“Go ahead, squirt me! Make me orange!” shouted the nine-year-old girl as she ran past a team of volunteers squirting orange powder at runners along Thetford Academy’s Dan Grossman Woods Trail 5K course. She, her mother, and 283 other runners and walkers of all ages participated in Finding Our Stride’s first annual Community Color Splash and Dash fun run on May 31 this past spring. Finding Our Stride’s motto is Positivity in motion, and it was on full display as families and runners from throughout the Upper Valley helped celebrate the organization’s 15th year of bringing its 100% free and inclusive afterschool youth wellness programs to elementary and middle schools up and down the Connecticut River Valley.

Pure joy as a young runner approaches a color splash station.

The Color Splash and Dash was the first major community event for Finding Our Stride. It served as a fundraiser and, more importantly, as a way to expand the organization’s efforts with rural youth to include families and adults. The goal was to promote outdoor activity through a fun, welcoming, inclusive, and non-competitive event that built community. To ensure everyone felt welcome, organizers offered three course options: the well-known 5-km cross-country course familiar to high school runners across New England, a shorter 3-km route that bypassed the challenging “Morty’s Monster” hill, and a special 300-meter “Lollipop” run for children ages five and under, where every child received a colorful lollipop at the finish line. The event emphasized participation and fun by being untimed and by having volunteers throughout the course who sprayed runners with colored powder made from cornstarch and food coloring.

A runner passing through the last of the five color stations at Finding Our Stride’s Community Color Splash and Dash along the 5K
Woods Trail at Thetford Academy.

Finding Our Stride was founded 15 years ago by Jenny Williams, who saw an unmet need in our rural communities: inclusive, barrier-free programming where all youth have opportunities to thrive socially, emotionally, and physically. She partnered with the Indian River School of the Mascoma Valley School District, and the program supported 14 youth in its first year. Today, the program partners with over 25 schools, bringing its unique afterschool model, free of charge, to sites throughout the greater Upper Valley, from Ludlow, Vermont, to Lisbon, New Hampshire. Finding Our Stride’s theory of work is simple: get kids outside, active, and away from screens; give them a challenge; surround them with supportive peers and adults, and good things will happen. Add a purposeful dose of community engagement, and great things will happen. In the 2025/2026 school year, 1,200 youth participated in the program, and the organization provided stipends to 125 coaches each year, 90% of whom are teachers in the partnering schools, providing opportunities for school staff to build deeper relationships with students outside the classroom. In addition to being free, Finding Our Stride provides healthy snacks and supports a Sneaker Fund that provides free running shoes, ensuring every child has proper footwear. Over the past fifteen years, the organization has grown and evolved through collaborative partnerships with school leaders and teacher-coaches. Together, the organization has designed a program that builds fitness, strengthens social-emotional health, and cultivates connection to community.

Ella Rodakowski of Norwich (right) proudly crosses the finish line with her cousin Amelia DeFrancis.

As a holistic, youth-wellness program, Finding Our Stride sees bringing families and community together through opportunities to participate in healthy activities as part of its mandate. The Color Splash and Dash did just that, and the organization looks forward to providing more events in the future. And it seems they’re filling a need. As one participant yelled as they left with their family after the Color Splash on the way to their car, “It was a blast — we can’t wait to do it again next year!”

Creating a space to aid mental health doesn’t happen overnight. It takes an active community of willing people to make it happen. The Montshire Museum of Science illustrates this with its Healing Forest experience, an initiative in the making since the COVID pandemic.

Executive Director, Lara Litchfield-Kimber

Throughout the past few years, the museum has shifted its view of the 110-acre property, committing to a space that “invite[s] meditation and mindfulness practice, sensory exploration, quiet reflection, and play.” Last fall, the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), an international coalition for the field, recognized Montshire with the Leading Edge Award, further exemplifying the museum’s leadership in providing what matters to local communities.
Lara Litchfield-Kimber, the Montshire Museum of Science’s executive director, expressed that the initiative to “reimagine” the forest arose through the museum’s interactions with the local community. Through various focus groups, surveys, and one-on-one interactions with donors, teachers, members, and non-members, three key themes kept coming up: a “concern and interest in climate science,” resources and pathways for STEM careers, and mental health. At first, the last one was a surprise for the museum, but on further reflection, it made sense. For many, the COVID pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health, and the museum leaned into the way it could help — through nature.

Timber Tumble

However, Montshire first had to address the health of the forest before the people could be helped in return. Litchfield-Kimber said its “a truly symbiotic relationship.” A management plan was created with the aid of local Vermont forester Ethan Tapper by organizing a prioritized list to help cultivate the forest effectively. Some key items on the list included measuring carbon sequestration — the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide — and combating invasive species. The museum exercised its role throughout the process by providing an opportunity for local schools to educate and help heal the forest.
The next step for the museum was to understand how its forest could cultivate better mental health. Montshire had already built the Play Grove — what the museum’s website refers to as a “wooded nature playscape” allowing visitors to “swing, climb, build, and play” — in the forest during COVID. Later, other exhibits were formed. There’s the Timber Tumble, which focuses on sound bathing through the sounds of rolling wooden balls in the forest. Then, there’s the Wind Phone, which allows for quiet reflection in a phone booth overlooking a lagoon, where one can participate in a “symbolic one-way conversation with deceased loved ones.” There are now plans underway to construct a forest labyrinth, which will be a “walking meditative installation,” as well as a Reflexology trail. These exhibits are in unexpected places in the Healing Forest to encourage discovery. Litchfield-Kimber said the goal is that “whatever stress you might be having, it just reconnects you to nature” in a way you didn’t know you needed.

The Timber Tumble exhibition provides an opportunity for kids to play.

Another major aspect of “reimagining” the Healing Forest was to create better accessibility. Working with the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, the River Loop and Meadow Loop are now completely wheelchair accessible. Litchfield-Kimber said the Montshire has “a lot of visitors who have mobility restrictions,” whether it be a walker or a stroller. This new development allows all visitors access, even to the Connecticut River, which the property abuts.
The project has already had a substantial impact. There are many examples, such as a recent testimonial from a mother who visited the Montshire with her child after experiencing devastating life-altering events from Hurricane Helene. “This is the first experience where me and my kids felt we could be normal,” she wrote. Dartmouth College has also recognized the benefits by partnering with the museum to offer a mental health “prescription” program where students can take a prescribed break in the Healing Forest.

Local students measure trees to calculate carbon sequestration.

Litchfield-Kimber said the recognition by ASTC and the Leading Edge Award was “a big deal for us.” She said the museum was recognized for “leaning in to healing the forest for its own sake and … addressing mental health … and leaning in to making partners to help advance the community of mental health.” Going further, she said this project is “the first time it’s happened in the science museum field.”
Though it may be difficult to make mental health a priority in this fast-paced life, the Montshire Museum of Science is trying to make it easier. Whether you’re stressed or want to explore, the Healing Forest is there waiting for you.

It’s been a busy two years since The Norwich Community Collaborative (NCC) purchased the historic Norwich Grange Hall. With the simple and powerful mission to restore and reintroduce the hall as a vibrant gathering place for the future, the NCC has been hard at work to raise the vital funds and begin the building restoration.

Lars Blackmore’s photo of angels in 2011.

The organization has moved quickly, with the goal to open up the Norwich Grange Hall as a home for essential community activities and services that benefit the people of Norwich and the Upper Valley by Spring 2027. To date, the NCC has raised over $1.3 million for this multi-phase project, allowing for work to begin on the building’s main block this fall. An additional $450,000 is needed to complete the project and make the building fully ADA accessible, $150,000 of which is expected to come from local donors, with the remainder pursued through pending grants.

To help raise this final amount, the NCC is looking to a familiar group, alumni and friends of the beloved Norwich pageant, to help launch the final fundraising effort.

Introducing: The Angel Fund

2023 pageant.

To help ensure the Grange continues to serve Norwich for generations to come, the NCC proudly introduces The Angel Fund. This special campaign honors one of Norwich’s most beloved traditions: the annual Norwich Pageant, where each December, angels gather on the porch of the Grange to watch from ‘on high’.

A tradition that started in 1961, Norwich high school seniors play the roles in this nativity parade, which travels from Tracy Hall to the Norwich Inn and stops at the Grange, bringing neighbors together in a heartwarming display of unity and joy.

The angels on the porch represent more than a performance; they are a symbol of hope, care, and togetherness, just like the Grange Hall itself.

Reconnecting Pageant Players with Norwich

The NCC hopes to inspire all past pageant members, their families, and friends to give what they can during this campaign and, in doing so, reconnect with the Norwich community. Intending to raise $10,000 through The Angel Fund, the NCC aims to support essential maintenance and improvements during this final phase. The Angel Fund campaign starts on Thanksgiving Day and will conclude at the Norwich Pageant on December 19.

Whether you grew up here, live here now, or simply carry warm memories of the Grange and the Pageant, a donation to The Angel Fund will help restore the Norwich Grange Hall into a vibrant, welcoming place for potlucks, performances, meetings, and memories for years to come.

Donate to the Angel Fund here: norwichgrangehall.org/angelfund.

The Family Place, a Norwich-based nonprofit that offers programs and resources to support healthy growth for children and families, will celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a series of events throughout the year.

The celebrations will kick off with a Community Open House on September 10 from 4:30-6 p.m. at its Norwich location: 319 US Route 5 South Norwich, Vermont 05055.

Additional pop-up events will be held throughout the year in Thetford, Norwich, South Royalton, Hanover, Woodstock, and Hartland. Events include a Gingerbread Festival on December 6 at Tracy Hall in Norwich and an Anniversary Gala on May 14 at the Quechee Club. More details will be announced at the Community Open House on September 10.

“Over 40 years, we’ve worked with thousands of families. That’s had a huge impact in our region,” said Executive Director Stephanie Slayton. “The work we do helps children and families grow from trauma, build skills, and provide tools to promote healthy development and learning.”

The Family Place also helps families connect with other families and resources. “We’re really helping families achieve their goals, so they can be strong and healthy, and that has a multigenerational effect.”

“It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Family Place as my family and I feel so strongly about the importance of the services they provide for young children and their families here in our community,” said Jessica Cowan, a member of The Family Place’s Family Advisory Committee. “My son is a graduate of their early intervention physical and speech therapy services. My husband and I were empowered by the wonderful team of clinicians who came into our home to work with our son and who taught us how to best support his early development. We also attend play groups and other activities hosted by The Family Place. This has not only provided my son with enriching play and social opportunities but has also provide me with the opportunity to socialize with other parents with young children.  The best part has been the opportunity to give back and support future endeavors of The Family Place by becoming a member of the Family Advisory Committee. I’m proud to be able to continue to support this amazing organization as they celebrate their milestone anniversary and as they continue to plan for the future.”

Slayton said people who would like to get involved can volunteer to support programs, participate in landscaping and building projects, or read stories to children in early education programs. They can also share information about The Family Place with the human resources team at their place of employment or with local moms’ groups.

Financial support is also appreciated. “One of the best ways people can support our work is to invest in children and families by becoming a donor,” Slayton said. “We are working hard to increase our donor base so we have more sustainable, flexible funding.”

Slayton credits The Family Place staff and their dedication to building caring, family-centered relationships to help the agency meet the community’s evolving needs.

“When I look at the legacy of The Family Place, what is remarkable about the organization is that it has adapted to the changing needs of children and families over time,” said Slayton. “We’re able to build new programs that meet current needs or expand programs. We’ve dramatically increased the number of parent workshops and classes we offer, because we saw a need. We’re really able to respond to what our community needs.”

For information about The Family Place’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, visit familyplacevt.org/40th-anniversary-celebrations.

Willing Hands, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to ending food insecurity in the Upper Valley, celebrated their 20th anniversary on Thursday, October 10th. Since the organization was founded by Peter Phippen in 2004, the staff and volunteers of Willing Hands have worked to reduce food waste by redistributing perishable food to their 80 recipient organizations, including food shelves, shelters, and assisted living facilities. Willing Hands has made a significant impact on the Upper Valley over these past two decades, and they celebrated with an open house honoring the individuals that make this work possible.

Willing Hands Executive Director Gabe Zoerheide at
the 20th Anniversary celebration.

Gabe Zoerheide became the executive director of Willing Hands in June of 2015, but he has lived in the Upper Valley most of his life, working for various nonprofit organizations. “Nonprofits are an essential part of the social safety net of our community,” Zoerheide explains.

Willing Hands in particular provides a safety net for those experiencing food insecurity in the Upper Valley by delivering perishable food items throughout the area for free. “Food should be a basic human right,” Zoerheide says, “and for a lot of folks in our community, there are financial barriers to access this basic human need.” By taking food that would otherwise be wasted and delivering it to those who need it, Willing Hands is benefitting both the Upper Valley community and the climate.

The organization collects food from a variety of sources: some is grown at their compound on Church Street, some is gleaned from local farms at harvest time, and a majority is donated from Hanover Co-op food stores and other large produce wholesalers. By redistributing this food, Willing Hands prevents 1.1 million pounds of carbon emissions per year, making them a carbon negative organization. The organization keeps careful track of their carbon balance through a climate action plan, measuring the carbon they emit through delivery and food storage and weighing it against the emissions that would have been caused by food waste.

“Reducing food waste is our core mission, and there is a significant carbon avoidance benefit to that,” Zoerheide says. Much of the food that Willing Hands redistributes would have gone to the landfill, and the energy used to produce that food would go to waste. When they receive donations, they sort the food to ensure its quality, store what they will use, and compost what they don’t use in order to fertilize their on-site gardens.

Donations from food distributors and local farms are only one way that the community supports the work of Willing Hands. “We exist because of the community. Without a community of volunteers, supporters, and leaders, our work just wouldn’t exist,” Zoerheide says. Willing Hands relies on hundreds of volunteers that continue showing up each year to grow food, sort food, and glean food. They are largely funded by community members who choose to invest in the work that they do.

As an organization battling food insecurity, the staff of Willing Hands wish that the issues they address no longer existed. “Celebrating that our work is still needed didn’t feel right,” Zoerheide says. So, when it came time to celebrate 20 years of Willing Hands, the organization chose to celebrate the people who make this work possible.

Norwich community members were welcomed into
Willing Hands facilities during the celebration.

The celebration honored founder Peter Phippen, as well as long-standing board chair Jack Lyons, who passed away last spring. Willing Hands thanked Co-op food stores, their largest donor, and former general manager Terry Appleby, who was integral in establishing the lasting connection between Willing Hands and the Co-op. Current board members, staff, and volunteers were also celebrated. Zoerheide described it as a celebration of “the two decades of care that went into the founding, nurturing, and support of the organization.”

At the open house, the Norwich community had the opportunity to learn more about the inner workings and mission of the organization. Their strategic plan includes a focus on equitable distribution throughout the diverse communities of the Upper Valley, and the organization aims to continue making an impact in an inclusive way. “If you don’t carefully examine your actions with an equity lens, you have the potential of not being aware of communities in need or not seeing those who fall through the cracks,” Zoerheide says.

Looking to the future, Willings Hands hopes to continue to expand its operations, find more ways to prevent food waste, and serve the Upper Valley. Willing Hands is prepared to continue redistributing food to Upper Valley residents in need for at least another twenty years, as long as they are supported by the community. “One of the heartwarming things about nonprofits is that they exist because the community cares about them,” Zoerheide says, “And cares about each other.”

It all started when a few medical professionals hosted a community conversation, and someone asked the question, “Where do the homeless get their healthcare?” – a question that had not been at the front of everyone’s minds.

Over thirty years later, Good Neighbor Health Clinic (GNHC) is a shining example of what happens when a community comes together to address a problem for the better of everyone. Located in White River Junction, Vermont, it began with the hard work of two founders and their wives’ incredible support and resilience, eventually blossoming into a multi-decade legacy of good quality, affordable healthcare. For over 32 years, GNHC has been providing medical and dental care for free to people of the Upper Valley, all thanks to their volunteers.

You might know Paul and Wendy Manganiello of Norwich; their work and desire to do more for others has created an incredible space where over 327 volunteers have dedicated thousands of hours to make free care possible over the years. It was an idea hatched from Paul and Peter Mason’s friendship, and a drive to make real change happen here at home in our community.

Wendy and Paul have been integral members of the Norwich community, witnessing and contributing to its growth and development over the years. Their journey began in 1979, when they moved from Georgia to West Lebanon, eventually settling in Norwich in 1984. From the outset, they were drawn to the town’s strong sense of community, particularly through the local school system, which helped them form lasting friendships and integrate into the fabric of the Norwich way of life.

Tonya Gammel, GNHC treasurer

One of the couple’s notable local contributions has been their involvement in the Good Neighbor Health Clinic. Their commitment to the clinic dates back to the 1980s, when a seminar on homelessness in the Upper Valley revealed a pressing need for community support services in the area. This realization spurred the formation of the Upper Valley Interfaith Homeless Coalition – a collaborative effort among local churches to provide temporary shelter and support for the homeless.

Paul’s medical background and Wendy’s dedication to social justice played crucial roles in these initiatives. They were instrumental in organizing and supporting the clinic, which provided essential healthcare services to those in need. Over the years, their efforts, along with those of numerous volunteers and community members, have transformed GNHC into a cornerstone of the local healthcare system.

The success of these community projects is a testament to the unwavering support from Norwich volunteers. According to Wendy and Paul, the town’s residents have consistently stepped up, offering their time, skills, and resources to ensure the well-being of their neighbors. This collective effort underscores the idea that community improvement is not the work of a few, but the result of many minds coming together with a shared vision and purpose. The Manganiello’s emphasize that their story is not just about their contributions, but about the power of community collaboration. They highlight the importance of recognizing the many volunteers and leaders who have dedicated themselves to GNHC’s mission over the years. These individuals have shown incredible dedication, often making personal sacrifices to support the clinic’s growth and sustainability.

Reflecting on their journey, Wendy and Paul express deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve and the remarkable people they have met along the way. With the incredible amount of non-profits in the Upper Valley, it is important to note how many people make these organizations successful. Consider the GNHC treasurer, Tonya Gammel – also a Norwich resident, who has found a use for her skills and work ethic to be applied to the non-profit setting and takes great pride in making sure the important things happen.

For two decades, Tonya Gammell has embraced the tight-knit community of Norwich, finding inspiration in its collective spirit. Joining the GNHC board six years ago, she continues to play a pivotal role in enhancing community health through her involvement and financial expertise.

Through GNHC, Tonya has gained insight into the challenges facing residents and the dedication of volunteers striving to overcome them. Balancing her board duties with a full-time career at Hypertherm and other community engagements, Tonya exemplifies Norwich’s spirit of giving back. Beyond her work with GNHC, she is passionate about fostering civic engagement, particularly among the next generation. Her journey from initial hesitance to active advocacy underscores the transformative power of individual commitment to community well-being.

Patty Monahan, Norwich community
member and GNHC Board member

As Norwich continues to evolve, Tonya’s dedication serves as a beacon, inspiring others to join in the effort to build a healthier, more vibrant community. In her tireless advocacy and unwavering support, Tonya embodies the essence of community unity and compassion that defines Norwich’s character.

Patty Monahan, VP of Senior Treasury and Municipal Services at Mascoma Bank and fellow community member of Norwich, also serves at GNHC on the Board, and you might find her in the community passing out information about the work that the clinic does to help spread the word.

The many good people of Norwich help form the Upper Valley community and have made lasting contributions to what Good Neighbor Health Clinic has become. Thank you, Norwich community, for your support of our work and for embodying what it means to be a “Good Neighbor”!

~ Elizabeth Austin, MHA, on Behalf of Good Neighbor Health Clinic

The positive impact of music couldn’t be clearer to 17-year-old Norwood Davis.

Davis, who moved to Norwich in 2013, started playing the classical piano when he was four years old. Since then, he’s kept playing, most recently in front of an unsuspecting audience.

Davis’ grandmother, Norma Butters, has been living at Wheelock Terrace Senior Living Center in Hanover since 2020. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about ten years ago.

“For a long time, I’ve watched her decline in what she can say and do,” Davis says. “Back [when I was] in 7th grade, she lived in this place in Cincinnati; we would go [visit] probably once a year, and when we would go I would play the piano there.”

Norma is among many seniors in assisted living centers who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and experience severe symptoms, such as memory loss, confusion, the inability to communicate, emotional outbursts and impulsive behavior, and lack of awareness. Victims of this unfortunate disease have difficulty performing and experiencing normal, everyday tasks. With that in mind, it’s not uncommon for Alzheimer’s patients to be unreceptive to visitors.

“They sit still for most of the day in front of the TV…there’s not a whole lot of stimulation [for them],” Davis says. “These people, they don’t get to see kids that are so young that often. Those who are like my mom’s Mom, they need this stimulation.”

After seeing how much joy music brought his grandmother, Davis decided to organize a Recital for Young Musicians to share the joy of music with other seniors in assisted living.

During visits to Norma in Cincinnati, Davis would play favorites like “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” for residents of the assisted living center. “I would start to play,” Davis recounts. “You could see a change across the whole space: in their eyes, in the ways they sat or stood, and some would begin to sing or hum along.”

“Some who didn’t know their kids’ names, didn’t know how to walk…they would start to sing along word for word,” Davis adds.

In August, Davis organized his first music recital at Wheelock Terrace and advertised on the Norwich Listserv to young musicians in the area.

The first recital was a huge success: “You could tell that everyone was so uplifted,” Davis says. “Not just [by] the songs that were played and sung, but also just the connection to kids that are young.”

Davis planned another music recital, this time Halloween-themed, at The Greens at Hanover – an independent senior living community. Davis advertised on the Norwich Listserv and Hanover Listserv and ended up with nine young musicians who participated.

Mostly from Norwich and Hanover, the participating young musicians wore their Halloween costumes to the recital at The Greens in October and played some spooky classical tracks to set the autumnal mood. Musicians ranged in age from five years old to teenagers under 18.

Davis says that the biggest impact of his recitals is the connection that music brings for seniors, those with and without Alzheimer’s.

“Both my grandma on my mom’s side and my grandad on my dad’s side, they both suffer pretty severely from Alzheimer’s, and I’ve spent a lot of time in these places,” Davis says. “I’ve seen firsthand how big of an impact the sound of music and how it can bring joy to them.”

As a junior at Kimball Union Academy, Davis will graduate soon, but in the meantime, he plans to continue the tradition of music recitals at area senior centers every two or three months. He also hopes to expand to more locations.

The sound of music touches the mind, body, and soul of all those who hear it, and Davis has seen it work its magic over and over again.

Not only does music spread joy and bring people together; Davis says, “Music has been shown to bring back memories.”

Tillie Walden of Norwich was sworn in by Governor Phil Scott during a legislative meeting as Vermont’s Cartoonist Laureate. In attendance were representatives from Norwich and Thetford celebrating the appointed Norwich resident as the fifth person ever to hold this prestigious title. The Cartoonist Laureate title is very special to Vermont, as it is the only state to regularly appoint someone to this role that includes a three-year term of creating art for the state.

Walden is a cartoonist and illustrator who currently teaches at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction. The bulk of the lessons in her comics class are on how to make a ‘good comic,’ including writing and drawing techniques. Her sold-out 2023 summer class entitled “Queer Comics” is an in-person workshop where students not only will learn about creating comics but attend a workshop specifically for the design of queer comic stories. “It’s a really delightful class,” Walden said. 

Walden now succeeds Rick Veitch of West Townshend, who was appointed in 2020. Since the 2011 appointment of Vermont’s first Cartoonist Laureate, Burlington resident James Kochalka, the Cartoon Laureate has been tasked with creating comic depictions of noteworthy events happening in the state throughout their three-year term. 

Walden had heard of the Cartoonist Laureate position previously, noting that “There is a big drawing entitled ‘The Seal’ by Ed Koren (the state’s second official Cartoonist Laureate) at the Center for Cartoon Studies, so it sounded official but I never would have expected it [for myself].”

Walden was really surprised to be selected, and said, “It’s a huge honor and I am very excited about the next three years of cartoons, getting to collaborate with the VT Humanities and make comics about life in Vermont.”

Walden has been making comics for over ten years and has published more than ten books, many of which have been award winners or nominees for outstanding achievement. Some of her most notable graphic novels include Are You Listening?, which earned Walden the distinction in 2018 as the youngest winner of the Eisner Award – she was only 22 years old – the first of two Eisner Awards for her. This graphic novel was also nominated as a Harvey Award winner in 2020 for “Book of the Year”, one of the most prestigious awards in the comics industry.

Her professional works also include a trilogy entitled Clementine, which is set in the apocalyptic Walking Dead television series universe. The story finds a pair journeying toward an abandoned ski resort in Vermont (which may be our very own Killington!).

Another recent book project came about rather randomly, about four years ago, according to Walden. The Canadian indie pop duo, Tegan and Sara, were writing a middle grade graphic novel and asked Walden to illustrate the book, titled Junior High. “I said yes immediately!” Walden recalled. They began work on the story during the pandemic. “They were lovely to work with. Both Sara and Tegan really trusted me to do my thing, make edits, and interpret the words in my own way,” Walden said, “They made my job easy, though; their script was so full of heart and laughter.” Walden is now working on a second book with the duo.

One may be surprised to learn that Walden’s graphic novel and childhood memoir Spinning, published in 2017, has since been banned in some southern states, including Texas, where Walden was born. The book is a coming-of-age tale that chronicles Walden’s years as a competitive ice skater, navigating romance, bullying, trauma, and coming out. Walden expressed that “It’s disappointing, weird, and upsetting to keep these stories away from kids, especially since they have done well critically.” Referencing her own life as an open book, Walden has found a strong calling to create works highlighting queer themes and depicting queer characters. 

Walden wholeheartedly commends Norwich and Thetford for being such a wonderful and welcoming community for her growing family. Walden is married to cartoonist Emma Hunsinger and they are expecting the arrival of Walden’s first baby. The couple co-created and published a children’s picture book last year titled My Parents Won’t Stop Talking! So while Walden is preparing to take on a new role with the State as a working artist for the three-year term, she is also beginning the lifelong adventure as a parent.  

Awards

A collection of Walden’s awards to date also include Best Graphic Album-New A Chicago Public Library, Best of the Best Book of 2019 by National Public Radio (NPR), Best Book of 2019 by O Magazine (Oprah Magazine), Best LGBTQ Book of 2019, One of The Comics Beat’s Best Comics of 2019, A Lambda Literary Award Finalist, and also she has been a Harvey Award nominee for Best Book of the Year, On a Sunbeam.

Vital Communities, the non-profit organization working to cultivate the civic, environmental, and economic vitality of the Upper Valley, was recently awarded a $200,000 New England Food Vision Prize for a multi-partner project. The Food Vision Prize aims to build resiliency, relationships, and capacity within New England’s farm-to-institution supply chain.

“This project will create a stable market for local producers, open stable sales channels for BIPOC producers, increase the amount of local ingredients in our institutions, and strengthen our local economy,” Vital Communities director of food & farm and economy, Nancy LaRowe, of Norwich, said.

The project came together when long-time Vital Community Upper Valley Everyone Eats partner, Global Village Foods – an African-inspired prepared food producer based in Quechee –  brought the idea of applying for a Food Vision prize to Vital Communities. Already sourcing from local farms for their UVEE meals, Global Village Foods realized they needed more and different equipment and a partner to help connect with local farms.

With this awarding of the prize, Global Village Foods will now have the means to produce meals at a large scale for institutions, starting with the University of Vermont, with food grown in New Hampshire and Vermont.

“We’re super excited because we have always tried to source our ingredients locally,” said Mel Hall, owner of Global Village Foods along with his wife, Damaris. “As we begin to rebound from the pandemic, this grant enables us to grow from a small regional specialty brand to having national potential, and to carry those local growers with us and offer them a guaranteed revenue stream.”

One of the local growers partnering with Global Village Foods is our own Honey Field Farm run by Eli Hirsch and Valerie Woodhouse, a 35-acre family farm located on Butternut Road in Norwich on the site of the former Killdeer Farm.

Making their start in Spring 2020, Hirsch and Woodhouse came to Norwich from Fairfax, VT looking to grow their small organic farm. They’d been searching for the right spot to take their business to the next level and found their ideal location at Killdeer. “We were excited to move to this community. It seemed like a community that was already really supportive of local agriculture,” Woodhouse said. The Norwich community has lived up to its reputation. “[The community] has been 5000% supportive,” she added. “[They’ve] really rallied to help us get on our feet and show up at the farm.”

It was at a Norwich Farmers Market that Valerie and Eli met Mel. Mel was sharing the Global Village Foods project with vendors, and Honey Field Farm’s wholesale veggie operation fit exactly into what Global Village Foods was looking for. This past September the two food-providers started working together.

“We’re definitely excited to work with them. We love working with food processors and local makers,” Hirsch said.

One of the reasons Hirsch and Woodhouse love working with food processors is the predictability of the market. “Every week since we began working with Global Village Foods, they’ve been buying 50 pounds of spinach. It’s something we know is going to happen and we can plan for it in advance. It is a huge relief to have stability and consistency. We can go into next year knowing the crop we plant has a home.,” Woodhouse said.

Honey Field Farms has been supplying Global Village Foods with scallions and spinach this fall and intends to plan more crops for the upcoming season with Mel and Damaris over the winter.

Beyond the stability provided by their partnership with Global Village Foods, Hirsch and Woodhouse appreciate the ability to widen their farm’s market. “We really like any opportunity we have to put more Vermont food into the regional foods system beyond our local relationships.” In addition to supplying our local coops and markets, Hirsch said. “We really appreciate when we’re able to send our food to other communities, other states, and other parts of the food system.”

Honey Field Farm’s food will be doing just that as it travels north with Global Village Food meals to the University of Vermont dining halls as part of Vital Communities Food Vision prize project.

Since 1983, Hartford-Norwich Holiday Basket Helpers has served vulnerable residents in the Upper Valley. What started as a group of friends getting together to support some families who were unable to celebrate the holidays has since evolved into a robust organization. According to Sue Pitiger of Norwich – one of the current organizers – it was Pat Stark, working for the Town of Hartford, who connected the Hartford community with the Norwich community and created a local yearly event. When Pat retired, Pitiger and others such as Sophia Crawford and Carol Loveland, continued the program.

What makes Holiday Basket Helpers a very personalized project is how families are able to define what their children need. With the help of local schools, a list of candidates is created; families are contacted and asked specifically what clothing is needed and what two toys the child would like. Details are important, too. Holiday Basket Helpers wants to get clothing sizes correct, and kids have color preferences! Pitiger asks families, “Does she like ballerinas?” or “Does he only like blue?”

Holiday Basket Helpers then searches for sponsors for each child, and after sponsors drop off gifts at Saint Paul’s Church in White River Junction, the chaotic fun begins. Sue relishes the busy atmosphere of the volunteers who receive and sort the gifts, making sure the sizes are correct. That’s the key, Pitiger says. No six-year-old wants a size 3T hoodie! “We rely on the volunteers to see that all kids get what they want,” says Pitiger. Families receive a gift card for food and other items. Holiday Baskets Helpers also serves seniors who have been identified through agencies such as Meals on Wheels.

December 10th marks the day when families will arrive at Saint Paul’s to collect their gift bags. A joint effort, Boy Scouts help distribute the bags and Willing Hands provide the produce.

The Holiday Basket Helpers find great joy in what they do. Families have expressed their appreciation for the program in notes of thanks. One former recipient is now a volunteer. Gratitude abounds for so many helping and generous hands – the Norwich Lions Club, the Norwich Women’s Club and the Quechee Lakes Elves, to name a few.

While Pitiger relishes the entire process, there are favorite moments. One is when “Santa” and “Mrs. Claus,” played by Jack Candon and his wife of Norwich, come incognito (in street clothes) to Saint Paul’s bearing gifts. The volunteers let out a knowing laugh at the sight of “Santa.” The greatest thrill comes when the last bag is securely closed and all is set for pickup. “It is a glorious moment!” says Pitiger.

Please consider becoming a sponsor or contributing a monetary donation to Holiday Baskets Helpers (HolidayBasketsVT.org).