shoulders back, and lift your heart. As you
exhale, try leaning back and grabbing onto
your heels with the fingers pointing down.
Press against your feet to create more lift in
your chest, keep your legs engaged and try
to avoid hinging in your lower back. If it’s
too intense to reach your heels, try tucking
your toes to elevate them or keep your hands
to your lower back. Take five deep breaths
and return your hands to your lower back.
Use an inhale to roll back up with the head
coming up last.
Recover from Holiday Shopping
Maybe someone seemed to have mistaken your
shopping cart for a bumper car, or mistook
the clearance rack for the Ultimate Fighting
Championship octagon. Maybe you’ve been
bombarded by people who look more like
they are running away from danger than
toward cheap retail goods. Holiday shopping
can be stressful and overstimulating. Give
child’s pose (balasana) a try when you need
a reset after spending time in crowded malls.
Child’s pose might be the most restorative
pose there is. It stretches the entire backside
of the body, soothes the nervous system, aids
the lymphatic system, and tempers the mind.
Begin by sitting on your heels and then
slowly fold forward, bringing your chest to
your thighs and your forehead to the earth.
Your arms can stretch forward or hold onto
your feet. Stay here for at least five breaths,
but five minutes if you can.
Soothe Car Cramps and Plane Pains
Traveling to see your family for the holidays
might be beneficial for your mind and spirit,
but it can take a toll on your body. Doing a
forward fold (uttanasana) is a way to relieve
pent-up tension in your neck, spine, and
lower back that you might have from sitting
for an extended period of time.
Stand up, with the feet hip-width apart.
Bend your knees and fold forward. Clasp the
elbows with opposite hands. Stay here for
five to 10 deep breaths. When you’re ready
By Samantha Solum
to come out, bend your knees a bit more
and release your hands to the floor. Slowly
roll up.
Digest the Fruitcake and Roast Beast
Food is a huge part of how we celebrate
and insulate ourselves through the chilly
months. The holidays only come once a
year, so we make sure to try everything, and
then we get a tummy ache. Physically, twists
help with digestion because they place gentle
pressure on intestinal flow to maximize toxin
elimination. Mentally they allow us to wring
out anything we don’t need in our hearts
and minds. So whether you need a detox
from all the holiday meals or all the holiday
feels, practicing a reclined twist (supta
matsyendrasana) can offer much relief.
Lie on your back and bring your knees in
toward your chest. Spread your arms out to
the sides, and use your exhale to drop your
knees to one side. Stay as long as you like
before switching sides and staying an equal
amount of time.
Resist Politics
When sitting down once a year for a holiday
meal with our racist uncle or homophobic
aunt outside of mandatory family gatherings,
it might not just be the potatoes that are
boiling. Sometimes it’s easy to be cowed
when talking with the people closest to you.
Practicing fish pose (matsyasana) opens
our throat chakra, which helps to release
blockages around not speaking our truth.
Lie down on your back and place your hands
palms-down under your hips. Lift your heart
up by rising up on the elbows and drawing
the shoulders back. Carefully let your head
fall back and maybe let the top of the head
rest gently on the floor.
Rediscover Gratitude
Your mother-in-law opens your gift and
doesn’t make eye contact as she says, “Oh,
bless your heart” and you know she really
means next year save your money and buy
Gift Giving for Idiots. Practicing balancing
postures such as tree pose (vrikshasana)
might help. It might knock us down a
few times but the chaos of the holidays
probably will too. When we fall we have
the opportunity to learn how to recalibrate,
realign, and find strength to get up and try
again.
Starting with your feet together, let all your
weight come into your left foot and come
to your right tiptoes. Let the right heel rest
along the left ankle with the toes on the
ground as a kickstand or bring the foot to
Photo by Sarah Delia
the calf or inner thigh. Try to avoid placing
any pressure on your knee. Hands can reach
up in the air, stay down by the sides, or bring
the palms together and rest the thumbs
in the center of your chest. Find a focus
point or “drishti” and keep your attention
there. Breathe for five to 10 breaths before
switching sides.
Finding Peace When Inlaws are Fighting
If the snide remarks about your cooking,
parenting, and decorating won’t stop, and
you’re feeling a little tense, you might
need to practice pigeon pose (eka pada
rajakapotasana). We carry the most stress in
our hips, so open them up to release bottled
up feelings and get them flowing in a healthy
way.
From hands and knees, slide your right knee
between your hands. If your knee feels fine,
flex the right foot and move it forward. If
the knee feels stressed, bring the foot closer
in toward the right hip. Center yourself so
your weight is even. Fold forward if it feels
nice. Stay here five to 10 breaths and then
press the floor away from you, coming back
to hands and knees before switching sides.
Sleep Through the Excitement
Whether you’re waiting up for Santa, giddy
about your gifts, or looking forward to all
the festivities, it can be hard to get good sleep
during the holidays. Putting your legs up
the wall (viparita karani) helps to lower your
heart rate and relax, as well as facilitating
venous drainage and increasing circulation.
Sit close to a wall and place a folded blanket
behind you. Lie back onto the blanket, then
scoot your hips as close to the wall as possible
and send your legs straight up. Rest with
your arms by your sides as long as you like.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 17
Six Local Holiday Events to Make Your Spirits Bright
T
he holiday season arrives with the smells of pine and
nutmeg and an outpouring of festive jingles over the
radio. The best part about December is that despite the
chilly weather, there are a plethora of ways to celebrate with
the friends and family in your life. Whether you like dashing
through the snow in a sleigh or walking in a winter wonderland,
below are six holiday events to help you banish your inner
Scrooge and embrace Yuletide ’tude.
December Art Walk Sponsored by Montpelier Alive
Spend the evening of Friday, December 7, traversing Montpelier
and enjoying the work of Vermont’s talented artists and makers.
This edition of the Art Walk boasts a record number of
participating locations, with 32 venues taking part. Highlights
include a temporary revitalization of the abandoned gas station
on State Street, as the soon-to-be torn-down building will host
as a light art installation. As part of the Art Walk, Artisans
Hand will display handmade ornaments of various mediums,
including porcelain, glass, and wood. For a full guidebook of the
December Art Walk, go to montpelieralive.org.
Green Mountain Nutcracker at the Barre Opera House
It’s not Christmas without hearing the delicate chimes of
Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” With a cast of more than 60 professional
dancers and students, Moving Light Dance Company performs the classic ballet with a little
Vermont twist, setting the story in 1970s Vermont. In addition to the familiar score, the
ballet will also highlight original music from Vermont musician Colin McCaffrey. To see
the 12th Annual Performance at the Barre Opera House at 7 pm Saturday, December 22,
and 2 pm Sunday, December 23, call (802) 476-8188 or go to barreoperahouse.org. The
advance price of the tickets for adults is $25 and $20 for students. Barre Opera House, City
Hall, 6 North Main Street, Barre.
Holiday with the Animals at the Central Vermont Humane Society
Join the Central Vermont Humane Society for a celebration with local fur babies and some
holiday flair. There will be animal-themed crafts and plenty of chances to spend time with
animals at the shelter. Enjoy treats and meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus. If you are looking for a
future, floppy-eared friend, this could be a nice opportunity to meet one. You can make
the holidays for these critters in need a little bit cheerier by bringing a donation or an item
By Sarah Davin
on the wish list that can be found on the CVHS website at
centralvermonthumane.org. Central Vermont Humane Society,
1589 Route 14 South, East Montpelier.
Home for the Holidays Sponsored by Montpelier Alive
Experience the fun of a horse-drawn wagon ride in downtown
Montpelier offered by the Montpelier Parks Department. Take
a break from the cold by heading to City Center for cookie
decorating with New England Culinary Institute chefs and say
hello to Santa Claus. The wagon rides leave outside City Center
on Main Street from noon to 4 pm. Cookie decorating will run
from 3 pm to 5 pm. The event is sponsored by SunCommon.
City Center, 89 Main St, Montpelier.
Share the Light Hanukkah Party at the Zen Barn
Last year’s sold-out event, Share the Light Hanukkah Party,
returns. Organized by Vermont’s Jewish communities, the
Hanukkah Party will include a holiday buffet with gourmet
latkes and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Dance to the music of
Boston-based Klezmer band, Klezwoods, which will perform a
mix of classic Balkan music, modern tunes, and improvisation.
Part of the proceeds will go to support the emergency fuel
assistance program at Capstone Community Action. The party
will begin at 5 pm and the buffet from 6 pm to 8 pm. This event is for individuals 21 and
over. Tickets cost $45 each and can be purchased at sevendaystickets.com. Zen Barn, 179
Guptil Rd, Waterbury Center.
Touch of Vermont Gift Market at the City Hall
The 13th annual Touch of Vermont Holiday Gift Market is a great place to find a well-
crafted gift made by local Vermont artists. The annual market features returning artisans
such as Alice’s Looking Glass Jewelry, Artesano Mead, and Butterfly Bakery of Vermont,
as well as some newcomers such as Hawthorn Meadow Farmstead, Allison Korn Designs,
and Vermont Spirits Distilling Company. This year’s raffle will benefit Good Beginnings
of Central Vermont, which supports babies and new parents. Raffle prizes include a family
outing to the Pump House Waterpark at Jay Peak, and a round of golf for four at Northfield
Country Club. The Touch of Vermont Holiday Gift Market runs from 9 am to 4 pm on
December 15. Montpelier City Hall, 39 Main St., Montpelier.
PAG E 18 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE

Community Events
Events happening
December 6–22
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6
Open Ears at Bagitos. Join Montpelier city
councilor Glen Coburn Hutcheson to talk
about the city or anything else. 8:30–9:30 am.
Bagitos, 28 Main St., Montpelier. ghutcheson@
montpelier-vt.org, 839-5349.
35th Annual International Boutique.
Through Dec. 8. The Boutique is a benefit for
Amurtel; all profits will go to support projects
for women and children here in Vermont and
around the world. 10–6 pm. Masonic Lodge,
Rt. 100, Waitsfield Village
9th Annual Winter Sale at Trinity
Community Thrift Store. Dec. 6–8.
10 am–4 pm. 137 Main St., Montpelier. 229-
9155. store-director@outlook.com
Trinity United Methodist Church Community
Lunch. 11:30 am–1 pm. 137 Main St.,
Montpelier.
“Last Men in Aleppo.” CCV-Montpelier invites
the public to a screening of this film. 6–8 pm.
660 Elm St., Montpelier. Free. 828-0126
Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine
Talk Series with Christina Ducharme.
Explore how the body responds to stress, and
how acupuncture resets the nervous system
Calendar of Events
for homeostatic balance, calms the spirit, and
helps reduce the symptoms of PTSD. 6:30 pm.
Marshfield Library, School St., Marshfield.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7
9th Annual Winter Sale at Trinity
Community Thrift Store. See listing under
Dec. 6.
Country Christmas—20th Anniversary Mad
River Valley Holiday Celebration. Dec. 7–8.
Valley Wide Holiday with a wide variety of
events. valleyartsvt.com.
35th Annual International Boutique. See
description under Dec, 6.
Friday Night Film Screening of Dear Jesse
with Tim Kirkman. Inspired by the first-person
documentaries of Ross McElwee, “Dear Jesse”
is gay filmmaker Tim Kirkman’s filmed “letter”
to the notoriously anti-gay Senator Jesse Helms.
5:30 pm. Café Anna at VCFA, 36 College St.,
Montpelier.
Talent Show Fundraiser. Presented by the
American Meteorological Society (AMS) club.
Featuring a variety of student performers.
Proceeds will benefit victims of Hurricane
Michael. 7 pm. NVU-Lyndon, Twilight
Theatre. $5.
Mad River Valley Backcountry Coalition’s
Launch Party. Slideshow featuring local BC
skiing and riding, raffle, local beverages, and
the Mad Mountain Scramblers. 7–10 pm.
Mad River Glen Ski Area, 57 Schuss Pass Rd.,
Waitsfield. Free. .mrvbc.org
Performing Arts
THEATER, DANCE,
STORYTELLING, COMEDY
Dec. 6–8: MHS Masque's performance of Once On This Island. This show is about love and
persistence, as well as class divisions. Dec. 6–8 at 7 pm, Dec. 8 at 2 pm. Montpelier High School, 5
High School Dr., Montpelier. $14; seniors over 65 and students $10.
Dec. 6: Extempo. Locals tell short-format, first-person, true stories—without any notes or
reading—before a live audience. 8–10 pm. Mingle Nightclub, 214 N Main St., Barre. $5. 249-4551.
storytelling@extempovt.com. extempovt.com
Dec. 7–8: Ballet Wolcott's The Nutcracker. Directed by Artistic Director Brandy Ofciarcik Perez,
Ballet Wolcott’s Youth Company and students are joined by community members to dance among
imaginative sets and wear stunning costumes created by local designers. Dec. 7 at 7 pm; Dec. 8 at 2
pm. Highland Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St., Greensboro. Advance tickets: $20; students
$15; seniors 20% off. At door: $30; students $20. highlandartsvt.org
Through Dec. 16: The Arsonists at the Valley Players Theater. Fridays–Sundays. Max Frisch’s play
written in 1958 and adapted by Alistair Beaton in 2007. Dark humor, witty dialogue, and poignant
societal commentary, Fri. and Sat. at 7:30; Sun. at 3 pm. the Valley Players Theater, 4254 Main St.,
Waitsfield. valleyplayers.com. 583-1674
Dec. 7–8: Danceland Show. A production of Johnson’s dance club at the end of each semester, The
dancers will perform to a variety of music and in styles ranging from modern and hip-hop to ballet
and flamenco. 7 pm. Northern Vermont University-Johnson, Dibden Center for the Arts. Free;
donations accepted. jscboxoffice@jsc.edu. 635-1476
Dec. 8: Gala Works In Progress Showcase #2. This is the second and final works in progress
showing, set to assist choreographers along the path of creating a new work towards the Winter Dance
Gala in February. 5 pm. River Arts, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. $15–40.
Dec. 14: Laugh Local VT Open Mic Comedy Night. See aspiring local comics or try it out yourself.
Support local comedy by performing or watching those that do. Adult-themed material. Sign-ups 7
pm; show starts 7:30 pm. Dog River Brewery, 1400 Rt. 302, Suite 4, Berlin. Free; donations welcome.
793-3884
Dec. 15: The Ultimate Christmas Show. Presented by the Reduced Shakespeare Company.
Recommended for audiences 13 and up due to raunchy humor. 7 pm. Spruce Peak Performing Arts
Center, 122 Hourglass Dr., Stowe. SprucePeakArts.org. 760-4634
Dec. 15–16: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Adapted from the best-selling children’s book, this
production will feature the talents of local performers. Sat., 7 pm; Sun., 2 pm. Highland Center for the
Arts, 2875 Hardwick St., Greensboro. $10; students/ seniors $8. highlandartsvt.org
Dec. 19: Stories of the Season. Join favorite Lost Nation Theater artists and fans for cozy dramatic
readings of stories from around the world that celebrate the return of the light from a host of
traditions. The stories will include less-known Dickens Christmas stories, O’Henry’s “Gift of the
Magi,” Native American stories, and more. Stories suitable for all ages. 7 pm. Montpelier City Hall
Arts Center, Main St., Montpelier. 6:30 pm. Free; donations welcome. lostnationtheater.org
Dec. 22: Stories for a Winter’s Eve. Featuring original short stories by Vermont authors Kathryn
Blume and Mark Nash and songs by Vermont musicians Pete Sutherland and Patti Casey. 3 pm and
7 pm. Old Meeting House, East Montpelier. $15 advance; $18 at door; 4-pack $50; children 12 and
under $10. oldmeetinghouse.org
Dec. 22–23: Green Mountain Nutcracker. Presented by Moving Light Dance Company. A classic
story with an enchanting local twist. Dec. 22 at 7 pm; Dec. 23 at 2 pm. Barre Opera House, 6 N.
Main St., Barre. $15–25. barreoperahouse.org

Planting Hopes's 25th Solidarity Craft

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8
Home for the Holidays. Christmas cookies
decorating, wagon rides through town, holiday
music, and a visit from Santa. montpelieralive.org
Barre Merry Holiday Events. See ad on page
15 for full schedule.
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30 am–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
9th Annual Winter Sale at Trinity
Community Thrift Store. See listing under
Dec. 6.
35th Annual International Boutique. See
description under Dec, 6.
Fair. 40 vendors at two venues. 9 am–4 pm.
Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier/
Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier.
Benefits Planting Hope's projects in Nicaragua
and Vermont. plantinghope.org
Capital City Indoor Farmers Market.
10 am–2 pm. City Center, 89 Main St.,
Montpelier.
EarthWalk Holiday Craft Party and Live
Music. Make your own natural crafts including
cards, decorations, wreaths, and more. Live folk
music, bake sale. 1–4 pm. Christ Church, 64
State St., Montpelier. Suggested donation for
making crafts $10; $25 per family.
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 19
Visual Arts
EXHIBITS
Through Dec. 14 : Northern Vermont
University-Johnson Student Exhibit. Work
by students in the studio arts Bachelor of Fine
Arts program. Reception: Dec. 5, 3–5 pm.
NVU-Johnson, Julian Scott Gallery.
Through Dec. 16: Gerald Auten: Graphite
Insomnia. Auten uses powdered graphite or
graphite pencils on dense, smooth, hot-pressed
paper or onto the back of old museum posters
and postcards. White River Gallery, 35 South
Windsor St., South Royalton. 498-8438
Through Dec. 28: Seven Women, Seven
Walls. Featuring rotating exhibits by Vermont
artists Mary Admasian, Alisa Dworsky, Karen
Henderson, Evie Lovett, Hannah Morris, Janet
Van Fleet, and Kristen M. Watson. Vermont
Arts Council, 136 State St., Monpelier.
Through Dec. 27: CELEBRATE 3X. Enjoy this
3-floor fine art and craft extravaganza with
work created by more than 80 Studio Place
Arts (SPA) member artists, and CELEBRATE
3X: (1) Find one-of-a-kind handmade gifts &
Chapters in History Two: As the U.S. Emerges.
The Bully Pulpit; Teddy Roosevelt and William
Howard Taft and the golden age of journalism
Doris Kearns Goodwin. 2 pm. Marshfield
Library, School St., Marshfield.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9
Beth Jacob Synagogue's Chanukah Party.
Games, crafts, and latkes and music provided
by Klezmer band, Nisht Geferlach.
Noon–2 pm. Beth Jacob Synagogue, 10
Harrison Ave., Montpelier.
Dance at Plainfield Town Hall Opera House.
A family dance for all ages. Circle and line
dances and singing games, all taught and called.
Live traditional music. 3–4:30 pm. Plainfield
Town Hall Opera House, Rt. 2, Plainfield. $5
suggested donation for adults. Free for children.
dancesingandjumparound.weebly.com
Calendar of Events
treasures; (2) Support local artists and crafts
people and fortify our local economy; & (3)
Boost the programs for all ages and abilities at
SPA, your nonprofit art center. Expanded hours
in Dec. Studio Place Arts, 201 N. Main St.,
Barre. studioplacearts.com
Through Dec. 29: Members’ Art Show & Sale
and Festival of Trees & Light. To see artwork
available for sale, please visit helenday.com.
programs@helenday.com. 253-8358
Through Dec. 31: Celebrating Women
Through the Arts. Art Resource Association
Group Show. Montpelier City Center
and La Brioche, 89 Main St., Montpelier.
artresourceassocation.com
Through Dec. 31: Dee Christie & Robin
Leone. Dee Christie repurposes old books
into visual works of art—painting, collaging,
and drawing within the pages to create art
infused with positivity and whimsy. Robin
Leone of Robin’s Hoods handcrafts felted wool
hats that are one of a kind works of art and
unique to their wearer. Reception: Dec. 7, 4–8
pm. Cheshire Cat, 28 Elm St., Montpelier.
cheshirecatclothing.com
Through Jan. 2: Digital Photography
Exhibition. Work By Twinfield Digital
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10
Dance Studio Open House. The studio
welcomes friends, family, and prospective
students to observe classes and learn more about
us. 3:30–8:30 pm. Contemporary Dance and
Fitness Studio 18 Langdon St., Montpelier.
cdandfs.com
Community Lunch at Unitarian Church
Montpelier. 11 am–12:30 pm. 130 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
Ladies’ Night at Nelsons ACE Hardware. Part
of Barre Merry Holiday Events. 5–8 pm. 188 N.
Main St., Barre
Photography Students. Jaquith Library,
Marshfield. 426-3581
Through Jan.4: Current Paintings by Mary
McKay Lower and Elizabeth Nelson. Nelson
will feature works from her travels to Iceland.
Lower will exhibit landscapes and still life
paintings. T.W. Wood Gallery, Barre St.,
Montpelier.
Through Jan. 7: Altered Spaces Group
Exhibition. The exhibition opens with
a dynamic collection of work—collage,
photography, painting, and multimedia
installation in September that will build
in layers throughout the fall—inviting the
public to revisit and interact as the exhibition
continues. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center,
122 Hourglass Dr., Stowe. sprucepeakarts.org
Through Jan. 18: Northern Vermont
University-Lyndon Faculty Art Exhibit.
NVU-Lyndon, Quimby Barclay.Tucker@
NorthernVermont.edu.
Dec. 7–Jan. 20: Show 29. The Front celebrates
the opening of Show 29, featuring recent works
by the gallery’s members. Reception: Dec. 7,
4-8 pm. 6 Barre Street, Montpelier thefrontvt.
com , (802) 552-0877, info@thefrontvt.com
Mediation for the Holiday Season. All
mediators welcome to join a five-week session
of lightly guided meditations on themes of
gratitude, peace love, joy, solstice/light, and
mindfulness. 6–7 pm. Twin Valley Senior
Center, Rt. 2, East Montpelier. Register:
csherburn@myfairpoint.net
MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts Virtual Info
Session. Online Information Session to learn
more about Goddard College’s low-residency
Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary
Arts. Hosted on Zoom, a web conferencing
platform. 6 pm. RSVP: https://goo.gl/forms/
qEY5nhRAn19RmpTO2. 322-1646
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12
The Christ Church Community Lunch.
11 am–12:30 pm. 64 Main St., Montpelier.
Through March 2: Scrap Yard: Drawings by
Mark Heitzman. An exhibit of 10 large-scale
graphite or charcoal drawings of tools and other
objects. On display at The Morse Block Deli,
located 260 N. Main Street, Barre. For info:
studioplacearts.com
Through June 1: Thomas Waterman Wood:
The Master Copies. A selection of Wood’s
master copies from the T.W. Wood Art Gallery
collection. While Wood was in Europe he fell
in love with the paintings of the European
Masters, including Rembrandt and Turner.
Following current fashion, Wood copied
paintings to learn techniques from the masters.
T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier. 262-6035.
twwoodgallery.org
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dec. 7: Montpelier ArtWalk. Showcases works
of Central Vermont artists at multiple locations
throughout Downtown Montpelier. 4–8 pm.
montpelieralive.org
Dec. 8: Family Day at Helen Day Art Center.
An afternoon full of sweet treats and seasonal
art activities. We’ll create holiday decorations,
play dreidel games and decorate gingerbread
houses with NECI students. 1–4 pm. Helen
Day Art Center, 90 Pond Rd., Stowe. Free.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13
Open Ears at Bagitos. See listing under Dec. 6
Trinity United Methodist Church Community
Lunch. 11:30 am–1 pm. 137 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Goddard Graduate Institute Virtual Info
Session. Learn about Goddard graduate
programs. Hosted on Zoom, a web conferencing
platform. 6 pm. RSVP: https://goo.gl/forms/
sr1TGWh0aA5lc0sp1. 322-1646
Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Talk
Series with Christina Ducharme. Moxibustion
for Health at Home. 6:30 pm. Marshfield
Library, School St., Marshfield.
PAG E 2 0 • D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 THE BRIDGE
Live Music
VENUES
Bagitos. 28 Main St., Montpelier. 229-9212.
Bagitos.com
Dec. 6: Colin McCaffrey and friends, 6 pm
Dec. 8: Irish Session, 2 pm; Val Davis, 6 pm
Dec. 9: Southern Old Time Music Jam, 10 am
Dec. 13: Old Time Music Session, 6 pm.
Dec. 14: Tribute to Joni Mitchell, 6 pm.
Dec. 15: Irish Session, 2 pm; The Burds
Brothers, 6 pm
Dec. 16: Eric Friedman Folk Ballads, 11 am
Dec. 20: Italian Session, 6 pm
Dec. 21: Dave Loughran, 6 pm
Dec. 22: Irish Session, 2 pm; Michael
Stridsberg, 6 pm
Charlie O’s World Famous. 70 Main St.
Montpelier. Free. 223-6820.
Every Tues.: Karaoke, 7:30 pm
Dec. 5: Blues Jam hosted by John Lackard,
6 pm
Dec. 7: John Smyth (acoustic), 6 pm; Starline
Rhythm Boys (rockabilly), 9 pm
Dec. 8: Lake Superior/Tin Talisman (rock),
9 pm
Dec. 10: Sex Trivia (pub quiz), 7:30 pm
Dec. 14: Valentino (old-time), 6pm; Wild
Leek River (outlaw country)/Rust Bucket
(ragtime), 9 pm
Dec. 15: The Felloship (classic rock), 9 pm
Dec. 17: Music Trivia (pub quiz), 7:30 pm
Dec. 19: Zack Dupont & Matt Deluca (indie
folk), 8 pm
Dec. 21: Z-Jaz (jazz), 6 pm; Lightcrusher/
Concillium/ Hell Priest/Sachem (metal), 9 pm
Dec. 22: Mad Mt. Scramblers (bluegrass), 9 pm
Espresso Bueno. 248 N. Main St., Barre.
479-0896. espressobueno.com.
Dec. 15: Jazzyaoke (live jazz karaoke),
7:30 pm, $5
Dec. 28: Loughran & Ladd (classic rock),
7:30 pm
Gusto’s. 28 Prospect St., Barre. 476-7919.
Ages 21+. No cover unless indicated.
Dec. 6: Jas & Scott Duo, 5 pm; Open Mic,
8 pm
Dec. 7: Tim Brick, 5 pm; High Def, 9 pm,
$5
Dec. 8: DJ Lafountaine, 9:30 pm
Dec. 13: Chris Powers, 5 pm; DJ Rome 802,
8 pm
Dec. 14: Joe Sabourin, 5 pm; Supernatural,
9 pm, $5
Dec. 15: DJ KAOS, 9:30 pm
Dec. 20: Jason Baker, 5 pm; DJ Rome 802,
8 pm
Calendar of Events
Dec. 21: Elizabeth Renaud, 5 pm; Heartless,
9 pm, $10
Dec. 22: DJ LaFountaine, 9:30 pm
Whammy Bar. 31 W. County Rd., Calais.
whammybar1.com
Every Thurs.: Open Mic, 7 pm
Dec. 7: Grace and Andy Suits, 7:30 pm
Dec. 8: Bob Hannan and Friends, 7:30 pm
Dec. 14: Marc Delgado, 7:30 pm
Dec. 15: Anachronist (Electric Alt-Rock),
7:30 pm
Dec. 21: Papa’s Porch (bluegrass), 7:30 pm
Dec. 22: Liz Beatty and the Alternates
(electric blues/soul), 7:30 pm
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dec. 6: Thursday Concerts at Noon in
Montpelier. Anima, women’s vocal ensemble
directed by Elizabeth Thompson. Bring a bag
lunch; coffee, tea, and cookies are provided.
A donation is solicited for the new stained-
glass window designed by local artists.
Christ Church, 64 State St., Montpelier.
christchurchvt.org
Dec. 8: Men & Women’s a cappella Holiday
Concert. With Central Vermont’s women’s
a cappella barbershop chorus, Barre-Tones
and the men’s a cappella barbershop chorus,
the Green Mountain Chorus. With guests
Northern Bronze Bell Ringers Ensemble.
2 pm. Hunger Mountain Christian
Assembly, 4940 Waterbury Stowe Rd.,
Waterbury Center. $15. BarretonesVT.com.
GreenMountainChorus.com
Dec. 8: Kind Bud. Performs the music of
Jerry Garcia, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Martin
Sexton, and more. 2–6 pm. Stowe Mountain
Resort. Free.
Dec. 8: Vermont Fiddle Orchestra's Winter
Concert and 15th Year Anniversary
Celebration. Music of Wales, original tunes,
and other traditional music. 7 pm. Unitarian
Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier. By
donation. vermontfiddleorchestra.org
Dec. 8: Gibson Brothers: A North Country
Christmas. The two-time International
Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainers of
the Year are joined by family and friends. 7
pm. Barre Opera House, 6 N. Main St., Barre.
barreoperahouse.org
Dec. 8: One Step: Montpelier Community
Gospel Choir, with special guest artist Lloyd
Dugger. Performing gospel music from and
inspired by the African-American tradition.
7 pm. First Presbyterian Church, 19 South
Seminary St., Barre. Suggested donation:
$10–25. vtgospel.com
Dec. 8: Mad River Chorale Holiday Concert.
“Wintertide Carols.” 7:30 pm. Waitsfield
United Church/Village Meeting House, Rt.
100, Waitsfield. madriverchorale.net
Dec. 9: Green Mountain Youth Symphony
Fall Concert. The Repertory, Concert, and
Senior Orchestras will each perform their
own musical offerings. 2 pm. Barre Opera
House, 6 N. Main St., Barre. Adults $15;
seniors $12; students $5; children under 5 free.
barreoperahouse.org
Dec. 9: NEK Community Orchestra.
Features works by Mozart, Stravinsky, and
other composers. 3 pm. Northern Vermont
University-Lyndon’s Alexander Twilight
Theatre. By donation. NorthernVermont.edu/
Events
Dec. 9: Mad River Chorale Holiday Concert.
“Wintertide Carols.” 3 pm. Waterbury
Congregational Church/White Meeting
House, Rt. 100. madriverchorale.net
Dec. 9: One Step: Montpelier Community
Gospel Choir, with special guest artist
Lloyd Dugger. Performing gospel music
from and inspired by the African-American
tradition. 4 pm. Bethany Church, 115 Main
St., Montpelier. Suggested donation: $10-25.
vtgospel.com
Dec. 9: Vermont Fiddle Orchestra Benefit
Concert. Benefit for the Randolph Senior
Center. 4 pm. Green Mountain Gospel
Chapel.
Dec. 9: 48th Annual Community Christmas
Carol Sing. Featuring area choirs and
community musicians. 6:30 pm. Christ
Church, 64 State St., Montpelier. Free.
223-3631
Dec. 12: Holiday Sing-a-long. Erica Mitchell
will accompany singers on her guitar. 6:45 pm.
Marshfield Library, School St., Marshfield.
Dec. 12: Jazz, Funk Concert. The Northern
Vermont University-Johnson jazz and funk/
fusion ensembles perform. NVU-Johnson,
Dibden Center, Johnson. 7 pm. $5. 635-1476.
Dec. 13: Thursday Concerts at Noon in
Montpelier Wilhelm and Friends: Music
for organ, viola, English horn, and voice.
Bring a bag lunch; coffee, tea, and cookies are
provided. A donation is solicited for the new
stained-glass window designed by local artists.
Christ Church, 64 State St., Montpelier.
christchurchvt.org
Dec. 14: The Northern Vermont University-
Johnson Concert Band. 7 pm. NVU-
Johnson, Dibden Center for the Arts. $5.
635-1476.
Dec. 14: Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Holiday Pops. José Daniel Flores-Caraballo
leads the orchestra and chorus in a festive
program that ranges from an a cappella version
of “Jingle Bells” to the blockbuster “Many
Moods of Christmas.” 7:30 pm. Barre Opera
House, 6 N. Main St., Barre. vso.org
Dec. 15: Michael T. Jermyn’s Aristocratic
Peasants at T.W. Wood Gallery. Enjoy quirky
clever lyrics and melodic storytelling set to
Jermyn’s soulfully haunting voice. 1–3 pm.
T.W. Wood Gallery, 46 Barre St., Montpelier.
Free.
Dec. 15: Paul Asbell CD Release Show. Asbell
will be performing with his jazz quartet to
celebrate the release of the CD “Burmese
Panther.” 7:30 pm. Unitarian Church, 130
Main St., Montpelier. $15.
Dec. 18: Kind Bud. 4–7 pm. Topnotch, 4000
Mountain Rd., Stowe. Free.
Dec. 19: Winter Solstice Sacred Sing. Join in
an evening of collective singing as an offering
to the whole and the holy; a guided musical
experience into the heart of the season. All
welcome. 6:30–7:30 pm. Unitarian Church,
130 Main St., Montpelier.
Dec. 19: Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Brass Quintet/Counterpoint. The ensemble
is pleased to present the Vermont premiere of
a stunning new setting of Nancy Tillman’s
beloved children’s book, “On the Night You
Were Born,” by Vermont composer Travis
Ramsey. 7:30 pm. Warren United Church,
339 Main St., Warren. vso.org
Dec. 20: Thursday Concerts at Noon in
Montpelier Judi Byron, harp. Bring a bag
lunch; coffee, tea, and cookies are provided.
A donation is solicited for the new stained-
glass window designed by local artists.
Christ Church, 64 State St., Montpelier.
christchurchvt.org
Dec. 22–23: Onion River Chorus Concert.
Dec. 22, 7:30 pm; Dec. 23, 4 pm. Unitarian
Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier.
$20; students/seniors/low-income $17.
onionriverchorus.org
Dec. 22: The Peter Mayhew Band. 8:30–
10:30 pm. Positive Pie, 69 Main St., Plainfield.
petermayhewband.com
T H E B R I D G E D E C E M B E R 6 – D E C E M B E R 19, 2 018 • PAG E 21
Traditional Service of Nine Lessons and
Carols. Featuring the Christ Church choir and
community readers. 7 pm. Christ Church, 64
State St., Montpelier. Christchurchvt.org.
223-3631
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14
Annual Holiday Party at Fresh Tracks Farm.
A festive evening of music, food, local wine
and holiday cheer. 6–9 pm. Fresh Tracks Farm
Vineyard & Winery, 4373 Rt. 12, Berlin.
freshtracksfarm.com
Kids’ Night Out at Northern Vermont
University-Johnson. Activities may include an
obstacle course, soccer, swimming, climbing a
rock wall, basketball, kickball, arts and crafts,
and a movie. Kids should bring a swimsuit and
gym clothes. For children ages 5–13. 6–9 pm.
NVU-Johnson, SHAPE facility. $10. 635-1498.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15
Barre Merry Holiday Events. See ad on page 15
for full schedule.
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
Touch of Vermont Holiday Gift Market. Crafts
from over 45 Vermont artisans to complete your
gift list. 9 am–4 pm. Montpelier City Hall, Main
St., Montpelier. touchofvt.org
Capital City Indoor Farmers Market.
10 am–2 pm. City Center, 89 Main St., Montpelier.
Send your event listing to calendar@montpelierbridge.com.
Deadline for print in the next issue is December 14.
Calendar of Events
Holiday with the Animals. Festive treats,
fun animal-related crafts, and plenty of shelter
animals to greet. Please spread holiday cheer by
bringing gifts for the homeless animals.
10 am–2 pm. Central Vermont Humane
Society, 1589 Rt. 14S, East Montpelier.
centralvermonthumane.org
Rise Up Bakery Grand Opening. Ribbon
cutting, slide show, tours, finger foods, live music
and dancing. 4 pm. Old Labor Hall, 46 Granite
St., Barre.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16
First Presbyterian Church Community
Breakfast. 7:30–9 am. 78 Summer St., Barre.
Barre Merry Holiday Events. See ad on page 15
for full schedule.
“RBG.” The Jewish Community of Greater
Stowe (JCOGS) will present the 2018
documentary “RBG” about U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 2 pm. 1189 Cape
Cod Rd., Stowe. 253-1800. JCOGS.org
Holiday Cookie Exchange & Seasonal Craft
Making. Bring your family and favorite holiday
cookies with recipes to swap and share. Make
a few holiday crafts to take home. 2–4 pm.
Marshfield Library, School St., Marshfield.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 17
Community Lunch at Unitarian Church
Montpelier. 11 am–12:30 pm. 130 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
Mediation for the Holiday Season. See listing
under Dec. 11
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19
The Christ Church Community Lunch.
11 am–12:30 pm. 64 Main St., Montpelier.
Salvation Army Community Lunch.
Noon–1 pm. 25 Keith Ave., Barre.
OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) film
presentation: “L’Enfant.” Rick Winston will lead
a discussion at the end of the film. 12:30 pm.
Savoy Theater, 26 Main St., Montpelier. $5
suggested donation; free for OLLI members.
Sounds Good: Music-Themed Movies. 7 pm.
Marshfield Library, School St., Marshfield.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20
Open Ears at Bagitos. See listing under Dec. 6
Trinity United Methodist Church Community
Lunch. 11:30 am–1 pm. 137 Main St.,
Montpelier.
Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Talk
Series with Christina Ducharme. Acupuncture
and Chinese Medicine for Immune Support.
6:30 pm. Marshfield Library, School St.,
Marshfield.
Central Vermont Climate Action - Monthly
meeting. Take action for climate justice locally.
Node group of 350Vermont meets every third
Sunday. 7–8:30 pm. Unitarian Church, 130
Main St., Montpelier.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21
Cycles of Life. We invite you to join with us
in this place of comfort where we can all come
together to listen, talk and share about the things
in life’s cycle we are all experiencing in our own
way now for ourselves and the earth we live on.
11:45 am–1 pm. Twin Valley Senior Center,
Rt. 2, East Montpelier. 223-3322
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22
Barre Congregational Church Community
Meal. 7:30 am–9 am. 35 Church St., Barre.
Story Time at Next Chapter Bookstore. With
Grannie Snow. Part of Barre Merry Holiday
Events. 10:30 am. 162 N. Main St., Barre.
Medicine Buddha Sadhana. Medicine Buddha
practice is particularly helpful for those who
may be sick, injured, or are suffering in any way,
including beings in the animal realm. Join the
center as they offer this practice and dedicate it
to both the temporal and ultimate happiness of
all sentient beings everywhere. 6 pm. Milarepa
Center, 1344 Rt. 5S, Barnet.
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Rocque Long
Classifieds
To place a classified listing call 249-8666

Painting SERVICES
• Insured
• 30+ years professional THIS CHRISTMAS, GIVE THE GIFT OF TRANSFORMATION
AND HEALING WITH A GIFT CERTIFICATE
experience
• local references. OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT • Deep tissue massage (relaxes, diminishes pain, promotes

802-223-0389 PERFECT LOCATION WITHIN A 3-MINUTE WALK TO

CAPITAL.
wellbeing)
• Cranio-sacral work (for rewiring the nervous system out of its
trauma loop)
Renovated throughout. First floor handicap accessible, two • Past-life regression (for healing through transpersonal
rest rooms, and storage. Includes private off street parking, experiences)
weekly office cleaning, heat, hot water, electricity, snow removal, Isabelle Meulnet, CMT and healer since 1998
landscaping and full maintenance. Single or multiple offices
starting @ $300.00 per month. Phone: 508-259-7941 802-279-9144
www.bodymindsoulhealing.net

• New Construction
• Renovations
THE BRIDGE SEEKS A SALES REPRESENTATIVE
The Bridge is seeking the assistance of a sales representative to help cover WE
WANT
the Central Vermont region, including Montpelier, Barre, Plainfield,
• Woodworking Calais, Middlesex, Berlin, and Waterbury.
• General Contracting Candidates with sales experience and contacts in the region are

YOU!
preferred, but we are also open to training someone with enthusiasm,
charm, creativity, and old-fashioned moxie.
We offer generous commissions on each sale and opportunity for
advancement. Furthermore, the job is part-time and flexible regarding
hours.
Volunteer
223-3447 For more information, contact Mike Dunphy at
clarconstruction.com mdunphy@montpelierbridge.com Opportunities
with The Bridge
* Write News Stories,
Interviews or Profiles
* Take Photos
* Edit/Proofread
* Design/Layout
* Mentor Young Writers
* Day-of-Publication Help

Interested? Email
mdunphy@
montpelierbridge.com
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