Gifts to the Community Relief Fund will be matched up to $10,000!

Thank you for your very generous support of the Greensboro Association’s Community Relief Fund.

If you are considering making a donation, now would be a great time to do so.  We are happy to announce that a very thoughtful summer resident, Rhodes Boester, has teamed up with a wonderfully generous anonymous donor to sponsor a matching program for the Community Relief Fund.  Please support Rhodes’ effort, and the Greensboro Association Community Relief Fund, and have your gift doubled, through a very generous anonymous matching gift!

Hello,

My name is Rhodes Boester, and I am in eighth grade. I live in Rye, NY with my parents and two brothers. During my time at home during this pandemic, I began to think of ways to help people in the Greensboro Community impacted by the Covid-19 epidemic. I spent some time looking at organizations that help those hit hard during these times. One group and cause stood out to me: The Greensboro Association Community Relief Fund. I chose it for many reasons. First, I have spent a lot of time in Greensboro throughout my life, and know how special the community really is. Secondly, it is a small organization, and is likely to not have the resources to help people as large charitable organizations have. There are many small businesses and people who are struggling to make ends meet, and this group is helping them. Please consider a donation, however big or small, to this organization. There are two ways to donate: Either send a check to Greensboro Association, Community Relief Fund, PO Box 59, Greensboro VT. 05841, or visit their website (https://www.greensboroassociation.org/covid/). An anonymous donor will match all donations, up to a sum of $10,000. When donating, mention my name to have your donation matched. 

Thank you,

Rhodes Boester

More information on the Relief fund and on Rhodes’ appeal is available in this May 2 letter to our membership from Vince Cubbage.

 

 

Greensboro Community Relief Fund update and Matching Gift Opportunity

May 2, 2020

Greensboro Greetings!

Thank you for your very generous support of the Greensboro Association’s Community Relief Fund. Your GA Grants Committee has been working nonstop with community leaders to assess local needs and overall resource availability to determine where our assistance can be most impactful.

To date, five frontline local organizations have been awarded meaningful GA grants to help them address their critical needs:

  • Hardwick Food Pantry (purchase of food to help meet increased need)
  • Hardwick Rescue Squad (protective gear for first responders)
  • Hardwick Area Health Center (protective gear for staff and outdoor treatment area setup)
  • Greensboro Nursing Home (protective gear and purchase of food to help meet increased demand for Meals on Wheels)
  • Craftsbury Community Care Center (protective gear and purchase of food to help meet increased demand for Meals on Wheels)

Going forward, your Greensboro Association committees will continue to work closely with local officials and the Greensboro/Stannard Emergency Response Team to assess the evolving needs of the community and make further grants to these and other important local organizations as long as Community Relief Funds are available.

If you have donated to this effort, I sincerely thank you on behalf of the Greensboro Association and the many local organizations being assisted.

If you are considering making a donation, now would be a great time to do so.  We are happy to announce that a very thoughtful summer resident, Rhodes Boester, has teamed up with a wonderfully generous anonymous donor to sponsor a matching program for the Community Relief Fund.  Quite simply – any gift received between now and July 31st will be matched, up to a total sum of $10,000!  Your $50 donation becomes $100, or $100 donation becomes $200, simply by referencing Rhodes Boester’s name or the matching program.

Please see Rhodes’ message on our website [here] and support his effort to raise funds for the Greensboro community through our Community Relief Fund if you are able.

We hope you are safe and well and look forward to seeing everyone in the coming months!

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Vince Cubbage

Information for Travelers Arriving in Vermont: EXECUTIVE ORDER from Governor Phil Scott and EXTENSION OF SHELTER IN PLACE to MAY 15

Please read this updated EXECUTIVE ORDER from Governor Phil Scott with important information for people traveling to Vermont from other states. It is important to note that anyone crossing the Vermont state line MUST quarantine for 14 days.   As of APRIL 10, the Governor has extended STAY HOME/STAY SAFE order  to May 15.  The current status of Vermonts approach to Covid 19 is available from these Press Releases from the Governor.

 

Community Relief Fund Update – April 13, 2020

April 12, 2020

 

On Sunday April 5, after a week of meetings, the Greensboro Association (GA) formed the Community Relief Fund and launched its campaign to raise funds to financially support local organizations on the front line of the Corona Virus battle.  The GA chose to focus grants on organizations that address extraordinary medical, food and transportation needs due to the pandemic.

An ad hoc committee staffed by treasurer Rick Lovett, Fund for Greensboro chair Becky Arnold and grants chairman John Schweizer in consultation with Tim Nisbet, Mike Metcalf and other members of the Greensboro-Stannard Emergency Response Team, was directed to identify and vet front-line community organizations and speed funding to them.

The ad hoc group identified the five following organizations and delivered their first relief checks on April 11.

  • Greensboro Nursing Home
  • Hardwick Area Food Pantry
  • Craftsbury Community Care Center
  • Hardwick Area Health Center
  • Hardwick Rescue Squad

Each organization is experiencing a downturn in revenues and funding while experiencing an increase in a demand for their essential services.  GA Relief funds will be used to purchase unbudgeted protective gear for their staff and clients plus necessary supplies and extra staffing to support their services.

Going forward, our ad hoc committee foresees the pandemic and its repercussions extending through the summer and fall.  Therefore, continuing financial support from the GA and community members will be essential to continue the battle.

 

John Schweizer

Chair-GA Grants

[email protected]

UPDATED INFORMATION: The Greensboro Emergency COVID Response – Please read!

April 3 Update

GREENSBORO/STANNARD EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

April 3, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

We hope this note finds you safe and well.

Our Greensboro/Stannard Emergency Response Team has been meeting daily since Governor Scott’s Covid-19 Emergency Declaration on Friday, March 13, 2020.  Together we are actively planning and implementing strategies that serve to protect and support our community.

In accordance with State of Vermont orders:

We ask that returning community members shelter in place for two weeks after arrival.  The Greensboro Town Health Officers strongly suggests the use of face masks by everyone.

We will deliver supplies and groceries to you.  Please telephone Smith Store at 533-2631 and/or Willey’s Store at 533-2621 to place your order.  They will coordinate with a volunteer ‘runner’ who will leave your items on the front porches of your homes.  All you need to do is to stay home and to give the store a shopping list.  Or notify one of us to facilitate this important process on your behalf.  Walgreens Pharmacies and Kinney Drugs are both offering free delivery as well.

After the first two weeks of your arrival or retreat, please continue to maintain a social distance and stand six feet apart, congregate virtually, and don’t risk illness to others.  We stand together in our hearts.

Sincerely,

Greensboro/Stannard Emergency Response Team.

For further information:


 

On Friday, March 13, 2020, Vermont Governor Phil Scott filed a Covid-19 Emergency Declaration regarding the COVID 19 Corona virus in Vermont.   The Greensboro Emergency Response Team has been meeting daily since then to actively plan and implement strategies that serve to protect and support our community during these extraordinary and, now, unbelievable times.

Effective March 25, 2020 at 5:00 p.m., Vermont Governor Phil Scott issued a “stay home, stay safe” order effective until April 15, 2020.  The Governor’s order directs Vermonters to stay at home, leaving only for essential reasons, critical to health and safety. All businesses and not-for-profit entities not expressly exempted in the order must suspend all in-person business operations. Operations that can be conducted online or by phone, or sales that can be facilitated with curbside pickup or delivery only, can continue.

Please go to the town website for important information about the Greensboro Emergency Response Team and the efforts to protect and support our Greensboro family during this time.   https://www.greensborovt.org/   Please share this information widely. 

In addition, the Greensboro Emergency Response Team is asking current residents of Greensboro (both seasonal and full-time) to complete this Emergency Response Team survey to support efforts to organize our community in response to the novel Coronavirus. Your response and contact information is critical to efforts to develop effective local, community-wide communications systems and preventative responses.   Please share widely.

If you know someone who is unable to access the internet, please fill this form out on their behalf. (Hard copies are also available at Willey’s, Smith’s, or by request).

To complete this form, click: https://forms.gle/qqpwC5e2ZE7YoLmb9

If you know someone who would like to be added to our email list for further updates, please use this link.   Join our mailing list

For further information:

https://www.vermont.gov/

https://www.healthvermont.gov/

https://www.greensborovt.org/

http://nekcollaborative.org/covid19/

https://sites.google.com/view/nekmutualaid/home?authuser=0

https://www.greensboroassociation.org/

https://www.cdc.gov/

 

Free Lakeshore management webinar offered by the National Association of Lake Management

In celebration of Earth Day 2020, and to promote shoreland practices that protect our lakes, the New England Chapter of the North American Lake Management Society (NEC NALMS) is hosting a webinar on Best Management Practices (BMPs) for lake-friendly development. This webinar will cover Shoreland Best Management Practices; Ecological Designs for Lake Wise Living; and Bioengineering Installations to restore living shorelands and create a new trend towards lake- friendly practices.   For information and to register please go to the NALMS website at https://www.nalms.org/…/webinar-restoring-living-shorelands/

 

The Greensboro Historical Society invites you to view their online interviews and presentations

During this time of Social Isolation, after you have taken your solo outdoor walk, your closets and drawers are neat and clean, and you’ve finished every jigsaw puzzle in your home, you might enjoy this web site: www.greensborohistoricalsociety.org.  If you missed the program by Linda Radtke on March 1st at Fellowship Hall, “From the Parlor to the Polling Place —Stories from the Suffragists”, you will find it here.  (Did you know that 60 Greensboro women signed up to vote at their first opportunity, in the 1920 Presidential Election?)

The video of the Greensboro Town Meeting on March 3rd is there, as are two recent summer programs by Bobby Farlace-Rubio of the Fairbanks Museum: “The First Vermonters: Indigenous Peoples“ and “Abenaki Nations Past, Present and Future.” Did you miss hearing Janet Long, Tim Nisbet, Anne Hanson, and Jacquie Molleur speak about “The History of Greensboro Garages”  or the entertaining talk by Steve Perkins, Director of the Vt. Historical Society, “Treasures from the VHS attic?  Check them out…

Kyle Gray’s chat with our oldest citizen, 103-year-old Jane Sprenger, is a delight, as are audio tapes with past citizens including Philip Gray with Esther Kesselman, Laurette and Ida Perron, and Donald Drown (under “Research Aids”)

The GHS is indebted to Kyle both for recording these videos and for making our web site a fun place to visit.  We hope you will enjoy it!

IMPORTANT – PLEASE SHARE WIDELY – Fill out the Greensboro Emergency Response Team Survey

The Greensboro Emergency Response Team has been meeting daily since Governor Scott’s Covid-19 Emergency Declaration on Friday, March 13, 2020.  As part of their effort, they are asking CURRENT RESIDENTS OF GREENSBORO (both seasonal and full-time) to complete this Emergency Response Team survey to support efforts to organize our community in response to the novel Coronavirus. Your response and contact information is critical to efforts to develop effective local, community-wide communications systems and preventative responses.   Please share widely.

If you know someone who is unable to access the internet, please fill this form out on their behalf. (Hard copies are also available at Willey’s, Smith’s, or by request).

To complete this form, click: https://forms.gle/qqpwC5e2ZE7YoLmb9

For more information about the Greensboro Response to the novel Coronavirus, please visit the Town Website at https://www.greensborovt.org/

Please read – The Willey’s Store – phone in orders preferred

The Willey’s Store is accepting phone in orders for pickup at the store. Please consider avoiding the store in person and taking advantage of this feature. It is in everyone’s interest to protect Willey’s and its staff from any infection due to its central and critical role in the Town.

A delivery service run by town volunteers is in place for those who cannot get to Willey’s to pick up their orders.

The Aging In Place: Continue the Conversation | March 19 event has been CANCELLED

The Aging in Place gathering to be held on March 19, 2020 is being canceled.
It is very important that measures be taken to mitigate the spread of Covid19. Once we as a community have reached the other side of this challenging virus, a new date will be set. In the mean time, learn all you can about this virus. Your knowledge will help to protect yourself, your family and your community.
Be safe,
Bobbie Nisbet for the Aging in Place Committee


10th Annual Greensboro Fire Department Caspian Lake Fishing Derby

10th Annual GFD Caspian Lake Fishing Derby
Saturday, February 8th, 4am- 2pm
Adult class (16 yrs and older) $15.00
Junior class (15 yrs and under) $5.00
50/50 Raffle and other prizes
All children entered must be fishing with an adult registered in the fishing derby
PRE-REGISTRATION OPENS JANUARY 11TH AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:
Willey’s Store, Greensboro, VT;
Riteway Sports, Hardwick, VT;
The Old Fishing Hole Gun Shop, Morrisville, VT;
or at Caspian Lake Beach the morning of the derby

Temperature Rise Threatens 114 of 168 Vermont Birds by 2050

Birds of Greensboro by John Audubon Schweizer

The Black-throated Green Warbler and Spruce Grouse are the most at-risk NEK birds.

On October 10th,  the National Audubon released its scientists’ latest forecast for birds at risk of disappearing from Vermont by 2050.  The scientists’ model looked at 168 Vermont bird species and average temperature rising 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050.  This temperature rise which is consistent with the current climate trends will result in shorter winters and more frequent extreme weather-related events like droughts, heavy rains, extreme spring heat, and forest fires.  These conditions will not only affect our birds’ ability and timing for migration, nesting, and reproduction but also shock and reorder the local insect population which is the primary sources of nutrition for fledglings and their parents.

Of the 114 threaten species, 54  common Greensboro birds are at moderate to high risk of disappearing and 60 are at low risk. The moderate to high-risk birds include 11 species of warblers, 5 species of sparrows, woodcocks, mergansers as well as Vermont’s state bird, the Hermit Thrush.  The remaining population of other studied Vermont species should remain relatively unchanged during the next 30 years.  More information on threatening Vermont bird species can be seen at the website: Audubon.org/climate/survival by degrees/state/us/vt.

 

Announcement to the GA Membership of our Annual Meeting August 8, 2019

The Annual Meeting of the Greensboro Association will take place on Thursday, August 8 from 4–6 PM at the United Church of Christ, Greensboro. We will meet in Fellowship Hall.
We will approve the minutes from the 2018 Annual Meetings. Review the minutes HERE.

Update on the Greater Greensboro Community Visit and Survey Link

The Greensboro Association is sharing this update from the Vermont Council on Rural Development.   We encourage all members of the Community to participate in the survey as well as attend the August 22 meeting.   SIGN UP FOR THE MEETING HERE.

Dear Greensboro Community Members,

Thank you so much for an afternoon/evening of invigorating discussion and celebration for the future of Greensboro on July 17th. The Visiting Team of statewide experts and leaders were so impressed with the strong turnout, the deep and thoughtful conversation, and your great ideas for the future of your community.

I wanted to follow up to share a few key points as we move forward in the Greater Greensboro community forums:

–        If you weren’t able to share your idea, or have more to add, please complete this survey to share your ideas by August 9th (Feel free to pass along to others who were unable to attend!)

–        We are compiling photos of the Greater Greensboro process which you can see here. Feel free to share and tag yourself and your friends!

NEXT MEETING: Thursday August 22nd6:30-9:00pm at Lakeview Union School at 189 Lauredon Avenue – this will be a chance to review all of your ideas and vote on priorities for the future. Please pass along an invitation to all of your friends and neighbors! More details to come soon.

Thanks so much!

Jenna and the VCRD Team

Jenna Koloski

Community and Policy Manager

Vermont Council on Rural Development

P.O. Box 1384

Montpelier, VT  05601

(802)225-6091

[email protected]

vtrural.org

Important Information from the Greensboro Planning Commission

Now that we are at the start of the summer season, the Greensboro Planning Commission would like to share some information with you.

First, we are excited to announce that the new Town Plan is completed and is attached as a pdf at the end of this message.  It will also be posted on the Town website.

Second, like you, we are very concerned with declining water quality.  While only a small part of the contamination comes from wastewater, it all adds up and every little bit helps.  Thank you for an annual check and maintenance of your wastewater systems and for honoring your house’s occupancy limits.  If you don’t know your house’s occupancy limits, let us know and we can help.

Here is a very informative link that explains how septic systems work.

Septic Systems and Surface Water –       https://www.epa.gov/septic/septic-systems-and-surface-water

Surprisingly, many of our homes still don’t have modern septic systems.  Some even only have cesspits for waste.  But each year a few more homes update to more modern systems, often when old systems fail.

Thank you for doing what you can for water quality !

Best wishes for a great summer 2019 !

The Greensboro Planning Commission

Greensboro Town Plan – FINAL – 6-14-19

Greensheet Calendar Correction – Funky Fourth Parade and UCC Barbecue

On Saturday, June 6, 2019, the Annual Chicken Barbecue at the United Church of Christ in Greensboro will start at 11:00am, not 12:00 as incorrectly stated in the Green Sheet.   There are NO RESERVATIONS this year….it is strictly first come, first serve.

The annual Funky Fourth Parade starts at 10am on July 6.   Parade participants will line up starting at 9am at the Country Club Road in Greensboro.

2019 Late Spring Newsletter

Read our Spring 2019 GA Newsletter! Lots of news and information about upcoming events in Greensboro. Thank you to Karen Gowen, our Newsletter Editor.

Caspian High-water and Ice Damage

By John Schweizer

Shoreline flooding and ice damage particularly along the north and west shores of the Caspian Lake occurred again this winter. The damage was due mostly to the highest water levels in the past 20 years. On April 22, the water measured 29 inches above the spillway and breached the top of the concrete dam. At this point, GA’s Stew Arnold contacted Ben Green, the Vermont Dam Engineer. As the water was about to flow around the dam, Ben requested that the Hardwick Electric technician fully open the weir flood gate thus preventing a potential disaster. Both Peter Romans of the Greensboro Select Board and Nat Smith of the Hardwick Electric Board observed this episode.

The week following this episode, Ben Green, sent a letter to Hardwick Electric requesting that they conduct an engineering study to determine the condition of the dam and recommend any changes. The GA Lake Level Committee then requested that the Agency of Natural Resources, (ANR) which is responsible for the dam flow, and thus the lake water level, keep the weir flood gate partially open year-round until the study is completed and necessary changes are made to the dam.

Going forward, the GA Lake Committee will continue working with ANR and Hardwick Electric to collect data and make recommendations in order to adjust the dam outflow to meet our common goals of minimizing flooding and ice damage while protecting our beautiful lake and its ecosystem.