By Katy Savage, Standard Staff

It’s been 16 months since the Economic Development Commission’s option tax started collecting revenue with goals of bringing more visitors to Woodstock and converting visitors to residents.

How to use the funds to meet those goals is a constant discussion among the commissioners. They often disagree.

“(In the beginning) it seemed to be a place where everyone wanted to come to for money,” said commission member Gail Childs. “We’re not the bank.”

The fund has generated $230,722 since it was created. The commission and select board have granted $117,500 of that so far.

Some have questioned the EDC’s support of events that already exist. Some have also said too much goes to the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce.

“When we first started it wasn’t about events,” said Childs. “We want people to come and live and work here and we want to create more opportunity for that.”

The Woodstock chamber has been granted $11,500. Recently it was granted $7,500 to broadcast a 30-second television ad 225 times on NBC networks between Nov. 14 and Jan. 1. The chamber asked merchants to pick up the rest of the cost of the $10,500 ad.

Some inn and hotel owners say the success is resting on them.

“The EDC is trying to do the best job they can given the mandate they have,” said Ardmore Inn owner Cary Hollingsworth, but he added, “Someone else needs to come up with the money to fund these activities.”

‘Early in the game’

Spending for the option tax is as follows:

• $12,000 to put a package of the East End together so potential developers are aware of the challenges and opportunities in the east end, requested by Sustainable Woodstock.

• $2,000 for village flower baskets.

• $2,000 for Maple Madness, an annual chamber-sponsored event during the maple sugaring season.

• $3,500 for Lobsters on the Green, a newly created lobster dinner event on the Green sponsored by the Rotary Club of Woodstock.

• $5,000 for Bluff Island Presents Concerts, a series of new concerts with ArtisTree and Pentangle.

• $70,000 on Warner Communications to promote Woodstock on social media, blogs, and publications.

• $5,000 on Welcome to Woodstock signs

• $7,500 for a 30-second television ad shown 225 times between Nov. 14 and Jan. 1.

• $6,000 for Wireless Woodstock.

• $4,500 for Woodstock Community Television to produce videos to support the Woodstock Elementary School.

The commissioners have denied about $70,000 worth of grant requests in part or in whole, including a $5,000 request to further promote Bookstock.

David Livesley, owner of the Woodstocker Inn, has seen no improvement to his business with the hiring of Warner Communications.

“We see little direct positive benefit from the $70K spent by the EDC on PR for Woodstock,” he said. “We’ve seen a few press releases which have appeared on general wire services but nothing targeted to any great degree.”

Warner Communications commenced Woodstock promotional activity in June on Facebook, Twitter and in publications.

Warner said it would have 1,000 or more followers on Facebook and Twitter within the first year and at least 500 on Instagram. So far, there are 325 likes on Facebook, 214 on Instagram and 415 on Twitter.

The success of the public relations company was discussed in October. The commissioners wanted to see firmer metrics.

Farmhouse Inn owner James Zilian said, “It’s still early in the game,” to judge the public relation’s firm’s effectiveness.

Zilian stepped down from his position on the economic development commission to focus on his business.

The fear that the option tax would deter customers has mostly been quashed. Inns and restaurant owners said they haven’t lost customers because of the tax. They also haven’t gained customers, they said.

Several merchants couldn’t comment on the activities the EDC is funding because they didn’t know about them.

“The flow of information back to COC (Chamber of Commerce) members isn’t even a trickle,” Livesley said. “As it is now the quiet winter period for many businesses we hope the COC and EDC will help organize a Woodstock campaign for 2017, that all COC members can get behind.”

Boris Pilsmaker, who owns Woodstock Creamery, also hasn’t noticed an impact on his ice cream shop.

He doesn’t know what the EDC is doing with the money.

“They seem pretty private,” he said.

Gallery on the Green owner Opal Evans echoed those thoughts: “There needs to be some representation on the EDC for all types of businesses. It’s all trial and error right now,” she said. “We don’t really know what else the monies from the EDC have been used for.”

‘We’re finally getting there’

Woodstock Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Beth Finlayson declined to comment on the success of the option tax but said the use of funds is appropriate.

She said Maple Madness had double the participation from previous years and she credits the $2,000 of option tax money, which allowed for greater advertising on radio stations.

“I think it’s a good use of funds,” she said.

Commissioner Keith Anderson said promoting smaller events has allowed short-term visible impacts.

“We have some spirited discussions,” Anderson said. He said the EDC is a well-rounded group.

“A lot of this past year was setting foundation, understanding and expectations of one another, how much time and effort we can put forth to different initiatives,” he said.

Despite the disagreements, the EDC has had some consensus on how to use funds. Commissioners all supported hiring the public relations firm.

They also all supported the $12,000 package to entice developers to the dilapidated east end.

The commissioners have discussed how to get more information to the public.

“The EDC definitely wants to share the information, all the information with the business people of Woodstock,” said Nick Ferro, an EDC member.

Ferro was optimistic that the commission’s vision was coming together.

“There’s been a lot of debate of where we want to go and we’re finally getting there,” said Ferro, who is leaving the EDC in June.

The EDC recently established subcommittees to focus on its goals. At its Nov. 17 meeting, the commission also reported how funds were used this past year: 32 percent to promote Woodstock through a public relations firm, 21 percent to fund grant applications, 4 percent to cover administrative costs, 43 percent to fund “big bets,” such as large promotional activities.

“None of us want to give the money away. We want to see results for every dollar,” said Ferro.

This article first appeared in the November 30, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

Staff Report
Bridgewater voted 47-37 to demolish the former Bridgewater Village School Wednesday night.
The 100-year-old school building closed in 2015 when Bridgewater and Pomfret schools combined.
There could be a future meeting on constructing a fire department at the site.
Voters also elected Lynn Bertram as a new select board member Wednesday night. She’ll replace John Timken, Jr., who stepped down before his term expired in March, due to work obligations.

By Katy Savage, Standard Staff

The Agency of Transportation presented a couple of ideas — safety nets and railings — to prevent suicides at the Quechee Gorge in a public meeting last week.

Safety nets could be installed 15 feet down from the top of the bridge and out 15 feet, according to the AOT, which was tasked with coming up with solutions following a law passed earlier this year. The nets would have lighting and motion sensors so emergency personnel would be alerted if someone jumped in the dark. The nets’ holes would be wide enough allow snow to pass through but small enough to catch people. They could be folded up for maintenance.

The railings would be six inches apart extending up from the bridge, officials said.

AOT hired DuBois & King for $35,000 to study solutions to the bridge. In addition to the safety net and railing, the engineering company looked at a chain-link fence, steelmesh fence and Plexiglas. DuBois & King determined that a safety net or railings made most sense for the weather, the bridge’s historic nature and aesthetics.

Either way, when you peer over, “It’s not going to be the same view you have today by any means,” said DuBois & King engineer Lucy Gibson.

The Quechee Gorge is one of the most popular parks for tourists in the state, with more than 100,000 visits per year.

There have been 15 suicides at the gorge since data started being collected in 2003. There have been two deaths by suicides in 2016 so far.

Any improvements will depend how much AOT prioritizes the bridge in its budget, which is in question.

AOT’s priority for the bridge was questioned in mid-July when Holly Blackie, 51, died by suicide at the gorge. Suicide prevention measures that were supposed to be installed by July 1 weren’t there.

Act 158, which became law last spring, tasked the AOT with completing a project at the Quechee Gorge Bridge “on or before” July 1 “or as soon as practicable thereafter.”

As of November, there are still no safety devices.

AOT Planner Jackie Cassino said an idea to install “hope holders,” bird house-like boxes with crisis information inside were “put on the back burner after a lot of meetings and conversations.”

She said the agency spoke with the mental health community and suicide survivors and decided against placing boxes of crisis information contacts at the gorge.

“Is this the best place for us to be spending our energy and money right now?” she said the agency questioned. “If we were to put out something like this untested, would it work? Would it make things worse?”

She guessed the cost of the hope holders to be $250 each. She said the agency would support private groups installing the hope holders in the state’s right of way.

Cassino didn’t know how much of a priority the bridge would be in the transportation budget.

“It is new territory for us,” she said.

The state has a lengthy set of criteria for prioritizing bridges and road projects. It analyzes bridge inspection reports, functionality of projects, determined by each regional planning commission and the number of crashes.

There has been at least one death by suicide a year at the gorge since 2003. Most are between 21-30 years of age and most are male. The majority of suicides happen between May and September, when tourist season is at its highest. About half are during the day.

The AOT considers five deaths in five years at any location a “highcrash location” worthy of its attention. Cassino didn’t know why the bridge wasn’t prioritized in the past.

“This falls outside of what we would typically look at,” she said.

AOT was apprehensive about any fixes to a 2014 bill that required the AOT to make bridge improvements (the bill stalled in the house).

“The countermeasures are costly,” AOT Deputy Secretary Richard Tetreault told the Vermont Standard in 2014. “We have concerns on how well they perform as well as the hazards installing and maintaining them.”

And, “You’ve got to consider the aesthetics of that viewscape as well,” Tetreault said.

AOT has made some efforts. There are plans to install call boxes Nov. 25 for those in crisis to call for help. The blue, solar-powered boxes will be placed on each side of the bridge. The cost of them is more than $19,000.

Cassino said the delay past the July 1 deadline was caused by manufacture and research time.

“I received authorization from my superiors to move forward with the communication devices in August. At that point, I had to follow the state-required simplified bid process to begin the contract process,” Cassino said. “Once the appropriate vendor was approved (late September) we were able to get under contract. Some reworking of the solar powering cells had to be completed — which added to the design and fabrication time.”

Rep. Teo Zagar of Barnard and Rep. John Bartholomew of Hartland were among the sponsors of Act 158.

“I think it was ignored for too long,” said Bartholomew.

Zagar, who didn’t run again for his seat in the legislature this year, said the pace doesn’t concern him.

“Obviously everyone who’s interested in this wants them to move faster, but the reality is government institutions move at their own pace — it’s not a criticism, just a reality,” he said.

He’s more concerned about infrastructure improvements.

“I’m glad they’re considering real infrastructure improvements,” said Zagar, who wasn’t at the meeting. “As long as they deliver those recommendations in the timeframe specified in the bill I’ll be satisfied with that.”

The AOT’s final report on bridge recommendations is due to the legislature Dec. 23. The railings are going to be “a big change from what’s there today,” said DuBois & King’s Lucy Gibson on Wednesday.

Railings would be the most visible. Railings would also be more costly. She didn’t have estimates, but guessed any change would cost $1-$5 million.

Newly elected Sen. Alison Clarkson said improvements to the bridge could move swiftly if AOT makes the bridge a priority in its budget.

“There’s no need to wait. It could be next year,” she said last Wednesday. “AOT has an opportunity to make this a priority now in your budget.”

This article first appeared in the November 23, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

By Meg Brazill, Standard Correspondent

Everyone has a favorite version of “A Christmas Carol,” whether it’s the 1951 film with Scottish actor Alastair Sim in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, or the musical film adaptation starring Albert Finney (“Scrooge”) and Alec Guinness (“Marley’s Ghost”). A certain crowd will insist “The Muppets Christmas Carol” is the best. And what about George C. Scott as Scrooge? Great Scott! There are hundreds of stage, film and TV adaptations to argue over. Now Northern Stage has joined the ranks, tackling Charles Dickens’ classic tale of a greedy old miser who is haunted by four ghosts on Christmas Eve.

It’s no small task to mess with a treasured tradition but the 20-yearold company is more than equal to the task, having previously flown Mary Poppins to the stage and upended audience expectations with its thrilling, contemporary “Macbeth.” Northern Stage has a leg up with this production from its previous presentation in 2014. With the ability to design for its new home in the Barrette Center for the Arts, this production uses the technical capabilities of the theater to great advantage.

The set, designed by David Esler, plays a pivotal, and versatile, role in transporting the audience to 19th century England. Esler’s tall buildings ring the exterior of the set and provide the background for multiple locations, indoors and out. Winter light casts a blue glow on the buildings in the opening scene, and the dark shadows of tree branches wax both beautiful and frightening. It’s a wonderful night for ghosts and Esler sets us up for that — as well as a chill reminder that winter is coming: snowdrifts and frost climb the buildings.

Enter Scrooge (played by Bill Kux) who pronounces his profound disdain of Christmas to all those who cross his path, especially the hard working and beleaguered Bob Cratchit (played by Eric Bunge, managing director). Scrooge’s infamous rant, “Are there no prisons? Are there no work houses?” is a blast from the past that resonates with contemporary audiences. As the scenes unfold Kux interjects a surprising bit of humor, albeit biting, into Scrooge and foreshadows his potential for redemption with some fancy footwork. Last season, Kux was outstanding in his role as Dr. Watson in “Hound of the Baskervilles” as well. Bunge, too, excels as Cratchit, especially in scenes with his family.

The cast of “A Christmas Carol” performs. The production is at Northern Stage now until Dec. 24. (Rob Strong Photo)

No matter how often one has seen “A Christmas Carol,” it’s easy to recall the exuberant ending and forget that Charles Dickens’ portrayal of 19th century England is a dark, unblinking examination of class disparity and despair. It is Marley who comes clanging into Scrooge’s bedchambers, encumbered for eternity by the knowledge of what he might have done for the greater good of humanity. Life for the working classes was bleak and it was easy to find oneself condemned to debtor’s prison or a workhouse. Dickens himself was forced to work in a rat-infested shoe polish factory at the age of 12 when his father went into debtor’s prison so this tale has its roots in reality.

Accompanying Marley are four ghosts that float, slither, slide and almost fly around the room. Ford Evans’ imaginative choreography is embodied by the physically dexterous cast of spirits. In the opening scenes, the sound, designed by John Gromada and Ben Montmagny, erupts in a shower of thunderclaps. Coupled with the lightning, it is alarmingly effective but seems out of step with the snowdrifts. No doubt London’s rain is drearier than snow, but for a New England audience, thunder seemed jarringly out of place.

Marley rattles his chains which he will carry to infinity, bemoaning the life which brought him to this situation. “But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” Scrooge, says to him. “Business!” cried Marley, roaring with anguish. “Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” Phew. Marley really lays it on. The specter of Marley is almost like a hologram in the hands of Dan Kotlowitz, lighting and projections designer. Marley’s spirit is real enough to frighten.

It’s not long before the clock tolls one. The clock is a great example of the design elements conspiring to strike the right effect as the night goes on. It seems to speed ahead with its hands spinning wildly while Kotlowitz’s visual projections roam over the walls of Scrooge’s bedroom. When Susan Haefner arrives as the Spirit of Christmas Past, Scrooge — and the audience — are relieved. She is charming. All three Spirits of Christmas are strong but the Spirit of Christmas Present (Kurt Zischke) is outstanding. Of course, he has the assistance of Costume Designer Aaron Patrick DeClerk who has bedecked him in long green robes and with a wreath around his head. His outsized laughter is all his own, however, and his mirth is contagious. At the opening of Act II, the Spirit of Christmas Present, stands in a large open window, as a somewhat merry Scrooge makes sword play with an invisible opponent.

Through the wee hours of the morning, the spirits visit Scrooge and haunt him with scenes of his past, present, and what may be his future. When dawn at last arrives and the last ghost is gone, Scrooge awakes to find that Christmas Day is just arriving. He is “ …as happy as an angel…as merry as a school boy” and begins to go about making amends and changing his ways.

Almost all of the cast plays three and four roles; a children’s cast carries off a variety of roles as well. On opening night, six-year-old Paige Falcone won over the audience as Tiny Tim. An even younger Jackson Argenti alternates the role. Though not a large role, it is an outsized one as Tiny Tim captures Scrooge’s heart, and so is key to the change that takes place within Scrooge.

There are few quibbles to find in this production but those few seemed out of sync with such an otherwise well executed show. Heavy reverb altered the voice of the ghosts, perhaps to indicate their other-worldliness. Instead, it became irritating and made some dialogue difficult to comprehend. And the light projections which added so much depth and intrigue to the set were, at times, too much. On opening night, perhaps all the subtleties had not been tweaked sufficiently. The set in the final scene, however, was complete and seemed too simplistic compared with the sophistication of the other scenes. None of these, however, affect one’s appreciation of the show which touches audiences on many levels.

Scrooge, was a changed man and, “He became as good a friend, as good a master, as good a man as the good old City knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old world.” Kux injects a new vitality and physical comedy into his Scrooge, making us all very merry.

As the entire cast gathers on stage to celebrate Christmas, the journey the audience has undertaken with Scrooge remains with us. It is a rare tale of entertainment and education, preparing us well for the holiday season — and, even more, for the years to come.

The show runs 1 hour 45 minutes with one intermission. The production contains fog and haze effects.

Northern Stage’s production of “A Christmas Carol” is at the Barrette Center for the Arts in White River Junction through Dec. 24. For ticket and show time information call 802-296-7000 or go to northernstage.org.

This article first appeared in the December 1, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

Read these stories and more on the eEdition, new edition available Wednesday nights, pick it up a copy on the newsstands Thursdays or subscribe.

Kurt Gerrish Sells Auto Biz
by Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

Bridgewater Votes to Raze School, Residents Question Chair’s Involvement
by Katy Savage, Standard Staff

Barnard Board Anoints Act 46 Committee
by Curt Peterson, Standard Correspondent

Longtime Barnard Educator to Retire
by Katy Savage, Standard Staff

‘I Can’t Give Up on Richard’
by Katy Savage, Standard Staff

Board Scrutinizes First Draft of Killington Budget
by Curt Peterson, Standard Correspondent

Expansion of Fire Hill Rock Quarry on Hold
by Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

Brownsville Startup Proposes Medical Records Solution
by Curt Peterson, Standard Correspondent

Union Arena Wants to be North America’s First Net Zero Rink
by Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

‘All of Me’ Film Highlights Eating Disorder Issue
by Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

Check Out The Christmas Star on Tyson Church
by Margo Marrone, Plymouth News

Kudos to Killington
Guest Editorial, Angelo S. Lynn, Addison Independent

OBITUARIES
Ellen Booth – Full Obituary
Gertrude Murphy
Louise Adams
Philip ‘Coach’ Harrington
Richard Philbin
Robert Ammel Jr

Christmas Bazaar
The Woodstock Homestead Christmas Bazaar was held on December 3.

Upper Valley Waldorf, Winter Fair 2016
The annual winter fair held the the Upper Valley Waldorf School in Quechee offers activities and crafts, King Winter and dioramas set up on display.

The ‘Wiz’ Performed by WUHS Yoh Theater Players
A performance of ‘Wiz’ was put on at the Yoh Theater in Woodstock Union High School.

By Katy Savage, Standard Staff

Windsor Central Superintendent Alice Worth is stepping down at the end of this school year, after five years of leading the supervisory union.

Worth, 66, oversaw the consolidation of Bridgewater and Pomfret schools and spearheaded the creation of unified curriculums.

She’s retiring, she said. She’ll spend time with friends and family and said she’ll remain active in the education realm through consulting.

“It is time to take leave and turn the reins over to someone else,” said Worth in an email.

Worth has been an educator in Vermont since 1974, when she became a high school teacher in Newport.

A search committee began collecting applications to fill Worth’s vacancy a couple months ago. About 15 applied as of Tuesday.

“There’s a thinner field than expected,” said Paige Hiller, who is co-chair of the search committee. “I think these are probably challenging times in Vermont…It feels like there’s a zillion acts that are being handed down to schools these days,” she said.

Hiller mentioned Act 46, which requires schools to merge, and Act 77, which requires students to take ownership in their education by developing learning pathways based on their interests.

Despite the small number, Hiller said she was encouraged by the strength in the applicant pool.

The 10-member search committee consisting of school board members, Windsor Central staff, educators and two parents held its first meeting on Monday where members discussed pros and cons of Worth’s tenure.

Hiller said Worth brought more consistency to the schools by establishing more evaluation processes.

“She’s really looked at curriculum development and consistencies, especially within K-6 schools,” said Hiller.

She said the search committee will be looking for more “open communication and more transparency of how things work,” in their future candidate.

Worth’s position was budgeted for a $120,226 salary this school year, according to the WSCU budget.

Members of the search committee are putting together a vision of what they want to see in their next superintendent.

On Dec. 7, they’ll post the vision on the WCSU website to get parent feedback.

On Dec. 19, the committee members will meet again to review the vision and questions they want to ask applicants.

Candidates that meet the criteria will be interviewed mid-January through mid-February. The search committee will interview them and then a parent community committee and a teacher-principal committee. One representative from each town in the supervisory union will have a say. The plan is to hire the new candidate in March.

If the search committee can’t find a qualified candidate, committee members will consider hiring a company to do the search for them.

“We’re taking some bold moves,” said Hiller, who is vice-chair of the Windsor Central board, chair of the Woodstock Elementary School Board and serves on the Woodstock Union High School-Middle School Board.

She said finding the right person is essential.

“I think our area is at a tipping point and we need a leader who can bring us forward to the next level,” she said. “We can stay status quo and do a good job or we can really knock it out of the park and do an outstanding job.”

By Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

The official launching of the popular Wassail Weekend begins tonight with the screening of the award winning production of the National Theatre’s “War Horse” at the Town Hall Theatre at 7 p.m.

With its roots in 19th century England, whose villagers used to celebrate the dawning of Christmas by splashing trees with cider while firing guns or beating pots and pans, wassailing is alive and well in this tiny 21st-century New England town in which the impending festive season takes on an air of pageantry and tradition.

“I love Wassail Weekend,” said Beth Finlayson, director of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. “The town is filled with people enjoying themselves, whether they are on Pentangle’s house tour or having breakfast with Santa. I’m really excited that this year we will actually be serving the adult wassail-on-the-green as well as the children’s version!”

With streets decorated with white lights and Currier and Ives costumes and 19th century Victorian seasonal attire, spectators this year can relish in wagon and sleigh rides around Billings Farm and Museum, a Wassail parade, a meet-and-greet breakfast with Santa at the Little Theater, the reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” at the Norman Williams Public Library, holiday music through Pentangle, a Wassail feast hosted by the Woodstock Inn and Resort, a holiday craft fair, an Irish Christmas in America concert sponsored by Pentangle, the performance of the a capella group, the Ten, at the historic Congregational Church, and the lighting of the traditional Yule Log, Memory Tree and carol sing on the town’s Green immediately following the 32nd annual Wassail horse parade that starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Maxham Meadow Road.

“We’re thrilled about the weekend,” Sue Miller, High Horses program director. “We’re enjoying bringing it all together and watching the parade.”

There will be roughly 30 entries, several of which are groups, Miller said.

“So there’ll be quite a lot of horses and people this year,” Miller said. “We even have some rescue horses from the South Royalton 4H group.” The Green Mountain Horse Association of South Woodstock provides stables and radios for the riders. High Horses has been serving residents of the Upper Connecticut River Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont since 1993, according to Miller. It is one of three programs in Vermont whose standards meet the criteria to attain Premier Accreditation by Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International. Its mission is to improve the well being of people with special needs through a therapeutic equine experience.

Miller said the approximate 30 entrants in the annual Wassail event will be judged for the first time prior to the parade at the Maxham Meadow Road. Judges will be looking for best individual costume, best group, best horse drawn vehicle, most seasonally attired, most historic, best singing, and best junior entry.

Events on Friday will feature Christmas at Billings Farm from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the Woodstock Elementary School Sunrise Chorus on the steps of the Norman Williams Library at 4 p.m. where, 45-minutes later, a Winter Wonderland of Stories with Simon Brooks will occur; an open house at the Dana House Museum from 5-7 p.m.; and a Holiday Cabaret evening featuring the Great American Songbook (an ArtisTree and BarnArts performance) at ArtisTree’s performance space at 7:30 p.m.

A breakfast with Santa kicks off Saturday’s events at the Little Theater from 8-11 a.m. following by Christmas at Billings Farm from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; an open house at Farmhouse Pottery from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wassail Café on the Green from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and the Wassail Craft Fair at the Masonic Lodge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

One of the weekend’s most popular events and Pentangle’s biggest fundraiser of the year is its 15th annual holiday house tour on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This year’s tour begins at the historic Woodstock Town Hall Theatre and culminates at the Woodstock History Center’s Dana House, built in 1807 and remaining in the Dana family’s hands until 1943 when it was sold to the Woodstock Historical Society. Today, the house is furnished to represent the home of a 19th century merchant. The Federalstyle house will have docents to provide historical facts and details.

Event participants can hop next door after the tour to the Prince & Pauper Restaurant, celebrating its 36th year and acting as the tour’s main sponsor.

At noon and 1 p.m. there will be a reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Ham Gillett.

A Wassail Youth Celebration Performance will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, featuring children ages 7 to 13 from Pentangle’s After School Performing Arts Camp, directed by Sharon Groblicki.

At the same time, at the Congregational Church, the Ten a capella group will be performing. Then at 4 p.m. attendants can enjoy the Lighting of the Luminaries on the Green, sponsored by the Woodstock Rotary Club.

At 5:30 p.m. there will be a Wassail Feast at the Woodstock Inn & Resort followed by a cello concert at the North Chapel Universalist Society at 7:30 p.m.

Also on Saturday at 8 p.m., at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, a Wassail Weekend concert, Irish Christmas in America, will be held and will feature Irish ballads, instrumental songs and Irish dancing.

Christmas at Billings Farm can still be enjoyed on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as can the Wassail Craft Fair at the Masonic Lodge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The weekend will conclude with the 33rd annual Messiah Sing at 4 p.m. at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church.

Sponsors of the weekend event include The Prince & the Pauper, Charl and Ching-Wen Taylor, Wild Apple Graphics, Woodstock Farmers Market, Woodstock Home and Hardware, Woodstock Insurance, Woodstock Historical Society, Birds of a Flower, Stitchdown Farm, Jasper and Prudence Floral and Events, Petals Floral Design, the Vermont Arts Council, Dead River Company, the Woodstock Inn & Resort, and the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. Special thanks to Chippers for lighting the village.

This article first appeared in the December 8, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

Staff report

Update: Stephen Silva, 45 of Springfield, Massachusetts, was arrested for the robbery Monday. He will be arraigned in Windsor Superior Court on Tuesday.

Vermont State Police is investigating a robbery at Mascoma Savings Bank in Hartland.

A man, who did not display a weapon, went into the bank around 10:15 a.m. Saturday and demanded money from a teller, according to VSP Detective Sergeant Eric Albright. He left the bank on foot, police said.

A post on the Mascoma Savings Bank Facebook page said the suspect left with an “undetermined amount of cash” and urged customers to contact Pete Begin, the bank’s security officer, with any questions.

Police described the man as 5-foot-6 to 5-8, about 150 to 160 pounds with a brown mustache and light facial hair. He was wearing a dark-colored cap and a black and gray hooded, zip-up jacket with orange lining. He also wore tan pants and black shoes, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police using the tip line (vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit) or call Det. Sgt. Albright at (802) 722-4600.

(VSP Photos)

Staff Report

A number of schools are closed Monday as the National Weather Service predicts several inches of snow for the Woodstock area.

Windsor Central Supervisory Union schools, including Woodstock Union High School-Middle School, Reading Elementary, Prosper Valley, Barnard Academy, Woodstock Elementary and Killington Elementary, closed Sunday night in anticipation of the storm, according to WCAX.

The Sharon Academy, Mid Vermont Christian School and Kimball Union Academy closed as well.

The National Weather Service predicts 3 to 7 inches of snow between Sunday night and Monday afternoon.

By David Miles, Standard Correspondent

With basketball practice in just its second week, Jack Arthur is working on both his three-point shot and his post moves. He has the potential to score from both outside and inside for the Woodstock boys’ team this season. It will be in stark contrast to the soccer pitch this past fall when Arthur’s only focus was on keeping the other team from scoring.

To be sure, he expects to play defense on the court this year. (If he did not, he might spend most of his time riding coach Joel Carey’s bench). But, on the other hand, he certainly did not expect to be playing the ultimate defensive position on the soccer field in the autumn.

Arthur was a reserve on the teams that made back-to-back state championship game appearances the previous two seasons. He was set to step into a starting role this year, probably as a midfielder or left back. Sophomore Oliver Wilson and freshman Steven Bianchi looked to be splitting time in goal.

Wilson, however, hurt his back, and coach Tom Avellino found himself in need of another goalie.

“I mentioned it to the team early in a practice,” relates Avellino. “Within seconds Jack offered to try it. I had no idea whatsoever that he would do that. There was nobody on my radar when I asked the team.”

Arthur had a teeny bit of experience in goal, but only if you count elementary school soccer. He had played in goal in the second grade and continued for another year or two. From that point on he usually played a defensive midfielder position, occasionally moving forward to wing.

“I kind of facetiously raised my hand when he asked,” said Arthur. “I really was not expecting him to take me seriously. But it felt good that day. I didn’t feel out of place at all.”

Avellino knew immediately that he had found his man.

“We started doing drills with him right away. Within 20 minutes I knew he was the guy,” Avellino said. “I liked his hands and his athleticism. And as that practice went on he showed some grit too, diving for balls and putting his body on the line.”

Arthur did not know if it would continue.

“I was open to doing it again if it was in the team’s best interest. And he kept sticking me in there,” said the senior. “So I was getting used to it.”

After a few days he started in goal against Otter Valley. And the Otters scored on an early shot just a couple of minutes into the game. But it was a perfectly placed kick, high into the top of the net that most goalies would have been unable to stop.

“I was a little discouraged,” said Arthur. “It was not the debut I wanted. But I also knew it was a really good shot and I tried not to let it get me down.”

It was the only goal that Otter Valley scored. And it was three weeks before Arthur let in another goal. He did miss a couple of games and Bianchi and later Wilson, after his back healed, returned to the net on occasion. But down the stretch the goalmouth was Arthur’s home.

“No disrespect to Steven or Oliver, but they were both awfully young to be in such an important position,” said Avellino. “And for Jack it was the first time he was in a prominent role on the soccer field in any position. He really rose to the occasion when we needed him to.”

Jack Arthur

“Going into the season not much was expected of us,” said sophomore midfielder Will Crompton, referring to the heavy graduation losses that the team suffered over the past two seasons. “We kind of flew under the radar most of the year. But to have Jack step up like that really pushed the whole team to improve. It made us want to do better every game.”

And better is what the team did, finishing with a 10-2-2 regular season mark. The second tie was in the rematch with rival Hartford. Arthur remembers that game as a high mark of the season, in several ways.

“We were up 1-0 and had a lot of momentum. But they had a shot from the top of the box and I was partially screened. I still thought I had the save, but as I was diving, the ball slipped under my arms. I turned and watched it roll into the net.

“I kind of ducked my head down after that. But the team was right there for me. Cullen [McCarthy] told me that I was doing an awesome job and I needed to keep it up. That helped my emotional level so much and allowed me to keep my focus.”

The result was a game that was scoreless the rest of the way, despite several good attempts by the Hurricanes. On into overtime and it remained tied at 1-1. Arthur felt there were some worrisome moments, but that the defense thwarted them. Hartford had a free kick late, but that was denied as well.

It was shortly before that game that Avellino considered elevating Arthur to captain.

“I felt it was warranted. I looked at what he was displaying on the field, both during practices and games,” said the coach. “I talked to the other three captains. They all jumped on board right away.” So now Arthur was both a goalie and a captain, neither of which was in the cards when the season began.

It all leaves him wondering just a little bit what would have happened if he had started playing goalie earlier – or continued on from those early elementary school years.

“I never really found my spot until this year,” said Arthur. “But I’m glad that I finally did.”

This article first appeared in the December 8, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

​The Standard will be closed Dec. 15 due to electrical issues. You can email questions or concerns to editor@thevermontstandard.com or wait until Friday, when we’ll be back in the office and eager to talk to you!

Barnard Academy Principal Anne Koop addresses community members at a Thanksgiving luncheon organized by the BEEs, the school’s parents group. (Linda Treash Photo)

This article first appeared in the December 8, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

By Katy Savage, Standard Staff

The Bridgewater Village School is coming down.

The decision to demolish the 100-year-old building was made in a 47-37 paper ballot vote at a public hearing (Nov. 30, 2016) last Wednesday.

“Oh my God,” some residents in the back of the room that night said in shock.

Some were dismayed by the perceived urgent request for voters to decide to take down the building. The select board didn’t offer any other options or suggestions for what would be placed in the building’s absence.

There was no formal cost estimate to demolish the building, but select board chair Nope Martin said Able Waste gave an estimate of $100,000.

“There’s a lot of people here who feel very uninformed,” resident Lesley Scales said.

Resident Brian Bontrager asked to delay the vote 60 days to allow time for a study committee to form and explore options. His motion was denied 50-35 in a paper ballot vote. Others asked to delay the vote until Town Meeting in March.

Martin wanted to move forward.

“Why don’t we just vote no?” he offered as an option for the people who wanted more information before making a decision.

One resident asked Martin if he planned to bid on the building’s demolition.

“Probably,” he said.

Martin owns an excavation company and he bids on most town projects. He’s sometimes picked as a bidder. In the spring he was granted $33,000 to repair a section of Little Sherburne Road.

There was some speculation last Wednesday that the select board wanted to take the school down for a new emergency services building.

There was an informational meeting about the future of the school in October where the fire department presented a $1.5 million plan to reuse part of the school for a fire station. Fire Chief Ed Earle said over the phone recently that the aging school wasn’t feasible to do that.

Martin confirmed last Wednesday night there would be another public hearing about future use of the school’s land for an emergency services building.

The school building sits on about one acre of land. A town-owned field, about 1 1/2 acres, is beside it.

When asked later by phone what he thought should be done with the land without a school, Martin declined to comment.

“That’s what this is really about,” said a resident in a group in the back of the room, which audibly sighed on Wednesday after the vote.

“Another conflict of interest in Bridgewater,” one resident said.

Select board member Mary Oldenburg, who is on the FAST Squad, and Martin said they thought the building should come down last Wednesday, explaining it was costly to maintain.

The school closed in 2015 when Bridgewater and Pomfret schools combined.

The school building is valued at $637,500 on the grand list.

The town budgeted about $60,000 to maintain the building last year and spent about $33,000. Parts of the 13,000 square-foot school building are 100 years old.

Criterium Lalancette Engineers of Rutland completed a study on the building in May. The 80-page report ranked every piece of the building. The water system was in “good” condition, the report said, the heating system was in “good” to “fair” condition, the interior was “average.” The building needed significant ceiling tile repair and needed repair to a cracked foundation, the report said. The report recommended the select board make improvements to the building within the next year, including repairs to the heating system and foundation.

Martin said it could be demolished by next summer.

“We’re a long way from taking down the building,” he said.

This article first appeared in the December 8, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

The Christmas Revels performances are Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.; and Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. All performances are in the Hopkins Center for Arts at Dartmouth.

By Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

A French Canadian celebration of the winter solstice begins tonight and continues through the weekend with a journey North, back in time, to early 19th century Quebec — an adventure not to be missed by young and old alike.

The fete is sponsored by Revels North and promises, as its events past, to take attendants away into a class tale of La Chasse-galerie that involves a group of lonely voyagers working in the northern timberland and eventually meeting up with their sweethearts on a New Year’s Eve.

“We’re most excited to journey north and back in time,” said Revels North Executive Director Heather Alger. “The timber industry was thriving, and ambition, adventure, and the promise of celebrity attracted many to the voyageur life.”

Voyageurs were fur traders, and traveled along the rivers by canoe — sometimes as many as 20 in a boat — into the Canadian wilderness to trap, transport, and supply the fur trade industry with coveted pelts, she explained.

“This year’s setting is a small French Canadian village,” said Woodstock resident and Revels North Costume Designer Holly Levison. “Sitting beside a cozy fireplace or out amongst the cold wintery pine trees under everchanging skies, we hear the tale of the flying canoe, sharing this grand adventure through the eyes of the villagers and their intrepid voyageurs.”

Angelic voices, of all ages and in many languages, resound with the tale, Levison related.

“Fleet-footed dancers echo our story without words, talented musicians melodically move us forward, and actors of all ages combine as family and friends bring this enchanting legend to life,” Levison said.

As costume designer, it was Levison’s charge to create a cohesive look for the families and the village and to give the voyageurs the unmistakable air of adventure.

“This beautiful tale and production will live in your soul for years to come,” Levison said.

Storyteller and local resident Darby Hiebert’s responsibility is to bring the audience into the story.

“I’m able to move back and forth between the world of the story on stage and talk directly with the audience,” Hiebert said. “It is quite a magical role. This year’s show is truly a party of stage with a great story, rollicking music, and joyful dancing.”

Revels North Program Director Laura Craft said those who come to see the show will be transported into two hours of magic, story, song and dance.

“There will be humor and hijinks, solemn ceremony, worldclass music and edge-of-yourseat drama, all in one show,” said Craft. “The audience will be invited to sing together and dance in the aisles. What more could anybody want?”

This is Woodstock Union High School student Sierra Winand’s fifth time being a member of the Christmas Revels cast. As such, she is a village teen chorus singer and a dancer in the mysterious Abbots Bromley horn dance.

“This year’s show takes you away into the ‘Tale of the Flying Canoe’ and French-Canadian traditions,” said Winand. “The show is fun and entertaining but also sad at times. It’s especially meaningful for me because I have strong French-Canadian ancestry, and I love the French language.”

With a cast and chorus of regional performers and featured musical artists, Quebecois trio Genticorum, audience members become part of the Christmas Revels merely by entering the theater.

“Our individual path to Revels can be different from one another, but we are together briefly — here, now — to bring light to this darkest time of year,” said Alger. “And it doesn’t stop when you leave. Carry the warmth, inspiration, and light away with you, and share it however you’re able. It does make the world a better place.”

Media Manager Simone Pyle agreed.

“This is an exceptionally fun, upbeat show, with live music that just puts a smile on your face,” said Pyle. “There are poignant moments in the story, and at least one musical number that gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. But, on the whole, I would characterize this year’s show as intimate, entertaining, and cheery.”

Founded in 1957, concert baritone, recording artist and music educator John Langstaff staged his first Christmas Revels in New York City at the Town Hall. Ten years later, NBC-TV aired a “Hallmark Hall of Fame” Christmas special that ran for two consecutive years. In 1971, Langstaff staged three performances in Harvard’s Sanders Theatre and, by 1974, a community of revelers was established along with a board of directors, resulting in the non-profit of Revels, Inc. Eventually, Langstaff and his wife, Carol, transported the Christmas Revels productions from Cambridge to Hanover.

Today, Revel companies create opportunities for communal celebration and participatory theatre on a national level.

Locally, Revels North aims to build a sense of community through theater, dance and musical experiences that bring the world’s cultural traditions and celebrations to life, as the organization’s mission emphasizes.

“Revels North is on an adventure of its own, with 42 years of joy and success, struggle and hardship, music-making and community-building behind us, opening up to a future that burns bright with exciting possibility,” said Alger. The nonprofit celebrates productions now year-round and includes Revels Kids (serving the children and young teens of the Upper Valley during the winter months), Summer Revels (on the Norwich Green, held on the Summer Solstice), and Revels Teens (encouraging teens to celebrate their individual voices in a supportive, non-competitive and inclusive environment).

The Christmas Revels is staged at Dartmouth College’s Hopkins Center for the Arts. The production incorporates a cast and team of over 100 community amateurs and professionals along with visiting tradition bearers.

“As our lives pull us in many directions, Revels North offers roots,” said Alger. “We consider it out job to be present, nimble, and flexible, creating programs that bring tradition to your life and offer opportunities to come together in community. Participation in Revels programs can take on different forms; there is no ‘right way’ to be part of it all. Come as you are, when you can — take that leap of faith — and you will find a place.”

This article first appeared in the December 15, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

By Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

If all goes according to plan, the Union Arena will soon become the first rink to achieve a net zero goal in North America, resulting in a dramatic reduction of the cost of youth and family programs in the future.

The Union Arena Board of Directors is spear heading the project. The current strategy to achieve this goal requires two main components. The first is to improve the efficiency limits of the rink by approximately 50 percent. This will be done through system integration, engineering, ultra-efficient lighting and mechanical systems. The second is to use Earth-friendly renewable energy sources to provide the other 50 percent.

Becoming a net zero facility would mean no annual energy cost for heating fuel and electricity.

“We’ve hired professional consultants that include Accent Refrigeration and ENGVT,” said EJay Bishop, Union Arena General Manager. “BMD services will also be provided at no cost.”

The project will reduce energy costs by approximately $140,000 per year, explained Harold Mayhew, president of the Union Arena Board of Directors. A portion of the money saved would be used to build a new endowment for the arena to ensure that future financial obligations are covered, including the long-term maintenance of the facility, Bishop said.

Another strategic goal for the campaign project would be to upgrade and update the existing refrigeration, heating, ventilation and lighting systems.

The annual savings gained by these renovations and improvements to the facility and the use of renewable energy will not only allow for reduced participation fees, but will provide opportunities to better maintain the infrastructure and possibly enable the arena to invest in improvements for the future, Bishop noted.

“It not only means lower costs for the youth and family programs but it will help the planet as well,” said Mayhew.

The cost of energy accounts for approximately a third of the total annual operational costs which amount to $500,000, according to Bishop.

“Achieving a net zero facility means the Union Arena is more sustainable for the future while leaving a smaller carbon footprint.”

The work required to achieve the stated goal includes four basic tiers, each designed to achieve a specific goal on the path to sustainability, Mayhew related. The tiers of work include updating the refrigeration system, updating the HVAC system, adding a renewable energy source, and adding system integration.

“The net consumption would be reduced dramatically with each subsequent tier of work until a net amount of zero is reached,” Mayhew said.

The sustainable arena campaign fundraising goal is $1.4 million of which $400,000 has currently been raised.

Built in 2003 and with 17,000 square-feet of open space, the Union Arena is open 12 months a year and is open to rent for a variety of uses including concerts, outings, antique shows, art shows, school graduations, theatre festivals, concerts, fundraisers, and sports practices. A myriad of educational, health and arts organizations also use the facility for events.

“The arena provides a sense of pride; a community gathering place to enjoy family, friends and visitors; and a place to recreate and develop healthy activities,” said Bishop. “It’s an economic engine that produces approximately $2.5 million toward the local economy.”

Currently there are approximately 100,000 visits each year.

The Union Arena, Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to offer affordable and accessible healthy activities for all families and the overall population of the region,” according to its website.

The project has been endorsed by Sustainable Woodstock, Efficiency Vermont, the Woodstock Youth Hockey Association, the Woodstock Union High and Middle School boards, and the Woodstock Rotary Club.

Joe and Peggy Willis look up at the tree before it was cut. (Rick Russell Photo)

Overcome with memories, Peggy Willis watched as the state came and cut down her large balsam fir tree and began to cry.

She remembered when her youngest daughter, April, used the tree as home base for kickball games with her older siblings.

She remembered when her exhusband, Leslie Dyer, would tell their three daughters, “Leave the tree alone, don’t grab,” she said.

Dyer, an avid outdoorsman, planted the tree beside their house in 1979. It grew to more than 50 feet tall and weighed 3,200 pounds after it was chopped down.

Last week, Willis and her family donated it to the state to be the Christmas tree at the State Capitol. It was lifted by a crane and transported to Montpelier. On Thursday it was lit for Dyer and April, father and daughter, who died a few years apart.

*

April, 35, died when she choked at a friend’s birthday party in Woodstock. Dyer, 65, died of bladder cancer in August.

April was close to her father.

They both liked the outdoors and gardening. They told stories, fished and played games. April helped her father, who had polio, stack wood for the winter.

She and her longtime boyfriend Clifford Wheeler and their son Calob, now, 17, used to watch the television show “Survivor” every Wednesday and they took turns making meals for each other.

April was the “spitting image of her father,” Wheeler said.

“They (got) their mind set on something they got to do it today, can’t do it tomorrow,” Wheeler said.

*

April choked on a piece of pulled pork at a friend’s birthday party.

“She came over to me like she was eating something hot,” said Wheeler.

She went to the garbage can to spit it out, “and then started freaking out,” Wheeler said. “Then it was just too late.”

The food was down in her lungs and nobody could do anything, he said.

When April died, Dyer struggled.

“I think he kept it to himself a lot,” Wheeler said. “He was the one being strong for my son and I.”

Dyer and his family wanted to donate the tree he planted to the state in April’s name. But officials went with a state forest tree.

Last summer, Dyer was diagnosed with bladder cancer and died Aug. 5.

*

Leslie Dyer who planted the tree in 1979, sits with his dog in an old photo.

Willis was with Dyer for 16 years until they divorced in 1986. She married Joe Willis in 1988.

“We were better apart,” Willis said.

But she and Dyer stayed friends. And Joe became best friends with Dyer. They hunted together and shared responsibility of raising April and her older sisters, Karrie Longley of North Pomfret and Anne Halloway of Kentucky, together.

They all took turns helping Dyer when he was diagnosed with cancer, filling in for a job that April would typically do. Wheeler was there day and night, helping him in and out of a wheelchair. They made meals for Dyer.

Joe sat with Dyer and wiped tears from his eyes.

“He did not want to go,” said Willis.

At April’s funeral, Dyer thanked Joe for what he did, raising April, Joe said.

“She lived on in his heart,” said Dyer’s sister, Denise Dwyer.

*

Joe, who works as the cemetery commissioner in Sharon, buried both Dyer and April, side by side in the family cemetery plot in Sharon.

It’s been a few years but to them it’s still surreal that April is gone.

April and Dyer’s tree will greet visitors at the entrance underneath the golden dome.

“He would be ecstatic, whether it was donated in his memory or April’s memory or both of their memories; would be ecstatic,” Dwyer said.

As for April?

The tree is lighted in Montpelier. (Rick Russell Photo)

“She probably would holler because it was so beautiful,” Willis said.

The tree was never trimmed or watered. It just grew in the perfect shape of a Christmas tree on its own.

Still, Willis feels its absence. There’s a ray of light that shines in her bathroom window that wasn’t there before.

Her neighbors and friends have made wreaths from its branches. And there may be some new trees in its place.

“We found today, underneath the tree, there are seedlings — a whole bunch,” Willis said.

Read these stories and more on the eEdition, new edition available Wednesday nights, pick it up a copy on the newsstands Thursdays or subscribe.

Up, Up and Away

AJ Alsup, Robin Lepel Cointet, Lola Alsup, Lynne Bertram, Bill McCollom, Adi Alsup, Gary Thulander, and Tim Reiter pose for a photo on the new chairlift. (Rick Russell Photo)

Ascutney Abutter Pulls Permit, Former Resort Owner Wants Tax Break
by Katy Savage, Standard Staff

New Hospital CEO Focuses on Patient Care
Staff Report

In Windsor, Cops Help Families Through Holidays
by Katy Savage, Standard Staff

Citizen of the Year Not a ‘Self-Promoter’
by Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent

Fire House Project Seemingly Stalled by Weather
by Curt Peterson, Standard Correspondent

Free Guided 2017 First Day Hikes in Vermont

Quick Action by Woodstock Pharmacist Saves Windsor Home
by Nancy Nutile-McMenemy, Standard Correspondent

Woodstock basketball player Bill Wood jumps to meet the basket for two in the game against Harwood at the U-32 Tournament on Friday, December 16. (Bruce Longley Photo)

Boys Basketball Tops Harwood at Tourney
by David Miles, Sports Correspondent

Elanor Spencer

OBITUARIES
Eleanor Spencer
Harry Buss
Helen Dicke
June Harper Sanderson Winsor Mitchell
Marilyn Childs
Mark Tetreault
Theo Howe

New Lift at Suicide Six Opens
The new Poma lift at Suicide Six officially opened with a ribbon cutting on Monday.

South Woodstock Christmas Pageant, 2016
The annual Christmas Pageant was held despite the snowy icy roads.

BarnArts Winter Carols
BarnArts 6th Annual Winter Carols was held on Friday night at the First Universalist Church and Society of Barnard.

Weather Channel in Woodstock
The Weather Channel broadcasted from the Green in Woodstock to help celebrate the winter solstice.

The Vermont State Police is investigating the theft of a Toys for Tots bin and other packages at the Teago General Store in Pomfret.

Police say someone broke into the store, which is also attached to a post office branch, sometime between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday and took 25-30 toys from the donation box and 25-30 packages from the post office.

Anyone with information on the burglaries is asked to call the state police at (802) 234-9933.

(Vermont State Police photos)

By Katy Savage, Standard Staff

Detective Jen Frank raced down the aisles with a shopping cart, making loud noises and disrupting other shoppers as six-year-old Elijah Barnett squealed in the cart’s seat.

Frank’s handcuffs on the back of her belt loop jingled along the way and her colleagues ran to keep up with her — not average cop behavior — but they were on a mission at Wal-Mart Tuesday night. They were shopping for Christmas toys.

Six kids and four Windsor Police officers took cruisers to Claremont and loaded the vehicles with toys during the Shop with a Cop event. Shop with a Cop is a national event that the Windsor Police Department took up last year. Officers off-duty donated their own money so each child got $100 to spend on Christmas gifts their families wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. The community also chipped in.

Four Windsor Police officers took six children shopping to Wal-Mart Tuesday night for the “Shop With a Cop” event. (Standard Photo)

Elijah, full of energy as Frank pushed him, immediately grabbed a jumbo size tractor-trailer that comes with smaller rescue vehicles inside.

He also picked out a ninja turtle and a superhero video game. He bought a truck for his older sister. He also wanted some bananas and a candy cane.

Some of the children have parents who are evicted, disabled and unable to work.

Elijah lives in a two-bedroom home with nine other people. His older brother Owen, 7, had a stroke when he was a baby and is missing part of his brain, Elijah’s mother Maygan Miller said.

Miller said the shopping trip gave Elijah a chance to get attention that’s often consumed by his brother.

Aubrey Sanborn, 7, bought a dress, a doll and some candles for her mother as she shopped with Officer Jared David.

Aubrey’s mother, Courtney Wilson, was a nurse in Barre but she’s been out of work for health reasons the past three years. Wilson, a single mom, started bleeding uncontrollably in October. Her intestines came out through her skin and popped a major artery, due to a complication from her cesarean seven years ago.

“(Blood) just started pouring down my leg and all over the floor,” said Wilson.

Aubrey was home with mother her at the time.

“My daughter’s bawling and saying, ‘mommy, mommy, are you dying? Are you going to be OK?’” said Wilson.

Wilson said money gets short in the middle of the month. In addition to the shopping trip, the police department also brought her a Christmas tree this year because she couldn’t afford one.

“I started crying because I didn’t expect that,” said Wilson.

The Shop with a Cop event was established partly to instill trust in officers.

Frank is the school police officer who spearheaded the night.

Frank zipped in and out of aisles and raced to the checkout line Tuesday.

“Let’s go, let’s go,” she said as she ran. Elijah grabbed Frank’s badges as he sat in the shopping cart.

Three kids in the backseat of Frank’s cruiser debated on the way home if police officers could go to jail. One didn’t think it was possible.

If they do something bad, they could, Frank said. But she said officers are good people trying to make everything safer.

The children held her hand in the parking lot and grabbed her blue tie. They tell her what’s wrong in their household.

“(If something’s wrong), I’m going to call you. Nine, one, one,” said Elijah on the way home.

This article first appeared in the December 22, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.

A winter storm warning is now in effect from Thursday at 10 a.m. to Friday at 1 p.m. according to the National Weather Service.

Heavy snow with accumulations expected from 7-14 inches of snow. With 1 to 2 inches an hour mainly Thursday evening through Friday morning, snow tapering off into Friday evening.

High winds with gusts up to 35 MPH and heavy snow will make roadways hazardous for the Thursday evening and Friday morning commutes.