“How can we help?” Reverend Jan Hutslar and the folks at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley in Norwich were able to answer this question by hosting the retrofitted RV that Simon Dennis, director of the Center for Transformation Practice (CTP) in Hartford, and his team put together to house two previously un-housed persons. 

The RV has been outfitted into two apartments that can each house a person comfortably with the necessary amenities for most activities of daily life. The church first became involved in the project after Dennis sent a letter to the congregation gauging their interest in hosting the RV home. “Dennis had been a guest speaker around issues the un-housed face in our community at the church early this past fall. It really sparked a lot of conversations. People spoke with Dennis following the service and asked, ‘How can we be involved? How can we help?’” Rev. Hutslar says. 

After Dennis presented the project to the board, the response was immediately positive. “I was really impressed,” Rev. Hutslar says, “The board said there’s no question if we can be of help here, we want to do it. It’s what our values tell us.” Rev. Hutslar met with Dennis and the prospective tenants. “We talked and got to know each other,” Rev. Hutslar says, and the tenants moved onto the property. 

The congregation welcomed the tenants, and they became part of the church community. Several members of the congregation connected with the tenants in particular – a member who works as the church groundskeeper knitted hats for the tenants. The church grounds feature a big apple tree whose apples often go to the Haven food shelves and that the congregation may use as they wish; Rev. Hutslar recalls one of the tenants, who grew up on a farm, utilizing some of those apples to make applesauce over their small Coleman stove. 

Originally from Indiana, Rev. Hutlsar first came to the Upper Valley four years ago after graduating from her seminary program in California. She interviewed with four different churches in New England but fell in love with the church here in Norwich. “Luckily they wanted me, too,” she laughs, “I love it and I love them. They’re pretty wonderful. It’s really rewarding and it’s an honor. I’m really grateful.” 

The RV and its tenants were allowed to stay at the church in Norwich for 30 days, according to town regulations. Rev. Hutslar noted it has been difficult for CPT to find places to park the RVs. “Churches and communities want to help, but town regulations do get in the way of that.” She hopes that this story will draw more attention to the issues around housing people in the Upper Valley and that the town ordinances, such as the 30-day limit, that exist can be addressed “so we can keep our neighbors a little safer and a little more protected from the elements.” This extremely cold weather, Rev. Hutslar notes, makes it even more imperative to help community members who don’t have a warm place to live. 

The RV and its tenants moved to the First Congregational Church in Lebanon following their stay in Norwich. After their time allowed in Lebanon ended as well, the RV has found another new home for the time being. “We all said goodbye and hugged,” Rev. Hustlar says, “The next time I went into church, it felt so lonely. They were our neighbors for a month. It was a little sad; I missed them.” 

Even with the tenants no longer living at the church, the positive impact of their stay continues. Rev. Hutslar still checks in with tenants regularly and members of the congregation remain connected to them. A group of congregation members help the tenants out with rides in and out of town for errands and job interviews. One member was with a tenant when she received the job offer which she has since accepted. “It’s nice to see how we can help each other out,” Rev. Hutslar says. The congregation has also since collected warm blanks, clothing, and rugs to help keep the units warm this winter. “I know people like to help,” Rev. Hutslar says, “It’s a big problem and if we can help one or two people, it makes a difference.”  

A local store struggles to maintain staffing during the Covid pandemic and is faced with the possibility of having to shutter for good. The owner throws a Hail Mary pass and puts out a call for help to the community – would residents and customers be willing to take a weekly shift? And in a resolution fit for a Christmas movie, many people answered the call. The store is saved.

Of course, this isn’t a Hallmark movie, and it isn’t any local store. It’s the true story of how Dan & Whit’s stayed in business despite losing most of its staff due to the exigencies of a global pandemic. 

It’s a heartwarming tale and one that we all needed to hear. And as such, everyone has had a crack at it. VPR did a piece on it. Steve Hartman came out with cameras and lights and interviewed co-owner Dan Fraser for his CBS Evening News segment On the Road. Robert Reich, political commentator, and former Secretary of Labor wrote a column on it. Even the Vermont Retail & Grocers Association featured an account on their blog. 

But Dan & Whit’s belongs to Norwich. The struggle to staff the store is Norwich’s struggle. Those two dozen relief employees are Norwich. The problem happened to Norwich, and the solution was found in Norwich. The story belongs to Norwich.

And so, it is only fitting for the Norwich Times to show you the people who made it possible for Dan & Whit’s to keep their doors open. Why did they do it? What is it about Dan & Whit’s that motivated so many people to step up and help?

Peggy Morin, 74, had two careers prior to her stint at Dan & Whit’s. After practicing as an attorney for 20 years, Peggy earned her MFA in drama and joined the theater faculty at SUNY Stony Brook. Now retired, Peggy heard from a friend about Dan’s letter to the Norwich Listserv. She had “enjoyed the institution for many, many years. And I’m also aware of the fact that Dan & Whit’s does a great deal for its community.” She thought, “I can certainly spare some hours.” Telling the story, she said with a laugh, “Not that I would be the greatest sandwich maker in the world.” 

But the beauty of Dan’s proposal is the flexibility he offers. The first thing he asks his relief workers is, “what do you want to do?” The workers are assigned to jobs and tasks that suit them best. In Peggy’s case, that meant organizing clothing. “Most costume people are familiar with the strategies about how to organize a large costume collection. It’s a little bit like a library system. You need, say, a Captain Hook… in a size 20.” You need to figure out how to set it up so customers can easily find things. “It means that costume people have a pretty good sense about complicated organization of clothing pieces.” Contrast that with sorting t-shirts in the stock room. “There’s nothing complicated about what we’re doing here. I’m not trying to pretend this is rocket science. I’m just trying to set it up so that they can come back here and grab things in five seconds.” 

Why is it important to Peggy not to let Dan & Whit’s close? “In addition to the public service that Dan & Whit’s has exhibited so much through the years, I think for some people it’s a reminder that life does not need to be so complicated. The motto, ‘If we don’t have it, you don’t need it’ is probably not exactly true. I think the idea that you can find everything under one roof, the way you could in your grandparents’ day, probably has a little nostalgia connected with it as well as some truth.” For someone who spent many years in New York, Norwich has something special. “I love a smaller community kind of life, with the degree of accountability that exists. Not that I know all my neighbors, but I live in a wonderful neighborhood with neighbors who look out after each other. There’s something, I think, about the nostalgia for life in a rural community that people want to keep going. And Dan is such a smart proprietor too. He’s sensitive to the needs and always looking for ways to make it a nice place for people to drop in to find what they need. I mean, it would be sad if we only had Wal-Marts left, wouldn’t it?”

Thirty-five-year-old Maggie Ronan moved to the Upper Valley a year and a half ago to be closer to family. She is pursuing a graduate degree in computer science at Northeastern University and, with all the classes being remote these days, needed something that would get her out of the house. When she saw Dan’s letter, she was impressed with its innovative approach, and it appealed to “some values I have around groups of people working together as a community. Partly, it’s selfish. I go to Dan & Whit’s all the time as a customer, and I didn’t want it to close. And the idea of people who lived nearby getting more involved was interesting. And for me, it really worked out because it got me out of the house and interacting with people in real life, since I spend so much time on the computer.”

Dianne Miller, 68, a registered nurse and project manager for regional development at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, said of answering Dan’s plea, “He made it so welcoming. He asked people what you would like to do, instead of telling you what you were going to do,” she said. “I told him I don’t want to run the cash register, but I’m fairly good at merchandising. It was Halloween, so getting all that stuff out and then putting that away and getting out the Christmas stuff. It’s quite a bit of work – lots of boxes to unpack, up and down ladders, reaching higher shelves, lifting, cleaning.” Dianne put up a Christmas tree to help display and sell Christmas ornaments. She pointed out that with staffing so restricted, the regular employees “don’t have time for that kind of stuff. So, if you can do something that is extra, that’s really appreciated.”

What is it about Dan & Whit’s that brought so many people forward when Dan made his request? “Dan & Whit’s is so much more than just a general store. It really is integral to the community. They have done so much for the community that it is so natural to want to help them. They are a place where people will gather, meet. You can say to somebody, leave it at Dan & Whit’s, and I’ll pick it up later. During Covid, they were out there doing email orders, bagging them, delivering them. They just really stepped up.”

Matt Merrens, 81, a retired research psychologist with Dartmouth Medical School, took the approach that several others took. He answered Dan’s request by offering to volunteer; he didn’t need the money he would earn from the job.When Matt had heard about the situation, “I was startled by it. I thought, this institution just can’t close.” Of course, driving around, he could see “every place was looking for workers, but for it to happen to Dan & Whit’s just struck me.” Because Dan & Whit’s is a business, not a nonprofit, Dan could not accept the offers to work for free. Matt agreed to help at the store on the condition that his wages be donated. “He gives me a check, and I endorse it to the Haven, and everything’s good.”

Matt continued, “I gotta tell you something he does. We punch in, punch out, and about once a week, he writes you a little, almost, love note – a little skinny piece of paper in which he thanks you for being there. Tells me I’m doing well and all kinds of praise. It’s just a darling little thing that he does for all of us. He’s a real gem.”

What’s so important about Dan & Whit’s? “Well, it’s a store that’s been here a long time. Working there, I see the same people every morning, pick up a coffee, pick up a newspaper. In the month I’ve been there, I’ve gotten to know some of these people. It’s just the heart and soul of the community in a lot of ways. If it closed, it would be a big loss. It’s old, it’s got three wood furnaces that heat the place. It’s been there forever; the floors are beaten down. It’s got a certain feeling about it… I don’t know. I’ve always felt that way about the store. It has a feeling about it that I don’t think the community wants to lose at all. I want to say to you, I think I’m getting a lot out of this personally, as well as helping the store and the community. I didn’t expect that. When I signed up, I didn’t think I’d feel personally benefited by it. And I do. I do.”

Nancy Tehan, 70, a registered nurse, has been going to Dan & Whit’s ever since she moved to the Upper Valley in 1978. When she heard about the staffing issue, Nancy knew it was important to help the community. “Dan & Whit’s is not only the heartbeat of the community – and I know you’ve heard that before – but it’s a place where I see so many wonderful things going on. In years past, there were people who couldn’t afford food, and there was a bartering system. Dan & Whit’s has always taken care of their neighbors. It’s always been about them taking care of the community, and I just thought it was time for… me, at least, to pitch in and take care of our Dan & Whit’s.”

Betsy Maislen, 68, brings a unique perspective to her work at Dan & Whit’s. A retired nurse practitioner, she worked in cardiothoracic surgery at DHMC for years. As a relief worker at Dan & Whit’s, she learned to work the cash register and the gas pumps. And when lines are long, and maybe patience is wearing thin, Betsy takes it all in stride. In one of his weekly notes to her, Dan mentioned that she doesn’t seem to get flustered by much. But compared to cardiothoracic surgery, grocery shopping is not something to get upset about. “My decisions [at the hospital] were sometimes very much life-and-death. But if someone has to wait an extra two minutes in line to get their groceries checked out – nobody’s gonna die.”  

Asked why it’s important to keep Dan & Whit’s running, Betsy said, “I could not imagine the town of Norwich without Dan & Whit’s. Could not imagine it. It’s like a beehive down there, with people coming and going all the time. It’s the center of our town. I thought, well, I’ll do my part. Also, I felt I’ve never been able to do anything for Dan. At the beginning of the pandemic, it seemed like he was working 24/7 to make sure everybody in town was safe. I don’t think I can think of another single individual who has done more for our community. This is one thing I could do for him. And I was happy to do that.”

For Jan Scheiner, 60, a clinical psychologist who has lived in Norwich since 1998, the decision to take a shift at Dan & Whit’s came easily. The pandemic has brought a lot of stress and grief, as every person on this planet knows. In her work, Jan sees firsthand the struggles people are going through. It can be a challenge to let all that stress go at the end of the day. She hoped that working at Dan & Whit’s would give her respite. And it did. “Scanning groceries is very pure. Very concrete.”

Jan describes Norwich as an “effective community,” something that she focuses on a lot in her work. “Effective communities have a willingness to pull together to solve problems.” Jan also noted that Dan & Whit’s has enjoyed the benefit of serving a population that was able to answer Dan’s call. “You have to recognize the privilege in this solution,” she said, “the privilege of time and money” that allowed people to step up and take a job for which they didn’t need the income.

In talking with some of the people who came to work at the store when Dan sent out his plea, it becomes clear what an idea factory Dan Fraser is. His background in special education for the Norwich school informs his approach. He has that creativity toward problem-solving, the understanding and compassion for humanity, and the ability to meet people where they are. As Jan said, “he walks the walk. And it’s hard to say no when he asks.”

“Hey mom! What kind of dogs are those?”

“Those are probably street dogs, Azor,” Aimee responded. “They’re called village dogs here.”

“Well, where’s the owner? And why are they out on the streets?”

“They don’t really have owners. That’s why they’re called village dogs. They kind of have their own communities.”

“Ok, well can we feed them? Can we take them home? They look starving, and they’re all so skinny!”

“You can feed them, but we can’t take them home.  I know it’s hard but there is not a lot we can do.”

It was 2010. Aimee Goodwin and her sons, Azor and Sam, along with Eydie, John, and Brook Leigh, also of Norwich, were cycling the streets of Tulum, Mexico. They had spent the past week coming across various “callejeros,” or Mexican “street dogs” that are often good-natured but don’t have official homes. After witnessing her children’s outreach of kindness for these dogs, Aimee reflected on how she had just responded to Azor. Did I really just tell my son that we can’t do anything to help? What kind of message is that to leave with my kids? Or with myself? 

•  •  •  •  •

The Goodwin family returned home to Norwich. The family had left the village dogs in Tulum, but they had adopted a newfound sense of urgency and a strong desire to help alleviate the stress placed on many of these dogs. After recognizing that she and her boys certainly had the capacity to do something, Aimee decided to propose a family rescue trip to Puerto Rico. Only this time, they wouldn’t just feed the dogs. The Goodwins returned home from their first trip alongside two “Satos,” one adopted by them and the other by Michelle and Dan Gottlieb, formerly of Norwich. Aimee knew she had found her calling. More importantly, she understood that she could share this sense of purpose with others, particularly high school students who needed unique service opportunities.   

“Most high school students struggle to find service options that work for them,” Aimee notes. “I know many that age who would be hard-pressed to help other humans. But puppies. Dogs. That’s what always makes this effort worth it: to stumble upon those little unanticipated moments in which students just melt while helping these dogs.”

With the initial framework in place, Aimee just needed to garner the support of the Dresden School Board. Who will go on a trip like this? Will students really be interested in such a logistical nightmare? And they were right to ask these questions. Who would sign up to spend their vacation grappling with the reality of luring, trapping, and rescuing stray dogs in Puerto Rico when they could be on the beach somewhere? Aimee’s idea solidified: Surf and Satos. She organized the trip around cultural immersion with a service component. Approximately 300 students applied to go on Surf and Satos’ inaugural trip in 2016. 

This first group of students and community members rescued 9 Satos from Puerto Rico, all of which were adopted by families within the Upper Valley.  Word of mouth led to demand for more of these awesome dogs and soon Aimee Goodwin was, officially, the proud owner of…50 Satos from Puerto Rico. She recognized, quickly, that if they were going to be bringing home this many dogs on each trip, she would need additional support from the community. Aimee hosted a dinner at her home in Norwich and invited friends and family to engage in a brainstorming session as to how best to move forward with this initiative. From that dinner, “Student Rescue Project” was born and incorporated in 2017. They have since run service trips to The Bahamas, Costa Rica and, of course, Puerto Rico.  They have even delivered dogs rescued from Puerto Rico to American service members stationed abroad in Germany. To date, SRP has worked with over 200 students and community members helping the endeavor and has rescued, vetted, and rehomed over 1200 dogs. 

“These trips continue to give students an understanding of how our conception of dog ownership, here in Norwich and around New England, differs from the concepts of ownership in other places,” Aimee reflected. “Puerto Rico is also a place where I feel comfortable taking students. We have formed some great relationships there, we have ground transportation, and we work with the locals to help as many dogs as we can. With such a strong foundation, we can really get a lot done there and safely expose volunteers to the raw issue of animal abandonment and neglect.”

But the challenges persist to this day, and the logistics are increasingly complex, as Aimee and her team continue to face headwinds from Covid, higher travel costs, fewer flights, and greater restrictions on traveling with animals. 

“We need more help now than we did in 2016 to get these dogs back to New England. We are always looking for volunteer travelers to bring some of the puppies back with them, and we are always looking for help fostering these dogs.” 

And even though Aimee welcomes community members getting involved in any way they can, she is quick to appreciate the reality of these dogs’ pasts and potential futures. 

“Rescue dogs are not for everyone. I think the mistake some people make is in thinking that these dogs will be the same as buying some pure breed for $3000. These dogs have unknown backstories, and many have never lived in homes. However, the majority of the dogs we take are surprisingly well-adjusted and I find that most adopters are stepping up to be part of the solution and understand that this might take some additional work once the dogs are placed.” 

“These trips also allow me to talk to students about poverty, and how some of these dogs wind up on the streets because their ‘owners’ had no other options. We are quick to villainize those who give up dogs, but after you see the situations on some of the islands, particularly after hurricanes, when everyone is just trying to look out for themselves and get off the island, you develop a much stronger sense of empathy towards others.”

“Besides,” Aimee reflects, temporarily back at home in Norwich, appreciating some much-needed down time in between rescue trips. “Every time I want to quit, I just remember that we’ve become excellent problem solvers.  To watch the students who have been working with me for years encounter a problem and come up with a resourceful solution without needing my help is just so rewarding.  To quit now would be heartbreaking because I know how much we’re helping.” Annie, proud mother of 4 “satito” whelps, none of which have yet to open their eyes on this new street-less world of theirs, looks up at Aimee lovingly and smiles.

For a clear historical snapshot of a community like Norwich, there is no better resource than a census report. The census sketches out the character of a town by providing information about where people were born, size of family, education, occupation, and income. If you look carefully, you can get a sense of the society in years past, especially when you examine the occupation column. For example, in the 1940 Norwich census, laborers, farmers, lawyers, doctors, and professors were positions all held by men. Most of the women were listed as housewives. It was a rarity of the times to find a woman who worked outside the home. That’s what made Norwich’s Ruby Fitzgerald, who worked for New England Telephone and Telegraph for 48 years, such a pioneer.

Ruby was born in Norwich in 1902. Her father, Fred Fitzgerald, built a 21-room home on the corner of Hazen and Main Streets, where Ruby spent much of her life. Along with being a carpenter, Fred was a tax collector, ran an insurance company, and was the town constable for nearly 50 years. When Ruby’s mother, Millie, wasn’t caring for Ruby and her sister and brother, she found time to run a millinery store out of the home where she sold fine hats to women. Millie was also known for her baking prowess. 

The town bought a two-stall jail with two bunks in each one and installed the “lockup” in the Fitzgerald’s garage. Criminals were few but hobos, or “knights of the highway,” came by three or four times a week and were allowed to sleep in the cells. Millie always pulled together a supper for the travelers and a breakfast of donuts, oatmeal, and coffee. According to Ruby, “They had a night’s lodging and breakfast, and then were sent merrily along their way.” Today, the jail can be seen in the barn of the Norwich Historical Society.  

In 1908, along with caring for strangers and raising a family, the Fitzgeralds found time to operate the first telephone exchange in Norwich. So, Ruby’s career as a telephone operator really began at the age of 12, when she sat at the switchboard in her home. The switchboard was open from 7am-9pm, with bells to report any emergency calls during the night. “Running the exchange was sort of a family project, and we all got our hand in, though my mother was on duty most often, she said.”

In 1919 when Ruby was just 17, inspired by her experience with the family exchange, she joined New England Telephone and began her career in Hanover. In 1922 the company moved its operation to the corner of Gates and Currier Streets in White River Junction. Ruby shifted from Hanover to the new location. 

With the first telephones, one phone could be connected to another by a wire. Telephone exchanges made it possible to connect with many different phones. A person would call an exchange and ask the operator to connect them to the person they wanted to speak with, and the operator would plug a “patch cord” into that person’s socket on the switchboard, connecting the two. Long-distance calls required the local exchange to patch through the call to another exchange, where the call could be completed.

When Ruby began her career all the operators were women. Teenage boys were the first operators, but they turned out to be rude and impatient and often disconnected customers. Women operators were hired and proved to be polite and faster with calls than the men they replaced. But for women, there was a strict set of rules. Dresses and nylons had to be worn. No pants were allowed. In addition, outrageous as it sounds by today’s standards, the women had to be single. Operators were taught to be formal. “Number please?” and “Thank you!” were said in even tones. If an operator recognized a voice, they were not allowed to converse with the person. By the 1960s rules were eased. Operators could be married. Pantsuits were allowed, but only with heels or dress shoes. 

Even with the rules, compared to other service jobs that a woman could hold in the 1920s, a switchboard operator worked with some of the most sophisticated technical equipment of the time where accuracy and concentration were of utmost importance. The job required weeks of training in switchboard techniques before an operator could work the exchange.

Ruby became a junior supervisor in 1928, and in 1933 was promoted to senior supervisor. According to the 1940 census, Ruby worked 50 weeks a year, eight hours a day, and earned $2,400 for the entire year, which is equal to about $47,000 today. The pay was considered good for women who did not attend college. As one operator recalled, “If you get into the phone company, you’ll be taken care of for life.” 

Ruby’s final promotion came in 1946 when she became the chief operator. With this position, Ruby oversaw hiring new operators. She conducted job interviews in a quiet room so she could judge the quality of a young woman’s voice. As chief operator, she led visiting dignitaries on tours of the exchange and spoke to different civic groups. In a talk to the White River Junction Rotary Club in 1955, Ruby predicted that “a dial system would not be introduced here before 1956 or ‘57.” It arrived in 1961 and allowed callers to simply dial another phone without the aid of an operator, although operators were needed to complete long-distance calls.  

Life behind the switchboard was not just hard work and long hours. For Ruby, there were many exciting experiences that came along with the job. During the 1927 flood which destroyed 1,285 Vermont bridges and is considered the state’s largest natural disaster, Ruby said, “I had to cross the river on a railroad bridge to get to work, and just ten minutes after I got to the other side, they closed the bridge because it was too dangerous to cross. Only four or five of us were able to get to the office during the flooding. We had to work three days and three nights to keep the exchange going.” She also put in extra hours in 1929, when the Junction House, the Hotel Coolidge today, burned down, and again during the hurricane of 1936.

“You live every emergency along with the people involved,” she said in an interview at the end of her career, “and go to any extreme to complete their calls. Telephone work really is more than a job.” 

In the winter of 1967 Ruby, who was turning 65 in June of that year, retired from the telephone company. “Everyone has to retire at 65, even the president of the company. That was the ruling,” a fellow operator pointed out. Ruby left the company with a flourish, with awards and a testimonial dinner at Landers Restaurant in Lebanon that was attended by nearly 200 people. Ruby was interviewed for the phone company newsletter when she visited the exchange a week after she retired. Her feelings were mixed. She admitted that she missed the other operators but added, “I don’t miss setting my alarm clock at night and getting up when it’s dark outside.” Ruby concluded the interview by saying, “It’ll still be quite a while before I get used to not working. I feel as though something is missing all the time now.”

Through the years, Ruby was a member of the Norwich Congregational Church and the local Red Cross, which during the first years of World War II knitted over 190 sweaters and sewed 324 dresses. She enjoyed attending Dartmouth football games and pulled for the Red Sox. After her parents died, Ruby cared for the Norwich home along with her brother Robert, who was Norwich’s town clerk for 32 years, and his wife Marjorie. Ruby’s younger sister, Ruth, died in 1935 at the age of 32. Her son Fred aka. “Bud” came to live in the Norwich home and stayed with Ruby until he died in 1987. 

As Ruby left the telephone exchange for the last time, the woman many dubbed “Mrs. Bell of Tel. And Tel.” added, “It’s not really a goodbye, just another turn in the road.”  Ruby passed away in 1993 at the age of 91. 

When Norm Levy decides to learn about a new topic, he does his research. As a member of the Norwich Energy Committee and an emerging Upper Valley philanthropist, Norm is a passionate advocate for extending access to lower cost solar electricity for low/moderate income Vermonters and Upper Valley nonprofits. A retired laboratory physician who has invested wisely over the course of his career, Norm set about wanting to ‘have fun and do good’, landing on a non-traditional investment model called “community impact investing,” specifically focused on installing solar arrays. 

Says Norm, “I believe lower income Vermonters care as passionately about climate change as their more affluent neighbors, but feel they have to focus their finances on the basic needs of food, shelter, clothing, and childcare. I am fortunate that in retirement I have the means to help others, so I decided I was going to be the lone ranger in a wool cap and find a way to extend energy efficiency to low- and middle-income families in my own community of Norwich.”

What began as an LED bulb gifting program, distributing over 3,000 bulbs to Upper Valley families, has evolved into something much larger, and Norm has become conversant in the many aspects of solar power and its financing, including net metering, how solar arrays work, and tax credits for investors who support clean energy infrastructure. 

Norm’s chosen investment approach resulted in a novel partnership with Norwich Solar Technologies, which has completed two community solar arrays with Norm’s new company, Norm & Sun LLC. The first project was a standalone array that provided electricity for 25% less than commercial rates to 14 families living at Starlake Lane built by Twin Pines Housing. The project provides solar powered electricity to the non-profit COVER Home Repair in White River Junction as well. 

The second project is located on Turnpike Road, on land owned by Jay Mead and Edie Farwell and uses a different model – a larger “mixed” community array. Some solar panels are owned by 25 individual homeowners, while 110 panels are owned by Norm & Sun, LLC, providing electricity for the Good Neighbor Health Clinic in White River Junction. Edie says, “We were looking to see how we could further contribute to clean energy in Norwich. We’re so pleased that we could use an acre of land for a solar installation. It feels like a win-win-win all around. Norwich Solar Technologies has been an excellent partner to work with on this.”

Norm’s research has shown that socially responsible investing is more than a $17 trillion industry in the United States. “People want to put their money towards good works as well as investing in their future. Unfortunately, most of the investments go into large multinational corporations, and it is very difficult to direct investments into one’s local community. If more investors knew about these opportunities, it would give them a chance to make a positive difference in their own communities,” says Norm.

Community solar financed by private investors is a relatively new approach on the Vermont solar scene and more solar developers are beginning to adopt the model. Because the upfront costs of a solar project for an individual homeowner can be prohibitive even with government incentives, community impact investing allows homeowners and apartment dwellers to save money on electric bills and use clean solar power without the substantial capital outlay. 

Norm is an advocate of public-private partnerships to achieve his philanthropic aims. “Partnership with a private community investor is the key,” says Norm. Since the 1990s, tax laws have included incentives in the form of tax credits to encourage private investment in renewable energy, offsetting one’s federal income taxes. Low- and moderate-income residents pay lower taxes, and hence can access fewer credits. Norm explains, “So I figured that once I understood how this worked, I could ‘right size’ a solar project to an investment size I felt comfortable with, take advantage of the tax credits, and share the benefits with non-profits and lower income residents in the form of lower cost renewable energy.”

At the recent grand opening of the Turnpike Road project, Kevin Davis, VP of Sales for Norwich Solar Technologies shared some insights on why the Solar Santa model is a good one. “From an economic point of view, so much of the cost we pay for electricity goes to sources from out of the state, but community solar projects generate electricity locally. It keeps our dollars circulating in the local economy and creates renewable energy here in Vermont, making energy independence more feasible.”

Residential customers receive net metering credits to offset their utility bills, and Norm plans to transfer his credits to benefit the Good Neighbor Health Clinic. Landowners Jay Mead and Edie Farwell leased the land to Norwich Solar Technologies to construct the array. Says Jay, “We’re concerned about climate change, and we had this piece of land that had a good solar aspect. It does change the landscape, and I think it’s important that we see what the cost of our electrical consumption is.” 

For Norm, the big goal is to inspire additional public-private collaborations to extend renewable energy and utility cost savings to a larger number of communities and non-profits for decades to come. “If you are a beneficiary of the economy, you too can share your good fortune with non-profits and low-income homeowners.” 

Norm is the best kind of investor/philanthropist – a patient one. While the original return on his investment at Starlake Lane was projected at five years, he chose to provide a higher reduction in utility bills for the residents and COVER Home Repair, stretching his return to seven years, but he is fine with that – especially if it supports his mission to have fun and do good.

To learn more about how Norm supports clean energy for low- and middle-income families, email mnblevy@icloud.com. 

What makes the community of Norwich, Vermont, so special? Peter Hanaway isn’t sure he can put his finger on it exactly, but as someone who has lived in Louisiana, Oregon, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, and Europe, he can say for certain that the sense of community here sets it apart from many other places. 

It’s been a peripatetic few years for Peter and his family. After decades in Portland, OR, where he and his spouse, Annie, had established careers and started a family, the end-of-life illness of Annie’s father brought them back east to Philadelphia. When he passed, their intention was to take Annie’s mother with them back to Oregon, but her own failing health made that untenable. So, Philadelphia it was, for two years.

Annie, a psychotherapist, kept working, shouldering the responsibility of financially supporting the family solo, while Peter took on much of the work caring for his mother-in-law. When she passed, Peter and Annie came to the realization that they were now untethered to any geographical location. 

Annie and Peter always loved this part of the country. Annie’s parents had summered in Lyman, New Hampshire for many years, and Annie and Peter had spent much time there and elsewhere in New England. After much research, they settled on Norwich and began the search for a home. Anyone with even passing familiarity of the housing market in Vermont will have a sense of what that search was like. Suffice it to say, it has taken some time. 

In the meantime, they have moved from rental to rental, while their two children, Will and Robin, have been attending Richmond Middle School and Marion Cross Elementary School, respectively. 

The sense of welcome Peter felt in Norwich has been profound. He notices it in moments both casual and significant: how people wave to each other on the street, or the conversations held while watching a kids’ soccer game. And he is blown away by the generosity of a couple who allowed his family into their home as renters, knowing nothing about them. 

Peter has given the phenomenon a lot of thought, trying to nail down what makes Norwich so special. It’s not that people in Portland or Philadelphia or Lyman don’t wave, but there’s something deeper at play here. Connections are more meaningful. “It’s a self-fulfilling emotional comportment that starts as, ‘we trust and expect that you are a good person,’ and is then rewarded by honorable behavior,” Peter said.

At this point in his life, Peter has found himself at a transition point. He’d left a vibrant career as a systems engineer doing consulting work in electronics, optics, and acoustics in Oregon. When his mother-in-law required around-the-clock attention, he had immersed himself in her care. “It was a hard transition to go from being at the pinnacle of my career to, boom, career is gone, you’re getting up two to three times at night.” 

It got him questioning the things that really matter in life and what remains of a person when they are gone. Is it professional achievements like patents and promotions, or is it the relationships with other people and the connections between them? “To escort someone through the last stage of their life, to care for them, I received more than I gave,” Peter said. “It’s an honor to be there for somebody in that way. My mother-in-law was so gracious in the face of losing her faculties and watching her life end. It realigned for me what matters.”

All of this brought Peter to a place of having the desire, time, and space in his life to give back to the community that had welcomed him and his family so fully. Right about that time, Dan Fraser, owner of Dan & Whit’s, sent a message to the Norwich Listserv revealing the possibility that the store could close if they couldn’t find workers. 

The notification spurred Annie to take on some hours at the store and coalesced things in Peter’s mind. He sent his own message to the Listserv, offering his volunteer services to the community. And the list of tasks Peter can perform is long: general home and fix-it services, computer services, and tutoring in grammar and writing, math, science, French, German, and music. Oh, and he’s done considerable caretaking of the elderly and would be happy to help in a pinch. “And for basic things like raking leaves and shoveling snow, my wife and kids are happy to pitch in, too,” he posted.

The response has been enthusiastic. Peter received over a dozen inquiries in the first week since he sent his message. He’s already finished two projects, is waiting on parts for a third, and has several customers lined up to assess their project needs. “I have enough to keep me busy for at least seven to eight weeks, working one day a week.” Peter is even considering taking on a high-school-age apprentice.

Peter will need to go back to professional life, perhaps as a consultant or by starting his own business. “But” Peter noted, “I’ve always been someone who likes to help out.” 

It was five o’clock on a sultry evening in August, and a group of women was gathering in the back parking lot at Dan & Whit’s Country Store in Norwich. Companionable chatter competed with birdsong and the sound of what passed for evening rush hour traffic on Main Street. Bikes came off racks, shoes changed, helmets strapped on. The riders were ready to roll. 

The ride would travel the hills of Norwich by New Boston Road to Stowell Road, circling back via Academy and Campbell Flats. The organization responsible for bringing this coterie of women together is the Upper Valley Women’s Cycling Club (UVWCC). Formed in 2014, the UVWCC is “a cycling group for self-declared women of all ages and abilities in the Upper Valley that promotes a positive and inclusive image of women’s cycling by organizing group rides, hosting social events, and facilitating skills and maintenance clinics as well as gear demos and more.” Since 2020, UVWCC has been under the umbrella group Upper Valley Cycling Club (formerly Upper Valley Velo). 

The UVWCC draws riders from all over the Upper Valley, including Norwich residents Nicole Torres and Peggy Sadler.  

Peggy joined in 2019 with the intention of joining the slower rides. “I knew a couple of the faster riders who encouraged me to join, saying things like, ‘you’ll never get left behind.’ Even so, I was intimidated.” Between her full-time job as co-owner of Designer Gold Jewelry Design and her devotion to the sport of rowing, Petty hasn’t had a chance to participate in any group rides yet. “I’m hoping to join in some of the rides next summer.” 

The UVWCC was the brainchild of Becca Mateo, a triathlete and women’s cycling advocate who has since moved out of the area. She enthusiastically invited women to join the club, go on the rides, be on the board – get involved. 

“At that time, the board was huge. Eventually, we honed it down to five members,” said Jen Barden, one of the founding board members. When Jen discovered the club and showed up for her first ride in April of 2014, she was nervous. “I had never ridden with anyone. I didn’t know anyone; I didn’t know what the skill level would be.” Convinced she would be too slow, Jen was delighted to find that, “I had such a great time. I just kept going back.” 

The group has grown steadily over the years. Rides were initially organized on Meetup but transitioned to Strava and Facebook, where the organization has a public club and a private group. The public presence allows the group to promote their activities and attract new members, while the private group is a safe space for members to connect with each other. 

Nicole came to cycling to help recover after an injury. After riding a Peloton indoor bike for a while, she was coaxed outside by a friend. “While the downhills were a little terrifying, and I was insanely slow because I didn’t have a proper road bike, I loved the challenge of the climb.” Before long, “I was hooked!” She was excited to see that after the 2020 hiatus from group riding, the UVWCC would be having a 2021 season. 

“It was wonderful to meet new people. Everyone was welcoming and supportive. It was nice to have the option to challenge myself with the A group or enjoy a more leisurely pace with the B group,” she says. “Everything just seems a little more beautiful when I’m on my bike!”

Rides are held weekly on Tuesday evenings, beginning as early in the spring as the weather allows and going into the fall until the days become too short. The groups start from different locations throughout the Upper Valley; some favorites are Dan & Whit’s in Norwich, Dewey Field lot on Lyme Road in Hanover, Watson Dog Park in Hartford, Lakeside Park in Enfield, and the Northern Rail Trail terminus in Lebanon.

According to the numbers on the Facebook group, there are 243 members in the UVWCC. Alix Norris, board member, ride leader, and elite cyclocross racer, estimated that there are about “100 to 125 active members that we see in person at some point in the year.” 

Alix came to the group from the world of cyclocross racing. She got into road cycling while at Wake Forest University getting her Ph.D. in cancer biology, traveling every weekend to race. After graduating and starting a family with her college sweetheart, Alix had it in her head that her racing days were over – and cycling with it. How could they travel and race with an infant? Enter cyclocross, a sport where races are short and family-friendly and the community welcoming. Alix realized that cycling is a lifestyle and doesn’t have to be a luxury. 

She brings that ethos to her work as a board member and ride leader, encouraging all comers to the group. “Women are a demographic that, on the face of it, need more support or motivation. Every day I meet women who don’t know how to change a tire, who don’t know the area or how to plan a route,” Alix said. “Women come [to the rides and clinics] because they recognize that lack in themselves and want to change it.”

Sherry Fiore, cyclist, and board member noted the importance of the UVWCC in bringing women into the sport of cycling. Women’s riding groups are a place for women to ride who otherwise wouldn’t. “We’ve got women who show up for our rides but don’t go on other group rides. They won’t ride by themselves.” Sherry pointed out the long history of cycling as an avenue of empowerment for women. In the early history of cycling, bicycles were a way for women to move about independently. “Historically, cycling was very important because it allowed women to leave their homes.”

Jan Proctor’s involvement in the UVWCC has been sporadic over the years, but her roots as a cyclist go way back. She began racing in the eighties, mostly criterium, or “crit” races with the Sunapee Bike Club. She traveled the crit circuit all around New England. Jan is not one to toot her own horn, but she racked up several wins. The accomplishment Jan is most proud of is when she won bronze in the individual road race at the USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships.

As a rider whose experience goes a little farther back in time, Jan has an important perspective on women in cycling and athletics in general. She remembers when it was just her and a handful of other women racing. “What’s important to realize is the impact of Title IX,” she said. “We were the crest of the wave.”

Younger women might not realize it’s more than a clothing brand. Title IX is a federal civil rights law that was passed in 1972. It said, “No person in the United States shall, based on sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” What this meant was that schools had to spend equivalent money on programs for both boys and girls. 

The impact of this legislation has been profound. “I didn’t do sports in high school,” said Jan. “I didn’t think I had any athletic ability. Girls weren’t encouraged.” It wasn’t until Jan began racing that she realized her potential. “I discovered I was pretty good at it.” Since Title IX, all over the country, millions of girls and women have discovered that they do, in fact, have athletic abilities. The UVWCC rides are an outlet for women who discovered their athleticism early as well as for women who are just finding theirs.

After the official UVWCC group rides come to an end in September, some riders continue cycling as the weather and their personal cold tolerance allow. Others transition to winter sports. The board will meet again early in spring to coordinate details for the 2022 season. And when the kickoff party rolls around in April, these women riders will meet again and reconnect, ready for another summer of riding. 

A few years ago, the UVWCC offered kits of jerseys, cycling bibs, and socks for sale, and Sherry was the board member responsible for the design and ordering. The socks, green with purple writing to match the green and purple highlights of the jersey and bibs, have a slogan on the instep: Free. Untrammeled. 

After a decade of closure and ongoing restoration work, on August 28th, 2021, the Root Schoolhouse reopened as a community space for events.

“It’s an exciting time!” exclaimed Courtney Dobyns, President, Root District Game Club (the schoolhouse Board of Directors). “The needs and visions of our supporters are so important to us as we get ready to move into this wonderful historic building and make this community venue come alive. The future of the schoolhouse will evolve as people come forward with their energies and special interests. We look forward to the collaboration.”

The project began in the summer of 2019 when the historic schoolhouse was jacked up from its crumbling foundation, the site was excavated, concrete was poured, the drainage issues were addressed, and the schoolhouse was placed back down on a new solid base. The finishing touches were wrapped up in the fall. But little did anyone know what lay ahead during 2020 while planning for the next phase in the building’s restoration. 

“We had just applied for several grants, only to be turned down for three in the spring and one more in the fall due to the immediate pandemic needs and stiff competition for grant funding,” Dobyns said. “It felt like the world had been turned upside down socially and economically. The Board saw that we needed to take a deep breath and evaluate our plan.”

Fast forward to the spring of 2020, when contractors moved forward on the occupancy permit requirements with a complete rewiring of the building, widening the back door for ADA access, building the ADA access ramp, and excavating for the special parking space near the ramp. Although all jobs were not completed, a year’s extension on the state occupancy permit was granted.

With deep determination to move forward despite the challenges, and with an anonymous donation of $30,000, the dedicated Root Schoolhouse board gave a big push to get the code requirements funded so the schoolhouse could open this summer. Forty-eight supporters generously raised $10,000. 

The Root Schoolhouse has gained significant recognition within the community, and Dobyns expressed her gratitude to all the volunteers who have stepped up to help. Some highlights of the evolution of the schoolhouse have included the first annual pie sale in October, holiday candles in the newly painted windows facing Union Village Road and receiving a special sign recognizing the schoolhouse’s inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. 

Still left to do in 2021, is to erect the historical designation sign; hang and wire refurbished globe lights and kitchen lights; build ADA ramp, gutters, path, parking, and ADA portable toilet pad; install front step railings; repair the roof, finish basement insulation; mitigate poison ivy on property; and plant along the fence line.

Future projects to complete within three years include repairing the inside stairwell and main room ceiling; replacing the kitchen counter; finishing the backdoor to match other trim; repointing the chimney; cleaning and oiling the woodwork; painting the walls; tuning the piano; and repairing the slate blackboard ceiling.

“Beyond its historic preservation, our goal is to open the schoolhouse as a community space hosting educational and cultural events such as readings, musical gatherings, and maybe even collaborative events with neighboring farms for children and families,” said Dobyns. “There are limitless possibilities within our collective imagination. The enthusiasm expressed by our volunteers and townspeople makes the future look bright for this wonderful gem.”  

The celebration was held from 3-6 p.m, Saturday, August 28th; inside and outside the schoolhouse at 987 Union Village in Norwich. All were welcome. There were games, music, appreciations and refreshments. For more information about the Schoolhouse, contact vtrootschoolhouse@gmail.com or Courtney Dobyns at cdobyns1@myfairpoint.com.

Working with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, Vermont will study the social impact it has on the community and assist in refining a social impact tool for the museum field.

Thanks to a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, in partnership with Thanksgiving Point, had the opportunity to select museums across the country for the Measurement of Museum Social Impact (MOMSI) project. After a competitive application and review process, the Montshire was one of 38 museums selected for the study.

This study will measure social impact through strengthened relationships, health and well-being, continued education and engagement, and intercultural competency.

Working with the MOMSI team in Utah, the Museum will recruit and survey visitors from the local community. The data collected will inform Montshire on its social impact and will provide validated data about the museum field generally.

“We are deeply honored to be selected to participate in this national study,” says Jennifer Rickards, Montshire’s Acting Executive Director. “Although we’re confident in the value that the Montshire offers the community, this study of social impact will help us define, measure, and articulate that value more clearly and provide insights that will allow us to enhance the programs and experiences we offer.”

The Measurement of Museum Social Impact (MOMSI) offered the following information on the type of information they are collecting and how they measure impact:

Health and Wellbeing

This outcome is measured through statements regarding physical health, such as diet and exercise habits, along with mental and emotional health. It recognizes that museums are restorative spaces and are places of community activities.

Intercultural Competence

Visiting museums expands awareness of cultures and ways of life. This outcome is measured by understanding empathy, connection to community, personal strengths and limitations, and perspective of self and others.

Continued Education and Engagement

Learning occurs across various spaces and time, including in museums and through the programs they offer. This outcome is measured by understanding in what ways wonder, curiosity, and interest are stimulated in museum visitors.

Strengthened Relationships

This outcome strives to understand the positive interactions people have with others. It is measured through statements about social and family relationships, the bond between people, and the ways in which relationships are nurtured.

The Walk the End Alzheimer’s, the largest fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association, is an annual autumn event in more than 600 communities across the country. This year, on October 2, the Walk is back with teams and individuals walking together in person and in purple. 

Why purple? Purple is the color of the Alzheimer’s Association, but other colors have significance too, as represented by the flowers people carry during the walk. A purple flower means you lost someone to Alzheimer’s; yellow means you are a caregiver to someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia; blue means you are living with Alzheimer’s; and orange means you support the Alzheimer’s Association. 

As the array of colors indicates, Alzheimer’s profoundly affects not only the six million people living with Alzheimer’s in the US, but also their caregivers and extended family. You are never far from someone touched by this disease of cognitive decline. In Vermont alone, 13,000 patients, and their 25,000 unpaid caregivers are living with Alzheimer’s. Norwich residents and businesses are teaming up to raise money, spread awareness and support them.

Laura Fraser got involved with the walk last year by supporting Team Andy in memory of Andy Harvard. Andy suffered from younger-onset Alzheimer’s and passed away in 2019, at age 69, after ten years battling the disease. Fraser’s partner, Pastor Dick Hodge had a close connection with Andy, and Fraser became good friends with Andy’s wife Kathy, a driving force behind Alzheimer’s awareness in the Upper Valley. Fraser enlisted Fairlee Community Church of Christ to sponsor Team Andy. The walk is about raising funds, but also about building awareness. Fraser and Hodge did both.

Hodge delivered a message about Memory and the Alzheimer’s Walk, while Fraser’s Sunday school class had a lesson built around it and made capes for the walk. Fraser works at Diane’s Casual Cuts (Norwich), which is among the many local businesses “going purple” during the week of the walk, with balloons and purple shirts. “It seems to be everywhere,” says Fraser, “so my goal is to get information and education into the community.”

In the heart of the community, Dan & Whit’s has participated in the Alzheimer’s Walk over the past couple years, “going purple” and displaying the event sign in their window. Less visible businesses show their support through sponsorship. “I’ve seen the devastating effect of the disease personally and on caregivers,” says Norwich resident Peter Carter, whose law firm sponsored the walk last year. Carter’s mother-in-law, Susan McClane, suffered from Alzheimer’s and died in 2005, at age 75. He describes seeing an incredibly intelligent, vibrant, engaged person waste away over a few years. McClane, who had been in the N.H. state legislature, was “very up front about her diagnosis,” Carter said. “She wanted people to know she wasn’t stupid. She had a problem.” 

McClane’s daughter, U.S. Representative Annie McClane Kuster, chronicled her mother’s decline through regular conversations, and the two co-wrote The Last Dance: Facing Alzheimer’s with Love and Laughter. Carter worries that Alzheimer’s is a ticking time bomb, and feels an urgency to fund more research, which is one reason he and his firm support the cause. 

The Alzheimer’s Association funds and drives research toward treatment, prevention and, ultimately, a cure. This research led to the recent release of Aducanumab, the first FDA approved medication to treat the disease. In addition, the Alzheimer’s Association provides advocacy and resources like a free 24/7 Helpline, no-cost education programs (accessible virtually), free care consultations for families facing a diagnosis and more. All of these services are fully funded by the money raised during the Walks and other fundraising events.

For Darcy Bagley, Alzheimer’s is both professional and personal. As the Bereavement Program Coordinator at Bayada Hospice’s Norwich office, she and her coworkers help manage Alzheimer’s patients’ care daily. “We see the illness and also the aftermath with the families,” says Bagley. Bayada also has many staff with personal experience with Alzheimer’s, Bagley among them. All four of her grandparents passed away from Alzheimer’s. 

Bayada sponsors the Upper Valley Walk and others across the state and helps with planning and volunteering. Among the volunteers are families of patients. “Families want to stay involved after their loved one passes,” says Bagley. 

Each year, one or two patients come out and walk as well, wearing blue, just as Andy Harvard did for as long as he could. The walk is a visual reminder that Alzheimer’s is still out there and that there is much work to do.

“That’s why we wear our purple, and go purple and carry flowers,” says Bagley. “It is just as important that people in the community see us and are aware that we are working to find a cure.” The first person to be cured will carry a white flower.

How to Lend a Hand

This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s kicks off Saturday October 2, 9:30 am at Hanover High School. Here are all the ways you can support the community effort:

• Register a team or walk on your own (registration is free but all walkers are encouraged to fundraise and support the work of the Alzheimer’s Association)
• Volunteer the day of the event 
• Donate to a team or a general donation to the event
• Encourage your business to Go Purple leading up to the Walk or to display a poster.

For information, visit https://act.alz.org/uppervalley.