BDCC’s Windham Leadership Series to explore housing and infrastructure solutions
BRATTLEBORO — Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) will host the next session of the Windham County Leadership series Thursday, March 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Retreat Farm’s North Barn, 136 Farmhouse Square.
The event, “The Blueprint for Growth: Financing and Managing Local Development,” will focus on practical strategies to advance housing and infrastructure in Windham County through coordinated state and local action.
“Vermont is at a crossroads where the demand for housing and modern infrastructure meet the reality of rising costs and complex regulations,” organizers wrote in a news release. “This session of the Windham Leadership Series is designed to provide local leaders with tools and an in-depth exploration of topics including strategic financing, infrastructure and policy, state alignment, the municipal “playbook,” and innovative delivery.”
Featured panelists include State Treasurer Mike Pieciak; Jessica Hartleben, executive director of the Vermont Economic Progress Council; Alex Farrell, commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development; Dominic Cloud, city manager of St. Albans; and Miro Weinberger, executive chair of Let’s Build Homes. To register to attend the session, go to brattleborodevelopment.com/event/wls-housing.
Literary Cocktail Hour hosts author Jane Borden March 13
BRATTLEBORO — Are cults rising in America? The March edition of the Literary Cocktail Hour, set for Friday, March 13, at 5 p.m., will examine this question.
Author Jane Borden and Brattleboro Literary Festival committee member Stephanie Greene will present an hour of discussion on Borden’s newest book, Cults Like US: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America.
Longlisted for an Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, this pop history explains why the doomsday beliefs of our Puritan founders still drive American culture today, contextualizes the current rise in division and extremism as a natural result of our latent indoctrination, and proposes the United States is the largest cult of all.
Borden is an author, culture journalist, and editor. She contributes regularly to Vanity Fair and has written for The New York Times Magazine and The Washington Post, among other outlets.
This is a event will be presented free on Zoom. Join the discussion by registering at bit.ly/856-borden.
Healthcare, SNAP info hours at Brooks Library
BRATTLEBORO — The Vermont Workers’ Center is hosting drop-in hours at the Brooks Memorial Library Community Meeting Room on March 13 and March 27, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., to help people understand and navigate changes to SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare.
There will be information about the new SNAP work requirements and exemptions, and on the rights of individuals currently on or applying for these programs. People who were recently denied SNAP benefits are encouraged to stop in to find out whether they still qualify and how to re-enroll. There will also be information about a recently expanded program to help Medicare recipients afford premiums and co-pays.
Workers’ Center members work with people on submitting applications and other paperwork. For more information, email windham@workerscenter.org or call 802-257-4436.
Dummerston Cares, AARP Fraud Watch Team offer scam prevention tips
DUMMERSTON — On Wednesday, March 18, at 1:30 p.m. at Dummerston Congregational Church, Dummerston Cares and the AARP Fraud Watch Team will host a free, hour-long Fraud 101 Workshop to learn how to spot sneaky scams and pick up simple tools to protect personal information and financial well-being.
Last year, the Vermont Attorney General‘s office received more than 4,000 reports of fraud, and many more instances went unreported. A member of the Fraud Watch Team will break down real-world examples of scams and fraud, share insider tips, and give participants the confidence to stay one step ahead of today’s fraudsters — whether it’s a suspicious call, a too-good-to-be-true offer, or an email that just “feels off.”
To help them plan, RSVP by calling the Dummerston Cares Message Line at 802-257-5800.
Senior Meal in Halifax
HALIFAX — On Friday, March 20, volunteers will serve the monthly Senior Meal at Halifax Community Hall. The menu will feature spinach salad, corned beef with carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and onions; Irish soda bread, and dessert.
Come at 11:30 a.m. to socialize and enjoy an appetizer. The main meal will begin around noon. A suggested $4 donation ($5 for those younger than 60 years old) will help to support the Halifax Senior Meal. The historic hall, located at 20 Brook Road in West Halifax, is wheelchair-accessible, including an accessible bathroom. If you have questions, or if a large group plans to attend, call Bettye at 802-368-7797.
Sign-ups begin for Ames Brook Community Garden
BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department says they are now accepting reservations for the Ames Brook Community Garden. This garden is located in the nine-acre Stockwell Park overlooking the Ames Brook in West Brattleboro.
Returning gardeners have until March 27 to stop by the Recreation & Parks Department main office, located at 207 Main St., to sign up for the 2026 season for the regular fee of $30; after that, the fee increases to $40. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m.
New gardeners can sign up beginning Tuesday, March 31 for $30; after April 30, the fee increases to $40. New gardeners will be required to pay an additional $30 garden plot deposit. Space is limited. Reservations will be on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call the Gibson-Aiken Center office at 802-254-5808.
Guilford Chamber Singers seeks singers for June concert
GUILFORD — Guilford Chamber Singers, sponsored by Friends of Music at Guilford, is seeking voices for their June concert, “A Cappella a la Carte” (exact date TBA).
They are led by Tom Baehr, director of multiple concerts since 2014. The repertoire will include part-songs covering five centuries, the 17th to the 21st. The lyricists are quite varied, including Elgar, Campion, Thoreau, Emerson, Blake, and Sterndale Bennett.
Rehearsals will be Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m., starting March 16, in West Brattleboro. For more information, contact Tom at tombaehr@myfairpoint.net or 802-387-2796.
Free community lunch in Wilmington
WILMINGTON — The Community Table is a free community lunch served every Wednesday through June 3, from noon to 2 p.m., at St. Mary’s In the Mountains, 13 East Main St.
Every week, a community organization sponsors a free public lunch at St. Mary’s hall. The menu varies, but often is soup, salad, bread, and a dessert. The purpose is to encourage greater sociability and neighborliness. Folks may also stop by to pick up a lunch for eating at home. Send an email to carpesquire@gmail.com for more information.
BMH Auxiliary offers scholarships
BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Auxiliary is pleased to once again offer college scholarships to graduating local area students who plan to pursue a career in healthcare. A combination of financial need, academic achievement, and community service will be used as the criteria for selecting the recipients.
Application forms are available at local schools’ counseling departments and must be submitted by May 8 to the school’s counseling department or directly to JoAnne Rogers, Auxiliary Liaison, 17 Belmont Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Homeschooled students who are interested in applying should contact JoAnne Rogers directly by calling 802-257-8238 or emailing jrogers@bmhvt.org. The awards will be presented during graduation festivities at each high school.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.