Vital Communities FY2015 Annual Report (2014-2015)

Annual Report July 2014–June 2015

2012

VITAL COMMUNITIES

Staff

Back Row (left to right)Nancy LaRowe, Valley Food & FarmBeth Roy, Valley Food & FarmTom Roberts, Executive DirectorBecka Warren, Valley Food & FarmStephanie Carter, DatabaseRon Hiser, FinanceEmily Gardner, Events, Corporate Relations, Local First AllianceLauren Whittlesey, Valley Quest, Volunteers

Front Row (left to right)Carole Petrillo, Bookkeeping, HRSarah Simonds, EnergyAllison Rogers Furbish, Communications, EnergyStacey Glazer, Leadership Upper Valley, Web MediaBethany Fleishman, Transportation Aaron Brown, Transportation

Interns and Fellows Emma Bergeron, Tristan McCutcheon, Nicolle Moore, Alanna Ojibway, Anna Ramsey, Kristi Wilkinson, Star Yesman

Board of Directors

FY15 Ellen Arnold, Plainfield, NHClifton Below, Lebanon, NHGail Dahlstrom, Etna, NHKaren Liot Hill, Lebanon, NHJenny Levy, Norwich, VTBarry McCabe, West Hartford, VTGeorge Newcomb, Norwich, VTJanet Taylor, Fairlee, VTDan Weinstein, Grantham, NHStan Williams, Norwich, VT

NEW IN FY16Bill Geraghty, Hanover, NHJenn Hayslett, S. Royalton, VTSally Kraft, Hanover, NH Ronald Shaiko, Hanover, NHCindi Taylor, Meriden, NHPeter Thurber, Canaan, NH

Board Fellows from Tuck School of Business

Sarah Boole, Mike Cacchio (FY15)Ryan Amico, J. Sebastian Restrepo (FY16)

AT THE HEART OF A VIBRANT UPPER VALLEY

Annual Report

Dear Friends,You have accomplished great things for the Upper Valley this year through your support of Vital Communities. Because of your generosity, in the last fiscal year (July 1, 2014–June 30, 2015) we worked with residents, municipalities, and organizations across the Upper Valley to:

• Help another 180 households in 10 towns go solar through our Solarize Upper Valley initiative – for a total of over 300 new solar installations, 1.7 megawatts of renewable energy, and $6.6 million in economic activity;

• Support local farm-to-school programs in bringing local foods and agriculture into classrooms and cafeterias at 43 schools serving more than 9,000 students;

• Align four Valley Quest curricula to Common Core standards to make it easier for teachers and students to engage in adaptable, hands-on learning;

• Honor 10 Upper Valley Visionaries who have helped make the Upper Valley vibrant;

• Create new workshops and resources to help commuters reduce their reliance on driving alone;

• Increase Local First Alliance membership to almost 90 businesses, helping build a strong local economy that sustains the region we love;

• Close our fiscal year in the black;

• And so much more.

Our last fiscal year was a time of leadership transition for Vital Communities, as both of us stepped into our new roles in the organization. Throughout the transition, our staff and programs continued to catalyze significant positive change in the Upper Valley. We all look forward to accomplishing more important work in the region for years to come.

Our Annual Report celebrates the highlights of Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15), including the many donors, volunteers, and community members who make this work possible. On behalf of the entire staff and board of directors, thank you for your continued commitment to building Vital Communities.

Bill Geraghty Chair, Board of Directors

Tom Roberts Executive Director

Clay Hill Farm. Credit: Stephen Furbish

Cover: Farm workers, apprentices, and interns toured nine Upper Valley farms, including Four Corners Farm (pictured), during the fourth season of our Upper Valley Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT).

Working TogeTher for ViTal CommuniTies

CONNECTING CONSUMERS WITH LOCAL FOOD

Valley Food & Farm interviewed and surveyed more than 600 consumers, farmers, independent grocers, and restaurant owners to complete a local foods market assessment. We spent the spring preparing for the launch of Valley Farm Fresh, our new campaign to help local consumers connect with local foods. We also continued to coordinate relationships between employers and farmers who deliver community supported agriculture (CSA) shares right to the workplace—helping people with limited shopping time connect with local farms.

Nearly 1,000 attendees connected with local farms and food at Flavors of the Valley, our annual tasting expo for locally grown and produced foods.

Local farms, markets, recipes & more—valleyfarmfresh.org

Taste the Valley. Visit a farm. See where your food comes from. Enjoy. Repeat. Eat Valley Farm Fresh.

EnjoyValley Farm Fresh

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Annual Report Working TogeTher for ViTal CommuniTies

FLAVORS OF THE VALLEY

Our 14th annual local food tasting expo in April was a delicious experience for 900 attendees and provided a fun and successful marketing opportunity for 48 local farms, food businesses, and related organizations. It’s great to welcome new vendors every year along with our region’s long-established farm and food businesses, which still are making great connections to customers and retailers at Flavors.

John Gaeddert from Root 5 Farm and Valley Food & Farm Manager Becka Warren enjoyed the White River Junction VA Medical Center workplace market. Credit: Kaitlin Haskins

“Last summer my favorite day of the week was Thursday—the day that Edgewater Farm delivered

my CSA share to my work! Having a CSA share gave me the opportunity

to try produce that I wouldn’t have tried otherwise. Thank you Edgewater Farm!”

—Miranda Fullerton, Dartmouth Printing Company

2015

ADVISORY COUNCIL: Lisa Cashdan, Norwich, VT • Jon Chaffee, West Lebanon, NH • Steve Christy, Lebanon, NH • Delia Clark, Taftsville, VT • Glenn English, North Haverhill, NH • Charlotte Faulkner, Hanover, NH • Sharon Francis, Charlestown, NH • Byron Hathorn, White River Junction, VT • Rick Hausman, South Ryegate, VT • Harvey Hill, Charlestown, NH • Sandra Hoeh, Hanover, NH • Henry Homeyer, Cornish Flat, NH • Biddy Irwin, Newport, NH • Barb Jones, Grantham, NH • Peggy Kannenstine, Woodstock, VT • Carola Lea, Lyme, NH • Dick Lewin, Hanover, NH • Jane Kitchel McLaughlin, Lyme, NH

OUR VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES (FY15)

Woodstock students tossed pizza at the 2015 Trek to Taste in June, using a mini-grant from our Upper Valley Farm to School Network

to showcase their skills.

UPPER VALLEY FARM TO SCHOOL

The Upper Valley Farm to School Network (UVFTS) formally merged with Vital Communities on July 1, 2014, expanding the network’s capacity to build an active culture of school wellness for grades K-8 in the Upper Valley. Through UVFTS we offered mini-grants to seven schools in New Hampshire and 11 schools in Vermont to complete farm-to-school projects. We also worked with Vermont Harvest of the Month to develop monthly Harvest Lessons and train more than 50 educators on their use. In total we worked with 43 Upper Valley schools serving more than 9,000 students.

8TH ANNUAL UPPER VALLEY ENERGY COMMITTEE

ROUNDTABLE SEES LARGEST CROWD EVER

REPRESENTING

AND

PLUS

A REPRESENTATIVE OF SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS

ATTENDEES98

37ENERGY GROUPS

20ENERGY BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS

3REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSIONS

Annual Report

Charlotte Metcalf, Norwich, VT • Lizann Peyton, Norwich, VT • Bill Ploog, Lyme, NH • Betty Porter, Norwich, VT • Sylvia Provost, White River Junction, VT • Allie Quinn, Hanover, NH • Barry Schuster, Lebanon, NH • Bruce Schwaegler, Orford, NH • Anne Silberfarb, Norwich, VT • Rebecca Smith, Concord, NH • Stuart Smith, Lyme, NH • Vicki Smith, Lyme, NH • Peter Stein, Norwich, VT • Steve Taylor, Meriden, NH • Fred Thomas, Thetford Center, VT • Peter Welch, Norwich, VT • Diana Wright, Thetford Center, VT

TAKING STATEWIDE ENERGY LEADERSHIP

Energy Program Manager Sarah Simonds was appointed co-chair of the New Hampshire Local Energy Solutions Work Group in January 2015. Under Sarah’s leadership, the group launched a Strategic Energy Action Toolkit for town energy committees, an important new resource to help committees prioritize town energy projects and connect with resources across our region and beyond.

SOLARIZE UPPER VALLEY CONTINUES

Solarize Upper Valley launched campaigns in 19 communities with five local installers and helped hundreds of residents go solar during FY15. Through Solarize Round Two, which ran in 10 towns from October 2014 through January 2015, 177 homeowners signed contracts to go solar. Solarize Round Three launched in nine towns in June 2015 and continued into the fall.

“Solarize is one of the best-organized efforts I have seen here in the Upper Valley.”

—Solarize Hanover volunteer

Volunteers in Cavendish were among those leading Solarize campaigns in nine Upper Valley towns during the summer and fall of 2015.

2015

CORPORATE COUNCIL: Jim Varnum (Chair) • Susan E. Mooney, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital • Terry Appleby, Co-op Food Stores • Rick Mills, Dartmouth College • Dan Jantzen, Dartmouth-Hitchcock • Paul Bozuwa, Dartmouth Printing Company - Sheridan • Peter Van Oot, DRM Downs Rachlin Martin • Evan Smith, Hypertherm • Becky Smith, Kendal at Hanover • Karen Colberg, King Arthur Flour • David Kim, Kleen Envoy Service, LLC • Steve Ensign, Lake Sunapee Bank • Kathy Underwood, Ledyard National Bank • David Clem, Lyme Properties • Steve Christy, Mascoma Savings Bank • Kevin Donovan, Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center • John Kuhns, Newspapers of New England • Ken Holmes, North Branch Construction • Jeff Goodrich, Pathways Consulting • Stephen Lawe, RSG • Clay Adams, Simon Pearce • Tim Briglin, Tuckerman Capital • Tom Roberts, Vital Communities

The winning print PSA submission by Becky Kelecy of Hartford.

GROWING & PROMOTING LOCAL FIRST

Local First Alliance membership continued to grow—up 6% in FY15 to 87 Upper Valley businesses. Local First is more visible than ever thanks to a successful media campaign in FY15 featuring public service announcements (PSAs) created by students through our first Upper Valley High School Communications Competition in June 2014 with the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center. The winners of our second annual competition in June 2015 were Becky Kelecy of Hartford (print PSA), Damien Murray of Lebanon (TV PSA), and Tess Johnson of Hartford (radio PSA).

Thank you to our sponsors

Need a local business? Find all of our members in our online directory! Scan this QR code or go online to VitalCommunities.org/LocalFirst

VitalCommunities.org

Annual Report

UPPER VALLEY TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION STEERING COMMITTEE: Ben Swanson, Resource Systems Group (Chair) • Van Chesnut, Advance Transit • David Brooks, City of Lebanon • Pam Joslin, Community Alliance of Transportation Services • Joanna Whitcomb, Dartmouth College • Daniel Dahmen, Dartmouth-Hitchcock • Shawn M. Donovan • Stacey Chiocchio, Hypertherm • Matt Coogan, New England Transportation Institute • Patricia Higgins, NH House of Representatives • Wanda Hastings, SAU #88 - Lebanon School District • Jason Rasmussen, Southern Windsor Regional Planning Commission • Laura Perez, Stagecoach • Rebecca Gagnon, The Current • Scott Osgood, Town of Enfield • Carolyn Radisch, Town of Hanover • Matt Osborn, Town of Hartford • Daniel Brand, Town of Lyme • Phil Dechert, Town of Norwich • Nancy Mogielnicki, Town of Plainfield • Rita Seto, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission • Nate Miller, Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission • Aaron Brown, Vital Communities

Bob Sherman of Local First Alliance member Great Eastern Radio worked with TV

PSA winner Damien Murray of Lebanon (pictured) and radio PSA winner Tess Johnson

of Hartford to record audio for their PSAs. Barnard General Store

SUPER QUEST: GENERAL STORES

The 2015 Super Quest guided participants to 12 quintessential New England general stores. These hubs of our communities are bustling centers of commerce as well as a small town tradition. Teams traveled throughout the Upper Valley, enjoying the Maxfield Parrish blue skies at Anne’s Country Store in Plainfield, checking out the model train display at the Brownsville General Store, visiting the oldest continually operated general store in the United States in Bath, and many more! Each site contained a clue to a secret word, revealed only after all sites had been visited. We encouraged teams to make an outing of their visit, suggesting additional Quests and other activities nearby.

Super Quest 2015

GENERAL STORES

2015

LOCAL FIRST ALLIANCE STEERING COMMITTEE: Dean Cashman, Lake Sunapee Bank (Chair) • Mundy Wilson Piper, Chippers, Inc. • Terry Appleby and Allan Reetz, Co-op Food Stores • Nichole Romano, Great Eastern Radio • Terry Martin, Mascoma Savings Bank • Jake Blum, Systems Plus Computers • Hal De Bona, WNNE - TV • Emily Gardner, Vital Communities

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION LISTS ADVISORY BOARD AND ADMINISTRATORS: Watt Alexander • Heather Alger • Liane Allen • Anne Baird • Mitze Bender • John Benjamin • Mary Berlejung • Stuart Blood • David S. Brown • Skip Brown • Stephen T. Campbell • Jordan Dill • John Erickson • Carolyn Frye • Jen Grant

HEROES & LEADERS: HONORING VALLEY VISIONARIES

This year’s Heroes & Leaders Celebration honored 10 residents whose long-term visions have helped make the Upper Valley a vibrant community:

• Barbara Ragle Barnes, Founder, Upper Valley Educators Institute

• Matt Bucy, Developer, White River Junction• Dick Cyr, Founder, David’s House• Van Chesnut, Executive Director, Advance Transit• Dick Couch, Co-Founder, Hypertherm• Robert Dean, Founder or Co-Founder

of 11 Upper Valley companies• David Goudy, Former Executive

Director, Montshire Museum• Jake and Liz Guest, Owners, Killdeer Farm• Carol Langstaff, Founder, Revels

and FLOCK Dance Troupe• Jim Varnum, Retired President, Mary

Hitchcock Memorial Hospital (D-H)Tying it all together for the sold-out crowd of 185 people was keynote speaker Len Cadwallader, former Executive Director at Vital Communities. Heroes & Leaders serves as an important fundraiser supporting Leadership Upper Valley.

“Being connected with other local leaders inspired and motivated me to take more chances and get more involved than I ever

thought I was capable of.”

—LUV Graduate, Class of 2015

QUESTING INTO CLASSROOMS

Our newly revised Valley Quest curricula launched in early 2015. The curricula are aligned with Common Core standards and give teachers all the tools they need to write Quests with their students. We have themed units on the Civil War, Colonial New England, and Watersheds, as well as an adaptable curriculum, all available for free to local teachers. Questing provides opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and critical thinking, as students make observations, ask questions, gather information, construct new knowledge, share their work, and reflect.

Retired Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital (Dartmouth-Hitchcock) President Jim Varnum was honored at the

2015 Heroes & Leaders Celebration. Credit: Molly Drummond

Annual Report

The Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2015 removed 59,740 pounds of railroad ties from the Mascoma River Greenway as their LUV service project.

Reggie Hazel • Niko Horster • E.D.M. Landman • David Lavie • Dan Leavitts • Joanne Lendaro • Patricia McGovern • Bob Merrill • John Morris • Kevin O’Hara • Bob Raiselis • Robert Rinaldi • Chuck Sherman • Erin Sterner • Tig Tillinghast • Victoria Traudt • Stan Williams • Sally Wilson • Teo Zagar • Stacey Glazer, Nancy LaRowe, and Sarah Simonds, Vital Communities

VALLEY FOOD & FARM ADVISORY GROUP: Chuck Wooster, Sunrise Farm (Chair) • Kate Duesterberg, Cedar Circle Farm • Dot Benham, Co-op Food Stores • Janet Taylor, Crossroad Farm • Sally Wilson, Hanover Area Farmers’ Market • Carola Lea • Amy Richardson, Richardson Family Farm • Jim McCracken, Willing Hands • Nancy LaRowe, Beth Roy, and Becka Warren, Vital Communities

Every year, Leadership Upper Valley participants make an impact on the region through one or more service projects they work as a class to organize and complete. Last spring, the Class of 2015 worked with the Upper Valley Trails Alliance to remove invasive plants and 59,740 pounds of railroad ties from the Mascoma River Greenway.

The project will extend the Northern Rail Trail from its current end in downtown Lebanon into West Lebanon, creating a dedicated transportation corridor for bikes and pedestrians. The 21 members of the Class of 2015 graduated in June, representing the ninth year of the 10-month Leadership Upper Valley program.

LEADERSHIP UPPER VALLEY SERVES

ENERGY ADVISORY COUNCIL: Len Cadwallader (Chair) • Bill Bittinger, Bittinger Associates, LLC • Marianne Barton, Catalyst Financial • Gail Dahlstrom, Dartmouth-Hitchcock • David Gaudet and Jenny Levy, Hypertherm • Leigh Cameron and Julia Dundorf, New England Grassroots Environment Fund • Kevin Peterson, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation • Kate Epsen, New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association • Clifton Below, One Court Street Associates • Bob Walker, Sustainable Energy Resource Group • Kevin Geiger, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission • Michael McCrory, Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission • Sarah Simonds, Vital Communities

2015

NEW BIKE EVENTS

THE BIKES WIN THE RACE

In late 2014 our Transportation Program held an event to answer a simple question: Is it fastest to get from Norwich to Hanover during rush hour by taking the bus, riding a bike, or driving alone and finding parking? Two cyclists, two drivers, and a handful of Advance Transit riders gathered in front of Dan and Whit’s on a chilly late October morning to find out. The results? Our cyclists zipped ahead to victory. How much time could you save by biking between Norwich and Hanover? Our experiment suggests at least 15 minutes each way—nearly three hours per week!

SMART COMMUTE EXPANDS

The number of participating Smart Commute organizations increased to 45 this year as we expanded the program to include more towns, schools, and workplaces throughout the Upper Valley. In addition to consulting with workplaces on programs to lower the costs of commuting, we focused in FY15 on getting students and residents involved in transportation. We helped Smart Commute members organize school walking and biking events, formulate a company telecommuting policy, host an evening gathering to discuss future vanpools, and more.

The first Bike/Walk to School Day at Hartford Memorial Middle School drew 150 student participants.

We launched new hands-on events to get Upper Valley residents on two wheels, such as Bike-to-School Days and Everyday Bicycling Workshops for adults. Our first-ever Bike/Walk Day with the Hartford Memorial Middle School was a great

success, as 150 students joined us on a sunny May morning to get to school in an active way. We now also offer classroom-based and on-road biking workshops to teach you the rules of the road and the skills needed to navigate it safely.

LEADERSHIP UPPER VALLEY BOARD OF GOVERNORS: James Britton, River Valley Community College (Chair) • Bill Geraghty, Geraghty HR Consulting • Stacey Chiocchio and Alex Jaccaci, Hypertherm • Jason Achmoody, Ledyard National Bank • Joan Collison, RiverRun Medical Office • Jon Liland, Sheehan, Phinney, Bass + Green PA • Peter Blodgett, Thetford Libraries • Betsy McClain, Town of Hanover • Randy Heller, UVRide • Stacey Glazer and Tom Roberts, Vital Communities

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Vital Communities honored Nancy Mogielnicki, formerly of Plainfield, NH, as our 2014 Volunteer of the Year. As a key volunteer for the Solarize Cornish-Plainfield initiative, Nancy helped more than 20 homeowners go solar in her community. For years she also represented Plainfield as an active member of our Upper Valley Transportation Management Association Steering Committee, and she is an enthusiastic supporter of many Vital Communities projects.

A NEW LEADER

In October 2014, former Executive Director Mary Margaret Sloan moved on from Vital Communities. After four months under the interim leadership of Hilde Ojibway, we welcomed Tom Roberts in February as our new Executive Director. Tom has over a decade of successful leadership experience in Upper Valley nonprofits, and years more working in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors on issues of justice, housing, children, and healthcare. His skills as a fundraiser, facilitator, leader, and community voice are already serving Vital Communities well.

Annual Report

“There is something for everyone among Vital Communities’ offerings, and they make it really easy to be an effective volunteer.”

—Nancy Mogielnicki, Volunteer of the Year 2014

Volunteer of the Year Nancy Mogielnicki, left, was honored at our annual Open House with an award and gift presented by Transportation Program Manager Aaron Brown and Valley Quest/Volunteer Manager Lauren Whittlesey. Credit: Molly Drummond

$865,354 TOTAL

EXPENSES (FY15)

15% OUTREACH

5% VALLEY QUEST

1% CORPORATE

COUNCIL

4% LOCAL FIRST

ALLIANCE

6% LEADERSHIP UPPER

VALLEY

9% ADMINISTRATION

12% ENERGY

26% VALLEY FOOD

& FARM 8% FUNDRAISING

14% TRANSPORTATION

10% GOVERNMENT GRANTS &

CONTRIBUTIONS

18% BUSINESS

SPONSORSHIPS & DUES

36% FOUNDATION GRANTS

27% INDIVIDUAL

CONTRIBUTIONS

6% PROGRAM INCOME

1% ENDOWMENT

INCOME

1% IN-KIND

DONATIONS

1% OTHER

INCOME

$871,653 TOTAL

2015

VALLEY QUEST ADVISORY GROUP: • Elizabeth Adams (Chair) • Lorna Holcombe, Grovetown Elementary School • Sharon Miller-Dombroski, Kendal at Hanover • Bill Hammond, Marion Cross Elementary School • Amy Vanderkooi, Montshire Museum of Science • Steve Glazer, Poetics of Place • Dan Weinstein, RSG • Russell Hirschler, Upper Valley Trails Alliance • Kristen Coats, UV HEAL Healthy Eating Active Living • Lauren Whittlesey, Vital Communities

Letter from our TreasurerWe are pleased to report that Vital Communities ended the 2015 fiscal year in a strong financial position. We continued to have a healthy cash position and diversified revenue streams.

In Fiscal Year 2015, our revenue exceeded expenses by $6,299. This favorable bottom line was made up of a $9,351 decrease in unrestricted funds during the year and a $15,650 increase in donor-restricted funds to be used in Fiscal Year 2016 or beyond. We also successfully merged the Upper Valley Farm to School Network into the Valley Food & Farm program as of July 1, 2014.

Our Finance Committee, which meets regularly, is committed to a strong, healthy organization. A rigorous review of our financial practices is performed annually by an independent certified public accounting firm.

The fieldwork for the Fiscal Year 2015 review of our financial statements was completed by Tyler, Simms and St. Sauveur of Lebanon, NH The review was positive in all material respects and accepted by the Board of Directors on September 25, 2015.

To request a copy of our complete financial review, please contact Ron Hiser: [email protected] or 802.291.9100 x104.

George Newcomb Treasurer (FY15)

REVENUE AND SUPPORT (FY15)

EXPENSES (FY15)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONSOUR INDIVIDUAL DONORS

(In-Kind Donations in Italics)

100,000+Anonymous

1,000–99,999Anonymous (2)Cynthia & Ray BarretteAndrea Reimann Ciardelli

& Tom CiardelliKathleen DolanCharlotte & Charles FaulknerGail HolmesSue Kirincich & Chuck WoosterCarola LeaDenise LyonsJane Kitchel McLaughlin &

Peter McLaughlinCharlotte MetcalfNini & Rob MeyerRon MillerSusan & Clayton SimmersElizabeth & Robert StragnellMarilyn & Skip SturmanJenny & Stan WilliamsJoanne & Doug Wise

500–999Anonymous (2)Sue & Don FosterKathy & Bill GeraghtyChristina & Harvey HillJennifer & Campbell LevyLorie Loeb & Tom RobertsRuth Mayer & Peter BlodgettNancy & Peter MogielnickiAmy & Joseph MorelSara & Kenneth L. NorcrossKathy Petuck & Clifton BelowLinda & Rick RoeschJennifer & Mark SchiffmanSarah & Bruce SchwaeglerJanet & Tim TaylorCindy & Jim Varnum

100–499Anonymous (6)Elizabeth & Clay AdamsLynn Adams & Simon CarrBrooke & Jim AdlerLoretta & Todd AllenSusan Almy

Havah Armstrong Walther & Ryan Walther

Ellen Arnold & George MooreSusan & John ArnoldTracy Bach & Brian LombardoRebecca Bailey & Jim SchleyKathy & Mark BlanchardRuth & Peter BleylerMarion & Putnam BlodgettCarol F. Boerner, M.D. &

David H. BowenLynnette & Charles BohiSally J. BoyleDaniel BrandSusan & Peter BrinkTrudi BrockSuzette Brooks Masters & Seth MastersAaron BrownMatt P Bucy IIIJoan BurchenalJudith & Phil BushNancy & Harry ByrdMary Ann & Len CadwalladerCarol Campbell & John McKennaK CarriereLisa Cashdan & Peter SteinStacey & Nick ChiocchioKathy & Peter ChristieJoan & Daniel CollisonAnne L. CookSuzanne CronkiteTina & David CullenbergGail & Karl DahlstromCindy & Rob DaleyJill Davies & Nigel HollisJulie & Jay DavisDeecie & Jock DenisonClosey DickeyDebbie Diegoli & Ingrid AndersonMary & Robert DoninStephen EnsignSamantha EstesSean FlemingLinda & Stephens FowlerDenise & Gregory FroehlichCarolyn & Milt FryeRobert FullemDori & John GaltonElaine Geyer

Laura GillespieHappy & Clark GriffithsMidge GuiseMary Ann Haagen & Charles DePuyJanet Miller HainesMarion M. HamptonSusan HardyEmily & Richard HausmanJenn & Thornton HayslettBrooke Herndon & Eric MillerDebra & Bruce HettlemanPatricia Higgins & Scot DrysdaleKaren Liot Hill & Andy HillLinda & Ed HowesNancy & Larry HuotAmelia Ihlo & Dan WeinsteinPam Jenkins & David KotzCorlan Johnson & Richard NeugassAnne Kapuscinski & Wayne BarstadRuth & Alan KeittRita & Greg KennedySara & Ron KobylenskiCarol Langstaff & James K. RooneyNancy LaRoweRebecca Lovejoy & Kevin PetersonJennifer MacMillenJennifer Manwell & Charles SullivanPauline M. MarranMary McBryde & George NewcombDenise & Barry McCabeStephanie & Philip McCaullBetsy McClain & Chris KennedyJim McCrackenDr. Martha McDaniel &

Dr. Stephen PlumeMarc McKeeCarolyn & Peter MertzLyn & Donald MillerValerie Miller & Ralph FineCorb Moister, Jr.Margaret & William MontgomerySheila Moran & David MillstoneAllison MoskowDeborah J. MozdenMary C. MudgeGiavanna Munafo & Jim WalshJudy Music & John H. VogelNancy Nash-Cummings &

Richard Cummings

The list has been prepared with care. However, if we’ve inadvertently omitted your name, please contact us.

2015

Nita & Robert Z. NormanPatricia & Tom NortonHilde Ojibway & Bruce DuthuRosamond OrfordDorothy & Theodore OsgoodMary K. & David W. OttoBarbara Palmer & Dennis SternJane M. PalmerPolly & Henry ParkerAbbie & Don PenfieldLizann PeytonLiz & William PierceMiranda PizingerJane & Steve PlumleyMartina A. QuellmannAllie J. QuinnSusan Reid & Greg NazarowStephanie ReiningerDenise & Len ReitsmaLaura Rice & Michael WagnerMartha & Stephen RichardsonAndy RobinsonPaula Rossvall & Fritz WeissElisabeth RussellBetsy Rybeck Lynd & Lee LyndKaren & John SandersJill & John SchiffmanNan & Joe SchwartzmanAnne S. SegalLynn Sheldon & Daniel HudnutAnne & Peter SilberfarbMary Margaret Sloan & Howard KrumJean & Mike SmithTom SmithVicki SmithJennifer SnyderJane & John StephensonMarjorie & Fred ThomasMary Louise ThorndikeTeresa D. ThurstonJessica Tidman & P. Thomas ScullArifa Toor & John TrummelRobin & Steve VoigtCarol P. WeingeistKenneth WellsJoan & Robert WilliamsonSally & Tim WilsonRebecca & Andrew WinterJean & John Woodward-PoorAlice Worth & Peter Van OotPenny & Peter WrightSusan & James WrightWinnifred Zappala

<100Anonymous (11)Betty Ann & Bill AldrichJacqueline AllenNancy & Blake AllisonPeter AllisonPhyllis Arata-Meyers & Robert MeyersMarcia ArmstrongJim AtkinsonRon BaileyBronwen & Bob BallouNina & Roy BanwellFran & Bill BaschnagelMK Beach & Terry OsborneShoshana BelisleBetty & John BerlenbachRichard BircherWilly BlackBrandy BlackintonBill BlaiklockCatherine & John BourgonKatherine & Mark BowenSusan & William BoyleSargent Bradlee, Jr.Ann & Dave BradleyErica BrintonJames BrittonZachary BrockAaron BrownChristine BrownVirginia CadburyNancy & Bill CarterSarah CarterStephanie K. CarterJanice & Robert ChapmanAnn & David CioffiLiz Ryan Cole & Chuck ColeHarold CoughlinShawn D. CourtemanchePatricia Ayres CrawfordElizabeth CroryRobert DaubenspeckSylvia DavatzKarin Davenport & Jonathan

SchechtmanMarilyse de BoissezonJames DeanJane & Jack DeGangePhyllis DeutschBetsy & Larry DraperPaula DriscollMolly DrummondAlice & Ron EberhardtSusan & Brian Edwards

Cathleen & William EmmonsMargaret Fanning & David CateNicholas A. FioreSue & John FosterJoanne Foulk & Denis KelemenPierre Fournier & Richard WaddellLisa & John FreitagKaren GaneyEmily & Benjamin GardnerSylvia & John GarfieldStacey & Steve GlazerCharles GoldensherNadia & Greg GormanChristine & Ben GosselinLinda & Thomas GrayJulia Griffin & John SteidlDana & Dan GrossmanVictoria & Gregory GuentherCarole HaehnelLaurie Harding & Peter MasonCarol Harry & Steve GagliardoneSheila Hastie & Andy JonesJill & Bill HatchDeb HawthornBrenda & Bob HaynesBeth HindmarshAnnemarie HoffmeisterHenry HomeyerMegan HopkinsShanon HounshellMerideth Jackson & David BrooksRita & Edwin JohnsonBarbara JonesPhyllis & Arnold KatzElizabeth & Peter KeenePunam & Kevin KellerSusan Kellogg & Mark LansburghRainie & Larry KellySusan & Bob KesslerJoyce & Paul KillebrewMarie KirnLaird KlinglerDebra A. Kraemer & Robert WalkerSuzanne LaaspereKathleen Anne Labbe & Daniel LabbeDavid LeibChristine LilyquistTherese LinehanJoanna & Norwood LongLouise M. & Daniel S. LongneckerMartha Esersky LordenVera & DeWitt MallaryAnn MarchewkaAndrea Marquay


Annual Report

Paula & John MavilleRita & Frank McCaffreyJudy & Robert McCarthyAudrey T. McCollumPhebe & Timothy McCoskerJames Duncan McCutchanCathy & Scott McGeePat McGovernJayne McLaughlinSusan & Bruce McLaughryErin McNeely & Kevin SchwartzJennifer MegyesiLelia Mellen & Bill ShepardPeg & Ed MerrensSherry & Keith MerrickEllen MilesTheresa & John MinelliLianne Moccia & Allyn FieldRobert J. MoranJune MorganSkip MorrisonElizabeth & Richard MorseHelene Nagy & David CokerJoanne Needham & Andy JohnsonYoni & Stephen NeirmanDonna & Bruce NelsonLora NielsenHelen NorthJoanne & Richard NortonMargo NuttHilde Ojibway & Bruce DuthuArdis Olson & Allen DietrichBineke & Abraham OortJoanne & Donald PageLinda Patchett & Brian WalshBarbara & Henry PaysonSusan & Mark PepeCarole & James PetrilloCarole & James PetrilloConnie Philleo & Claude PhippsJanet & Peter PollockRickey & Dan PoorBecky & Stephen PowellHeather W. PrebishSarah & David ReevesBecky Rice & Donald MesecLise & John RichardsonAllison Rogers Furbish &

Shawn FurbishVirginia & Ellis RolettPatricia & Daryl RoyceSue SchillerCarl SchmidtRichard Schramm

Laurie & Anibal SepulvedaNancie & Mark SeversPeggy & Hub SewardKathleen & John ShepherdSarah Shipton & James NourseMary Shymkiv-BakkerLisa & Jeffrey SilbertHelen SkeistAlcott SmithNancy L. SmithJill SnowbergerCameron & Gus SpethRobert StarkeyKate StephensonJon-Erik StorejordetCaroline & Peter StorrsKaren SummerBonnie A. & E. Clinton SwiftBetsy SylvesterRay G. Theriault (Mrs.)Cynthia ThompsonJeremy ThompsonHeather & Steve ToulminDeb & Jay Van ArmanAmy VanderkooiRenee Vebell & Jeffrey CohenErin & James Ward

Rhonda & Milton WeinsteinJoanna Whitcomb &

Bill MlacakTilda & Stuart WhitePeg Willey & John BenjaminKaren B. WilliamsonSybil & Peter WilliamsonSperry Wilson & Mark GovoniDolores E. WolfeDori & Jeff WolfeJeanne & Arthur YoungSallie & Tom Yurkosky

LEG

ACY

C

IRCLE

Do you want to ensure that

Vital Communities will have the resources to continue our work into the future? You can do

that through a bequest in your will or trust, by naming Vital Communities as a beneficiary of your retirement plan

or life insurance policy, or through another planned gift.

We are grateful to those who have already let us know they’ve made a planned gift:

If you’d like to join our Legacy Circle, please contact Executive Director Tom Roberts at 802.291.9100 x101 or [email protected].

• Mary Ann and Len Cadwallader

• Carola Lea

• Betty Porter

• Tom Roberts

• Anne and Peter Silberfarb

• Mary Margaret Sloan

• Jenny and Stan Williams


2015OUR BUSINESS AND FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS

(In-Kind Donations in Italics, * Indicates Multi-year Award)

50,000+The High Meadows Fund, Vermont

Community Foundation*The Jack and Dorothy Byrne FoundationJane’s Trust FoundationRobins FoundationUSDA Farmers Market

Promotion Program*Vermont Agency of Transportation*

20,000-49,999Dartmouth-HitchcockMascoma Savings BankNew Hampshire Charitable Foundation

- Wellborn Ecology FundNew Hampshire Department of

Agriculture, Markets and Food*Vermont Agency of Agriculture,

Foods & Markets*

5,000–19,999City of LebanonCo-op Food StoresCo-op Food StoresDartmouth CollegeDartmouth Printing Company - SheridanDartmouth Printing Company - SheridanHOPE FoundationHyperthermHyperthermJane B. Cook Charitable TrustKettering Family PhilanthropiesKing Arthur FlourLake Sunapee BankMascoma Savings Bank FoundationNew Hampshire Charitable FoundationNew Hampshire Charitable Foundation

- Children’s Fund of the Upper ValleyTelaka FoundationThe Couch Family FoundationUSDA Beginning Farmers Rural

Development ProgramVermont Community Foundation

unnamed fund (2)Vermont Community Foundation’s

Food and Farm Initiative

500–4,999A.B. Gile, Inc.Alice Peck Day Memorial HospitalThe Benjamin Schore 1990 TrustThe Benjamin Schore Charitable FundCasella Waste ServicesCatamount SolarChelsea Green Publishing Co.

Christina Heroy FoundationClaremont Savings BankClaremont Savings Bank FoundationCreare, LLCDavid’s HouseDRM Downs Rachlin MartinEmily Landecker FoundationEngineering VenturesFarm WayFidelity Charitable Gift Fund -

Weinstein Family Fund The Greenspan FoundationHamill Family FoundationHartford Area Career and

Technical CenterHenderson’s Tree & Garden ServicesJake’s Market & Deli

and Jake’s Coffee Co.John Ring CPAKendal at HanoverLaValley Building Supply, Inc.Lebanon Chamber of CommerceLedyard National BankLyme School District SAU #76Montshire Museum of ScienceMt. Ascutney Hospital and

Health CenterNew England Grassroots

Environment FundNew Hampshire Charitable Foundation

- Barrette Family Fund, Doug & Joanne Wise Family Fund, Bruce M. and Sarah T. Schwaegler Fund, Griffiths Wennrich Family Fund

Nomad CommunicationsPositive TracksRevels North/FLOCKRiver Valley Community CollegeRSGSalt hill PubSchwab Charitable Fund

- Morel Family FundSimon PearceStettenheim FoundationTown of EnfieldTown of HanoverTown of HartfordTown of NorwichUBS Donor Advised Fund -

McLaughlin-Kitchel Family FundUpper Valley Educators InstituteVermont Community Foundation

- Sturman Family FundVillage Green Publishing

West Central Behavioral HealthWorking InSync

<500Allan’s Vending ServiceAllan’s Vending ServiceAVA Gallery and Art CenterBank of America FoundationBarefoot GourmetBlue Sky Restaurant GroupBucy Family FundChase Brook SoftwareCollective-The Art of Craft, Inc.Connecticut River Valley Yellow PagesCopeland Furniture Company StoreCrazy Jane’s Elixir, LLCCreative Lighting & DecorCreative LivesDaniels ConsultingDartmouth CoachDartmouth Regional Technology CenterEco Bella Salon and Vermont

Organic SolutionsEnergy EmporiumEnfield Shaker MuseumEvergreen RecyclingFidelity Charitable Gift Fund - James

C. McCracken Charitable Fund, Miller/Fine Gift Fund, Todd and Loretta Allen Charitable Fund

First Universalist Society of Hartland VTGot Weeds?Greater Claremont Chamber

of CommerceGreen Mountain FlourHanover Friends MeetingHaynes and Garthwaite ArchitectsHogwash FarmHogwash FarmJericho ValVu & Hill FarmsKey CommunicationsKilldeer FarmKleen Envoy Service, LLCLISTENLong River StudiosLongacres’ Nursery CenterLufkin Graphic DesignsMain Street KitchensMike’s Store and DeliNew Hampshire Charitable Foundation

- Whit and Closey Dickey FundNew London HospitalNorth Branch ConstructionNorwich Bookstore


Opera NorthPathways ConsultingSheehan, Phinney, Bass + Green PASilver Screen, LLCSouth Royalton MarketSpring Ledge FarmSunrise Farm CSASustainable WoodstockThe Country Cobbler

The Village ButcherThree Tomatoes TrattoriaTuckerman CapitalTyler, Simms & St SauveurUK Architects, P.C.UnicornUpper Valley Music CenterUpper Valley Ride

Vermont Community Foundation - Cashdan/Stein Great Grandmother Fund, unnamed fund

Von Bargen’s JewelryWest Lebanon Feed & SupplyWomen’s Network of the Upper ValleyWoodstock Insurance, Inc.Woodstock PharmacyWorking Landscapes Design Group, LLCYankee Bookshop, est 1935

Annual Report

THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERINGWe’re grateful to those who have volunteered over the past several years.

Joanie AlexanderHiram AllenNatalie & Jireh BillingsMeredith Bird MillerAdam BlueDon BluntDavid BriggsKate BrownSusan BrownKris & Stuart Brown-CloseLen CadwalladerLeslie CarletonK CarriereAnita Carroll-WeldonDavid CateChristina ChamberlainSteve DaynoDebbie DiegoliDee & Michael DohenyRuth & Paul DoironSarah DoolanMolly DrummondJohn DumvilleSophia DwinellJoan EckerCarol & Jonathan EdwardsLois & Edward FrazerLinda & Michael FuerstKathy GillEmma GlazerJoan GoldsteinSara Goodman & David HyerleNancy GoodrichKatie GrauerJacqueline GuilletteJoNell HamiltonKathy HarringtonLisa HarringtonKatrina Hill

Deborah HinmanJeremiah HollingMelanie IngallsAndy JohnsonSarah JonhsonLinda & Tom KahlKrista M. KatzJohn LacrosseKimmy LavoieAnn LawlessCarola LeaJanet LevasseurKaren Liot HillCindy & Tom ListLinda MachalabaErin MadoryPhil MajorChristina MartsJim McCrackenMike MeheganBinky MillerSharon Miller-Dombroski

& Joe DombroskiJanet Miller HainesJanet MondlakCandy MooreSheila Moran & David MillstoneKristin Moskalenko-LockeJoanne NeedhamDavid NelsonGreg NormanHeidi OleanJaye OlmsteadGayle OttmanSusan PhippsJanet & Peter PollockJanet & Eric PeirceFred PondHannah PutnamLisa Record

Karen RedikerBarbara RhoadRobert SandJim SchleyJennifer & Mark SchiffmanGregory SchwarzNancy SerrellDon SevilleAlicia SiminoSusan & Clayton SimmersMary Margaret Sloan Jason SmithLindsay SmithNancy & George SmithMeri SpicerPat StarkDonna SteinbergKelly StettnerBrian StroffolinoIngrid Svensborn & Michael ColeDonna SweaneyVeronica ThurstonBette TibbettsRobin TindallHeather & Steve ToulminInge & Heinz TrebitzNaomi WallnerDavid WattsLoren WhiteSarah WhiteJane WillardSally WilsonAndrew WoodChris WoodClayton WoodSheryl WoodSarah & Ken WoodheadDavid YesmanMartha ZoerheideJanet Zullo


195 North Main Street White River Junction, VT 05001

802.291.9100 VitalCommunities.org

To correct your contact information or duplicate mailings, please contact [email protected] or x103.

Nonprofit U.S. Postage

PAID WRJ, VT 05001 Permit No. 60

Working together for Vital Communities in 69 towns in New Hampshire and Vermont

Our Mission Vital Communities engages citizens, organizations, and communities in creating solutions to our region’s challenges.

Valley Quest, community-designed treasure hunts that teach individuals and groups about the places, people, and history that make our region unique.

Local First Alliance, promoting local businesses.

Valley Food & Farm, fostering relationships that make agriculture a vital part of daily community life.

Leadership Upper Valley, inspiring, educating, and engaging leaders to better serve Upper Valley communities.

Transportation Program, promoting sustainable transportation for businesses, municipalities, and residents.

Energy Program, moving our region toward energy independence.

Corporate Council and Municipal Leaders Group, fostering a robust and sustainable economic climate

by regularly convening the region’s corporate and

municipal leaders for discussion, partnership, and collaboration.

30 New Leadership Upper Valley Graduates Every Year

Over 35 Town Energy Committees300+ Listings in the Valley Food & Farm Guide

20+ Town Discussion Lists

200+ Quests in 47 Different Towns87 Business Members of the Local First Alliance45 Smart Commute Workplaces, Schools & Towns50% of the Region’s Employment Base Represented by Our Corporate Council

Our Programs The HEART of a Vibrant Upper Valley

Vital Communities FY2015 Annual Report (2014-2015)

Documents

Transcript of Vital Communities FY2015 Annual Report (2014-2015)