Sitting in his favorite chair – the same one he uses for songwriting — in his backyard in New Orleans, independent singer-songwriter Hans Williams seems at ease as he reflects on the past year. Recently, on October 18th, he put on a show with his band in Hanover, NH, and afterward, he introduced his bandmates to his Norwich community by pressing cider with his neighbors. It’s here that Williams expresses something poignant — the first of many things — when he says that the Upper Valley is “a unique, special community…you can tell someone that, but it takes growing up there…to get a sense of that.”

Hans Wiilliams at a recent Bragg Hill Cider
pressing.c

Though the Norwich transplant now lives in New Orleans, this community mindset plays a significant role in Williams’ life. The musician shares a split-up multi-family house with a few other local musicians, including his producer, long-time collaborator, and once-Norwich resident Phin Choukas. This space has become an artist’s domain, brimming with creative energy as each works on their projects. Together, these musicians have created a small, tight-knit community, like the one Williams grew up with in Norwich. Together, they share wins and losses as they work toward success in a difficult industry.

Thankfully, Williams is in a good place. He lives comfortably off his earnings from streaming, partially due to his continued independence from music labels. He expresses that he is both grateful for the opportunity and lucky, knowing full well that some of his other colleagues must work all year to earn a meager salary on the road. However, this opportunity has allowed Williams to focus wholeheartedly on his art. Though Williams has a laid-back manner of speaking, when it comes to his craft, the musician expresses somber, spiritual, and ambitious reflections about his work: “There’s this gap between what I like to listen to and what I’m capable of making, and I really want to make something that’s going to last as far as my taste.” In other words, he wants to pen songs he never tires of playing.

Hans at Austin City Limits Festival: Austin, TX, Oct 12, 2025.

To do this, Williams revisits his favorite seat outside regularly. Often beginning with a chord progression or a series of notes, he jams on it and works out a melody line. As he nails that down, Williams sings words and phrases that come to his mind. Then, later, he digs deeper to see if these improvisational lyrics are a signal from his subconscious of something more affecting. Often, they become signals to process complex emotions, especially when it comes to traumatic events.

Hans playing at a Tuck’s Rock Dojo show ca: 2014

Lately, ’70s British folk music (Nick Drake, John Martyn, Fairport Convention, Pentangle) has become an inspiration for him in this regard. Although Williams expresses that extensive inspiration comes from his parents’ taste in music (Al Green, Steely Dan, Tracy Chapman), he has had British folk musician John Martyn’s 1973 release Solid Air in his solid rotation. Inspired by Martyn’s visit to a colleague, folk legend Nick Drake, the record became an accidental tribute to him when Drake would commit suicide via depressants a year later. Similarly, Williams processed and coped with the tragedy of being a first responder to his roommate’s suicide with his 2020 hit, “Body On My Shoulders.” Understandably, the event still lurks in Williams’ mind, and as time goes on, he finds himself returning to it in new ways. He says the event is still top of mind and may make its way into more of his work.

Not all Williams’ work is this dark. Earlier this year, he released the soul-funk adjacent “Hold My Love,” a tune about love, apologies, and making up. However, both this song and “Body On My Shoulder” establish a common theme in Williams’ work: his ability to speak to the human spirit. Williams is the first to say he does not know exactly what made him so successful on streaming, as Spotify’s algorithm works its magic outside his knowledge. However, it is clear Williams is tapping into something that resonates with listeners. Last year, when he toured his 2024 release More Than One Way Home, he was able to meet his audience, and through conversations, he saw firsthand how listeners had taken to heart the songs he had written. Sometimes, they were in ways he had not originally intended, but still, it seemed Williams spoke directly to their soul. It illustrates another example of the singer-songwriter’s focus on community, woven into both his work and his approach to his surrounding listenership.

When asked how growing up in Norwich influenced him, Williams expressed that Norwich’s community was vital in shaping who he is. He said that when it comes to Norwich, you become attuned to this way of thinking by living there. “You don’t really choose who your friends are. You kind of have to make nice with everyone.” One of his bandmates commented on it when they were recently pressing cider in Norwich, “I get why you love community so much, because you have such a strong one here.”

Williams’ Norwich upbringing, which stressed the importance of community, along with his serious approach to his craft and relatability, all most likely play a factor in his success. It’s clear the musician’s roots are carved deep in his work. Whatever project we see next from the successful singer-songwriter, it would not be unlikely to expect a little bit of Norwich to be present. Whether that element ends up front and personal or buried beneath the surface, listeners will have to wait and see.

Neighbors on Bragg Hill pressing cider

Mary Stevens, APRN, is Norwich’s Community Nurse. Our town, community members and the Byrne foundation have generously supported this integral service. What exactly is a Community Nurse and what exactly does Mary do?

Healthcare is evolving and complicated, making it easy for important pieces to fall through the cracks. People are encouraged to do more and more for themselves and for some, this can be a challenge. The Community Nurse bridges the gap between the medical environment and people’s lives in their own homes.

Mary offers assessments. She visits people in their homes and helps them figure out what services and equipment would make life easier and safer.

Mary will follow up with people who live with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and congestive heart failure and make sure they understand their medications and how and when to take them. She communicates with healthcare providers and sometimes accompanies people to medical appointments. Her own background as a Nurse Practitioner adds to her effectiveness in this role.

We have community members who are discharged from the hospital after a bout with pneumonia or after a hip replacement. There can be a wide gap between discharge instructions delivered in the hospital and the reality at home. Mary visits and makes sure that recovery is on the right track and that people have the correct equipment and know how to use it.

We have several elders in our community who don’t have family close by. Mary offers home visits  and communicates with family members. As is true in the larger world, Mary increasingly encounters people living independently in Norwich, who are  also living with dementia. This is one of the biggest challenges for people who are aging in place.

Mary has a lifelong association with the Upper Valley, having grown up here herself, and has lived in Norwich for almost ten years. Mary began her career in medicine as a paramedic, attended nursing school and worked as a nurse in the emergency room. She then pursued her Advanced Practice  degree, becoming  a Nurse Practitioner. Locally, she worked at Dick’s House and Good Neighbor Health Clinic before becoming Norwich’s Community Nurse.

To reach the Norwich Community Nurse, call (802) 281-2722; Email: mailto:norwichnursevt@gmail.com. Phone messages and emails are checked daily.

When you think of what makes a house a home, what comes to mind? If anyone in the Upper Valley region has a deep, rich understanding of this, it is Ann Shriver Sargent.

Ann is a visionary, who, for many years, has blended her love of the natural world, her appreciation for local craftsmanship, and deep sense of family and community, with her passion for and expertise in design. She is the owner of Sargent Design Company in Norwich, VT, where she and her husband, David, live. Her story is rich, meaningful, and inspirational. For Ann, a home is so much more than the contents within. It encompasses not only the thought that goes into the design and aesthetics, but also the intention of creating a unique space where each detail, each piece within the home reflects a personal story. It is also a reflection of the craftsmen and local artisans in the community who come together to help bring the vision to life. It is not only a home, but a gathering place, a warm invitation to friends and family.

Ann in her kitchen
A guest

In November, Ann was inducted into the New England Design Hall of Fame, a very high achievement recognizing individuals and businesses in New England’s residential design industry. Ann was recognized for her design work as well as for her contributions to and influences in the look and feel of New England homes and resorts. “This is a huge honor.  There’s a lot of people I have admired over the years that have received this honor, so it feels really humbling and gratifying,” said Ann.  Though her work is deeply interwoven into the landscape and history of New England, it can be admired across other areas of the country, as well.

When Ann and her family moved to Norwich in 1972, she fell in love with the area. “It was a wonderful time to be in the Upper Valley because back to nature was a big movement,” she explained. She described how seeing the local crafts and handmade items made homes more personal and told the narrative of someone’s life. This resonated deeply with her. “I loved the way it made you feel, to be in spaces like that. I absorbed those feelings over time.” This would become the heart and philosophy of her work, to create intentional and meaningful spaces for people and their stories.

At a young age, Ann developed a love for horses, which later led to her joining the The Root District Riding Club. It was there she met David, who later became her husband. Ann and David shared a deep appreciation for creative design, but also for land and family. David’s roots are deeply embedded in Norwich, his family having owned land there for many years.

After some time, Ann and David moved to Gloucester, MA where they lived in and took care of a 1739 home that had been in David’s family and is currently part of the Cape Ann Museum. The two eventually bought the house and made it their home. Living in such a space where fine craftsmanship was seen throughout, such as the architectural details, the hand blocked wall paper, and delicately carved woodwork, Ann developed an interest in how personal touches, history, and stories create a warmth and depth to a home. That “house really seeped into my sense of scale and comfort,” she explained. “I love how antiques and things that show the touch of the craftsman’s hand make a space feel.”

Ann studied art history in college, simultaneously narrowing in on her interest in architecture, which was heavily influenced during her travels through Paris. Later she took on an internship that led her to accept a position in a design showroom in Boston. And from there her career took off. Her husband, working as a graphic designer, also shared an interest in design work that led him into the field of architectural design. Their shared  passion for family, community, and their aligning careers naturally evolved into their collaboration on many projects over the years.

Their love and ties to Norwich brought them to purchase land and build a home across from David’s family’s land, now part of a land trust. Over a 40-year span of time, each of David’s siblings purchased the adjoining properties, ultimately creating a family compound.  Ann shared, “each home has its own personality. When you feel a person’s space, you know who they are.”

When thinking of Ann’s connection to the natural world, her appreciation for craftsmanship, her interest in family, community, and comfort, it is apparent what is at the heart of Ann’s design work. She shared that her intent in designing homes is to focus on “houses with hospitality in mind. It’s about creating something comforting for the people in it and their guests, with enough personal expression to feel like them.”

Congratulations, Ann, for the well-deserved recognition for your design work. It is a testament to the passion and care that is at the heart of your philosophy in creating homes for people, not only in the Upper Valley, but beyond.

So, what makes a house a home? It is the personal expression of someone’s life, the community that contributes to the story and history through fine craftsmanship and skill, and the designer who beautifully orchestrates – and ultimately creates – the complete vision.

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.

Rightfully so, due to his uncanny ability to poke check the puck from seemingly out of nowhere (tall torso and long arms helped), his nickname on the ice was ‘Reach.’ What has become so beautifully clear is that Stuart (Stu) Close’s reach was felt far and wide – spanning generations and geographies – and none of us knew! Because Stu lived a good-person’s life from the inside out – quietly, gently, fairly, honestly, lovingly, graciously – all from a place of deeply-seated integrity, anyone who has ever had the gift of his presence has come away feeling, well, good!

We all know that no one is perfect and that all humans are flawed. I’m sure Stu was, too. He wasn’t super human, but he did have a super power that was just part of who he was. He was able to do what is really, really hard for most humans: meet any and all challenges head-on with an under-the-radar, no fanfare, no-reward-expected resolve and determination that just might put him in the super human category.

And, as you will learn after reading the words that follow (excerpts from speeches given by his family and friends), Stu was able to muster up the best possible attitude and “game-on” joie de vivre – in EVERY domain of his life – raising up everyone he reached!

In fact, one could say he positively poke checked the hell out of us all, and now here we stand, in utter awe and admiration, wondering how he did that.

“Today is a great day!” Stuart Close, 1960-2025

Stuart Thomson Close, 1960-2025

Stuart Thomson Close died April 17, 2025 at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center following a twelve-year battle with a brain tumor.

Stu was the son of Thompson and Ardis (Moore) Close and brother to Elissa Close and Ellen DesMeules. Growing up in Norwich, he was an avid athlete, playing hockey and football and developed a passion for skiing from an early age. He spent his summers working at his father’s company, Blaktop, which Stuart later managed as president after his father’s passing in 1989. He graduated from Hanover High in 1978 and from the University of Vermont in 1983 with a degree in business.

Stuart married Kristin Brown in 1997 and they raised their two children, Greta and Bridger, in Norwich, as active members of and volunteers in the community.

On Saturday, May 31, 2025, a Celebration of Life was held at the Norwich Congregational Church to honor Stu. Not surprisingly, it was a packed house. There were prayers, there were speeches, there were jokes and laughter, original poems were recited, we sang John Denver’s “Country Roads” with some Stu-ified lyric tweaks, we heard stories about Stu and the indelible mark he left on all who knew him. There was not a dry eye in the house. Sadness, to be sure, but it was love and that feeling of pure joy for life that permeated every heart in the room.

The following are excerpts from some of the speeches given by his family and friends that reveal just how wonderful Stu made people feel.

From his wife, Kristin

Stu and I are regular donors to the American Cancer Society and particularly the NFL’s Crucial Catch campaign. In 2018, we were amazingly picked out of a lottery to win tickets to the Super Bowl in Atlanta where the Patriots beat the L.A. Rams – Tom Brady’s last Super Bowl win with the Patriots – such a highlight! Part of our weekend with Crucial Catch was being showered in gear, and one of the items we got was a Patriots sweatshirt that across the front said STILL HERE referencing the Patriots staying power. Little did we know, that would be Stu’s motto a year later…

Soon after his third brain surgery in 2019, he spent a month at Ascutney rehab where he had to relearn how to do most things from writing, to eating, to speaking, to standing, to walking. Not long after  he got home, we went to the Parker Meadow here in town [Norwich] to practice walking. I was taking a video of him taking steps and, all of a sudden, he raised his crutches into the air and yelled: “STILL HERE”!

Stu repeated this slogan every time he tried something new or overcame yet another challenge whether it was walking, or skiing, or sit-skiing, or sled hockey, biking, or even attaching his feeding tube. It was dark humor but we chuckled every time because, after all he had been through, it seemed so unlikely that he actually was still here.

A Romantic

…Stu was a self-proclaimed sentimental old fool – he was old-fashioned – a throw back – I LOVED that about him!

Stu proposed at sunset at the lighthouse on Monhegan Island in Maine… As a surprise for breakfast… Stu pulled out a Blueberry Buckle. I have no idea how he snuck and made this without me knowing, but it was absolutely delicious and became a favorite. From then on, Stu would make a blueberry buckle every engagement anniversary.

Every [wedding] anniversary we could, we would go back to the Trapps Meadow, he would queue up our wedding song (Bobby Darin’s “Beyond the Sea”) and we would drink champagne, he’d give me flowers, and we’d look at our wedding album – it was so romantic!

…Somewhere along the way, we decided we wanted to celebrate our anniversary EVERY month, so on the 21st of each month we would give each other cards or a text or go to Happy Hill for a toast or a dance in the kitchen… Seriously, we barely missed a month!

Stu was diagnosed with his brain stem tumor in early 2012. The tumor came back in 2014 and again in 2019. Through it all, Stu was courageously rock-solid in not letting this tumor take over his life. Not many could endure three 11-hour brain surgeries and two rounds of radiation.

Perseverance

MLK said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge.”

We have all heard this quote, but Stu lived it EVERY day – especially in these past few years, showing us further what an incredible human he was. I think of how he embraced each challenge with, “What CAN I do now in this new state?”…a state that was ever-changing and ever-compromised.

When he couldn’t trust himself to bike on two wheels, he found a recumbent e-trike. When his legs couldn’t ski or skate anymore, he found Vermont Adaptive and started sit-skiing and joined a sled hockey league over at Campion. When he eventually couldn’t balance on the hockey sled, he’d go over to watch his buddies play.

But one of the hardest losses for Stu was his smile. His beautiful smile lit up his whole face. You will see in almost every photo taken over the past few years that he would take his right hand and tug the right side of his mouth up – ensuring that we knew he was truly having a good time… because he was. He was experiencing real JOY. He loved being with us and [being] a part of whatever we were doing. Even in the midst of so many losses, he managed to share his gratitude for STILL being HERE.

Because of these physical declines, Stu became elderly before his time. It’s funny… starting early on in our marriage, whenever he would see an elderly couple walking down the street, he would say to me: “there we are.” But, in 2019, as we would slowly make our way around the block, he began to say: “here we are.”

In so many ways our reality was unimaginable, but we both seemed to get that we had to stay in the present, stay positive, and find happiness in this time we had left. I’ll never forget how every morning he came into the kitchen practicing his speech and over-enunciating, “TODAY IS A GREAT DAY!”

Bridger and Stu circa 2013.

Nurturing Relationships

From his son, Bridger

My Dad noticed our similarities as I grew up, and every so often he would tell me how he saw parts of himself in me. One moment that stuck with me was when I received a letter from him while at school in Colorado last winter. In it he opened up and articulated more than he ever had before. He wrote about his emotions growing up, how they shaped his choices early in life, and what he wished he had prioritized more. One of those things – something he didn’t want me to overlook – was building relationships.

Over the past few years, my Dad was a true role model for how to nurture relationships. When Greta and I were kids, we’d always duck in the backseat of the car as mom shouted out the window to say hello to someone she recognized on the street. But recently it was my mom, Greta, and me idling next to my dad as he checked in with a neighbor from our front porch or greeted a passing biker on a rail trail. He kept in close touch with his friends, always making the effort to call or set up an adventure for the upcoming weekend.

Fair and Family-Focused

Stu ran Blaktop and Twin State Sand and Gravel, alongside his
partner Bud Ames, for nearly 40 years.

From Tim Kramer, Blaktop employee

But it was more like we worked with him rather than for him, for as long as he was at Blaktop… When you respect a man as much as I respect Stuart, it’s easy to keep on pulling for the betterment of the company and because you don’t want to let a man like him down.

Stu treated his employees with great respect also. He didn’t want anyone overworked. Stu, being a family man, wanted everyone to be close to their own family and to be part of the Blaktop family. When asked what it would cost to pave a wheelchair ramp for my mother, the answer was “just do it.” We are all family. He even knew my granddaughters’ names and kept tabs on them.

His disposition was almost always excellent. It was pretty hard to make him mad. But trust me, I did pull it off a couple times. One night in particular, it was getting late and we had a disagreement that didn’t go too well. I left mad at him and he was mad at me. However, he didn’t want the sun to go down with the issue still between us, so before I was home he was calling me, wanting to get some dinner and get it worked out.

Kindness and Integrity

From his UVM best friend, Mern

Back to the original question – What made Stu so exceptional? Stu was truer to his core beliefs than anyone I’ve ever known.

One example: You know that one, “Don’t speak poorly of others?” In the 48 years we were friends,

I never heard Stuart, not even once, speak poorly of another person!

That’s exceptional!

Like father, like daughter. Greta and Stu circa 2001.

Humble and an Adventurer

From his daughter, Greta:

…Sometimes I wondered if it was hard for him to recount the life of that fit and fearless former version of himself. But if anything, he seemed surprised and touched that I was so interested in his life. And honestly, that was so Dad, never one to feel worthy of such attention. He was so humble and unassuming in everything he did. I’m not sure I’ve met anyone else who, without needing to speak, commanded such respect and love and admiration just from the way he carried himself.

And yet, at the end of the day, Dad was Dad, and it’s not those intangibles but simply him, just being around, that I’ll miss most.

So, I’d like to end with this letter-turned-poem

I wrote to him this spring.

Dear Dad,
I drove home last night through perfect spring.
Cotton candy skies and bushy green trees.
And there you are.
In every freshly unfurled leaf, each budding flower,
in the birdsongs and the clouds and the setting sun.
Just like the other night,
when I biked out to the end of Turnpike
and then further
until grated, hard-pack dirt
turned to mud and rocks and that old Class 4 road.
I pedaled over rock slabs and deep ruts,
amongst puddles and trees.
The further I went,
the thicker the golden hour poured over that forest and me.
And when I hit the powerline,
I turned left toward home,
and I spoke to you.
“Hi Dad,” I said. In my mind, walking through
the breezeway
into your crooked grin.
“You know that old Class 4 road off the end of Turnpike?” I’d say.
And you’d know.
And together we’d trace my route,
you from the yellow swiveling chair in the kitchen
and I on two knobby tires.
“I know you’d know where that old mine is,
and the way water runs through those ruts,
and the fun in discovering the beautiful, hidden folds of your hometown.”
And when I stopped talking, there you were
in the hills ahead of me and the ridgelines behind
and up above in the pink and blues of the sky.
Like seeing home with new eyes.
The ruts veered and I with them,
and I thought,
okay Dad,
if this is how it must be,
then I’ll be here,
and you’ll be everywhere,
and it will be the most beautiful the world has ever been.
Love,
Greta

We all – and I can safely include even those of you who didn’t know him – love him and miss having him on this Earth. But, as with every super human, his glorious reach is still being felt and will through time and space… for good!

Many people reach a point in their lives when it becomes difficult to meet new people. Thankfully, Upper Valley Ultimate has been remedying this problem for decades by providing a third space to play Ultimate Frisbee. At Sachem Field in West Lebanon, over thirty people meet at 6 pm on a Monday to throw the disc in a friendly pick-up game.

Norwich resident, Eli Weber (holding disc), has been playing Ultimate Frisbee for over 26 years.

Sonia Howlett, a Norwich resident and one of the group’s organizers, had a lot of positives to express about the group. Though she played in college, she was looking to meet new friends after COVID, and this group seemed like a good way to do so. Since then, she’s entered a leadership role with three others, setting up communication through emails and a Discord server, coordinating all sorts of logistics.

Norwich resident Sonia Howlett

Attendees range from 16 years old to those in their 70s, though most are more centered around the middle of that age range. Howlett says that one of the great things about the sport is that it’s “nice to make a space that holds a range of ages.” Though there are several residents from Norwich and the surrounding Upper Valley area, some players drive over an hour to play, such as some from St. Johnsbury. Part of the reason for this is simple. Although other areas in the region have pickup games,  this is one of the most well-attended groups, so there are always enough people to play. However, for Howlett and many others, the draw of Ultimate Frisbee is that “the sport pulls good people” and it’s nice to have a “third space that meets once a week.” To clarify, in social theory, a “third space” refers to a place, separate from home (first space) and work (second space), where people gather to socialize, relax, and build community. It’s a neutral ground for informal interactions, fostering a sense of belonging and connection (AI search summary).

Beyond pick-up games, the Upper Valley Ultimate group hosts an additional league night during the summer. Teams are internally constructed within the group with co-ed teams of equal gender-mixing. One of the coordinators’ hardest jobs is making sure teams are balanced effectively for fair play. The latest summer league that just wrapped up its season had four teams. Team names are typically constructed based on a theme, and this year’s was medieval professions: the Bladesmiths, the Shepherds, the Town Criers, and the Jesters.

Another Norwich resident and a former “Shepherd” team member, Eli Weber, has been playing Ultimate Frisbee for over 26 years. He expressed that one of the best parts about it for him is that it’s a “lifelong sport” and more “interesting and fun to play” than other activities. From the way the disc curves and floats to the strategy involved, he imparts that there’s an artistry to its play. He also stressed that Ultimate Frisbee is “a real athletic sport.” Not only do players wear cleats, but Weber says, “You’re running as fast as you can, jumping as high as you can. Being athletic and practiced is key.”

Norwich resident Rodney Jacobson

Despite it being helpful to be athletically inclined if you are participating in league play, Howlett expressed that Upper Valley Ultimate is for everyone, especially those who wouldn’t describe themselves this way. Beyond the community aspects, Howlett describes the sport as enjoyable because you “don’t have to run and do something complicated at the same time.” Another unique aspect of the sport is “the spirit of the game,” something that has, over time, been written directly into the rulebook. The gist is that players are encouraged to respect each other on the field, and games have no referees. Instead, when a foul is called, both players talk out the call and have to agree on its legitimacy, making it completely self-regulated. Howlett expresses that this aspect adds to the inclusivity and community aspect of the sport.

In the last four years, the group found another way to be more inclusive by creating and running a separate women and nonbinary players’ night. The intention was for it to be a space for new players that was less intimidating for those who may struggle in an athletic space. Originally, the group held practices and drills to increase the skills of these players, but this made it difficult for those who couldn’t make it every week. Eventually, coordinators shifted it to a separate pick-up night.

Though Sachem Field is perfect during the summer, fall makes the area less viable due to several school teams needing it for games. This is when the Upper Valley Ultimate group moves down to one night per week. Though still able to utilize the field for a time in the fall, when the weather turns, they meet inside and whittle down their games to a four-on-four format.

Full summer league photo from this year

One of the greatest challenges the group has is spreading the word about the group. Though there are several returning members, a great deal of the members are transient, including students and medical residents. Flyers have been utilized in the past, but most come to know about the group through word-of-mouth or the over 400-follower Upper Valley Ultimate Facebook page. The group is always looking for more players, whether experienced or new to the sport. Those interested can simply show up to a pickup game held on Monday or Wednesday at Sachem Field or reach out to the Facebook group for more information.

If you’re someone who’s looking for a way to get outside and meet new people, the Upper Valley Ultimate group is here for you. Whether you’re athletically inclined or not, the group stresses they’ve always been more about fostering a sense of community than anything else. Though many argue about the vanishing “third space” in our current world, when you look around Sachem Field, you can see Ultimate Frisbee is helping keep it alive where those from all walks of life gather to play a friendly, casual game together.

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.

It’s back-to-school time, and, as it turns out, kids in Norwich have a lot to look forward to at the Marion Cross School. You may recall that the Norwich Times just featured the much-loved Mayfest on the cover of the Summer issue. Among many things, we learned about the different rituals performed by each grade and about how current students, staff and parents treasure this time-honored school tradition. Just for fun, we decided to go back in time and see what some members of the MCS Class of 2006 have to say about their MCS elementary school days… 20 years later!

Cyrus Rothwell-Ferraris

Cyrus (left) in 3rd grade, and (right) in Hawaii with family: sister Chiara (center),
parents Steve and Karin, and partner Olivia

1. Massachusetts
2. Hospitality/Education
3. Kindergarten
4. Fondest memory is the feeling of continuous community that began at MCS and expanded across Norwich to all the spaces where community gathered – Tracy Hall, DnW, Huntley, the grange, Norwich Inn, the trails.
5. LEEP was so fun and I loved all our field trips to different bodies of water, such discovery.
6. Mr Girard, the way he was involved with us as students, athletes, as growing young people with connections into being young adults. He was such a legendary icon in so many ways, and I’ll never forget when a simple algebraic equation ‘clicked’ for me as he stood at the head of the room with a scale, representing the variable’s ‘weight’ on the equation.
7. May Day… it was such a celebration of the end of winter, spring beginning, school coming to an end soon, and summer in sight.
8. Love of natural science and the outdoors. Commitment to community. A love of “folky” events in community centers.
9. Yes, I’d love for them to go to MCS!
10. The pillars of leadership in the sciences, in the arts, in the school wide programming and the graduated curriculum that spanned multiple grade levels. The willingness to allow students freedom and creativity and trust. But primarily I think the total buy-in from the teachers as a team seems to create an interwoven community and learning program that was both so deliberate yet so open. I think this is not something easily replicated.

Henry Butler

Henry then and now

1. New York, NY
2. News Production/Politics
3. First
4. I think all of the random things we did – whether it was learning how to mime, Oregon trail day in 3rd grade, the May Day pole weaving. We just had so much fun learning about so many different things, I really appreciated the variety of activities we did.
5. Social Studies
6. Mrs. Moore in 1st and 2nd grade! She made coming to school so fun, I remember always being excited to spend time with her in her class. There was a warmth about her that made everyone feel welcome, and I was lucky to have her for the first two years at MCS.
7. May Day – hands down – lol
8. I’m not sure if this is a Norwich value or an MCS value – but the emphasis on civics is something that I live with every day. Growing up, I remember going to town meetings in addition to attending the weekly “reps” we had at Marion Cross, seeing the entire community show up physically and care about their neighbors is something that I think most of the country could benefit from. So yes, kindness, compassion and being community minded. It’s been great going to our reunions and seeing us all as 30-year-old adults living in the values we were raised with – it’s been a treat to see!
9. Besides the emphasis on civics, I think the freedom to be multi-faceted is something that served us well. At MCS I was able to sing, and play sports, and have fun at school. We didn’t need to pick one thing and to be pigeonholed into that, we were free to be who we were. It also helps that we had phenomenal teachers and resources, both of which were used creatively to best educate all of us.

Hayden Young

Left: Hayden and Ms. Dustin (Kindergarten). Right: Hayden with his partner, Brianna McCarty and daughters Hazel and Louise Young.

1. Quechee, VT
2. Dreamer
3. Kindergarten
4. May Day in the meadow and the Oregon Trail day in 3rd grade. Two great days.
5. Greek Mythology with Ms. Hall and Ms. Haney
6. The entire MCS staff was incredible. Hard to pick just one. Ms. Thompson & Mr. Girard were very special teachers to me. They both went above and beyond always. Ms. Dustin, Mrs. O’Connor and Ms. Smith were amazing, too.
7. Kite Day Popsicles
8. Be creative. Have fun. Sing songs. Be kind.
9. I have two daughters that we homeschool, my oldest entering 1st grade. I try to instill all of the values I learned at MCS in them as much as I can in their education and day to day living.
10. It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you, right?

Galen Richardson

Galen then and now

1. Ottawa, Ontario
2. Research Scientist
3. 1st
4. Kite day at Huntley Meadows.
5. Going to Blood Brook and looking at wildlife
6. Mr Girard was a very captivating teacher and always knew how to hold my attention.
7. Kite Day
8. Respect for the environment. Being kind to others. Learning can be fun.
9. The classroom environment was very flexible and felt like a friendly space. Additionally, the respect for nature through lots of outdoor activities helped students have fun while learning.

Giulia Alexander

Guilia (11) sixth grade, and with husband Mike and son, Stokely, in 2025

1. Los Angeles, CA until a few months ago and now back in Norwich!
2. Film and Commercial Producer
3. Kindergarten
4. Rep every Thursday afternoon was a big hit for me. I loved watching other students perform, and of course singing songs like ‘This Pretty Planet’ or the apple-picking song in parts with the whole school. Rep was also one of the few times we were all together. When I was in fourth grade, I had a brother in sixth and a sister in kindergarten, so I felt like I had a real finger on the pulse of the school that year. I remember looking around one day during Rep and realizing I could name every single teacher and student in the room. I loved that feeling of knowing and being known at MCS. Also, it has been nearly 20 years since I sat through Rep, and yet when I see old MCS friends we can still sing all of the songs, in three parts, just like it’s 2004 again.
5. Social Studies
6. It feels impossible to choose just one!
   Mr. Girard and Ms. Ames were both standout teachers whose classrooms I remember with such fondness. But if I had to choose, Ms. Thompson in third grade was truly remarkable. She brought such tenderness and attunement to our class that school felt both warm and fun. She had a way of making each of us feel like her favorite student because she connected so deeply. Her creativity as a teacher was unforgettable – she constantly took us out into the community and encouraged us to draw, sculpt, build, and experience the worlds we were learning about. I still think often about our Oregon Trail unit, when we trekked to the apple orchard behind MCS and spent the day living as if we were migrating west in the 1840s.
7. Kite Day!
8. Curiosity! I carry with me the values of staying curious about the world and being a lifelong learner.
9. I had my first baby three months ago and moved back to Norwich this spring. While I’m not sure yet what the next few years will hold –or if we’ll stay in Norwich – I do know that MCS set the blueprint for the kind of childhood and early school experience I’d love for my own kids. If we do stay, I’ll feel so lucky for my son to experience May Day and to wander through the MCS woods, learning about vernal pools in the springtime.
10. I think the “secret sauce” is a combination of having a well-funded school that can attract truly fabulous teachers, a close-knit small-town setting where people feel connected and known, and the resources and traditions that nurture creativity and curiosity. I do believe aspects of the MCS magic can be replicated in other communities, though I recognize that resources and local context can present true barriers.

Rita Stephenson

Rita then and now

1. Saint Paul, MN
2. Nutrition
3. Kindergarten
4. Getting to play outside a lot and use our creativity to make up games is a very fond memory. Also looking forward to all the traditions and projects that each grade would do was always exciting, especially at the beginning of each school year.
5. I enjoyed studying Greek mythology in both 1st grade and 5th grade
6. Ms. Dustin & Ms. O’Connor both had a big influence on me. Both teachers made me feel comfortable and welcome in their classroom by allowing us to be ourselves while emphasizing being good to the people around us.
7. Kite Day and getting to spend the day outside (and getting popsicles!)

Ellen Miller

Left: Ellen (3rd grade) and her sister, Marion
(kindergarten), on the first day of school in 2003. Right: Ellen with her husband, Jacob, in Scotland (2025)

1. Sunapee, NH
2. Attorney
3. Kindergarten
4. No one memory is my favorite. I loved my classmates and all the wonderful experiences the school gave us.
5. Art and science classes. I also loved the library.
6. Mr. G in 5th grade! He opened my eyes. He taught us eye opening things about our world through hands on experiments. I remember feeling like I was making big leaps and connections when he taught.
7. The birthday calendar was a great one!
8. Loyalty, curiosity, creativity, community, love and appreciation for nature.
9. I moved back to the Upper ºValley because I loved growing up in Norwich so much. My time at MCS was one of the best in my life, and it has absolutely impacted the decisions I’ve made in my adult life. It would be incredible if my own kids could go there when the time comes.
10. MCS stands out for the unique hands-on experiences it provides to its students, and for the trust it puts in kids to test their boundaries. The orienteering classes, Oregon trail, and countless class projects stand out in this regard.

Katrina Menard

Left: Dewey, Rita, Katrina and Jack Higgins. Right: Katrina and her sister, Mikayla, in Greensboro.

1. Strafford, Vermont
2. Public Policy
3. Kindergarten
4. I loved kite day. Even when there was no wind, it was still fun to walk to Huntley Meadow, spend the day outside, and eat some popsicles. The only downside was occasionally getting my kite stuck in a tree!
5. Rep
6. Ms O’Connor, Mrs. T, and Mr. Girard were all highly influential. It felt like they tailored the educational materials to each specific class and student. They were also very patient and understanding.
7. Kite Day and May Day
8. Love of learning
9. My MCS experience underscored the importance of having teachers who genuinely care about each student’s experience and growth.
10. Valuing high-quality teachers, whether it’s through culturally valuing them or (hopefully!) paying them what they deserve.

Jack Higgins

Jack then and now

1. Brooklyn, New York
2. Actor
3. Kindergarten
4. I remember one early fall day, Mrs. Thompson found some wild concord grapes growing behind the school. We ate them together by hand in the afternoon light. They were sour and delicious. That and learning the Greek Myths by candle light in fifth grade, to emphasize the importance of oral storytelling.
5. Music. I remember vividly Mrs. Keck introducing us to Porgy & Bess. It was magical and rewired my little brain.
6. Wendy Thompson. She was my third grade teacher and instilled in me a still active love of poetry. I’m lucky to call her my friend today. I cared for her dog Tobin often during the pandemic years. He’s my favorite dog in the world.
7. May Day! I think our class was one of the last to be lucky enough to celebrate May Day in the meadow included in the Frye walking trails.
8. Respect and adoration for the natural world, reading and memorizing poetry, love for the town of Norwich and singing!
   I sing everyday.
9. When (if?) I have a child, matching my elementary school experience will be a tall order. I have no idea where my artistic career is going to take me but when (if?) I have a child I know I’ll be on the lookout for a school where teachers are breaking out guitars on the regular.
10. I think the secret sauce is MCS’s commitment to community ritual. Modern humans are starved for rituals that ask us to slow down and remember what a miracle it is to be alive, to watch the seasons change, to laugh really hard with your friends, to fly a kite. I’m deeply grateful MCS gave me this mode of thinking.

Optional Question: What was your least favorite MCS annual tradition?

I wouldn’t say I have a least favorite. Although, the fourth graders had this odd tradition for a while where, after flower garland weaving during May Day the boys were given a rose and asked to present it to one girl in their class. This made me uncomfortable as a young queer child, so I just gave mine to my teacher Mrs. Stathiem (sp?). I hope they forgo that one nowadays for many reasons.

Dewey MacMillen

Left: Katrina Menard and Dewey first day of 2nd grade. Right: Dewey MacMillen with husband AJ

1. Jericho, VT
2. Current: Marketing.
   Intended: Still figuring that out!
3. 2nd
4. Honestly it’s hard to pick one. I loved the field trips and the quirky traditions we had at MCS – REP, field day, May Day, etc. Of course, developing deep friendships – many of which I’m lucky enough to still have – has to be my fondest memory.
5. Social Studies. I loved doing the 6th grade Shakespeare play, too.
6. Truly, I lucked out and had the best teachers year after year. My favorites were Mrs. T (3rd grade) and Mrs. Ames (6th grade). Class with Mrs. T just felt warm and cozy – she made us all feel so loved! Mrs. Ames pushed me and helped me recognize my own potential. Honorable mention: the late Mr. Girard. The kindest man who just made everyone feel so special.
7. May Day or Oregon Trail day
8. MCS encouraged us to live in community with one another. To treat those in your community with kindness. I learned to be curious and driven to succeed, but have fun and not take everything too seriously. All of these are values I try to live by today.
9. Yes, absolutely. I want my future kids to have a small school community where they are seen as a whole person whose well-being is looked after versus just their academic success and that has largely impacted where my husband and I have chosen to put down roots.
10. I think keeping the school small, rooted in an ethos that nurtures children’s whole being versus just their academic prowess, and maintaining the traditions that make MCS so special all are part of the “special sauce” that make it such a desirable school!

What often goes unnoticed about a good book is that the book’s origin story is often as interesting as the story within the book itself. Understanding the author’s own life journey adds perspective and inspiration to the reader’s experience.

That’s why, if you attended Norwich-based author Ken Cadow’s talk at the Norwich Public Library earlier in April, you might have a new window into his recent novel, Gather – a coming-of-age story set in present day Vermont, that explores themes of youth, education, family, struggles with addiction, and resilience – told through the eyes of a teenager named Ian.

Ken Cadow grew up in Rhode Island and spent his summers on Block Island. He later graduated from Rhode Island College with a focus on computer science and English and ended up jumping around in professions and interests.

“I would describe myself as an avid lifelong learner, always wanting to know more, but I really don’t care about formal credentials,” he says. Realizing this, Cadow opted to drive a taxi cab after graduating college instead of putting his degrees to ‘logical’ use. He joined the Navy where he was an officer for four years, then opened up a grocery store and wholesale business in Rhode Island, then he met his wife and started a family before landing in Norwich in 1997, where they have lived ever since. This is where the writing comes in.

For Cadow, writing and publishing Gather was a process spanning years, full of starts and stops, re-routing and re-writing, and lots and lots of thinking. In 1999, Cadow was inspired by an encounter he had while interviewing local hunters for an oral history project through the MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies) program at Dartmouth College. “I was really struck by how, typically, you put a bunch of teenagers with a bunch of people who are older than they are, and they don’t say much, but I found that in the hunting camps, they were really leaning into the whole experience and part of the conversations.” A big parcel of nearby land had just been posted, and the hunters were sharing their disdain for this newfound situation. “They were talking about how it was harder and harder to find places to hunt,” Cadow says. “I thought, it would be really interesting if one of the kids in this hunting camp fell in love with the daughter of the family who just bought this land and moved into town…that would be an interesting dynamic to explore in a book.”

Where Ken has spent countless hours contemplating,
curating, developing, writing.

Cadow had been jotting down notes to develop a plot, “But I could never find the character that I wanted to stick with to tell that story,” he says. Twenty years later, “Ian walked onto the page.”

With another two decades of Vermont living under his belt and having worked with local kids in various educational roles, Cadow felt better equipped to bring this story to life. From the winter of 2019 when Cadow picked his pencil back up, it took him about eight months to finish the first draft. “After a while, I stopped paying attention to who the audience was and paid a lot more attention to who the narrator was,” he says. “My whole focus really became owing it to the character to get the story out.”

Inspired by some of Cadow’s real-life observations and experiences, but completely fictional, Gather takes a thoughtful approach to define learning, battling the notion that a “one size fits all” education isn’t the answer, or even close to it. In Cadow’s experience, he learned how to do things in school, but later learned how to use those things outside of school. “For me, that’s the ideal learning environment – through application,” he says. “The most important thing for me was always not necessarily utility, but the satisfaction of putting knowledge to work…[Things] have come a really long way since I was in school in terms of how we reach kids and have more opportunities than just desk learning,” he adds. “But I think we still have a long way to go.”

Gather’s main character, Ian, exemplifies an all-too-common struggle between student and the “system” – an educational model that’s outdated, inefficient, and “top down”, as Cadow describes. “The creativity is happening at the ground floor,” he explains, with passionate teachers who want to meet students where they are. “I wish we didn’t make such a huge distinction between learning by doing and desk learning that we do in our system,” Cadow says. “Everybody needs the exposure [to both types] to figure out what they might want to do next; figure out where their strengths are.”

“One of the things that drives education to be so expensive is that we’re trying to make something that’s busted work for too many people,” Cadow adds. “Instead of simplifying the system, we’re trying to simplify how we pay for it.”

As a former educator at various schools in Vermont and as the current administrator at Oxbow High School in Bradford, VT, Cadow witnesses the educational lives of his students daily, celebrating their wins and coping with their struggles alongside them. The shift in recent years has prioritized testing – especially since Covid-19, which focused more on learning lost than the potential for learning gained, Cadow says. Instead, Cadow raises the questions: “Why have kids stopped associating what they do at home with learning?” and “How can students see themselves as learners 24/7?”

With that in mind, Gather is more than a book – it’s a testament to the very real experiences of learners and educators everywhere – rural and urban, young and old, those concerned with tradition and those who desire to stray from the norm. Ian’s story represents that of “good kids who struggle with a system that’s not as flexible as we need it to be,” when “the systems that are intended to support him don’t.”

“I would love to challenge every person who’s looking at public education to ask themselves a couple of things,” Cadow says. “One is, ‘if it’s all this race to the top, what are we doing with everybody else and why do we have to define it that way?’” And, “Another thing that I wish we paid more attention to is – when the supply chain got really tight – how much we need our people who are capable of producing that which literally sustains us…I think Norwich is pretty great about that, but it’s a little bit of a bubble economy. How do we make it less of a bubble?”

Now, Cadow has been spending time on another book that’s been in the works since 2002 (he points out that with a full-time job as a principal, he only has time to work on his book over school vacations and for a few hours at a time on the weekends). He’s always keeping notes on a potential sequel to Gather, but for now, it’s one book against the world – a world that could use some added perspective.

Every year, on a Thursday in May, students of all ages at Marion Cross School gather on the Norwich Green to sing, dance, and welcome the sunshine. Community members join them on picnic blankets to enjoy live music performed by the school band and watch the students’ performances. Mayfest is a long-standing tradition at Marion Cross—a spring festival that has been celebrated for as long as many faculty members can remember.

Students look forward to performing all year long. In the weeks leading up to the festival, they spend lots of time outside practicing and perfecting the songs and dances specific to their grade level. They also create colorful garlands to wear and vibrant paper decorations to adorn the Green.

This is Travis Ramsey’s eleventh year teaching music to children from Pre-K through sixth grade at Marion Cross. He leads both the chorus and the band, and has been working hard to prepare students for Mayfest. “It’s a chance for the kids to come out and celebrate spring with singing and dancing,” Ramsey says.

The songs and choreography students learn for the festival vary based on their age and skill level. Much of the performance is rooted in tradition, with each grade typically participating in the same dances each year—drawing on New England’s rich history of folk music and dance. Contra dancing, for example, is a centuries-old folk tradition that remains popular in New England today. Accompanied by fiddle and accordion music, this communal dance involves long lines of dancers pairing up and moving in rhythmic patterns. It’s meant to be a shared experience, and Mayfest proudly upholds this spirit of togetherness as students sing and dance side by side.

Mia Tesone and Lucy Gaugh

The sixth graders, the oldest students at Marion Cross, cap off the festival with a series of maypole dances. A maypole dance is a traditional folk routine in which dancers move around a festively decorated pole, each holding a ribbon attached to the top. As they circle the pole, they weave intricate patterns with their ribbons. At the end of the dance, the ribbons are swiftly unwound in a dazzling swirl of color and movement. It’s a beautiful and symbolic way to welcome spring. Younger grades perform dances appropriate to their level, building up to the maypole dance in their final year at Marion Cross.

“The kids really look forward to being the biggest kids in the school and getting to perform this intricate maypole dance,” Ramsey explains. “It’s like a rite of passage.”

Georgia Gollub and Jaden Stocking

The long-standing tradition of Mayfest spans generations at Marion Cross School. Some current faculty members, who attended MCS as children, recall Mayfest with deep affection. Ross McGee, now a math coach at the school, is one such alum. He remembers feeling jealous of his older brother, who performed the maypole dance three years before he got his chance. “I eagerly awaited my turn to be a ‘big kid.’ The songs, the dancing, and being outside as an entire school community are memories I will always carry with me,” McGee says. The maypole dance gives students a joyful milestone to look forward to and fondly remember.

Hillary Roberts, a self-proclaimed “Marion Cross School Superfan,” was a classmate of McGee’s and now works as an education assistant at the school. She describes Mayfest as a tradition that makes Marion Cross “truly magical.” Like McGee, she recalls the 5th and 6th grade dances as highlights of her experience. “It was such an honor to finally be a fifth grader and wear all white with bells around our ankles while we did the ‘stick dance,’” Roberts shares. The stick dance, a beloved tradition for fifth graders at MCS, features students dancing and playfully jousting with poles.

The memories of Mayfest stay with Marion Cross students for decades. Ania Safford, a member of the class of 2000 and now a sixth-grade teacher at MCS, paints a vivid picture of her own Mayfest experience: “I can easily transport myself back to the meadow on a beautiful spring afternoon—the field filled with colorful flying flags, the sounds of accordion, fiddle, and guitar music, Maypole ribbons floating in the wind, and picnic blankets covering the hillside.” That tranquil joy is what alumni remember most dearly.

Mayfest offers students at Marion Cross a chance to learn traditional folk dances and perform them for their community on the spring Green, creating memories that last a lifetime. “The students get to put their teamwork and musical learning into action,” says Ramsey. “It’s an important way for us to contribute to our community.”