Valley Quest

Weekly Forums for Businesses Navigating the Pandemic Recovery and Re-Opening- Many small businesses are overwhelmed with navigating the new normal wh [...]

LISTEN community dinners go take-out

Before the pandemic, the doors of LISTEN’s Community Dinner Hall opened six days a week to welcome anyone in need of a warm dinner. Inside the hands [...]

Favorite Upper Valley Bicycle Rides

For “Get Out & Bike” Week we asked the Vital Communities network to submit their favorite hometown bike rides, ideally 10 miles and under. H [...]

Isolate and Create: Local restaurant recipes, right from your kitchen

Ever wanted to cook a meal from a local restaurant in your own kitchen? Now you can! Released last Friday, the “Isolate and Create” digital cookbo [...]

Upper Valley Housing Update

A quick update on Upper Valley housing from our Workforce Housing Coordinator, Mike Kiess: Support for people experiencing homeless and housing ins [...]

New Partners and the Vermont Telecommuting Guide

One significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is the sheer number of people now working from home. Though telework is now normal for many, we are st [...]

UV Strong: what is it, what’s it doing, and how can we help?

In the wake of 2011’s Tropical Storm Irene, Upper Valley organizations and volunteers scrambled to identify and support emergency needs in their com [...]

Pandemic Small Business Navigator Available

Call Our Small Business Navigator! In response to the extreme stress and economic disruption small businesses are experiencing, a new temporary servi [...]

Farmers Markets are Opening: What to Expect

Local as usual, and safe in new ways. Many farmers markets will be operating this summer, but it’s not business as usual! Vendors and market staff a [...]

School Food Workers Ensure Local Kids are Fed

“Food is nourishing,” said Craig Locarno, food service director for the Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union, when asked why it’s so importan [...]

Upcoming Events

	June 2020
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
	1	2	3	4 Lebanon Farmer Market Lebanon Farmer Market June 4, 2020 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm See more details •	5	6 Norwich Farmers Market Norwich Farmers Market June 6, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm See more details •
7	8	9	10 Leadership Upper Valley - Closing Session & Graduation Leadership Upper Valley - Closing Session & Graduation Starts: 12:00 am Ends: June 10, 2020 - 11:59 pm Description: This is a Vital Communities Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2020 event. If you'd like to learn more or apply for next year's LUV Class, please contact Rob Schultz at rob@vitalcommunities.org or visit vitalcommunities.org/leadershipuppervalley. LUV alumni are welcome at current year classes with advanced notice. Please contact Rob for details. More details... LUV Graduation Day LUV Graduation Day Starts: 7:00 am Ends: June 10, 2020 - 5:00 pm Location: Cobb Hill (for the day) More details... LUV Graduation LUV Graduation Starts: 2:00 pm Ends: June 10, 2020 - 4:00 pm Location: VINS Canopy Walk More details... • • •	11 Lebanon Farmer Market Lebanon Farmer Market June 11, 2020 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm See more details •	12	13 Norwich Farmers Market Norwich Farmers Market June 13, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm See more details •
14	15	16	17	18 Lebanon Farmer Market Lebanon Farmer Market June 18, 2020 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm See more details •	19	20 Norwich Farmers Market Norwich Farmers Market June 20, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm See more details •
21	22	23	24	25 Lebanon Farmer Market Lebanon Farmer Market June 25, 2020 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm See more details UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE Starts: 4:00 pm Ends: June 25, 2020 - 5:30 pm Location: By video conference Description: This is the meeting of the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association. For spring 2020 and until further notice, meetings will be held remotely. More details... • •	26	27 Norwich Farmers Market Norwich Farmers Market June 27, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm See more details •
28	29	30

Go to the Full Calendar

Our
Core
Values

About Us

Vital Communities’ agenda and programs emerge from, and are driven by, regional needs and community interests.

As a neutral convener, Vital Communities brings diverse people and organizations together to devise and implement collaborative solutions.

Vital Communities takes on issues where regional coordination and leadership can achieve results.

Greatest Hits

Find Open Local Businesses & Farms

Photo Gallery

Program NEWS

Quest to Refresh Challenge!

Do you need to press the reset/refresh button? Have you spent too much time behind a screen these days? We have a solution! Take our challenge – Quest to Refresh! Complete five or more Quests ...more

TLC 4WARD Crowdfunding for Businesses

Do you own an Upper Valley business that is suffering due to the effects of the pandemic and could use a little help from your friends? TLC 4WARD Upper Valley is here for you. The Local ...more

Raise Money while Working from Home

Work from home and help raise $500 for Vermont Foodbank. Simply record your telecommute trips in your Go! Vermont account every day that you work from home and when 500 telecommutes have been recorded, we'll ...more

A Letter To Our Upper Valley Schools

I hope this note finds you all healthy and adjusting to the routines of remote learning and teaching. I know my family and I are starting to feel a rhythm in our days and finding ourselves to be ...more

Family Project: Write a Quest for your House!

Over these past few weeks I have experienced waves of anxiety and sadness, and at the same time such gratitude. I can’t imagine going through this crisis in any other part of the world. The ...more

Donation Platform for UV Businesses

Do you own an Upper Valley business that is impacted by Covid-19 and could use a little help from your friends? TLC/4WARD is here to help. Vital Communities launched The Local Crowd (TLC) Upper Valley in ...more

Give to the Businesses You Love!

Wendell Berry once said that by choosing to support a local business in your community, you're essentially telling that business owner, "I want you to exist. I acknowledge that you and I are neighbors and ...more

Questing During Stay at Home Orders

Getting outdoors is good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health, especially during this time of added stress due to COVID-19. We are closely following our state government recommendations in Vermont and New Hampshire regarding ...more

Five Inspiring Stories

On March 18, Vital Communities held a webinar featuring five inspiring stories from energy committees across the Upper Valley. Stories included: Electric charging stations in Bethel An Upper Valley eBike lending library Energy saving window ...more

Climate and Community Resilience: Lessons from the Soil

Climate and Community Resilience: Lessons from the Soil Spring Community Webinar Series to Unpack What Creating Our Future Looks Like What is good for the soil is good for our communities. Deep healthy soil governs flood resilience, ...more

Upper Valley Farm to School Forum: Trauma & Nutrition

Event Postponed We will be rescheduling the forum to the late spring or next fall Upper Valley Farm to School Forum: Trauma & Nutrition March 19 4:30-7pm Sharon Elementary School 75 VT Route 132, Sharon, VT 05065 Join the Upper Valley ...more

13th Annual Roundtable - September 15

You're Invited! The 13th Annual Upper Valley Energy Committee Roundtable will be held Tuesday, September 15, 5-8 pm in West Lebanon! This annual gathering of local energy volunteers is open to all, whether you serve on an ...more

Efficient Heating in Vermont

Check out this newly produced, six-minute YouTube video on Efficient Heating in Vermont, created by Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission. The video describes the types and benefits of home heating options and describes the current rebates ...more

Stand in Your Circle of Strength and Lead

Ed. Note: On May 30, Vital Communities honored 12 community leaders who’ve added immeasurably to the vitality of the Upper Valley at its annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration. The following are the event’s keynote remarks ...more

Heroes & Leaders: Creating a Vital Upper Valley

Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts the annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the Upper Valley. In 2019, we are pleased to honor ...more

2nd Annual Curb The Car Day - Friday, May 17!

On May 17, 2019 the rest of the country is celebrating National Bike to Work Day, but here in the Upper Valley we’ll be taking it a step further with our second annual Curb The ...more

Dazzlingly Reflective, 80's Style

We love pairing style with nighttime visibility, so we've ordered REFLECTIVE SLAP BRACELETS to reward people who bike or walk to Flavors of the Valley on Sunday, April 7! If you bike and walk to the ...more

A Lot Lighter with More Hands: Leadership Upper Valley

On the bright, sunny morning of June 13, Cobb Hill was waking up, and the soon-to-be graduating 2018 Leadership Upper Valley class was just arriving for their final meeting. Before the ceremony at Harpoon Brewery, ...more

Vital Communities Staff

Tom Roberts

Executive Director

Tom Roberts joined Vital Communities as Executive Director in February 2015. A resident of Cobb Hill Cohousing in Hartland, Vermont, Tom has more than a decade of successful leadership experience in Upper Valley nonprofits, including as a Senior Philanthropic Advisor at the Vermont Community Foundation, and prior to that as Executive Director at the Ottauquechee Health Foundation in Woodstock. Before moving to the Upper Valley in 2002, Tom worked as an attorney both in a small litigation and government practice firm, and for the Homeless Advocacy Project with the Bar Association of San Francisco. He has worked in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors on issues of justice, housing, children, and healthcare. He holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University, a law degree from the University of California’s Boalt Hall School of Law, and is a graduate of the Vermont Leadership Institute.

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Sarah Brock

Energy Program Manager

Energy

Sarah Brock joined Vital Communities in 2013 as our Energy Program Manager. Through her work Sarah provides support for our region’s 40+ local energy committees, engaging with dozens of volunteers and clean energy businesses in programs like Solarize Upper Valley, Weatherize Upper Valley, and the Upper Valley Green Real Estate Network. Prior to joining the Vital Communities team, Sarah was an Environmental Philanthropy Associate with the High Meadows Fund, a supporting organization of the Vermont Community Foundation. Sarah now lives in Warner, New Hampshire, with her husband Zach and her chickens. When she's not busy advocating for energy efficiency, Sarah enjoys playing the trombone and taking walks in her backwoods to look for signs of New Hampshire's abundant wildlife.

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Rachel Darrow

Finance Manager

Rachel Darrow joined Vital Communities in November 2016 after two years as Finance Manager of Opera North. Prior to moving to Lyme, N.H., she worked for more than eight years with the Greensboro Jewish Federation in Greensboro, N.C., most recently serving as Director of Finance and Human Resources. She graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English from the University of Maryland University College and an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John's College. Rachel currently serves on the United Way Campaign Cabinet, dances with The Raqs Salaam Dance Theater, and enjoys spending time with her three goats.

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Bethany Fleishman

Transportation Program Manager

Transportation

Bethany Fleishman was born at the old Mary Hitchcock hospital in Hanover, N.H., grew up in West Hartford, Vt., and now lives in Hartford Village, where she can see the White River and the trains from her window. She has a biology degree from St. Lawrence University and has worked in public health outreach, as a line cook in San Francisco, a pastry chef in Hanover, and as a member of the Town of Hartford Selectboard. She serves on the board of directors for both Advance Transit and Upper Valley CarShare and is a lifelong bike commuter.

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Sandy Gmur

Valley Quest Coordinator

Valley Quest

Sandy joined Vital Communities in Fall 2019 to coordinate Valley Quest. Sandy moved back to the East Coast after 32 years in Santa Cruz, CA, and is thrilled to be involved with an organization so interconnected with the issues and services that make the Upper Valley region a vibrant, collaborative, and future-thinking community. Sandy has a BA in Anthropology from Vassar College and worked for several years in Somalia and Greece. She later worked in school administration and then as a Senior Program Associate for the nonprofit Life Lab. Sandy is a founding member of a cohousing community in Santa Cruz and now lives at Cobb Hill Cohousing in Hartland. She is an Executive Committee member of the Sierra Club Upper Valley and volunteers with the Connecticut River Conservancy. Her nurture away from work comes from taking long walks, skiing, cooking, gardening, bread baking, and enjoying time with friends and family.

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Doreen Guillette

Assistant to the Executive Director, Flavors Coordinator

Food & Farm

Doreen Guillette joined Vital Communities in January 2020 as the Flavors of the Valley Coordinator and Assistant to the Executive Director, with many years of administrative and management experience at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, self-employment, and volunteering. An Upper Valley native, Doreen spends most of her time and energy caring for her mini-farm and a large family in Norwich. She is a strong advocate for local community and is president of the Beaver Meadow Chapel, Trustee of the Beaver Meadow Schoolhouse, and Co-Chair of the West Norwich Community Resilience Organization. Doreen enjoys hiking, kayaking, writing poetry, nature photography, and cooking meals that come from her own land.

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Mike Kiess

Workforce Housing Coordinator

Mike Kiess joined Vital Communities in July of 2018 as the Workforce Housing Coordinator, working to develop and strengthen workforce housing throughout the Upper Valley. Mike previously oversaw organizational development for Veteran Corps of America, a federal contractor in the field of emergency and disaster response. He moved to the Upper Valley in 2011 after years spent living and working across the US and abroad, serving as a Navy submarine officer aboard the USS Lewis and Clark, an administrative director for the United States Peace Corps, and as a project manager in the paper and steel businesses. Mike is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and holds an MBA from Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management. He lives in Thetford with his wife, who grew up in the area, and enjoys mountain biking, volunteering on the town Energy Committee, and encouraging people to try new things and do their best.

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Nancy LaRowe

Food & Farm and Local First Coordinator

Local First Food & Farm

Nancy joined Vital Communities as the Food & Farm Coordinator in 2014. She works to support and grow our local food system and economy. Nancy has lived, worked, and farmed in the Upper Valley for more than 25 years and believes our community is healthier and stronger when our connections to food and the farms that produce it stay vital.

Nancy's informal job title is Farmer-in-Residence: she also runs a pasture-based cattle farm in Norwich. Nancy is on the Board of the Norwich Farmers' Market and a retired Norwich volunteer firefighter and EMT. She loves puttering in the garden, hiking with her dog, and visiting farmers' markets.

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Ana Mejia

Climate Projects Coordinator

Transportation Energy

Ana Mejia is the Climate Projects Coordinator at Vital Communities. She is a Southern California native and first arrived to the Upper Valley in 2018. Ana received her Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and her Master’s in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, where she wrote her thesis on solar home affordability and energy efficiency programs for low income families. When she is not actively working towards creating sustainable communities, Ana enjoys swimming, cross-country skiing, birding, and trying out new dessert recipes with her KitchenAid mixer.

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Beth Roy

Food & Farm Manager

Valley Quest Food & Farm

Beth leads Vital Communities' Food & Farm team, including its Upper Valley Farm to School programming, and also oversees Valley Quest. Before joining Vital Communities, Beth Roy worked in the environmental and place-based education fields for 17 years in various positions around New England including at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and as the Director of Education at the Nature Museum in Grafton, Vt. Beth is also on the boards of the Vermont Science Teacher Association (VSTA) and the Vermont State-Wide Environmental Education Programs (SWEEP), a coalition of dozens of individuals and organizations promoting sustainability and environmental education in Vermont. Beth is a New Hampshire native and lives in Hartland, Vt., with her husband and two children. When Beth is not working you will find her exploring the woods around her home with her family or cooking up a new taste test (made of local foods, of course!) for her children.

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Jill Savage

Bookkeeper, HR, Office Manager, Database Manager

Jill Savage joined the Vital Communities staff in December 2019 after several years as an independent bookkeeper and business consultant and 15 years at Dartmouth College. Jill is a proud Upper Valley native, born and raised in New Hampshire and now making her home in Vermont. Jill is an artist and music lover, which inspires the work of the small business she runs with her husband. Jill received her Bachelor's Degree from Goddard College, where she studied art and philosophy and gained a deep appreciation for the ways in which social and ecological issues impact and are addressed in local communities. For many years, Jill has started her day by reading the Community Discussion Lists.

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Rob Schultz

Leadership Upper Valley Manager, Director of Development

Leadership UV

Rob Schultz is the Leadership Upper Valley Manager and Director of Development at Vital Communities. Most recently, he served as Area Coordinator for Granite United Way in the Upper Valley Region. Rob was Executive Director of COVER Home Repair in White River Junction for 9 years. Before working at COVER, Rob was Executive Director for the Farm & Wilderness Foundation for 8 years; helped start a corporate training center for PT Timah in Sumatra Indonesia; and ran programs for Outward Bound in Minnesota, Texas, and New Mexico. He is a graduate of Earlham College and has done graduate work at University of Maryland in International Political Economy. He lives in Hanover with his partner Diane. He sings with Thetford Chamber Singers and is an avid carpenter, cellist, wilderness traveler, and gardener.

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Becka Warren

Food & Farm Coordinator

Food & Farm

Part of Vital Communities' Food & Farm team since 2012, Becka fosters relationships that keep agriculture a daily part of community life in the Upper Valley. She works with current and future farmers, businesses, schools, and partners across Vermont and New Hampshire to build connections that support farm viability and keep our landscapes working. Becka lived in Seattle for many years, where she worked for the Washington State University Small Farms Program, Cascade Harvest Coalition, Seattle Tilth, and area vegetable farms. Becka is also a writer, founding and writing Ask Umbra at gristmagazine.com until 2009. She holds a BA from Brown University and lives in Hartland, Vermont, with her family.

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Find Open Local Businesses and Farms. Search the Vital Communities Guide.

What's Happening

Upcoming Events

June 2020

Greatest Hits

Photo Gallery

Program NEWS

Vital Communities Staff

Tom Roberts

Sarah Brock

Rachel Darrow

Bethany Fleishman

Sandy Gmur

Doreen Guillette

Mike Kiess

Nancy LaRowe

Ana Mejia

Beth Roy

Jill Savage

Rob Schultz

Becka Warren

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