The Bridge, October 6, 2016

The Calendar of Events Returns! Pg.
15
October 6 October 19, 2016
Mental
Health
Mental Health is our focus in this issue of The Bridge.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Pg. 5 Local Teachers Win
Presidential Award
Pg. 7 Spotlight on
Mental Illness
Pg. 12 Bridges of
Montpelier
The Bridge
P.O. Box 1143
Montpelier, VT 05601
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Pg. 14 Documentary on
Eating Disorders
And as part of a recent phone conversation with Laurie Emerson

from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (Vermont office)
what we learn is this:
We learn that one out of five people in Vermont (and this includes
23,000 adults and 6,000 children and young people) struggle with
mental illness.
We learn that the current annual budget for the Vermont
Department of Mental Health is $220 million. That number does
not include money spent by the Vermont Department of Health
Access. Health Access money typically pays for some in-patient
services and individual, group and family services and other
psychiatric services.
The State of Vermont offers support for mental health services at
10 community-based mental health agencies across the state and
in this part of the state. Washington County Mental Health is an
example of one of these 10 regional agencies.
Based on the phone conversation with Emerson, it appears that many

Vermont mental health professionals feel that when state budgets
are put together, the available money is more likely to be spent on
medical doctors and physical ailments and illnesses than on mental
health.
We are looking for parity with medical payments, Emerson said.
In her press release, she drew a comparison between annual Vermont
highway death statistics and annual Vermont suicides.
The highway-versus-suicide statistics make a dramatic point. There
were 70 highway fatalities in 2013, then 44 fatalities in 2014, and 57
fatalities in 2016. Meantime, as Emerson reported in the most recent
year that statistics were available there were 80 Vermont suicides.
And sadly in recent years, in what Emerson called a huge problem
there are people with severe psychiatric problem waiting for acute
care beds. Said Emerson, It could be 10 days in an emergency room
before they get treatment and care.
-Nat Frothingham
Making Connections Can Help Alleviate

Depression in Elders
by Carla Occaso
BARRE Youve led a full and active life.

You get around and enjoy friends, movies
and going outdoors. But suddenly your life
changes forever. You find yourself abruptly
advancing from middle age to old age, where
you may no longer be able to drive as a result
of an injury or disability. Maybe a major
stroke, neurological disorder or accident
leaves you unable to walk. Maybe you are
going blind. How do you cope with the
depression, anxiety and despair that can
accompany such situations?
Fortunately, there are mental health services
in Washington County that reach out
to homebound elders, who are especially
vulnerable as winter approaches. The Bridge
recently spoke with to Bobbi Rood, elder
care coordinator for the Central Vermont
Council on Aging located at 59 North Main
St. in Barre. Although Rood has an office in
Barre, she is more often on the road visiting
elders who live anywhere from Waterbury
to Worcester to Middlesex and Montpelier.

Once she arrives at someones home, she
lends an ear and helps them adapt to the
grief and loss that can overwhelm them at
this stage of life.
Elder care services are primarily for
people age 60 and older who would not
be able to access more traditional officebased psychotherapy typically because of
medical and mobility issues, Rood told The
Bridge by telephone. One woman I know
used to love to be outside. She used to be a
hiker. She cant walk now. Those kinds of
changes that happen with aging can be very
challenging. If you have a stroke, suddenly
you are paralyzed, or you find yourself going
blind. They may be people who have never
had therapy in their lives so they are
coping with and adapting to these changes.
Rood also said the suicide rate among
elders is very high and that her agency is
working closely with the Suicide Prevention
Coalition. The people Rood sees face varying

problems all year round, particularly anxiety
and depression as a result of grief, loss and
life changes such as the death of a spouse.
Those without close family connections
around them suffer more than those who
have family, she said.
Simply listening to a person who feels
isolated and forgotten goes a long way toward
comforting them. Every person is different.
Try to understand what their feelings are
listen to them. Be a witness to them so
they are noted. Acknowledge them. They
are very real, Rood said. However, family
and society generally have an attitude of
just get over it and move on. This doesnt
help someone who wants to feel his or her
memories matter. The key is to help people
accept what has happened and yet honor the
past as well. People need to know they still
matter.
Continued on Page 10
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Net Zero Home Tour Planned For

October 8
MONTPELIER The Energy Advisory

Committee is hosting the first Towards Net
Zero Home Tour on October 8 between
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The public is invited to
explore the energy-saving and renewable
energy investments of 14 happy homeowners
generously participating in the tour. Learn how
different Montpelier families have taken steps
to stop wasting energy, reduce their fossil fuel
consumption, invest in renewable energy
and how its saving them money.
Homes will showcase solar photovoltaics, cold
climate heat pumps (for heating and cooling a
home), pellet boilers, weatherization solutions,
solar hot water and much more. At each
home, the homeowner(s) can talk about the
improvements they have made, explain how
it has helped them save energy and answer
questions. There is a wide diversity of homes
on the tour, including tiny, super-insulated
houses, older, weatherized homes, homes with
solar photovoltaics and solar hot water and
homes with pellet and cordwood boilers that
are reducing fossil fuel use.
Pick up a map at the Montpelier Farmers
Market on Saturday morning between 9 a.m.
and 1 p.m. The map will show you all the
locations on the tour. People can visit just one,
or set out to see them all. Pick a route and take
the tour in whatever order you prefer. Please
aim to take the tour on foot or by bike, as
parking is limited at many of the homes on the
tour. Cider, apples and donuts will be provided
at each home. This tour is organized by the
Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee, an
all-volunteer, council appointed committee of
Montpelier residents helping the city attain its
goal of becoming Net Zero by 2030. This
ambitious and important goal aims to transform
our energy system to ensure Montpelier has
a secure, affordable, sustainable, reliable and
renewably powered energy future and it
will require all people to participate (free of
charge). Find out far more and learn how you
can participate in this important effort at:
netzeromontpelier.org. For more information,
email netzeromontpelier@gmail.com.
City Invests In Solar Power

MONTPELIER Partnering with Novus, a
local firm specializing in solar powered energy
projects, the City of Montpelier has entered

into a 20-year power purchase agreement for
municipal electrical use.
In September, the first 500KW array located in

Sharon came on line and the power produced
is shared by the city and the school district.
A second 500KW array will be built off Log
Road in Montpelier. Still in the permitting
phase, this project will come on line in the fall
of 2017. One hundred percent of the energy
produced from the second array will help to
offset municipal power consumption.
Over the 20 year contracts, these two solar
arrays combined will save the city and schools
approximately $50,000 per year, and provide
about 55 percent of the citys total municipal
electrical usage, according to a press release
submitted by Kate Stephenson, Montpelier
Energy Advisory Committee chair.
This is a great step forward in the citys efforts
to become the first Net Zero state capital,
said Mayor John Hollar. My thanks to the
Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee and
city staff for negotiating these agreements. I
look forward to the Montpelier-based array
off of Log Road.
City To Form New Development

Corporation
MONTPELIER City Council will take up
the formation of the Montpelier Development
Corporation, it was recently discussed at a
recent Montpelier Business Association
meeting.
The Montpelier Development Corporation
will be an independent 501 (c)(3) entity with
its own nine-member board of directors
and presumably its own executive director,
according to City Manager William Fraser in
an email to The Bridge. They will contract
with the city for economic development
work.
Fraser went on to explain that
the development corporation will have a
completely different role and authority (under
the development corporation statute) than the
city government. It will not be an instrument
of the city nor controlled by the city. The
city will provide funding for specific tasks
(as contracted) and can withhold funding
at their discretion. Conversely, Montpelier
Development Corporation could raise funds
from other sources (grants, development
deals, contributions) and operate with no city

funding.
The development corporation and Montpelier
Alive will appoint four of the original board
members and city council will appoint five of
the original board members. After that the
board , itself, will appoint its own members.
Do What You Do Best.
Bookkeeping Payroll Consulting
802.262.6013 evenkeelvt.com
Officials are looking for people to join the

board of this independent nonprofit. The
posting is here: http://www.montpelier-vt.
org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=99
Living Another Way

This story was as told to writer Jessica Neary by
Seth Collins, a 40-year-old self-described "psych
survivor." He is also a 7th-generation Vermonter
from a sheep-farming family in Duxbury.Seth
lives in Montpelier.
MONTPELIER At 125 Barre St. there
is a community center founded by psych
survivors. "Another Way," as a sign affixed
to the front of the building announces, is
an alternative to Washington County Mental
Health's services. Another Way does not
advocate pharmaceuticals to alleviate mental
illness. Its business name is Green Mountain
Support Group.
In its time it has taken on the task of housing
those in need. The center is overwhelmed,
however, because of a constant influx of
shelter-seekers. The Barre shelter is constantly
overflowing, staggering under the weight of
our local domestic refugee crisis. Eventually
people find their way to Montpelier, and to
Another Way itself.
Another Way was founded on principles of
personal autonomy and self-determination.
Lacking local government support, "Another
Way" receives private funding to provide a safe
place for those with mental health challenges
who choose to eschew medication. The center
has a piano, a kitchen for Friday night meals,
coffee anytime and job and peer counselors
on staff to help clients integrate into society.
Drug and alcohol use are prohibited on the
premises, thus also providing a refuge for
those with addiction/alcohol issues or dual
diagnoses.
Another Way is the sole place in Montpelier
where the homeless may take a shower for
free.
The Bridge Presents a Variety Show

Featuring Our Area's Young People!
Saturday, November 12 at Bethany Church
Stay tuned for more information.
To participate in the show, email marichel@montpelierbridge.com
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Woodlands Splashed With Red
ed maple and ash still stunning deep red and purple, the yellows and oranges of
sugar maple not far behind. Today, familiar woodland ways were transformed
in late afternoon by golden light that surrounded us and seemed to penetrate
everything. Coming home we picked chanterelles the color of that light, at the edge of
a wetland. It's odd, but we almost didn't go walking as the day seemed drab and damp!
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THE BRIDGE
City Hires New Finance

Director From Within
by Carla Occaso
MONTPELIER The search for a new
finance director in City Hall has ended with
the winning candidate right under the same
roof.
Todd Provencher
Im pleased to announce that Accounting

Manager Todd Provencher is being promoted
to finance director effective Tuesday,
September 20, wrote City Manager William
Fraser in his recent City Managers Report
prior to that day. Todd insisted on this date so
that it would match up properly with payroll!
Provencher started out with the city five years
ago at the Department of Public Works facility
located on Dog River Road. He was hired to
keep track of inventory. From there, he worked
his way up to payroll and benefits specialist
working out of City Hall in August 2015. Not
long after, he became accounting manager.
Then, as a result of continued job shuffling in
the finance department, the top job opened
up. Sandy Gallup, outgoing finance director,
retired this summer, not long after Beverlee
Pembroke Hill, delinquent tax collector. This
led to Provenchers promotion.
A hiring committee selected Provencher from a field of 14 applicants. Provenchers starting
salary will be $74,800 annually.
In a phone conversation with The Bridge, Provencher said he thinks his biggest challenge will be
getting up to speed on all the job responsibilities. His biggest responsibility is putting together
the budget. Sandy did a remarkable job of leaving her house in good order, Provencher said,
but any new job has a learning curve. Last years big budget surprises were many more legal bills
than expected, but substantially fewer winter clean-up expenses.
Provencher said he is looking forward to the challenge of improving operations within the
department and integrating procedures where possible. And his past experience should help him
with this task. Before working for the City of Montpelier, he was an internal audit manager for
the City of Manchester, New Hampshire. He then worked in Massachusetts, but eventually
decided he would rather be back home in Vermont.
Provencher has done an outstanding job in all of his prior positions. We have full confidence
that he will take on this new challenge successfully, Fraser wrote in his weekly report. With
Provencher moving up, there will be the need to hire an accounting manager.
Although being a little short-staffed and with new people at the helm, the finance department
for the City of Montpelier is soon embarking on putting together the annual budget for the
voters to adopt at Town Meeting Day in 2017.
Massage Therapist Moves

into Old NECI Building
by Jessica Neary
MONTPELIER Sarah Bothfeld, a massage therapist whose office was located at the nowclosed Montpelier location of First in Fitness, has moved her practice up the hill.
Bothfeld says the closing of First in Fitness will be a great loss for Montpelier and for her
personally. She will miss the easy access to exercise equipment, and says it will be a big change
after 21 years at the location next to the police station in Montpelier.
Her new business location will be 250 Main St., Suite 103, in Montpelier. It is the old New
England Culinary Institute building at the top of the hill, right before the turn onto Towne
Hill Road. Bothfeld says there is plenty of free parking. As for her mobility-challenged clients,
Bothfeld says the Montpelier Circulator bus stops at 250 Main St. Besides the bus, some of her
clients walk or are brought by caregivers. She plans to work with clients with mobility issues to
coordinate scheduling appointments with the bus schedule, and hopes no one feels unable to
continue (or begin) receiving therapeutic massage from her.
Bothfeld believes therapeutic massage is essential not only to physical health, but also to mental
and emotional health. She says the three are integrated. Muscles react to mental stress by holding
tension. Massage helps release such tension, thus promoting a relaxed, stress-reduced state of
mind. Bothfeld adds, "Although I am not a counselor, by listening to and caring about my
clients' personal concerns, I can help them leave my office feeling a little lighter, or as one of
my clients put it, more organized."
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T H E B R I D G E
Local Teachers Win Prestigious Award
by Jennifer Myka
MONTPELIER/BARRE Amid all the debates about school consolidation, property taxes
and teacher contracts, there's some good news in Central Vermont, courtesy of Washington,
D. C. and two award-winning local teachers.
The White House in August announced that Mary Louise McLaughlin, a science teacher at
Barre Town Middle and Elementary School, and Kate McCann, a math teacher at U-32, were
recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science
Teaching. The award is given each year to two teachers in each U.S. state and territory, one
each in math and science. The award alternates yearly between teachers of students in the
seventh through 12th grades and teachers of students from kindergarten through the sixth
grade. According the Presidential Award website, the award is the nation's highest honor
for K-12 teachers in math or science, and finalists are judged by a distinguished panel of
scientists, mathematicians and educators.
Mary Louise McLaughlin
"I knew we had a national Presidential Award winner when I hired her," said Tim Crowley,
the now-retired Barre Town Principal who gets the credit for hiring McLaughlin four years
ago. She showed up for the interview, he said, with a stack of journals she required all of her
students to keep in order to record their thinking and their thought processes in coming to
their scientific conclusions. She sold me in a heartbeat, said Crowley
What McLaughlin does, said Crowley, is require students to learn protocols about how to
talk about science and, importantly, to communicate about it with others. Her dual teaching
certifications in science and language arts ensure that students learn not only science, but also
how to communicate science to others.
The notebooks are filled to the brim with ideas, explanations and hand-drawn pictures that
help each child understand their own thought processes, and operate as a way for students to
think and re-think their ideas.
McLaughlin said she started working as a teacher after a number of years in the private sector
doing environmental consulting. She went back to school for her teaching certification and
has now been in the classroom for 14 years.
Her method of teaching, she says, puts kids in the driver's seat; they're the active learners,
and they have to make sense. When first presented with a problem or scenario, they
write what they think about it, or how they think the problem will be solved, so they have
something to bring to what McLaughlin calls the scientists' meeting, where students sit in
small groups and share their ideas. Then they start asking questions and making discoveries
through communication with their peers and hands-on experimentation.
They're very resistant at first because they want to know the answer. But getting kids to
take the time to think, and then write about what they think and what they've learned, either
with words or pictures, helps in building the culture of how do we talk and share ideas?
The various ways she allows students to convey information ensures that "everyone will be
successful but not necessarily in every mode," McLaughlin says.
"I love to make kids think," says McLaughlin, and seeing her kids learn is what motivates her
to keep working and growing professionally. What does she love most? "When the kids get it.
That lightbulb moment," she says. "And when former students come back," she says, smiling
broadly," and say, You really prepared me."
Kate McCann
A dedication to teaching students how to think and communicate is also what drives Kate
McCann in her teaching. "Kate is extremely involved in math education at the state and
national levels," says U-32 Principal Steven Dellinger-Pate. "She brings a broader perspective."
"Math is about problem-solving, not equations," says McCann. To that end, she finds various
ways of getting her students to think about the material she is presenting, such as having
students work in pairs, or engage in computer games that anonymously track their progress
in answering questions. Another interesting activity is having a student write down the steps
he or she followed to solve a problem, then giving those steps to another student to see if that
student can get to the correct answer.
She, like McLaughlin, is adamant about requiring students to show their work. Students hate
showing their work, she says, but "showing the work is constructing the argument." As with
McLaughlin, McCann notes the importance of requiring students to "construct an argument
and critique the reasoning of others."
McCann's dedication to her craft is evident in the numerous extracurricular activities she
Courtesy Photo. Kate McCann, left, and Mary Louise McLauglin share a
smile in front of the White House.
engages in when not teaching, including spending a week of her summer scoring advancedplacement statistics exams, obtaining National Board Certification and presenting at
conferences and trainings to further her professional development.
"I have an innate drive to be the best I can be in the classroom, so I'm always trying to
improve," says McCann. She also believes there needs to be a lot of communication, and that
"it's okay to have a classroom that's noisy." She said she's always asking herself, "How can I
get students talking to one another?"
The application process for the Presidential Award requires significant work on the part of
the nominees as well as their circles of support. In addition to letters of recommendation and
a long written application, the nominees are required to submit a 40-minute uninterrupted
tape of them teaching a class, and a written reflection of that tape. McLaughlin almost gave
up when the first three tries at videotaping bombed as a result of technical and recording
difficulties. But she says the process was worth it.
Both McLaughlin and McCann were extremely positive about the process, noting how much
they learned about themselves in going through it. "It was like getting an independent audit
of your teaching," says McCann. "I learned a lot."
The winners received a visit to Washington, D.C. for the awards ceremony as well as a
$10,000 monetary award and a signed award certificate from President Barack Obama.
THE BRIDGE
HEARD ON THE STREET

Extra! Extra!
Net Zero Vermont Design Competition
Photos courtesy of Net Zero Vermont

From left to right: At an October 2 opening reception and preview of Net Zero Vermonts
Sustainable Montpelier 2030 Design Competition Dan Jones, Anne Watson and Becky
Wigg, take a close look at one of the many design competition entries. The preview and
opening reception took place as a pop-up gallery at 60 Main St. in downtown Montpelier.
Montpelier residents, workers and visitors have been voting to select their top five concepts for
the future of Vermonts capital. Voting started on October 5. The professionals who submitted
the top five concepts will be invited to develop more comprehensive design proposals and
these proposals will be on exhibit in Montpelier in early December. Dan Jones is Managing
Director of Net Zero Vermont. Anne Watson is a Montpelier city councilor. Becky Wigg is
a member of the Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee and on the staff of the Montpelierbased Regulatory Assistance Project.
This rendering of downtown Montpelier highlights in red the amount of downtown

Montpelier real estate devoted to parking vehicles. Clearly the preponderance of downtown
Montpelier real estate is devoted to parking vehicles. According to the Net Zero Vermont
website, The bulk of this land is State of Vermont owned and a couple of parking lots are
privately owned. Simply put, the most valuable and easily buildable land in the city is largely
committed to parking." As part of its invitation to professionals to submit designs in the
Sustainable Montpelier 2030 Design Competition the website explained the problem facing
Montpelier. Montpelier has set a goal of becoming carbon-neutral (net zero) by 2030. A net
zero community uses as little carbon-based fuels as possible This goal can be achieved with
massive energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy development. The Net Zero
website went on to call for a dramatically modernized transportation system and a fresh design
approach to downtown Montpelier with a need to replace automobiles and expand the density
of downtown building space.
T H E B R I D G E
A Personal Spotlight On Mental Illness
by Karli Robertson
An Exploration of Depression
You never know when it will strike. You dont

know how long it will stay. You cant snap out
of it. It aint pretty. And, if it gets you it will
never let go. But you can learn to live with it.
Thats right, its depression.
According to the website healthline.com,
depression affects five percent of Earths total
population. That is 350 million people living
with this disease today.
In my personal experience with my mom, who
has been diagnosed with depression, it can be
very difficult at times. When shes depressed, I
have to remember that her brain isnt working
correctly. Her mood changes and it can even
seem like she has become a different person.
Sometimes she can shut down, isolate herself
and get very weepy. Its hard to see her in such
a state because I love her, trust her and usually
turn to her for help and guidance. My advice
to you with someone you care about is to try
to not take their actions personally. Remind
yourself theyre not themselves and theyll
surely be back soon.
Basically, depression is a sickness that affects
a persons moods, most of the time, in a very
negative way. It alters a persons thoughts,
and they can come to feel extremely gloomy,
pessimistic, confused, angry and lonely for
long periods of time. Everyone should have
knowledge of depression in order to help
themselves and others whose lives it affects.
After researching multiple resources, I learned:

To understand the whole concept of depression,
you have to realize it is an illness like any other
illness. For example, my paternal grandfather
had diabetes and my dads understanding
of that disease has helped him understand
depression. Just like Alzheimer's, chickenpox
or pneumonia, mental illness is not a choice.
Being depressed is hard to imagine for
someone who isnt depressed because of their
greater control over emotions.
A depressive episode is something people will
experience for varying amounts of time (a
few hours to a few days or even much longer)
in an irregular state of mind. This includes
acting in ways that are strange, such as feeling
sad, worthless, hopeless, guilty and frustrated.
Depressed persons will often isolate themselves
and say things they do not really mean.
When depressed, many people feel stuck in
the moment they are in. They cant see a way
their lives could get better. It is very hard for
anyone to have to deal with that, and people
with depression shouldnt have to go through
rough times alone. It can, however, be hard to
be there for someone when they are shutting
the world out. It can be as extreme as hiding
in the closet and cutting or banging your head
against the wall.
There are situations in which people think,
I dont feel that I should ask for help and
support because I dont think that I deserve
Pedestrian Night Safety

Campaign Comes to
Montpelier
MONTPELIER Walking at night is about to become safer for pedestrians in Montpelier,
thanks to a new initiative of the Montpelier Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Free reflective
armbands and tips about walking safely at night will be distributed to pedestrians starting in
early October when days become shorter and nights are longer. The highly reflective adjustable armbands also have flashing LED lights that can be turned on to provide extra visibility.
The pedestrian night safety campaign is being launched in conjunction with other events
and activities the Pedestrian Advisory Committee has planned for October. An Open and
Complete Streets event will take place on Loomis, School, and Park Streets from Noon to 2
p.m. on October 8, and a series of walks around Montpelier will begin on October 9 as part
of the Committee's annual We Walk Week. Every participant in these events will receive a
free armband.
In addition, pedestrians can pick up an armband at locations around town, including
Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier Senior Activity Center, the Montpelier Police Department, and City Clerks office.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost two-thirds of all
pedestrian fatalities occur after dark. Low light conditions at dawn and dusk also make it
harder for drivers to see pedestrians.
The campaign's motto is Be Safe. Be Seen! According to Erica Garfin of the Pedestrian
Advisory Committee, The only way to be safe at night is to be sure drivers can see you.
And while wearing white or light-colored clothing is better than wearing dark clothing, it's
not enough.
The committee offers these tips on how to be safe when you're out at night:
1. Always wear reflective clothing or gear. Wearing white is not enough.
2. Carry a flashlight to help you see and be seen.
3. Cross the street at a crosswalk or corner. Cross in a well-lit area.
4. Always pause before crossing the street.
5. Make sure drivers see you and will stop for you. Take extra care where cars are turning.
The Pedestrian Advisory Committees encourages you to pick up a reflective armband. For
more information: Night safety campaign http://www.montpelier-vt.org/DocumentCenter/
Home/View/3632. We Walk Week http://www.montpelier-vt.org/DocumentCenter/Home/
View/3629.
Got a news tip? We want to know!

Send it to us at: editorial@montpelierbridge.com
friendship, love and kindness. This sounds

like an absurd thing for someone to think.
Anyone with a stable mind and goodness
in their heart knows that love is something
everybody deserves.
The Solution
Can you help? The answer is yes. The best
thing you can do is show your love. The
person has most likely been feeling alone,
hopeless and defeated. They need major
support. In extreme cases, when people show
signs of being suicidal, it is very important
that they receive help immediately.
Physically stay with them and call 9-1-1 or
the national suicide hotline at 1 (800) 2738255 if needed.
Imagine someone you love burrowing away
and saying hurtful things to you. This can be
incredibly frustrating. But, the most helpful
thing you can do would be to reassure the
depressed person that you are willing to stick
by them even while they might be pushing
you away.
Effects on Youth
Depression is especially prominent in
todays teens. Author Katie Marsicos book
"Depression and Stress" (Real Teens ... Real
Issues series, Cavendish Square Publishing,
2012) states that only fifty percent of young
people had talked to their parents about
stress or worry they had experienced over the
previous month. Not all kids talk to their
parents, so its obvious that the majority of
teens deal with stress on a daily basis.
A major problem that affects many people,
primarily young girls, is eating disorders,
and they have a lot to do with depression.
An article from the Teen Health and

Wellness website explains that depression
may lead to a negative body image, or a
negative body image may lead to depression.
Whichever comes first, it is clear that
there is a direct relationship between your
feelings about your weight and appearance
and feelings of depression. Many people
compare themselves to others and models
they see in the media. This is dangerous,
because the images they see are of unrealistic
standards. Girls may start dieting and not
eating, this can cause major health problems.
It is terrible to think that so many young
people are focusing on their imperfections
and attempting to fix it as a result of
their distorted self-perception, which can be
caused by or cause depression.
Personally, I know how difficult it can
be, because I have experienced an eating
disorder myself and know someone close
to me who had previously been struggling
with their body image as well. You change
the way you think, the way you act and
the way you feel. This change is not easy. It
takes courage to acknowledge the problem,
but once its done, recovery is very possible.
I knew I had a problem but couldnt say the
words, I had an eating disorder for nearly
two years after it was gone. Im lucky. It was
short lived and not very severe.
If people could see the signs of depression
and illnesses alike and know what to do,
it could make a major difference in the
magnitude of this disease. Millions of lives
could be made brighter and even saved. We
have the power to help.
Karli Robertson is a junior at U-32 High
School
THE BRIDGE
A Years Journey: An Interview on Daily Meditation

by Garrett Heaney
met Devon Byers through my day job at Hunger

Mountain Coop. Via social media, I took notice earlier
this year when I read that she had successfully practiced
a daily meditation routine, consecutively, for 300 days, and
a couple months later that she had meditated every day for
a complete year. I expressed interest in interviewing Byers
this spring and we finally got around to talking last month,
just as she was returning home from a meditation retreat
offered through Kripalu.
On Meditation with Byers:
Garrett Heaney: When were you originally drawn towards
meditation? What was it about the practice that attracted
you initially? Any early influences?
Byers: I was not remotely interested in the practice of
meditation when I was introduced to yoga in 2000. I fell
in love with the movement practice of yoga asana and
considered the meditation piece as something for older
people that liked to be still so I basically avoided
meditation until 2012 when I began an intensive three year
training in biodynamic craniosacral therapy.
My teacher would start each class with a guided meditation
that directly related to the specific anatomy and topic we
would be studying that day. It was during one of these
Devon Byers
guided meditations that I had a stunning experience that
opened me up and I experienced an altered state of being. Boom mind blown open
curiosity piqued. Diving deeper into my training I quickly learned that a huge aspect of this
healing modality required being able to sit and listen deeply to the way the human body
functions and thrives. I realized that meditation would be a helpful tool for me as a practitioner
so I sought out local classes to see what it was all about.
Heaney: Fairly recently you reached a milestone of meditating daily for a full year how has
daily meditation benefited your mind and how you experience your daily life?
Byers: In 2013 my marriage came undone. It took about a year before my husband and I were
brave enough to take the time and separate because we had two small children and kept trying
to put the family first, which was causing more harm than good. After my husband moved
out, I found myself with a ridiculous amount of free time I'd never had before and when the
kids would be with him, I felt lost and had no idea where to begin healing. About this time,
my best friend mentioned how impressed she was that her sister would get up in the morning
and, before her feet hit the ground, she would sit and meditate for 20 minutes. This struck me
as a good place to start taking care of myself so I did it.

The trick was I had only ever experienced guided
meditations in classroom settings and had absolutely no
experience with meditation all on my own so I quite
literally just sat still and watched myself. I was stunned to
feel and see the fluctuations of my feelings and my mind.
I passed it off as part of the grieving process and simply let
it all be what it was and what it was was amazing! After
the first month I noticed a pattern that my thoughts
and feelings would rise up and after the usual cycles of
tears and letting go, I would fall into these quiet, expansive,
yet very rich places, that felt like a sweet space to be, and
then the busy thoughts would return, and then glide away
much like the ocean tides. I challenged myself to 90
days of meditation to see what would happen next. Twenty
minutes, first thing upon rising, staying curious about what
would arise. I did not always enjoy the feelings, sensations
or stories that would arise! I came up against all kinds of
feelings (grief, anger, joy, excitement the full spectrum),
and I was never perfectly still, nor did I have the serene
space with the lovely cushions, and I could not even kind of
'sit in lotus position. I stopped trying to shame myself into
what I thought the 'right' way to meditate. I was motivated
to continue because, no matter what rose up in a sitting,
when I would finish each meditation, I found myself far
more clear and grounded than when I had begun.
Heaney: So physically, mentally, spiritually ... were you able to note any changes or progress
throughout the course of the year? Any major shifts, breakthroughs or transformations to
report on?
Byers: Every meditation feels like a gift I've given myself even the challenging sessions
where I spend most of my time in release-repair-review rhythms. The sessions where I spend
time rinsing out fear or old traumas from my system are not always graceful or easy but they
are the sessions that have opened my heart up more and more to receive the love and beauty
around me. I am far more alive in my sensory experiences. I am more available to my husband
and children because I have taken the time to care for myself and let go of all the residue of old
patterns and stories. I am far more grounded and present with the clients I serve in my private
practice. I have more ideas and energy and creativity. I love myself. I wouldn't have been able
to say that before I committed to my meditation practice.
Heaney: You have a business in town called Breath & Bone, tell us a little about that. What
are your main services and where can we find you?
Byers: At Breath & Bone I offer private sessions in biodynamic craniosacral therapy, a powerful
healing art in which gentle, non-invasive contact is made with the bones of the cranium, spine
and sacrum to release restrictions compromising the flow of health within your whole being.
Breath & Bone is located at 7 Main St. in Montpelier. Appointments can be scheduled online
at www.breath-bone.com.
Garrett Heaney is an author and artist in Montpelier. His work can be seen at http://ahny.us.
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T H E B R I D G E
Essay
Nearby Frontiers
by Matthew Maitland Thomas
he house was in a small, weed-choked town on the very outer rim of a tiny metropolis.
Not far away there was a shuttered factory. Within sight of the factory was the ruin
of a granary. On the main drag there was a Dairy Queen. Across from the DQ was a
grungy laundromat. The town was a despairing place, and I was there, in the cramped rooms
of the house.
A dog was locked in a room at the back of the house. The dog was not at all socialized and
was vicious, probably to the point of being murderous. It made a great commotion behind the
rooms heavy door. Finally, there was the clattering of claws on wood followed by a violent
thud. The dogs owner laughed, but not me. The dog had rammed the door, trying to escape.
Shortly before I left, the dog was taken outside. It had to come through the front room. Chaos
engulfed the house when the door was opened. The dog was a fury of muscles and teeth.
Snarling, it lunged for me. Flying spittle hit my face. Its owner pulled hard on the choke chain.
The dog yelped, recovered, and lunged again and again, each time coming a millimeter closer
to my nose.
I encountered the dog once more on the way to my car. It was chained to a stake in the ground
in the side yard. Instructing me to stay outside the well-worn path made by its endless pacing,
the owner dared me to turn my back on the dog. While I stood before it, the dog crouched,
growling softly. When I turned my back, the dog flew at me as though let loose from hell.
The dog in its three manifestations the unknown terror locked behind a heavy door, the
spasmodic font of chaos disturbing a settled room and the beast upon which you cannot turn
your back is a tidy representation of mental illness. But this representation is shallow, empty
and lazy (even the term mental illness feels inadequate). It is thus because it excludes people.
What the dog-as-representation-of-mental-illness describes instead are the loony-in-the-attic,
the maniac and the psycho, the tawdry minstrels of crazy.
These are not people. People are our friends and lovers, spouses and partners, parents and
siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, our acquaintances and the strangers we pass
on the street. I know that; I know better. And yet, when thinking about mental illness, I wrote
this dog into existence, gnashing teeth and all. I might as well have named it Madness.
If, like me, you are in close physical and emotional proximity to a person who lives with
mental illness, you understand that such metaphors are not only thin and unimaginative,
but fail morally and ethically. They are inaccurate. They are cruel. When unchallenged, that
cruelty opens the curtain on a horror show of mistreatment, exclusion, violence and suffering.
A new metaphor is needed, one that is kinder and more accurately describes mental illness as
perceived by someone like me, one of its watchers, who is co-located with mental illness by way
of a person who lives with it, who lives with me.
The house, the dog and the puddle of a town dissolve into a vast openness. A sea of tall grass,
shimmying in the breezes that ripple the plains, runs clear to the curve of the Earth. A single
guard tower interrupts the space. This is the last outpost on the far-flung reaches of a great
empire. One sentry mans the tower. His duty is to watch the lands beyond the border for the
stirrings of trouble. But there are none, not ever. Whatever war or campaign of conquest it was
that established this border happened long ago. Its heroes and villains are the stuff of legend
and fairy tale. The rest is morning mist.
Observer of an uneventful expanse, the sentry has little to do, so he goes about his life. He
reads, does laundry, takes naps, eats and goes for walks. Every so often, a dog comes sniffing
around the tower. The dog is not wild; it belongs to someone, the sentry somehow knows. It
reminds him of the dog he had as a child. The sentry feeds, pets and plays with the dog. He
watches as it bounds off across the plain, headed home to its family. He has not met them yet,
wherever they are, but he suspects theyre probably not so different than him.
Far from his capitol and its dogmas, on the edge of the border lands, the sentry feels the
prejudices of his imperial upbringing flaking away. The Enemy? The Other? Lies and
hyperbole, the sentry concludes while checking over the guard tower. It is in great need
of repair. The stones are weathered. The foundation is cracked. The sentry hopes the
construction detail never arrives, that the tower be forgotten, that the swaying grasses grow tall
enough to weave a sheath around the tower and pull it down to the earth. Then, he will sit on
the leftover mound and look across what used to be a boundary. Whoever dwells beyond the
edges of his empire, the sentry understands, is not strange or dangerous, and they are certainly
not to be hated, hurt or feared.
THE BRIDGE
Making Connections Can Help Alleviate Depression in Elders

Continued from Page 1
Suicide Among Older Adults in the U.S.A.
Since many individuals hesitate or refuse to ask for assistance, it is helpful to think about neighbors and friends
who may be coping with alienation and isolation. Transportation may be one of the biggest barriers to feeling
happy, so Rood suggests offering to take someone shopping when you go shopping, or give them a ride to church.
People who live alone need to find ways to build connections through relationships. Sometimes they can socialize
at local senior centers, such as the Barre Senior Center or the Montpelier Senior Activity Center. Others use the
services of Project Independence or the Washington County Mental Health offices on Summer Street in Barre.
But some people eschew going to a senior center and make connections through Facebook on their computers
or even by watching television. Many rely on the History Channel or Arts and Entertainment, Rood said, but
pointed out there are other ways to make connections as well. The Council on Aging has a senior companion
program, for example. Another suggestion is to volunteer your services to the extent you are able. If you can still
drive, volunteer to help others. Visit people. Take them to appointments. Those who are retired and can drive,
there is a big need for that, said Rood.
For additional information, call the Central Vermont Council on Aging at 479-0531 or Washington County
Mental Health Services at 229-0591.
In 2013, more than 7,000 people age 65 or older died by suicide (CDC,
2013). Suicide rates are higher among older adults than in the general
population (CDC, 2013). In addition to the thousands of older adults who
die by suicide, many more have made suicide attempts and suffer from
the emotional pain of suicidal thoughts. Suicide rates are particularly high
among older men higher than among any other group in the United
States (CDC, 2013). Although suicide attempts are more common among
older women than older men (SAMHSA, 2013b), attempts are more likely
to be fatal among men because men are more likely than women to use
firearms (CDC, 2013).
Although older adults (both men and women) are less likely than younger
adults to report serious thoughts of suicide or a suicide attempt (SAMHSA,
2013b), attempts are more likely to result in death among older adults than
among younger people (Conwell, 1997; Fassberg et al., 2012).
Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association Seeks Volunteers
he Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association (MAMBA) is working hard to

raise money and assemble a boardwalk and bridge as part of the Sparrow Farm
Trail. The Trail is used by runners and bicyclists and eventually connects in one
direction to the Montpelier Rec Field and the North Branch Nature Center.
Already MAMBA has raised half of the needed $4,500 to complete work on the boardwalk
and bridge. Specifically MAMBA is seeking to raise $1,500 from community members no
later than Saturday, October 15. For further information about donating to the bridge and
boardwalk project, please go online to https://www.gofundme.com/2uf94ufg.
MAMBA is seeking volunteer help to begin assembling the boardwalk and pre-cutting the
decking. This work is currently going forward right now in the evening at MAMBA board
member Dan Voisin's house. All of this evening preliminary work points to "Assembly
Day" on Saturday, October 15.
On October 15, volunteers are asked to meet at the top of Sparrow Farm Hill. MAMBA
will have some tools on hand but asks volunteers to bring a cordless drill or impact driver.
Also needed are work gloves, wheelbarrows, pry bars, hammers, shovels and buckets. All
are welcome. The construction project is to end at 12 noon and will be followed by a group
trail ride. For further information, please make email contact with Voisin at dtvoisin@
gmail.com.
Poetry
Bloody Headlines
If, when passing me in the
hallway,
On the street,
wherever,
You wonder if I take these
bloody.
recurring headlines
personally The answer is
Yes
by Reuben Jackson, host of

Friday Night Jazz
on Vermont Public Radio
T H E B R I D G E
Plainfield Opera House Seeks Funding For A New Piano

by Nat Frothingham
eres how former Plainfield Select Board member David Strong tells the story of how the Plainfield
Opera House got a much-needed new piano:
Four years ago the Plainfield Opera House building was shut down.
We had a massive community effort to restore it, renovate it and upgrade the buildings systems.
I was on the select board at the time and I helped write some of the grants that helped raised needed
money for structural work, drainage work, a new standing seam roof, a new heating system and
new electric throughout the building.
We built a warming kitchen in the opera house for food preparation. We built an accessible
bathroom. We raised about $300,000. The building is owned by the town. About a quarter of the
needed money came from private donations, another quarter was tax money and the rest was grants
from the Vermont Arts Council, the Vermont Housing & Conservation board and other agencies
and organizations.
Now that the renovations are completed, we are looking at bringing back programming in the
opera house and one thing we needed was a piano that was suitable for a small hall like the opera
house. We needed a good piano that a concert pianist could use. A piano tuner found us a Baldwin
piano (model L). Concert pianist Diane Huling tested the piano and recommended it to us. And
the current owners were willing to sell it to us for $5,000, considerably less than its market value.
Weve started a new organization called Friends of the Plainfield Opera House. We knew we needed
a piano so we said lets raise the money in time for Naomi Flanders to stage Mozarts Cosi Fan
Tutte at the opera house in mid-October. Weve raised about $4,000 now and were hoping to
complete the fund drive by the end of 2016. Thats when the current owners need to be paid.
One more detail and this is personal, The piano is being dedicated to the memory of my mother,
Jane Reid Strong. She was a concert pianist as a young woman. She was from Vermont and when
she retired she returned to Vermont and performed on the piano. She was an accompanist for the
Barre Choraleers and she played organ at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre.
In closing, Strong said, Im thrilled at the dedication of the piano to my mother. She loved playing
the piano. She loved all kinds of music. And this is something we can do to honor her memory.
As told to writer Nat Frothingham by David Strong, former Plainfield selectboard chairman.
Editors Note: David Strong noted, with thanks, that the Monteverdi Music School has been
willing to act as the Fiscal Agent for Friends of the Plainfield Town Opera House during a time
when the organization doesnt yet have (tax-deductible) not-for-profit status. Because of Monteverdis
help, donations for the piano can be tax-deductible.
HEARD ON THE STREET

Extra! Extra!
PLAINFIELD Echo Valley Community Arts will be presenting Mozart's lively comedic
opera "Cosi Fan Tutte" at The Plainfield Opera House October 1416 and the 2123. Directed
by Naomi Flanders and Music Director Mary Jane Austin, the opera will be sung in English and
set in the year 1969.
The cast is comprised of Vermont opera singers: Lillian Broderick, Kevin Ginter, Annalise
Shelmandine, Mark Boutwell, Meghan McCormack and Marek Pyka. For more information go to
echovalleycommunityarts.com. For reservations you can email Naomi Flanders: naomiflanders@
gmail.com or call 225-6471.
Pianist Diane Huling testing out the piano that was destined for the Plainfield
Town Opera House.
THE BRIDGE
Bridges of Montpelier
beams beyond the pier to avoid the need for joints

over supports. Many steel beam bridges used on
our state highways are of continuous-beam design
without splices to avoid leaking.
ovie buffs may remember the films

The Bridge on the River Kwai, Participants of the Montpelier Bridges
Bridge of Spies, and The Bridges of Ride on Sept. 4. Photo by Dot Helling
Madison County, and most women know who
Jeff Bridges is. While we may not have a famous
bridge in Montpelier, we do have bridges, lots of
them.
On September 4, Nancy Schulz, former director of
the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition, led
a group of cyclists on the first annual Montpelier
Bridges Ride. The event was part of the monthlong Montpelier Water Fest, organized by
educator Margaret Blanchard. Along for the ride
was Manuel Garcia, a local historian and retired
engineer, who provided background on our city's
many bridges.
Montpelier has at least 26 bridges within the city
proper. Of those, 20 can be biked over. Two of
the bridges that cannot be legally ridden across
include the railroad bridge next to the Junction
Road bridge and the railroad bridge behind Shaw's. The
group rode over all 20 rideable bridges, almost 20 miles,
on a spectacular day of sunshine and low humidity. Our first
crossing was the historic Langdon Street Bridge, originally
a truss bridge and now a modified truss bridge since it was
rehabbed. Garcia calls it a modern standard design, like a Sears
and Roebuck edition, relatively quick and fast to build, with
a known result.
There are eight truss bridges in the downtown, six are real and
two are modified. A truss is a fabricated steel member made
up of plates, angles, channels and beams and a truss bridge
supports loads beneath it across a span. The other bridges in
Montpelier are beam bridges. Whether built of concrete, steel
or timber, a beam bridge is designed with an appropriate crosssection to carry a load above it across a span.
Built in 1915, the Rialto Bridge on State Street is constructed
of steel I-beams encased in concrete. It has a 70-foot span and
is the longest bridge of this concept in Vermont. It posts a
sign selling air rights over the North Branch and is home to
by Dot Helling
a downtown river culture of bench dwellers, musicians and

smokers.
In decades past, most of the bridges crossing into Montpelier
were covered. Then came the age of the concrete beam bridge.
The Cummings Street Bridge, built in 1929, looks to be a
concrete beam bridge but is actually built with rolled steel
beams. I call it the turtle bridge because turtles cross there
many mornings. Concrete beam bridges were phased out in
the 1930s because of increased traffic. The concrete remains
of the Cummings Street Bridge, although not seemingly well
maintained, have survived the forces of nature and remain
structurally sound, possibly because of little traffic and few
large trucks. Also, it was shored up with a steel beam.
The bridge at the curve on the end of Barre Street heading up to
the River Street intersection is of unique construction. Because
it is on a curve, the girders had to be cantilevered and custom
cut, called a curved girder. It is Montpelier's only cantilevered
bridge.
The Main Street Bridge next to Sarducci's and Shaw's is a
continuous steel beam bridge. This one has splices on the
On the Bridges Ride we also viewed a number

of Montpelier's waterfalls. There are several
downtown along the Winooski and its North
Branch. I define our waterfalls as spillovers, like
the ones next to Shaw's, behind the Lane Shops,
at the upper end of North Branch Park, and up
Route 2 heading toward East Montpelier. I am
told that natural falls behind the condominiums
at the Lane Shops were closed off upon the
building of a grist mill and sawmill. I'm told the
natural falls on the Winooski by Shaw's were
also closed off and originally made into a timber
crib dam, which is now concrete. There may also
have been natural falls above the Pioneer Street
bridge, or simply a concrete dam, off the shore of
a building leased with water rights.
What are my favorite bridges someone asked? First is the small,
wooden timber-deck bridge that accesses Haggett Road off
Elm Street, gateway to a single homestead. Second is another
small, wooden timber-deck bridge on Grout Road leading to
Murphy's Place. Grout Road is the road just before Haggett,
landmarked by an old-fashioned seasonal vegetable stand at
the Elm Street corner where you pay on trust. These bridges
were rebuilt in the 1970s and are rolled beam bridges with a
laminated wooden deck and no concrete superstructure.
Winoo
Many of our bridges need attention. Happily, Montpelier works

to maintain its historical character. The bridges are places from
which we can immerse ourselves in the flow of the river below
and spot and watch wildlife. They even offer traffic safety,
such as when you are squeezed into the narrows of the Granite
Street Bridge, which forces motorists to slow down and proceed
cautiously. Bridges also give us the soaring freedom of height,
even if only 5 to 10 feet from the water surface. And if you love
movement, go bounce yourself across the footbridge on the bike
path between VSECU and downtown. Our bridges may not be
famous, but they sure do give us character and joy.
A Few Notes on Selected Bridges from City of Montpelier

Public Works Director Tom McArdle
Granite Street Bridge
Cummings Street Bridge
After the widespread devastation of the 1927 flood most of the steel truss bridges that were
installed followed a design that could be erected relatively quickly, in mass production style.
Montpelier Granite Street Bridge is one of our most significant historic bridges because its
construction pre-dates the 1927 flood and it survived the flood. It is my understanding that
after the flood, the Granite Street Bridge was one of the only remaining bridges that crossed
theWinooski River. Its so narrow because it was designed for a time of small horse-drawn carts
and vehicles and it had to be strong enough to carry heavy granite loads. Its been rehabilitated
twice and the first rehab won a historic preservation award.
Cummings Street Bridge used to be known as the ice house bridge because the old ice
storage facility was located on Cummings Street and they used to cut ice from the river and
store it for summer use with saw dust insulation. Keep an eye open for news of the Cummings
Street Bridge. Its scheduled to be replaced beginning next fall.
Taylor Street Bridge

The Taylor Street (steel truss bridge) was also a recently rehabilitated bridge with some funding
coming through historic preservation.
Langdon Street and School Street Bridges

These two downtown bridges that cross the North Branch of the Winooski, one at Langdon and
the other at School streets, were historically rehabilitated. While the trusses on both bridges no
longer support the deck, they are the original 1920s trusses. The Langdon Street trusses support
the sidewalks but the School Street trusses are free standing and no longer load bearing. School
Street is actually five independent spans; 2 sidewalks, 2 trusses and the bridge deck. Following the
rehabilitation project, the bridge was named for Rose Lucia, a distinguished Montpelier teacher.
Spring Street Bridge and Rialto Bridge

The Public Works Department hired a contractor to undertake a deck rehabilitation project
on the Spring Street Bridgethis summer with funding assistance from a VTrans grant. We
also did extensive repair work on the downtown Rialto Bridge again last year as we continue
to address issues in advance of ultimately replacing the Rialto Bridge in the not-too-distant
future.
Vine Street Pedestrian Bridge

Historically, there used to be a bridge that connected Vine Street across the North Branch to
Lane Manufacturing and Mechanic Street. But this vehicular bridge was closed in 1974 when
the original 1922 pony truss bridge was found to be unsafe for continued use. In 1978 the
Citys Department of Public Works built a pedestrian crossing which was considered at the
time a temporary structure. The Vine Pedestrian Bridge was replaced in 2010 using federal
ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funds.
Grout
T H E B R I D G E
Thank you to the City's Planning & Development Office and Public Works Department for providing this map of Montpelier's bridges.
102
River
100
oski West Bike Path Bridge
Grout Road Bridge
t Road Bridge
State
House
Pioneer Street Bridge
Granite Street Bridge.

Photo by Michael Quiet
Map Credits: (Planning & Development Office) Audra Brown,

Planning & Zoning Assistant; (Public Works Department), Tom
McArdle, Director of Public Works, Corey Line, Staff Engineer and
Zachary Blodgett, Staff Engineer.
Photos by Michael Jermyn
THE BRIDGE
Eating Disorder Documentary To Debut
n September 2013, filmmaker Bess OBrien

and Kingdom County Productions released
The Hungry Heart, a documentary
that toured Vermont and later other parts of
the country and that raised public awareness
about the deeply worrying epidemic of opiate
addiction.
Now, OBrien and Kingdom County
Productions are launching All of Me, a
documentary about eating disorders, food and
how we relate to food, body image and diet. The
film is also about how we compare and judge
ourselves against the celebrity men and women
who seem to be everywhere in magazines,
in movies, smartly dressed and successful
making us feel less beautiful, less glamorous,
less attractive.
During October All of Me is touring Vermont
with two screenings on successive nights, in
Montpelier on Friday, October 7 at 7 p.m. at
Bethany Church on Main Street, and in Barre
on Saturday, October 8 at 7 p.m. at the Flying
Stage at the Resource Store at 30 Granite Street.
by Nat Frothingham
disorders are extra sensitive, OBrien said.

Someone with an eating disorder might fixate
on food because of anxiety, depression, some
event or misfortune in their lives or something
they didnt understand about themselves that
made them feel unworthy or made them
feel ashamed. OBrien said that on the basis
of the screenings of the film since its recent
release, she feels that many people will be
able to relate to it. Any woman can relate
to this film. How they grew up. Were they
chubby? How did they look in a bathing suit?
And men what about men on diets, going
to the gym, looking good in a suit, looking
good at a club. When youve got control of
food, sometimes you feel youre in control
even when the world around you feels out of
control, she said.
Toward the end of the phone conversation,
OBrien discussed her attitude of compassion
toward the girls, women, men and boys
who appear in All of Me. She doesnt feel
that shes here and the men, women, girls
and boys who figure in the film are over
there. They may be suffering from an eating
disorder. They may have a serious issue or
even an obsession with food. But they are
OBriens All of Me despite its focus on

Bess O'Brien
two eating disorders, bulimia and anorexia
Photo courtesy of kingdomcounty.org
compels us to look at the more wide-ranging
issue of the place of food in our lives. We crave
food when were hungry. We also crave food as a source of pleasure and satisfaction. We neighbors, friends, she said.
want food to make us feel better when things go wrong. And how desperately many of us OBrien said she encourages parents to come and see All of Me. She sees her film as a
want a body type other than the body type we have. We dont want to be fat. We want to way of helping parents talk to their kids about food, how they relate to food and their body
be slender. We want our bodies to be appealing. We want to look and feel like someone else. image. If you have ever struggled with food, with body weight, or depression, this movie
Sometimes people with an eating disorder are highly successful in other parts of their lives. will connect with you, she said.
They might be high academic achievers with straight As. They might even come across to
their friends and family as pretty normal. But they might be hiding something or feeling
that their life is in crisis or out of control or there is maybe something in their life they dont
know how to handle. But eating is something they can control and an eating disorder is
something they can hide.
In a phone conversation with The Bridge, OBrien said, If youre a woman who grew up in
the United States, you have dealt with body issues and food.
In the course of making her film, OBrien met people who had become obsessed with food
and obsessed with weight. It can take over your life, she said.
About eating disorders, she said, Eating disorders are a disease. They stem from mental
health issues. I wanted to explore the roots of the problem. Many people with eating
As part of the screenings of All of Me in Montpelier and Barre on October 7 and 8,

OBrien and some of the people who appear in the film will be available for a question-andanswer discussion with the audience.
HEARD ON THE STREET

Extra! Extra!
Announcement from Grateful Yoga
MONTPELIER Grateful Yoga will be offering a six-week series of LoveYourBrain

(LYB) classes beginning on October 12 and running through November 16.
Classes are Wednesdays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at 15 State St. (Montpelier). LYB classes
are being offered free of charge to anyone who has experienced a traumatic brain injury
(TBI). The classes are also being offered free to TBI caregivers.
Classes are being made available through the help and generosity of the LoveYourBrain
Foundation.
Save The Date:
Thursday,
October 20
is Moonlight Madness in
Downtown Montpelier.
Your favorites shops

in Montpelier stay
open longer and offer
amazing discounts!
T H E B R I D G E
Community Events
Events happening
October 6 22
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6
Introduction to HeartMath. A way to build

resilience and reduce the effects of stress, anxiety, depression. With Edward Kentish Lic.Ac. 67:30 p.m.
Hunger Mountain Co-op, Montpelier. Free.
A Discussion of Poetry: Collected Lyrics. James Facos as he reads from his book, Collected Lyrics, masterful poems bursting with life, music and drama.
6:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7
2016 Ibex Warehouse Sale presented by Onion

River Sports. Oct. 79. 85 p.m. Sports Warehouse,
36 Vast Lane, Barre. onionriver.com
Baked Beads 24th Annual Columbus Day Weekend/Waitsfield Jewelry & Scarf Sale. Oct. 79.
Benefits the Mad River Valley Ambulance Service.
10 a.m.5 p.m. Rt. 100 at 46 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield.
3 Reasons You're Getting Hurt When Running
and What to Do About It. With Sarah Richardson,
Running Instructor. 67:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain
Co-op, Montpelier. Free.
Lecture at T.W. Art Gallery. Art During the 1930s
and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) with
Art Historian Debbie Tait. Learn about the history
of the WPA and its artists and the uniqueness of the
program and the times the art depicted.7 p.m. 46
Barre St., Montpelier.
Remedies for Anxiety and Sleep. Join licensed Acupuncturist Baylen Slote of Black Turtle TCM for a
dynamic evening of conversation and practice. 7 p.m.
Jaquith Public Library, MArshfield. Free. black@
turtleTCM.com
"All of Me" Documentary Screening. Focuses on
the lives of women, girls and boys who are caught
in the downward spiral of eating disorders and their
struggle to regain a sense of self-compassion and
healing. 79 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,
Montpelier. Adults $12; youth $7. http://kingdomcounty.org/eating-disorder-documentary/
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8

Worcester Clothing Swap. Get some new-to-you
clothing and accessories. $1/per bag. Bring your own
bag. Benefits the Worcester Food Shelf. 9 a.m.3
p.m. Worcester Town Hall, 552-7494. Drop offs accepted Oct. 6 and 7, noon5 p.m.
Towards Net Zero Home Tour. Visit homes around
Montpelier to learn how your neighbors are taking
action to reduce their energy use and use renewable
energy. Learn about solar photovoltaics, heat pumps,
pellet boilers, weatherization options, solar hot water
and more. Pick up your map at the Farmers Market.
Calendar of Events
9 a.m.1 p.m. Free. www.netzeromontpelier.org
State College, Bentley Hall, Room 207. Free.
Chicken Pie Dinner. Three sittings: noon, 5 p.m. and

6:30 p.m. Trinity Church, 137 Main St., Montpelier.
Adults $10; children 10 and under $5. Reservations
or take-outs: 229-9158. trinity@comcast.net
Biography as Personal Odyssey. With Monika

Reis, M.A. Ed Counseling, Certified Archetypal
Pattern Analyst. While awake not dreaming- discover universal motifs that connect with your deep
stories. 67:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Co-op,
Montpelier. Free
Healthy High Tea Open House. Hosted by Central

Vermont Reiki. Complementary 10-minute Reiki
sessions for anyone interested in experiencing Reiki.
2:305 p.m. 141 Main St., Montpelier. info@centralvtreiki.com. 498-8015. www.centralvtreiki.com
Harvest Chicken Dinner. Chicken & biscuits,
mashed potatoes, gravy, squash, coleslaw, cranberry
sauce, homemade pies & cakes, beverages. 5:30 p.m.
St. Monica-St. Michael School, 79 Summer St.,
Barre. Adults $12; children 12 and under $6. 4790667 or 479-3440
Saw-whet Owl Banding. Exciting opportunity to
view these common, yet seldom-seen, birds. Follow
signs from North Branch Nature Center parking lot
to the banding station and be sure to dress warmly.
7 p.m. NBNC, 713 Elm St., Montpelier. Donations
welcome. 229-6206. northbranchnaturecenter.org
"All of Me" Documentary Screening. Focuses on
the lives of women, girls and boys who are caught
in the downward spiral of eating disorders and their
struggle to regain a sense of self-compassion and healing. 79 p.m. Flying Stage at ReSource, 30 Granite
St., Barre. Adults $12; youth $7. http://kingdomcounty.org/eating-disorder-documentary/
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9
Hike Stowe with Green Mountain Club. Moderate.

2.4 miles round trip. Relaxed pace. Hike to Sterling
Pond Shelter. Bring lunch, water, and a mountaininspired poem to read. Meet at Montpelier High
School. Contact Reidun and Andrew Nuquist, 2233550 for meeting time.
Sewing Sundays. Share new skills and sewing
projects. No instruction; open sewing time. Sewing
machines and basic notions provided. 14 p.m.
Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. Free.
http://www.helenday.com/education/adults#Sewing_
Sundays
Coming Out Day Tea Dance. All welcome to dance,
socialize and celebrate the LGBT community in
central Vermont. Sponsored by Rainbow Umbrella of
Central Vermont. 37 p.m. Charlie Os, 70 Main St.,
Montpelier. RUCVTAdmin@PrideCenterVT.org
Community Fall Benefit for Central Vermont
Habitat for Humanity. All ages-friendly event includes music by Lewis Franco and master storytellers
Tim Jennings and Leanne Ponder! Food, craft-making & silent auction. 36 p.m. Unitarian Church,
130 Main St., Montpelier. Admission by donation.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 10
Manage Your Money, Reach Your Dream. Colin

Ryan, a financial expert and author with a background in comedy and storytelling, uses humor to
teach about personal finance. 45:15 p.m. Johnson
Grief & Bereavement Support Group. Open to

anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one.
67:30 p.m. CVHHH, Granger Rd., Barre. Free.
223-1878.
Howard Coffin: Vermont and the Civil War. Vermont author and Civil War historian Howard Coffin
addresses the Vermont contribution to the Civil War.
7 p.m. Middlesex Town Hall, 5 Church St., Middlesex. Free. pwiley3@gmail.com
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11
Zero Waste Home Tips. With Cassandra Hemenway, CVSWDM Outreach Manager & Charlotte
Low, CVSWDM Outreach Coordinator. Learn
how to reduce your waste at home and on the go.
5:307:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Co-op, Montpelier. Free.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
EarthWalk Village School Open House. Learn

about EarthWalks nationally recognized nature
education programs. 9 a.m.noon. Earthwalk, Pitkin
Rd., Plainfield. RSVP: anika@earthwalkvermont.org
or 454-8500.
Mysteries: Why we Read Em and Who We Ought
to Read. With Librarian/Bookseller George Spaulding. Well talk about the reasons we love various
authors and characters, and maybe find some new
favorites. An Osher Lifelong Learning Program. 1:30
p.m.; doors open 1 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity
Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier.
Indie Lens Pop-up Documentary: Best of Enemies. Film and panel discussion. 7 p.m. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
History of Water Color Painting in America Pt.

2. Presented by art historian Debby Tait. 12:30
p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St.,
Montpelier. Free.
Discussion of David Kennedys The American
People in World War II: Freedom From Fear, Part
of the book discussion series The Path to War sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council. 7 p.m.
Norwich University, Sullivan Museum, Northfield.
Free. 485-2183
Tony Whedon Poetry Reading. Whedon, a former
professor at Johnson State College, will read from
his newest poetry collection, The Hatcheck Girl.
7 p.m. Johnson State College, Stearns Student
Center Cinema. Free.
New Immigrants & Refugees: The Vermont
Story. This panel discussion will address the topic
of immigrants and refugees in the Vermont area.
Moderated by Kesha Ram. 7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
Throw-A-Thon Ceramics Event. Students and the
Thursday, October 20 is Moonlight Madness!
For more event listings

and event details visit
montpelierbridge.com
Performing
Arts
THEATER, STORYTELLING,
COMEDY
Through Oct. 22: Stowe Theatre Guild
presents The Rocky Horror Show. Due to the
mature themes, only adult tickets will be sold.
Shows run Wed.Sat., 7:30 p.m. Stowe Theatre
Guild, 67 Main St., Stowe. $25. 253-3961.
stowetheatre.com
Through Oct. 23: Lost Nation Theater

presents Sylvia. A modern comedy with bite, a
middle-aged couples world is turned on its head
when the husband brings home an engaging
canine running loose in Central Park. Shows
run Thurs.Sun. Showtimes 7:30 p.m. Thurs.
Sat. and 2 p.m. Sat. and Sun. Montpelier City
Hall, Main St., Montpelier. $1530. 229-0492.
Lostnationtheater.org
Oct. 12: Iraq War Vet Brings Contemporary Dance Company to JSC. Former Marine
Roman Baca, co-founder of Exit12 Dance
Company, will perform with his troupe. 8 p.m.
Dibden Center for the Arts at Johnson State
College. Free. http://www.dancebtc.org/romanbaca.html
Oct. 1416. Oct. 2123: Cosi Fan Tutti.
Mozart's comedic lively opera. 7:30 p.m; 2 p.m.
shows on Oct. 16 and 23. Plainfield Opera
House. Adults $25; seniors $23; students
$20; kids $10. naomiflanders@gmail.com.
echovalleycommunityarts.com
Oct. 21: Stroke Yer Joke. Sign up in advance to
try five minutes of your best open-mic stand-up
comedy before a live audience 8 p.m. Espresso
Bueno, 248 N. Main St., Barre. Free. 479-0896.
events@espressobueno.com. espressobueno.com.
Oct. 2122: Vermont Vaudeville presents,
Vaudeville, Eh? A celebration of all things
Canadian. With professional music, comedy
and circus stunts. Oct. 21 and 22, 8 p.m.; Oct.
22, 2 p.m. Hardwick Town House, Church St.,
Hardwick. Adults $15; kids $8. Matinee: adults
$12; kids $6. 472-1387. www.vermontvaudeville.com
THE BRIDGE
For more event listings and event details visit montpelierbridge.com
Live Music
VENUES
Charlie Os World Famous. 70 Main St., Montpelier. Free. 223-6820.
Every Mon.: Comedy Caf Open Mic, 8:30 p.m.
Every Tues.: Godfather Karaoke, 9:30 p.m.
Oct. 6: Scott Graves, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7: Abby Jenne & Hard Livers (soul rock) 6
p.m.; The Concrete Rivals Reunion Show (surf) 9
p.m.
Oct. 8: 4th Annual Drag Night w/ House of
LeMay. PWAC Benefit. 9 p.m.
p.m.; John Lackard Band (blues) 9 p.m.
Oct. 15: The Simple Pleasure (electropop) 9 p.m.
Oct. 20: Ladybeast, Seax, Hessian (metal) 9 p.m.
general public create ceramic items from clay to sell.
Proceeds will go to Operation Smile, an organization
that provides free surgery for children born with a
cleft palate. Noonmidnight. Johnson State College
ceramics studio. $5 participation fee.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
Hike Mount Worcester with Green Mountain

Club. Moderate. 5 miles round trip. 2000' elevation
gain. Hike this beautiful peak and see the fall foliage.
Contact Steve and Heather Bailey, stevecbailey@
gmail.com or 609-424-9238for meeting time and
place.
Cabot Historical Societys 17th annual Apple Pie
Festival. Apple Pie Baking Contests! Cash, ribbons,
prizes. Pies MUST be entered by 10:30 a.m. Judging
begins at 11 a.m. Fun, family friendly event, lunch
& plenty of apple pies for sale. 9 a.m.3 p.m. Cabot
School gym, Main St., Cabot.
Vermont Land Trust Annual Celebration. The
Northeast Kingdom is home to more than 206,000
acres of conserved farms and forestland. Explore a
few these special places and learn about cultivating
the connection to land from keynote speaker, Kenneth Holbrook. Field trips start at 9 a.m. Craftsbury
Outdoor Center, 535 Lost Nation Rd., Craftsbury.
Register at vlt.org/celebrate or call 262-1204
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16
Preparing Your Plants for Winter. Learn when and

how to fertilize, plant and tree care, pruning for more
fruit and more. 13:30 p.m. Elmore Roots, 631 Symonds Mill Rd., Wolcott. $10. 888-3305. fruitpal@
elmoreroots.com
p.m.; The Pilgrims & Faux in Love (rock) 9 p.m.

Espresso Bueno. 248 N. Main St., Barre. 4790896. Free/by donation unless otherwise noted.
events@espressobueno.com. espressobueno.com.
Oct. 8: Jazzyaoke, 7:30 p.m. $5.
Oct. 14: Over Orange Heights (acoustic progressive rock) 8 p.m.
Oct. 22: Bird Full of Trees (rocky-tonk) 8 p.m.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Oct. 7: Friday Night Fires with Myra Flynn. Singersongwriter. Indie/soul. 79 p.m. Fresh Tracks Farm
Vineyard & Winery, 4373 VT-12, Montpelier.
Oct. 8: Jewish Jazz. A lively evening of American
Jazz and classic Klezmer interwoven with fascinating
history. 7 p.m. Beth Jacob Synagogue, 10 Harrison
Ave., Montpelier. $15 members; $20 non-members.
Tickets: https://bethjacobvt.org/civicrm/event/
register?id=1363&reset=1. Also available at door for
cash or check
MONDAY, OCTOBER 17
PBS Arts Fall Festival's Hamilton's America.

Sneak peek at a documentary giving a behind-thescenes look at the Broadway musical Hamilton.
The project will feature interviews with key thinkers
and artists, plus scenes from Hamilton, including
never-before-seen footage. 7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard
Library, Montpelier.
"Whose Democracy Is It? Money in Politics."
Screening of the presentation by Ann Luther, League
of Women Voters of Maine. 78:30 p.m. Montpelier
Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier.
Free. 223-2518.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18
The Onion River Exchange Time Bank. Join Heather Kralik and a panel of Time Banking members as
they share their many stories of exchanges, relay what
it is like to be a member and answer any questions
you may have. 5:306:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain
Co-op, Montpelier. Free.
Local Author Series: Kevin Macneil Brown.
Montpelier author Macneil Brown celebrates the
publication of his ninth novel with readings from his
work and a discussion about the art of writing fiction
inspired by landscape, history and depth of place.
Q&A and book signing follows. 7 p.m. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19
Grief & Bereavement Support Group. Open to

anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one.
1011:30 a.m. CVHHH, 600 Granger Rd., Barre.
223-1878.
Oct. 8: Jethro Tull Guitarist Martin Barre. 8

p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 122
Hourglass Dr., Stowe. $2045. 760-4634. www.
SprucePeakArts.org.
Oct. 14: Friday Night Fires with Gypsy Reel.
play high energy stirring music rooted in the
Celtic tradition. 79 p.m. Fresh Tracks Farm
Vineyard & Winery, 4373 VT-12, Montpelier.
Oct. 14: De Temps Antan. This powerhouse
Quebecois trio catapults audiences into
French Canadian music and culture with tight
harmonies, fiddle, accordion, guitar, bouzoki
and foot percussion. 8 p.m. Barre Opera House,
6 N. Main St., Barre. $1526. 476-8188.
barreoperahouse.org
Oct. 14: Meg Hutchinson with The Brother
Brothers. Singer-songwriter. 8 p.m. Goddard
College, Haybarn Theatre, Plainfield. $15
advanced; $20 day of show. http://www.goddard.
edu/event/meg-hutchinson/
Polls, Politics, and Probabilities. Learn about the
history, design, and accuracy of polls including some
that turned out to be wrongand why. How are
polling statistics calculated and what do they really
mean? An Osher Lifelong Learning Program. 1:30
p.m.; doors open 1 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity
Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier.
KEEP CALM with Essential Plant Oils. Learn about
5 essential oils most widely used by aromatherapists
for stress and anxiety with Lauren Andrews RN,
Clinical Aromatherapist and Founder of AroMed
Aromatherapy. 67:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier. Free.
Genealogy 101: DNA Testing Basics. Presentation
provides all the information necessary to understand
how DNA is tested, what it can and cannot tell you
about your ancestors and which test & company
are the best answer for your genealogical questions.
6:308 p.m. Vermont History Center, 60 Washington St., Barre. Free. Call MSAC at 223-2518 to
pre-register.
Moving Pictures at Jaquith Public Library. Every
third Wednesday, 7 p.m. Jaquith Public Library,
School Street, Marshfield. Call library for film title:
426-3581
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20
Introduction to Qi Gong. Well cover some

background and then learn a set of movements that
you can practice at home. Move, breathe, feel great!
67:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Co-op, Montpelier.
Free.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about
Fruit Trees but Were Afraid to Ask. Join nursery
owner Nicko Rubin as he shares know-how that can
ensure success with fruit trees, from soil preparation
and planting to restoring old trees. A Transition
Town Montpelier program. 6 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard
Library, Montpelier.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21
Lecture at T.W. Art Gallery. Artists and the Works

Progress Administration with Artist Billy Brauer.
Learn about the WPA and its history and the imagery of the time. 7 p.m. 46 Barre St., Montpelier.
Oct. 15: Dave Keller & Brother Bob White.

Blues/soul. 7 p.m. The Old Meeting House, Center
Rd., E. Montpelier. $12 advance; $15 at door.
Oct. 1516: 16 ITALIA! The Vermont
Philharmonic Annual Opera Gala. Featuring music
of Bellini, Donizetti, Puccini, Rossini, Verdi and
others.
Oct. 15: 8 p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts
Center, 122 Hourglass Dr., Stowe. $20 advance;
$25 at door. http://www.sprucepeakarts.org/
event/vermont-philharmonic/
Oct. 16: 2 p.m. Barre Opera House, 6 N. Main
St., Barre. Adults $15; seniors $12; students $5.
http://barreoperahouse.org/shows/)
Oct. 17: Havana Cuba All-Stars. Cubas most
promising musicians will present Cuban Nights,
an electrifying program of music celebrating the
islands extraordinary cultural legacy. 7 p.m. St
Johnsbury Academy, Fuller Hall, St. Johnsbury.
$1554. kcppresents.org
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22
NAMI Vermont Mental Illness & Recovery Workshop. Discusses mental illnesses, coping strategies
and other NAMI programming. Hedding Methodist
Church, 40 Washington St, Barre. Must register to
attend. Call for more details: 800-639-6480.
Champlain Lake Watch. The Champlain flyway
is a corridor for tens of thousands of waterfowl that
migrate through Vermont each spring and fall. Well
search the Champlain Valley for ducks, geese and
others. 7:30 a.m.3:30 p.m. North Branch Nature
Center, 713 Elm St., Montpelier. Free for teens. 2296206. northbranchnaturecenter.org
Work Hike with Green Mountain Club. All abilities
needed and welcomed. Various distances. Bring
lunch and water, wear sturdy boots, work clothes
and gloves. Tools supplied. Meet at Montpelier High
School at 8 a.m. . Contact Andrew Nuquist, 2233550 or trails@gmcmontpelier.org.
EarthWalk Fall Community Day & Harvest Celebration. Join us for Earth Oven Pizza, games, nature
crafts, songs, pumpkin carving, fire by friction, wild
food, stories and more! Children under 12, please
bring an adult. 11 a.m.3 p.m. Earthwalk, Hawthorn
Meadow on the Goddard College campus, Plainfield.
Suggested donation: $3; $10 per family. Please leave
pets at home. 454-8500. earthwalkvermont.org.
Fur Fest. Hors doeuvres, delicious desserts by Birchgrove Baking, piano music by Michael Arnowitt
and an exciting live and silent auction. All proceeds
benefit the shelter animals. 58 p.m. The Hayloft,
179 Guptil Road, Waterbury. $35. www.centralvermonthumane.org
Saw-whet Owl Banding. Exciting opportunity to
view these common, yet seldom-seen, birds. Follow
signs from North Branch Nature Center parking lot
to the banding station and be sure to dress warmly.
7 p.m. NBNC, 713 Elm St., Montpelier. Donations
welcome. 229-6206. northbranchnaturecenter.org
Send your event listing to

calendar@montpelierbridge.com
or visit montpelierbridge.com
T H E B R I D G E
Visual Arts
EXHIBITS
Through Oct. 9: Julia Zanes and Donald Saaf,

Parables. Paintings, sculpture and marionettes
of Brattleboro-based artists Donald Saaf and Julia
Zanes. Closing reception, Oct. 9: 35 p.m. Kent
Museum, Calais. Visit our website at kentscorner.org,
for additional information.
Through Oct. 10: Annelein Beukenkamp, Watercolors. A solo show of nine paintings by Burlington
watercolor artist. The Bridges Resort Gallery, located
in the Fitness Center lobby, 202 Bridges Circle, Warren. 496-6682. http://www.valleyartsfoundation.org/
Through Oct. 10: Art in the Round Barn Show. 30
artists participating. At Joslin Round Barn, Waitsfield. Free. 496-7722, info@greenmountainculturalcenter.org, or www.greenmountainculturalcenter.org
Through Oct. 12: Wink Willett, Impressions
from Cuba. Willett is a travel photographer who
has traveled throughout the world and lived in three
continents. With his camera as his passport, he
heads toward third world countries to learn about
and engage in the many diverse cultures and sociopolitical influences which impact humanity at all
levels. Gifford Medical Center Gallery, 44 S. Main
St., Randolph. 728-7000
Through Oct. 15: Exposed. This year celebrates 25
years of this remarkable outdoor sculpture exhibit.
Korean artist JaeHyo Lee will be featured, among
other talented local and national artists. Gallery
hours: noon5 p.m., Wed.Sun. Helen Day Art
Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. 253-8358. mail@
helenday.com. helenday.com
Through Oct. 23: The Female Eye. Featuring the
oil paintings of Candy Barr, who has been described
as a true master of color. The Bundy Modern, 361
Bundy Road, Waitsfield 583-5832. info@bundymodern.com. www.bundymodern.com
Through Oct. 28: Elizabeth Nelson, Symbolic
Landscapes. Oil paintings inspired by the ancient
Chinese divination text I Ching, or Book of
Changes, and are largely based on northern New
England Landscapes. 136 State St., Montpelier.
http://www.vermontartscouncil.org/about-us/
spotlight-gallery.
Through Oct. 29: Future Wave. Features the work
of 5 artists from Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts.
They represent a fresh approach to landscape, abstraction, and color. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday,
9:30-5:30 and Saturdays 10-5. Furchgott Sourdiffe
Gallery, 86 Falls Rd., Shelburne Village. 985-3848.
joan@fsgallery.com
Through Oct. 30: The SHE Project part 1. An
Interactive installation that explores the female image, self-worth, sexual power, and personal branding
in the social media age. The University of Vermonts
Living, Learning Gallery, 233 Commons Bldg., 633
Main Street, Burlington. http://www.maryadmasianart.com/projects/6150167. For parking info.: http://
www.uvm.edu/llcenter/visitorparking.pdf
Through Oct. 31: Herbert A. Durfee Jr. Black and
white photographs of Burlington physician Dr. H.A.
Durfee Jr. (1924-2015). The HiVE Summer Portal
Show. The lobby (portal to) The HiVE at MiddleGround (home of Red Hen Baking Company),
961 Rte 2 Middlesex. (802)595-4866. thebuzz@
thehivevt.com. www.thehivevt.com
Through Nov. 1: Michael Smith, Hungry? Vibrant
and tasty yet low calorie acrylic paintings
by Underhill painter (Michael Smith) revealing
the essential food groups such as Wonderbread,
chicken and blueberry pie. Morse Block Deli, 260
N. Main St., Barre. Exhibit curated by Studio Place
Arts. For info: www.morseblockdeli.com or www.
studioplacearts.com
Through Nov. 1: f/7 Photography, Simplicity.
Seven photographers from central Vermont will
transform The Gallery at River Arts with new
photographic work based on the theme of simplicity.
The Gallery at River Arts at the River Arts Center,
74 Pleasant Street, Morrisville. 888-1261. www.
RiverArtsVT.org.
Through Nov. 5: Chuck Bohn and Frederick Rudi,
Two Views from Hollister Hill. While living on
the same hill for many years, the two painters have
developed highly contrasting styles in their art while
somehow still remaining friends. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield. 426-3581. jaquithpubliclibrary@
gmail.com. www.jaquithpubliclibrary.org
Through Nov. 5: Fall Exhibits at Studio Place Arts.
SPA, 201 N. Main St., Barre. Gallery Hrs: Tues-Fri:
11AM-5PM, Sat: Noon-4PM. 479-7069. www.
studioplacearts.com
Main floor gallery: Rock Solid XVI: Giuliano Cecchinelli. Sculptures, models and sketches by this
master sculptor who was trained in Carrara, Italy
as a young boy, and who has devoted his artistic
Calendar of Events
career to working from granite in Barre.
Second floor gallery: In Our Hands An environmental art and architecture exhibit by artist and
designer Shannon Lee Gilmour using post-consumer plastic.
Third floor gallery: November and Equinox to Solstice Paintings and Daily Sketches by Paul Calter
Through Nov. 6: Land and Light and Water and
Air. Annual juried landscape exhibition, featuring
over 100 landscape paintings by New England artists
in the Main Gallery at Bryan Gallery, Jeffersonville.
bryangallery.org
Through Nov. 11: New Deal Art. Large exhibit of the
Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal art
collection along with a satellite show at the Central
VT Medical Center. Closing reception: Nov. 10,
57 p.m. T.W. Wood Art Gallery, 46 Barre St.,
Montpelier. 262-6035
Through Nov. 13: Pat Steir: Drawings & Prints
Prints and drawings. Video of Pat Steir by Stowe
artist Molly Davies will accompany the work. Gallery hours: noon5 p.m., Wed.Sun. Helen Day
Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. 253-8358. mail@
helenday.com. helenday.com
Through Nov. 13: Sally Gil, Intergalactic Current.
Collaged paintings. Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond
St., Stowe. director@helenday.com. 253 8358
Oct. 10Dec. 9: Paletteers of Vermont Fall Art
Show. Reception and member meeting: Oct.
11, 5:307:30 p.m. Aldrich Public Library, Milne
Room, 6 Washington St., Barre.
Through Dec. 30: Shedding Light On The Working Forest. Paintings and poetry by visual artist
Kathleen Kolb and poet Verandah Porche. Opening
reception: Oct. 6, 47 p.m. Vermont Supreme
Court Gallery, Montpelier.
Through Dec. 30: Mary Admasian, Shadowlands.
Paintings, assemblages and sculptures, mixed-media
paintings are created on birch panels. Opening
reception: Oct. 6, 47 p.m. Pavilion Building, 109
State St., Montpelier. http://MaryAdmasianART.

com
SPECIAL EVENTS
Oct. 7: Brenda Myrick at Three Mountain Caf.

Myrick works with transparent watercolors to create
paintings of local landscapes and portraits. Music,
food and beverages. 56:30 p.m. Three Mountain
Caf, Mad River Green Shops, Waitsfield. www.
myrickgalleries.com
Oct. 7: Opening Reception for Show 13 at The
Front Gallery. Join the collectives artists at the
opening of their latest art show. 59 p.m. 6 Barre St.,
Montpelier. info@thefrontvt.com. www.thefrontvt.
com
Send your event listing to

or visit montpelierbridge.com
THE BRIDGE
For more event listings and event details visit montpelierbridge.com
Weekly Events
ARTS & CRAFTS
Beaders Group. All levels of beading experience

welcome. Free instruction available. Come with
a project for creativity and community. Sat., 11
a.m.2 p.m. The Bead Hive, Plainfield. 454-1615.
Drop-in River Arts Elder Art Group. Work
on art, share techniques and get creative with
others. Bring your own art supplies. For elders
60+. Every Fri., 10 a.m.noon. River Arts Center,
74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. Free. 888-1261.
riverartsvt.org.
BICYCLING
Open Shop Nights. Volunteer-run community
bike shop: bike donations and repairs. Wed., 46
p.m.; other nights. Freeride Montpelier, 89 Barre
St., Montpelier. 552-3521. freeridemontpelier.org.
BOOKS & WORDS

Lunch in a Foreign Language. Bring lunch and
practice your language skills with neighbors.
Noon1 p.m. Mon., Hebrew; Tues., Italian;
Wed., Spanish; Thurs., French. Kellogg-Hubbard
Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. 223-3338.
English Conversation Practice Group. For
students learning English for the first time. Tues.,
45 p.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State St.
223-3403.
Ongoing Reading Group. Improve your reading
and share some good books. Books chosen by
group. Thurs., 910 a.m. Central Vermont Adult
Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center,
100 State St. 223-3403.
BUSINESS, FINANCE,
COMPUTERS, EDUCATION
One-on-One Technology Help Sessions. Free

assistance to patrons needing help with their
computers and other personal electronic devices.
30 min. one-on-one sessions every Tues., 10
a.m.noon. Waterbury Public Library, 28 N.
Main St., Waterbury. Free. Registration required:
244-7036.
Personal Financial Management Workshops.
Learn about credit/debit cards, credit building
and repair, budgeting and identity theft, insurance, investing, retirement. Tues., 68 p.m.
Central Vermont Medical Center, Conference
Room 3. Registration: 371-4191.
FOOD & DRINK
Community Meals in Montpelier. All welcome.

Free.
Mon.: Unitarian Church, 130 Main St.,
11 a.m.1 p.m.
Tues.: Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,
11:30 a.m.1 p.m.
Wed.: Christ Church, 64 State St.,
11 a.m.12:30 p.m.
Thurs.: Trinity Church, 137 Main St.,
11:30 a.m.1 p.m.
Fri.: St. Augustine Church, 18 Barre St.,
11 a.m.12:30 p.m.
Sun.: Last Sunday only, Bethany Church, 115
Main St. (hosted by Beth Jacob Synagogue),
4:305:30 p.m.
Lunches for Seniors. Mon., Wed., Fri., Noon.
Twin Valley Senior Center, 4583 U.S. Rt. 2, E.
Montpelier. $4 suggested donation. 223-3322.
twinvalleyseniors.org.
Feast Together or Feast To Go. All proceeds

benefit the Feast Senior Meal program. Tues. and
Fri., noon1 p.m. Live music every Tues., 10:30
11:30 a.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. Seniors 60+ free with $7
suggested donation; under 60 $9. Reservations:
262-6288 or justbasicsinc@gmail.com.
Capital City Farmers Market. 50+ vendors
including more than 30 farmers. Every Sat.
through Oct. 29, 9 a.m.1 p.m. 60 State St.,
Montpelier. montpelierfarmersmarket.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS

Turning Point Center. Safe, supportive place
for individuals and their families in or seeking
recovery. Daily, 10 a.m.5 p.m. 489 North Main
St., Barre. 479-7373.
Sun.: Alchoholics Anonymous, 8:30 a.m.
Tues.: Making Recovery Easier workshops,
67:30 p.m.
Wed.: Wits End Parent Support Group, 6 p.m.
Thurs.: Narcotics Anonymous, 6:30 p.m.
Bone Building Exercises. Open to all ages. Every
Mon. and Wed.. 7:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m. and 10:40
a.m. Every Fri.. 7:30 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. Twin
Valley Senior Center, 4583 U.S. Rte. 2, E. Montpelier. Free. 223-3322. twinvalleyseniors.org.
Tai Chi for Seniors. Led by trained volunteers.
Every Mon. and Fri., 12 p.m.; Tues. and Thurs.
1011 a.m. Twin Valley Senior Center, 4583
U.S. Rte. 2, E. Montpelier. Free. 223-3322.
twinvalleyseniors.org.
Living Strong Group. Volunteer-led group.
Sing while exercising. Open to all seniors.
Every Mon., 2:303:30 p.m. and every Fri.,
23 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. Free. Register: 223-2518.
msac@montpelier-vt.org.
Sex Addicts Anonymous. Mon., 6:30 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier. 552-3483.
Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Program.
Education and support to help adults at high risk
of developing type 2 diabetes adopt healthier
eating and exercise habits that can lead to weight
loss and reduced risk. Every Tues., 10:3011:30
a.m. Kingwood Health Center Conference
Room (lower level), 1422 Rt. 66, Randolph. Free.
Register: 728-7714.
Overeaters Anonymous. Twelve-step program for physically, emotionally and spiritually
overcoming overeating. Two meeting days and
locations. Every Tues., 5:306:30 p.m. and Sat.,
8:309:30 a.m. at Episcopal Church of the Good
Shepherd, 39 Washington St., Barre. 249-3970.
Every Mon., 5:306:30 p.m. at Bethany Church,
115 Main St., Montpelier. 223-3079.
Tai Chi Classes for All Ages. Every Tues. and
Thurs., 1011 a.m. Twin Valley Senior Center,
Rte. 2, Blueberry Commons, E. Montpelier. Free.
223-3322. twinvalleyseniors@myfairpoint.net
The Rockinghorse Circle of Support. Opportunity for young women and children to meet
once a week for friendship, good conversation and
fun. Facilitated by a licensed alcohol and drug
counselor and another person with child and family background. Topics reflects on how substance
abuse, whether it's ours or someone else's, affects
our decisions and lives. Child care provided. Every
Wed. through June 8. 9:3011:30 a.m. Hedding
United Methodist Church, 40 Washington St.,
Barre. 479-1086 or 476-4328.
Weight Loss Support Group. Get help and support on your weight loss journey every Wed., 67
p.m. Giffords Conference Center, 44 S. Main St.,
Randolph. Free. No registration required. Open to
all regardless of where you are in your weight loss.
Wits End. Support group for parents, siblings,
children, spouses and/or relationship partners of
someone suffering with addiction whether it is
to alcohol, opiates, cocaine, heroin, marijuana or
something else. Every Wed., 68 p.m. Turning

Point Center, 489 N. Main St., Barre. Louise:
279-6378.
Gamelan Rehearsals. Sun., 79 p.m. Pratt Center, Goddard College. Free. 426-3498. steven.
light@jsc.edu. light.kathy@gmail.com.
HIV Testing. Vermont CARES offers fast oral

testing. Wed., 25 p.m. 29 State St., Ste. 14
(above Rite Aid), Montpelier. Free and anonymous. 371-6224. vtcares.org.
RECYCLING
NAMI Vermont Connection Recovery Support Group. For ondividuals living with mental
illness. Every Fri., 34 p.m. Another Way, 125
Barre St., Montpelier. 876-7949. info@namivt.
org
KIDS & TEENS
The Basement Teen Center. Safe drop-in space

to hang out, make music, play pool, ping-pong
and board games and eat free food. All activities
are free. Mon.Thurs., 26 p.m., Fridays 3-10
p.m. Basement Teen Center, 39 Main St., Montpelier. BasementTeenCenter.org
Read to Clara. Sign up for a 20-minute slot and
choose your books beforehand to read to this
special canine pal. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135
Main St., Montpelier. Sign up ahead: 223-4665
or at the childrens desk. kellogghubbard.org.
Story Time and Playgroup. With Sylvia Smith
for story time and Cassie Bickford for playgroup.
For ages birth6 and their grown-ups. We follow
the Twinfield Union School calendar and do not
hold the program the days Twinfield is closed.
Wed., 1011:30 a.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122
School St., Marshfield. Free. 426-3581.
jaquithpubliclibrary.org.
Story Time for Kids. Meet your neighbors and
share quality time with the pre-schooler in your
life. Each week well read stories and spend time
together. A great way to introduce your preschooler to your local library. For ages 25. Every
Thurs., 10:30 a.m. Cutler Memorial Library, 151
High St., Plainfield. 454-8504. cutlerlibrary.org.
Lego Club. Use our large Lego collection to
create and play. All ages. Thurs., 34:30 p.m.
Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. Free. 223-3338. kellogghubbard.org.
Drop-in Kinder Arts Program. Innovative
exploratory arts program with artist/instructor
Kelly Holt. Age 35. Fri., 10:30 a.m.noon.
River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville.
888-1261. RiverArtsVT.org.
Teen Fridays. Find out about the latest teen
books, use the gym, make art, play games and if
you need to, do your homework. Fri., 35 p.m.
Jaquith Public Library, 122 School St., Marshfield. 426-3581.
Musical Story Time. Join us for a melodious
good time. Ages birth6. Sat., 10:30 a.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier.
Free. 223-3338. kellogghubbard.org.
Mad River Valley Youth Group. Sun., 79 p.m.
Meets at various area churches. Call 497-4516 for
location and information.
MUSIC & DANCE
Barre-Tones Womens Chorus. Open rehearsal.

Find your voice with 50 other women. Mon., 7
p.m. Capital City Grange, Rt. 12, Berlin. BarretonesVT.com. 552-3489.
Dance or Play with the Swinging Over 60
Band. Danceable tunes from the 1930s to the
1960s. Recruiting musicians. Tues., 10:30 a.m.
noon. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. 223-2518.
Monteverdi Young Singers Chorus Rehearsal.
New chorus members welcome. Wed., 45 p.m.
Montpelier. Call 229-9000 for location and more
information.
Piano Workshop. Informal time to play,
refresh your skills and get feedback if desired
with other supportive musicians. Singers and
listeners welcome. Thurs., 45:30 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St.,
Montpelier. Free; open to the public. 223-2518.
msac@montpelier-vt.org.
Ukelele Group. All levels welcome. Thurs., 68
p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre
St. 223-2518.
Barre Rock City Chorus. We sing songs from
the 60s80s and beyond. All songs are taught by
rote using word sheets, so ability to read music is
not required. All ages welcome; children under
13 should come with a parent. Every Thurs.,
6:308:30 p.m. Church of the Good Shepherd,
39 Washington St., Barre.
Additional Recycling. The Additional Recyclables Collection Center accepts scores of hardto-recycle items. Mon., Wed., Fri., noon6 p.m.;
Third Sat., 9 a.m.1 p.m. ARCC, 540 North
Main St., Barre. $1 per carload. 229-9383 x106.
For list of accepted items, go to cvswmd.org/arcc.
RESOURCES
Onion River Exchange Tool Library. 80 tools
both power and manual. Wed., 46 p.m.; Sat.,
911 a.m. 46 Barre St., Montpelier. 661-8959.
info@orexchange.com.
SOLIDARITY/IDENTITY
Womens Group. Women explore important
issues and challenges in their lives in a warm and
supportive environment. Facilitated by psychotherapist Kathleen Zura. Two different group
meetings: every Mon., 5:307:30 p.m. and every
Wed., 34:30 p.m. 138 Main St., Montpelier.
324-4611. Insurances accepted.
Rainbow Umbrella of Central Vermont, an
adult LGBTQ group, meets every other Tuesday,
5:30 to 7:00 pm, at the Montpelier Senior
Center. For specifics, write toRUCVTAdmin@
PrideCenterVT.org
Bowling. Rainbow Umbrella of Central Vermont, an adult LGBTQ group, bowls at Twin
City Lanes on Sunday afternoons twice a month.
For dates and times, write to RUCVTAdmin@
PrideCenterVT.org
SPIRITUALITY
Christian Science Reading Room. You're invited
to visit the Reading Room and see what we
have for your spiritual growth. You can borrow,
purchase or simply enjoy material in a quiet study
room. Hours: Wed., 11 a.m.7:15 p.m.; Thurs.
Sat., 11 a.m.1 p.m. 145 State St., Montpelier.
223-2477.
A Course in Miracles. A study in spiritual transformation. Group meets each Tues., 78 p.m.
Christ Episcopal Church, 64 State St., Montpelier. 279-1495.
Christian Counseling. Tues. and Thurs. Daniel
Dr., Barre. Reasonable cost. By appt. only: 4790302.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. For those
interested in learning about the Catholic faith, or
current Catholics who want to learn more. Wed.,
7 p.m. St. Monica Church, 79 Summer St.,
Barre. Register: 479-3253.
Deepening Our Jewish Roots. Fun, engaging
text study and discussion on Jewish spirituality.
Sun., 4:456:15 p.m. Yearning for Learning Center, Montpelier. 223-0583.
info@
yearning4learning.org.
SPORTS & GAMES

Roller Derby Open Recruitment and Recreational Practice. Central Vermonts Wrecking
Doll Society invites quad skaters age 18 and up.
No experience necessary. Equipment provided:
first come, first served. Sat., 56:30 p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre St. First skate
free. centralvermontrollerderby.com.
YOGA & MEDITATION

Christian Meditation Group. People of all
faiths welcome. Mon., noon1 p.m. Christ
Church, Montpelier. 223-6043.
Zen Meditation. With Zen Affiliate of Vermont. Wed., 6:307:30 p.m. 174 River St.,
Montpelier. Free. Call for orientation: 2290164.
Shambhala Buddhist Meditation. Group meditation practice. Sun., 10 a.m.noon; Tues., 78
p.m.; Wed., 67 p.m. New location: Center for
Culture and Learning, 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-5137. montpeliershambala.org.
Sunday Sangha: Community Ashtanga Yoga.
Every Sun., 5:407 p.m. Grateful Yoga, 15 State
St., 3F, Montpelier. By donation.
Send your listing to

Deadline for next issue is October 14
T H E B R I D G E
Classifieds
Text-only class listings and

classifieds are 50 words for $25.
Call 223-5112 ext. 11
SERVICES
HELP WANTED
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

Glenn Beatty LCSW
Couples, individuals, adolescents and
children. 30 years experience. Most
insurances accepted. Available for
Saturday appointments in Montpelier
office. First consultation FREE.
802-488-0235.
Offices in Montpelier and South
Burlington.
P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601

Phone: 802-223-5112
Fax: 802-223-7852
Editor & Publisher: Nat Frothingham
Managing Editor: Carla Occaso
Design & Layout, Calendar Editor:
Marichel Vaught
Copy Editing Consultant:
Larry Floersch
Proofreaders: Garrett Heaney,
Sales Representatives: Michael Jermyn,
Rick McMahan
Distribution: Tim Johnson, Kevin Fair,
Daniel Renfro
Editorial: 223-5112, ext. 14, or
editorial@montpelierbridge.com.
Location: The Bridge office is located at the
Vermont College of Fine Arts,
on the main level of Stone Science Hall.
Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge
by mail for $50 a year. Make out your
check to The Bridge, and mail to The Bridge,
PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601.
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Twitter: @montpbridge
Copyright 2016 by The Bridge
LOCAL ICE CREAM COMPANY in

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for long-term temporary positions.
Production or Manufacturing experience
preferred. All shifts available! $17.09$18.34/hour. To apply, call Manpower
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PAG E 2 0 O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016
Opinion
V
THE BRIDGE
The Missing Why in Vermonts Energy

Transition
by Brian Shupe, Waitsfield
ermonters use a lot of energy to heat our homes, power our lives and transport us where we
need to go.
Virtually all of the energy we use to drive our cars, trucks and buses is imported into the state,
as is the majority of the energy we use to heat our homes and businesses. And we remain reliant
on other states and nations to generate the electric power we need to light our homes, charge our
computers and run our many appliances.
The reality is, Vermonters have not had to think about or take responsibility for generating
the energy that makes our energy-intensive society work. But thats changing, for a lot of reasons.
More and more coal and nuclear power plants are coming off line each year. They are too dirty,
too expensive and too dangerous to continue operating. Combine that with the glut of cheap
natural gas and the growing affordability and efficiency of renewable energy technology and the
result is an energy transformation.
In Vermont it is resulting in more clean energy resources being deployed across the state, leading
to significant economic development and a much cleaner electric portfolio thats recognizing and
responding to the climate crisis and greater energy independence.
Its also come with controversy as communities adjust to seeing more solar panels pop up on the
landscape. Unfortunately, controversy has distracted attention from the reason why this transition
is happening.
We have a growing obligation to take more responsibility for how that energy is generated, rather
than simply enjoying the benefits. And climate change is already costing the nation billions in
response to increased droughts, floods, wildfires and a rising sea.
How Vermont embraces this new energy transition matters. A lot. Thats why organizations have
worked with communities across Vermont to implement conservation and efficiency programs,
undertake projects that give people transportation choices and advance community-owned
renewable energy.
We have also worked from the local level to the highest levels of government to promote and
craft plans that will help achieve the most strategic, well-supported approaches to transitioning
off of fossil fuels. We believe strongly that, to succeed, Vermonters must be actively engaged in
our energy transition.
And, it is why we are optimistic about the new, forward-looking framework enacted by the
Legislature last session Act 174 designed to empower communities and regions who
undertake comprehensive energy planning to exercise a greater role in how energy generation is
sited.
Act 174 requires regions to consider how they will contribute to meeting heating, transportation
and electrical needs. And it enables communities (but does not require them) to do the same,
identifying solutions they think will work best in the context of their own goals and values.
Communities and regions that demonstrate their planned participation in this energy shift can
receive a determination by the Public Service Department that gives deference to their plans in
proceeding on energy projects before the Public Service Board.
How can we incentivize projects on the already-built landscape that, in many instances, are
more expensive than the same facility built in an open field? How can we site more distributed,
renewable generation in locations that protect natural resources, communities and people, while
at the same time remaining affordable?
The State needs to balance multiple goals in this energy transition. There are and will be
challenges and tradeoffs. Act 174 creates a framework that will help communities with their own
energy vision. But its important to remember as this new planning framework rolls out some of
the big reasons behind it.
We have a responsibility and an opportunity to meet far more of our energy needs through
resources carefully deployed in our own backyards. Act 174 creates a way to articulate how that
happens. The oft-missing why is an essential part of the equation, however, that I hope will inspire
more people to participate in this new planning process and come to the table willing to be part
of the solution.
The author is the executive director of Vermont Natural Resources Council.
Editors Note this was edited for length
T H E B R I D G E
Editorial
Paij Wadley-Bailey: A Treasured Life

by Nat Frothingham
collaborating with each other through college courses, high

school courses and community events.
any of us here in Montpelier and across Vermont

and beyond are feeling the loss of our deeply loved
and admired friend and mentor Paij Wadley-Bailey
who died on August 18 in Montpelier at the age of 77.
Shan admired Paijs teaching abilities. Said Shaan about

Paij, She had a manner of communicating the issues that
was very persuasive. She was direct, sometimes earthy in
deconstructing the issue. There was an elegance in her
capacity of communicating. She was just as comfortable
talking with a three-year-old as she was with a group of teens
and senior citizens. She was also able to engage meaningfully
with people of different races, cultures, sexual orientations
and abilities. There were times when we were really angry
about things. We laughed a lot. We found humor in everyday
existence and challenges.
In looking back on her life and measuring its many

powerful impacts Paij seems almost beyond labeling and
classification. If anything, Paij was a force of nature.
She was also the mother of four children: Denise Bailey,
Richard Bailey, Lance Bailey and Carrie Robinson and she
also had three grandchildren.
She was an African-American woman whose thirst for
knowledge took her to Vermont where she earned a Masters
Degree in Social Ecology from Goddard College.
At the end of August and beginning of September 2001,

Shaan and Paij attended the UN World Conference Against
Racism in Durban, South Africa. Remembering that trip,
Shaan said, Paij and I knew how to tap into our inner
child. We were so excited we behaved like little girls again,
holding hands and skipping through the JFK Terminal. We
were known to break out into Miss Mary Mack a pattycake game. We got a rope and taught 9th graders at Harwood
Union High School how to play Double Dutch. In a
heartfelt remark about Paij, Shaan said, I thought of Paij as
my racial justice mentor, my confidante, friend and the older
sister I never had.
As an African-American, she knew her African and American

roots. She knew her people had come from Nigeria. She knew
her familys slave history in America. When she spoke and
she was not afraid to speak she spoke truth to power.
In a long, many-sided and productive life, Paij was always
learning, always a student and her determined pursuit of
knowledge made her a powerful teacher.
Her Niece Wrote About Paij
Shortly after her death, her niece, Barbara Wadley Young,
wrote three pages about her aunt.
In the words she used to describe Paij Barbara captured
some of her aunts amazing intellectual and spiritual energy.
Here are the words that Barbara used to describe Paij:
engaging, intelligent, compassionate, creative, active,
purposeful, seeking, exposing, unifying and pushy.
Yes pushy Paij never stopped pushing whether she was taking charge of a Reading to
End Racism program or leading the Vermont Anti-Racism Action Team or teaching at a
Holocaust Studies for Youth summer institute.
As a 21-year-old college student, Barbara recalled being recruited by Paij to direct a bus full
of Jewish students from Vermont who were visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington,
D.C.
Earlier, as a girl growing up in New Haven, Connecticut Barbara had great memories of
Paij teaching us African chants, or during the summer, singing late into the night on the
big family porch of the house where all 24 of us lived. Singing songs like We Have Come
This Far by Faith, or Necessity, or Hambone, or Glorious all favorites.
Paij never lacked for guts and Barbara wrote that Paij taught my oldest brother Maurice that
(the Wadley family) fight their own battles by sending him back outside to fight two boys that
were older and bigger than him. Maurice lost out in the fight. But he learned that the (Wadley
family) will fight when they have to.
Wrote Barbara, Paij was teaching her family that fighting with knowledge and purpose packs
an incredibly hefty blow against ignorance.
Barbara thanked her aunt for exposing her to fine arts, performing arts, creative play,
museums, writing, libraries, higher education opportunities and benefits and other cultures.
She also remembered Paij as a great storyteller.
Paijs Outreach Work in Rwanda
Glenn Hawkes and Emily Gould remember Paij from her outreach work in Rwanda, an East
African country that suffered from a devastating genocide that claimed thousands of lives in
1994.
During the 1990s, Glenn led an outreach project to Rwanda and beginning in 2002 Glenn
turned to Paij to assist him with his Rwandan work.
In Rwanda, Paij taught English as a Second Language to women who were working with
people living with HIV/AIDS. Glenn remembers Paij as a very effective teacher.
During her time in Rwanda (and Paij made five or six separate trips to Rwanda usually staying
for several weeks at a time) Paij worked in partnership with local African women to form a
chapter of the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), one of the
oldest peace organizations in the western world.
Emily who now carries on Paijs outreach work in Rwanda said she feels fortunate to follow in
Paijs footsteps.
About Paijs experience in Rwanda, Emily said, She loved being there. She travelled all over
the country. Even though transportation was difficult, and sometime expensive and sometimes
non-existent, that didnt stop her. Gould said that one of the biggest things that is happening
in Rwanda is the story of womens growing empowerment and leadership. According to Emily.
According to Emily, Paij organized the old-fashioned way, door to door. She was really, really
loved. Shes an organizer of great skill. She was fully met by the people she was working with.
Then turning back to a personal reflection, this time a memory of Paij in Montpelier, Emily
said, In her heart and bones, Paij was a teacher. You only had to walk with her into downtown
Montpelier to see the number of young people under 21 who were relating to her on the street,
who had been touched and influenced by her teaching.
Shaan Mouliert Remembers Paij
Shaan Mouliert first worked with Paij in January 1996 when the two women, both AfricanAmericans, collaborated at a Martin Luther King birthday event in Burlington.
Over time the two women discovered how much alike their backgrounds had been. Both
women had degrees in education, both women shared similar philosophies and continued
Paij loved singing. Paij and a few people from Montpelier

would gather at John Harrisons house in Plainfield to
sing gospel songs. That was the start of the Montpelier
Community Gospel Choir. Her daughter, Denise Bailey, a
Montpelier attorney, sings in that choir today and said, My
mother and I bonded most closely and lovingly when we sang
together. She especially loved the song This Little Light of Mine and I feel so blessed to have
so much of her light in my heart.
A Life of Large Significance
Paij ended her life on her own terms using Vermonts Death with Dignity implementation.
At one of the gatherings of friends that preceded her death, Paij was up there, dancing. And
according to Emily Gould, on the day before she died Paij was still planning meetings with
people.
In todays world so deeply fractured by racial, ethnic, religious and national divides and
conflicts, we need women like Paij Wadley-Bailey.
When Emily wondered aloud about the long-term impact of Paijs work in Rwanda, she said,
We dont even know all that her work in Rwanda will achieve.
Nor do we know all that her work in seeking racial understanding did and will achieve.
What we know is this: Her work goes on and on.
PAG E 2 2 O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016
Enjoyed The Bridges Food Issue

Editor:
Thank you for your latest food issue. We
enjoyed the article on the Woodbury
Community Store. The day we read the article
was beautiful and sunny. A good time for a
ride to check it out.
When we got to the store, my husbands first
words were, They have clean windows!
Inside was just as clean. Everything was
neat and orderly, making it easy to see what
products they carried.
The meat case was appealing. Good looking
steaks, hamburg, pulled pork and salads.
We ordered the pulled pork and pizza. Both
were excellent. The sauce on the pizza had
exceptional flavor.
We enjoy riding the back roads and finding
Vermonts off-the-beaten paths gems and this
store is one of them. We will certainly go back.
Brenda Throw, Montpelier
Letter to President Obama

Editor:
This is a letter Ive just sent President Obama
because I couldnt stand not to.
Dear Mr. Obama,
My regard for you as a sometimes/somewhat
nice guy a charmer, in fact is swept
away by news of your award this year of an
even higher amount than usual of military
aid to Israel, a country which I, an American
Jew, along with a few billion other people
around the world, regard as a criminal state
for its treatment of its Palestinian neighbors
and in-dwellers. By your act of support for
what is frankly an apartheid and colonialist
state, you shame us, again, before the fairminded people of the world. Why can't
you be bold, for-chrisake-and-for-once,
and flout the all-powerful Israeli lobby that
is sustained but less and less, you will
notice by my fellow Jews over here.
Jules Rabin
Thats the letter. Here are some of the facts
behind my indignation.
Israel has for years been the largest recipient
of U.S. military aid: in 2014, $3.1 billion,
or 52 percent out of a total of $5.9 billion
U.S. military aid, worldwide. (Egypt, a
country brutal and unlovely in its own way,
was runner up in that year, receiving $1.3
Billion in military aid, or 22 percent of the
total granted that year). This year, 2016,
it has just been announced, the Obama
administration, never mind the Presidents
indignation at Netanyahus incivilities towards
Letters
him personally and Israels obdurate refusal

to take account of the worlds judgment of its
massive violations of international law and the
human rights of its Palestinian subjects ... this
year the Obama administration is awarding
Israel an additional $800 million in military
aid; for a total of $3.8 billion. To be repeated
every year for the next 10 years.
I consider this move by our government to
grant ever greater mountains of military aid
to Israel and Egypt both of them
notorious violators of the human rights of their
own and neighboring people, to be a further
disproof of our easy-going supposition that we,
because were Americans, are necessarily and
by definition the chief bearers of democracy
and promoters of human rights in the world.
We should know better. And do better.
Jules Rabin, Marshfield
Sexuality Education Available At

Unitarian Church
Editor:
There is a free, secular, values-based human
sexuality education class which is now
enrolling 10th, 11th and 12th grade students.
The curriculum is part of the Our Whole Lives
lifespan education program. Although the
class will be held at the Unitarian Church in
Montpelier, the content is free of any religious
teaching. A mandatory orientation for parents
is scheduled for Sunday, September 25 at 6:30
p.m. at the church. Three trained adults will
co-facilitate the orientation as well as the class.
The class itself will be held twice a month on
Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For more information, please contact Liza
Earle-Centers: ucm.dre@gmail.com. This
is the class that many adults wish had been
available when they were high school students.
If you know a youth who would benefit, please
spread the word. Thank you.
Nancy Schulz, Montpelier
Is there Life before Death?

Editor:
It seems like there is always some special
observance around the corner. There is even a
World Day for Farmed Animals. It's observed
fittingly on October 2 (Gandhi's birthday). It's
intended to memorialize the tens of billions
of animals abused and killed for food around
the world.
My first instinct was to dismiss it. But, I
wanted to understand the impact of my diet
and my food dollars on others.
Recent undercover investigations showed
male baby chicks suffocated in plastic garbage
bags or ground to death, laying hens crowded
into small wire cages, injured pigs killed by

slamming their heads against the concrete
floor, and cows skinned and dismembered
while still conscious.
As theologians debate whether there is life after
death, I wondered whether these animals have
a life before death and why I should subsidize
these barbaric practices.
I wonder no more, as I have now embraced
a plant-based diet green and yellow
veggies, legumes, fruits, nuts and some grains.
Occasionally, I indulge in nut-based cheese
or ice cream. Although I was motivated by
compassion for animals, I have since learned
that my diet is also greatfor my health and for
the health of our planet.
Moses Belinie, Montpelier
Vote for Me: Trudell For Senate

Editor:
The number one issue for Vermonters is the
economy, according to statistics and surveys of
voters. Let's start with the problems of survival
with long winters as well as more reliance
on automobile ownership. I am advancing
specific policy proposals to address these
economic issues. First, I am advocating that
Vermont homes, farms and small businesses be
supplied with grants to finance the installation
and retrofit of solar thermal heating, to greatly
reduce fuel bills as well as greatly reduce our
carbon footprint.
Second, I am proposing that we create a
statewide public transportation system, by
connecting existing public transportation
systems. The cost of transportation is
the second largest expense of the average
household, and the cost per mile is an
average of .57 cents per mile or 713 dollars
per month, according to statistics compiled
by the AAA. I am also proposing that we fix
our dangerous roadways as a priority instead
of building boondoggle highway projects that
accomplish nothing except a large waste of tax
dollars. The cost per mile of new highway
construction is exorbitant, and instead we need
to fix the highways we already have, as this is a
public safety hazard.
Third, I am proposing that we build a
21st century energy infrastructure that is
distributed, or decentralized, and community
based, instead of centralized and utility based.
This would solve problems of siting of large
scale solar farms, and industrial scale wind
turbines, at the same time that this approach
would greatly reduce greenhouse gasses, as well
as having a much greater economic benefit
directly to Vermonters and the Vermont
economy.
Cody Chevrolet Congratulates The Bridge

On Over 20 Years of Business!
THE BRIDGE
Senator Patrick Leahy is a 20th century
pork barrel power broker who needs to be
removed from office. He has outlived his
usefulness, and should step aside and retire
before his reputation is tarnished any more
by the largest scandal in Vermont history,
the EB 5 Jay Peak Ponzi scheme. He also
betrayed the voters trust for the sake of
good old fashioned political cronyism in his
sabotage of the Bernie Sanders campaign with
his endorsement of his "friend" and political
crony, Hillary Clinton. In addition, his lack of
a comprehensive energy plan and his support
of the destruction of fragile ridgeline habitat
to construct industrial scale wind turbines has
to be challenged. Facts support the position
that these large scale industrial wind farms do
not actually reduce Vermont's carbon footprint
according to a recent report by the Vermont
Law school. They only benefit the developers,
and financiers, who are on the Senators gravy
train.
I think that we should consider term limits as
the ultimate solution to the problem of corrupt
pork barrel 20th century politics, and instead
spend our money wisely for things that are
actually beneficial to their stated purpose.
Jerry Trudell, Chelsea
Vote T.J. Donovan For

Attorney General
Editor:
In the event that voters are asking, Why
should I vote for T.J. Donovan? I have
some points that are worth a look. In 2004,
I was convicted of a crime. I served my time.
The experience had an impact on not only
the victim, the victims family, but to the
community to which I belonged. At the time
of my release back to the community, I was
dealing with the humility of facing my family,
friends and community.
Few members of my circle of friends remained.
Fewer still were willing to provide me with
an opportunity to re-integrate and give me
a chance to look forward in a positive light.
Then I had occasion to talk with Donovan.
Donovan was the rare exception to the rule.
Donovan showed compassion for me and my
effort to rebuild my life in a positive way. While
cognizant to the reality that I had harmed not
only a person but a community, Donovan
took the time to listen to the issues I had with
regard to subjects such as the mistreatment
of prisoners out-of-state, the problems with
distant for-profit prisons, and the obstacles
faced by offenders re-entering the community.
We want an attorney general that will lead
Vermont, one who has been on the battle
lines and one who stands tough for the
victims of crime. We also want an attorney
general willing to listen to those who have
committed the crime, who, without being soft
on offenders, shows that he will allow one to
work hard, to attempt to repay the debt and
to mend the harm, restoring that person to the
community with opportunities.
Donovans honesty and integrity is what
makes him a success. Those qualities earn him
my vote and hopefully yours.
Timothy Burgess, Waterville
O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016 PAG E 2 3
T H E B R I D G E
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The Bridge reserves the right to edit and cut pieces.
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The Calendar of Events Returns! Pg.

October 6 October 19, 2016

And as part of a recent phone conversation with Laurie Emerson

Based on the phone conversation with Emerson, it appears that many

Making Connections Can Help Alleviate

BARRE Youve led a full and active life.

to Worcester to Middlesex and Montpelier.

Coalition. The people Rood sees face varying

We're online! montpelierbridge.com or vtbridge.com

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Metal Roof Painting

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Net Zero Home Tour Planned For

MONTPELIER The Energy Advisory

City Invests In Solar Power

projects, the City of Montpelier has entered

In September, the first 500KW array located in

City To Form New Development

deals, contributions) and operate with no city

Do What You Do Best.

Bookkeeping Payroll Consulting

Officials are looking for people to join the

Living Another Way

The Bridge Presents a Variety Show

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PAG E 4 O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016

City Hires New Finance

Im pleased to announce that Accounting

Massage Therapist Moves

O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016 PAG E 5

Local Teachers Win Prestigious Award

PAG E 6 O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016

HEARD ON THE STREET

Photos courtesy of Net Zero Vermont

This rendering of downtown Montpelier highlights in red the amount of downtown

O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016 PAG E 7

A Personal Spotlight On Mental Illness

You never know when it will strike. You dont

After researching multiple resources, I learned:

Pedestrian Night Safety

Got a news tip? We want to know!

friendship, love and kindness. This sounds

An article from the Teen Health and

PAG E 8 O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016

A Years Journey: An Interview on Daily Meditation

met Devon Byers through my day job at Hunger

as a good place to start taking care of myself so I did it.

The Center for Leadership Skills

Lindel James coaching & consulting

Design & Build

O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016 PAG E 9

PAG E 10 O C TO B E R 6 O C TO B E R 19, 2 016

Making Connections Can Help Alleviate Depression in Elders

Suicide Among Older Adults in the U.S.A.

Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association Seeks Volunteers

he Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association (MAMBA) is working hard to