Annual Report July 2013–June 2014

Annual Report July 2013–June 2014
2012
VITAL COMMUNITIES
AT THE HEART OF A VIBRANT UPPER VALLEY
Staff
Board of Directors
Back Row (left to right)
FY14
Aaron Brown, Transportation
Laura Dintino, Valley Quest, Valley Food & Farm
Becka Warren, Valley Food & Farm
Sarah Simonds, Energy
Mary Margaret Sloan, Executive Director
Emily Gardner, Events, Local First Alliance
Ellen Arnold, Plainfield, NH
Clif Below, Lebanon, NH
Gail Dahlstrom, Etna, NH
Steve Ensign, New London, NH
Bill Geraghty, Hanover, NH
Karen Liot Hill, Lebanon, NH
Laurel Mackin, Thetford Center, VT
Barry McCabe, West Hartford, VT
George Newcomb, Norwich, VT
Janet Taylor, Fairlee, VT
Dan Weinstein, Grantham, NH
Stan Williams, Norwich, VT
Front Row (left to right)
Bethany Fleishman, Transportation
Allison Rogers Furbish, Communications, Energy
Stacey Glazer, Leadership Upper Valley, Web
Nancy LaRowe, Valley Food & Farm
Carole Petrillo, Bookkeeping
Stephanie Carter, Database
Not Pictured
Phil Bush, Finance
Lauren Whittlesey, Valley Quest, Volunteers
Joe Acampora, Transportation
Beth Roy, Valley Food & Farm (FY15)
Interns and Fellows
Alex Brown, Eliza Hoffman, James Lin,
Taylor Malmsheimer, Nicolle Moore
FY15
Jenny Levy, Norwich, VT
Tom Roberts, Hartland, VT
Board Fellows from Tuck School of Business
Christopher Dolan, Peter Hagstrom (FY14)
Sarah Boole, Mike Cacchio (FY15)
Annual Report
Dear Friends,
“The idea that Vital Communities is behind this project made all the difference to me,” said one Lyme
resident who participated in our Solarize Upper Valley initiative last spring.
Residents, municipalities, and organizations across the Upper Valley look to Vital
Communities for trusted leadership as they explore ways to make our region more sustainable.
Vital Communities has earned confidence and respect in the region because of you, the donors,
volunteers, and engaged community members who keep our organization strong. Thanks to
your support, our programs and projects are achieving great successes – and gaining broad
recognition for the positive difference they’re making every day in our communities.
Highlights of the 2013–2014 fiscal year include:
• Assumed management of the Community Email Discussion Lists (“town listservs”)
formerly hosted by ValleyNet;
• Helped 120 homeowners in five towns adopt renewable energy through our Solarize Upper
Valley program;
• Launched Smart Commute Home Edition in four pilot towns in Vermont to find townbased solutions that help commuters save money and reduce their environmental footprint;
• Honored 14 local Women Leaders who have helped shape the Upper Valley at our sold-out
Heroes & Leaders benefit for Leadership Upper Valley;
• Hosted our first Upper Valley High School Communications Competition to generate new
public service announcements for Local First Alliance;
• Merged the Upper Valley Farm to School Network into Vital Communities, which was
finalized on July 1, 2014; and
• Closed our fiscal year solidly in the black.
The stories in this Annual Report celebrate the great things we’ve accomplished together over
the past year. We couldn’t do any of this without the inspiration, energy, and strength that come
from working together with the people we serve. On behalf of the staff and the entire Board of
Directors, thank you for your continued support and engagement in building vital communities.
Ellen Arnold
Chair, Board of Directors
W
orking
T
ogether for
V C
ital
ommunities
“It was such an easy, turnkey operation.
I don’t know that I ever would have
totally pursued this on my own.”
Solarize Cornish-Plainfield volunteers celebrated their success with a solar open house and party.
ENGAGED FIVE TOWNS IN
SOLARIZE UPPER VALLEY
Vital Communities partnered with dozens of
volunteers from five towns in the spring of 2014
to help residents go solar through the pilot round
of Solarize Upper Valley. During the 15-week
outreach campaign, 432 residents requested a
solar site visit and 120 signed contracts to go solar
through Solarize. With help from the media to
spread the word, including coverage on public
radio stations in Vermont and New Hampshire,
we’ve seen many groups already applying our
experience and replicating pieces of our Solarize
model elsewhere in our two states. We plan to
work with more towns in the coming year.
JOINED NEW HAMPSHIRE
LOCAL ENERGY
WORKING GROUP
The Local Energy Working Group (LEWG)
provides collaborative guidance and technical
support to local energy committees, municipalities,
and schools seeking to reduce energy use, minimize
energy costs, and reduce fossil-fuel consumption.
We were honored to be invited to join the working
group as a representative of the Upper Valley and
are already working collaboratively on strategies
that Vital Communities can implement to support
communities in achieving their energy goals.
Annual Report
NEW SMART COMMUTE
PROGRAM FOR TOWNS
FARM WORKER LEARNING
COLLABORATIVE
Smart Commute Home Edition was launched
in early 2014 to help municipalities lower
transportation costs for their residents. The new
program follows the model used in our workplacebased program: field a survey to understand current
habits, barriers, and motivations; design strategies
to help people try new ways of getting around;
and evaluate the program for improvements. We
worked with four towns—Bradford, Hartford,
Norwich, and Windsor—and look forward to
partnering with more in the future.
Our Upper Valley Farm Worker Learning
Collaborative gathered and toured nine area farms
in its third season. More than 25 apprentices,
interns, and farm employees from participating
farms experienced a variety of farm models
while learning specific aspects of farming from
established growers. Each farm visit included a
tour, a focused discussion on a farming topic, and
a potluck supper. Our goal is to strengthen the
skills and social connections of the region’s future
farmers.
More than 1,100 attendees enjoyed connecting with local food producers at our 13th Annual Flavors of the Valley.
IMPROVED
MOBILITY CHECKLIST
EXPANDED WORKPLACE
MARKETS
Transportation staff and the TMA steering
committee updated our award-winning “Mobility
Checklist: Guidelines to Create Efficient, Livable
Growth.” This guide provides municipalities
and developers with practical strategies to make
biking, walking, and bus ridership feasible in
new developments. Our updates clarify old ideas
and present new ones, drawing on planning
strategies that have emerged since its original
publication in 2008.
Local food at the workplace can help employee
morale, health, food access, and community
connection. We facilitated 11 new workplace
market locations across the region this year.
Most worksites encourage staff to join a
Community Supported Agriculture program
that drops farm shares either in their building
or at a nearby location; in one case a new on-site
market was added to the White River Junction
VA Medical Center.
2014
FIRST ANNUAL COMPETITION
ENGAGED AREA STUDENTS
Local First Alliance held its first Upper Valley
High School Communications Competition
with the Hartford Area Career and Technology
Center’s Media Arts class. Students worked with
their teacher and Local First Alliance members
to create public service announcements (PSAs)
for television, print, and radio. The collaboration
asked students to answer the question: “Why is
it cool to shop locally?” The winning PSAs can be
found in local media and online.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Local First Alliance membership is up 11 percent
over last fiscal year. A postal mailing to lapsed
members immediately after our Local First
Alliance communications competition resulted
in a significant bump in renewals to close out the
year. We now have 82 business members, all at the
$100 membership level or above.
Buy Local
INVEST In Your Community
Reduce ENVIRONMENTAL
Impact
Create Local JOBS
Encourage Local PROSPERITY
www.vitalcommunities.org/localfirst
“Local First Alliance matches my
personal beliefs as a local . . . .
Having grown up in Claremont,
I’ve experienced first-hand
what happens when we lose our
local businesses and only focus
on price and convenience.”
—Local First member John Ring CPA
OUR VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES (FY14)
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 • Charlotte Metcalf, Norwich, VT • Lizann Peyton, Norwich, VT • Bill Ploog, Lyme, NH
• Betty Porter, Norwich, VT • Sylvia Provost, White River Junction, VT • Allie J. 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, Hanover, NH • Steve Taylor, Meriden, NH • Fred Thomas,
Thetford Center, VT • Peter Welch, Norwich, VT • Diana Wright, Thetford Center, VT
Annual Report
Twenty-nine participants graduated from Leadership Upper Valley in 2014, our largest class ever.
NEW SESSION:
JUSTICE DAY
HONORED THE REGION’S
WOMEN LEADERS
The Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2014 was
the first to experience Justice Day—a new session
held at the Southern State Correctional Facility in
Springfield, Vermont. The region’s often-hidden
drug addiction problem served as the focus of the
session, providing a compelling context through
which to examine the criminal justice system.
Our third-annual Heroes & Leaders celebration
honored 14 Upper Valley women whose
leadership has significantly contributed to our
region. Honorees included Merilynn Bourne
(LISTEN Community Services), Barbara Couch
(Hypertherm), Gail Dahlstrom (DartmouthHitchcock), Julia Griffin (Town of Hanover),
Jacqueline Guillette (Grantham SAU #75),
Sara Kobylenski (Upper Valley Haven), Jeanie
McIntyre (Upper Valley Land Trust), Jane
Kitchel McLaughlin (The Kitchel-McLaughlin
Family Fund), Suzanne Long (Luna Bleu Farm),
Sue Mooney (Alice Peck Day Health Systems),
Betty Porter (a founder of Vital Communities),
Allie Quinn (a founder of the Montshire Museum
of Science), Bente Torjusen (AVA Gallery), and
Kathy Underwood (Ledyard National Bank).
“Experiencing this program
will enrich your knowledge and
willingness to participate in the
fabric of life in our very unique
and wonderful Upper Valley.”
—Laurie Tostenson, LUV ’14
CORPORATE COUNCIL: Jim Varnum (Chair) • Susan E. Mooney, Alice Peck Day Health Systems • Chris
McInerney, Astronics Luminescent Systems • Terry Appleby, Co-op Food Stores • Rick Mills, Dartmouth College •
Dan Jantzen, Dartmouth-Hitchcock • Paul Bozuwa, Dartmouth Printing Company - Sheridan • Gregg Fairbrothers,
Dartmouth Regional Technology Center • Peter Van Oot, DRM Downs Rachlin Martin • Dick Couch, Hypertherm
• Becky Smith, Kendal at Hanover • Steve Voigt, King Arthur Flour • Jonathan L. Benjamin and Kevin Melia, 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 • Ellen Arnold,
Vital Communities Board Chair • Mary Margaret Sloan, Vital Communities
2014
UPPER VALLEY FARMS
SUPER QUEST
The 2014 Super Quest Challenge focused on
the importance of local agriculture. Participants
visited 12 agricultural sites in search of a secret
word. After all the words were collected, the letters
were unscrambled to solve a puzzle. Participants
experienced a wide variety of farm-related
destinations, and the Super Quest affirmed the
importance and abundance of local farming in the
Upper Valley.
“Thanks for making the Super Quest
a challenge! We loved the places
you brought us to for this quest
. . . A real great experience. ”
NEW ENERGY QUESTS
Students created two new Energy Quests this
year. Fifth-graders at Newton Elementary School
in Strafford, Vermont, developed a creative
Energy Quest that is adaptable to any building to
help raise awareness about energy users and savers
in buildings. Eighth-grade students at Lebanon
Middle School in Lebanon, New Hampshire,
focused their quest on the sustainability features
of their new middle school building.
ENERGY ADVISORY COUNCIL: Len Cadwallader (Chair) • Bill Bittinger, Bittinger Associates, LLC • Marianne
Tyrrell, Catalyst Financial • Gail Dahlstrom, Dartmouth-Hitchcock • David Gaudet and Jenny Levy, Hypertherm • Julia
Dundorf, New England Grassroots Environment Fund • Kevin Peterson, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation - Upper
Valley Region • Kate Epsen, New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association • Clif 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
LEADERSHIP UPPER VALLEY BOARD OF GOVERNORS: Bill Geraghty, Geraghty HR Consulting (Chair) • Stacey
Chiocchio and Alex Jaccaci, Hypertherm • Jason Achmoody, Ledyard National Bank • Joan Collison, River Run Medical Offices
• James Britton, River Valley Community College • Jon Liland, Sheehan, Phinney, Bass + Green PA • Peter Blodgett, Thetford
Libraries • Randy Heller, UV Ride • Cindi Taylor, West Lebanon Feed & Supply • Mary Margaret Sloan, Vital Communities
COMMUNITY DISCUSSION LISTS ADVISORY BOARD: Watt Alexander • Liane Allen • Mitze Bender • Mary
Berlejung • Skip Brown • David S. Brown • Stephen T. Campbell • Jordan Dill • John Erickson • Reggie Hazel • Niko Horster
• E.D.M. Landman • David Lavie • Dan Leavitts • Patricia McGovern • Bob Merrill • John Morris • Bob Raiselis • Robert
Rinaldi • Tig Tillinghast • Victoria Traudt • Stan Williams • Sally Wilson • Teo Zagar
Annual Report
Vital Communities’ 2013 volunteer of the year Carola Lea (center) of Lyme, New Hampshire,
celebrates with Board Chair Ellen Arnold (left) and Executive Director Mary Margaret Sloan (right).
HELPED BUILD
“WORKING BRIDGES”
TOOK OVER COMMUNITY
DISCUSSION LISTS
Last spring, Granite United Way approached
us to explore the Corporate Council’s interest
in replicating a successful Burlington program,
Working Bridges—an employer collaborative
dedicated to improving workplace productivity,
retention, advancement, and financial stability
for employees, especially the working poor. The
program was presented to Corporate Council
business leaders and human resource directors,
and eight companies committed to participating.
Vital Communities took over the management
of more than 20 Upper Valley community email
discussion lists (often called town listservs) from
ValleyNet as of February 1, 2014. This free service
encourages community engagement by allowing
residents to post and respond to messages about
their towns. The lists are managed by local
volunteers with support from Vital Communities.
LOCAL FIRST ALLIANCE STEERING COMMITTEE: Dean Cashman, Lake Sunapee Bank (Chair) • Larry Lowndes,
Black River Produce • Mundy Wilson Piper, Chippers, Inc • Terry Appleby, Genie Braasch, Allan Reetz, Co-op Food
Stores • Jeff Shapiro, Great Eastern Radio • Fred Wainwright, Ledyard National Bank • Terry Martin, Mascoma Savings
Bank • Jake Blum, Systems Plus Computers • Mary Margaret Sloan, Vital Communities • Hal De Bona, WNNE-TV
UPPER VALLEY TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION STEERING COMMITTEE: Daniel
Dahmen, Dartmouth-Hitchcock (Chair) • Van Chesnut, Advance Transit • Andrew Gast-Bray, City of Lebanon • Pam
Joslin, Community Alliance Transportation Services • Karen Sinclair, Connecticut River Transit • Joanna Whitcomb,
Dartmouth College • Stacey Chiocchio, Hypertherm • Paul Boucher, Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce • Wanda
Hastings, Lebanon School District • Matt Coogan, New England Transportation Institute • Carolyn Radisch, ORW LLC •
Ben Swanson, RSG • Jason Rasmussen, South Windsor County Regional Planning Commission • Holly Benoir, Stagecoach
• Shawn M. Donovan, City of Lebanon • Scott Osgood, Town of Enfield • Patricia Higgins, 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 • Russell Hirschler, Upper Valley Trails Alliance • Aaron Brown, Vital Communities
2014
Letter from our Treasurer
R
E
34%
PROGRAM
INCOME
IN-KIND
DONATIONS
865,300
TOTAL
1%
OTHER
INCOME
61%
CONTRIBUTIONS
& GRANTS
We undertake a continuous financial review—our
finance committee, which meets monthly, is made up
of bank presidents, CEOs, and entrepreneurs, all
committed to a strong, healthy organization.
Independent auditors perform a rigorous review
of our financial practices annually.
ENSES (FY14
EXP
)
10%
The fieldwork for the Fiscal Year 2014 financial
statements was completed on September 23, 2014,
by our certified public accountants: Tyler, Simms
and St. Sauveur. The review was positive in all
material respects.
7%
FUNDRAISING
19%
ADMINISTRATION
VALLEY FOOD
& FARM
14%
TRANSPORTATION
$
793,173
TOTAL
12%
ENERGY
19%
7%
OUTREACH
George Newcomb
Treasurer (FY14)
2%
ENDOWMENT
INCOME
2%
$
In Fiscal Year 2014, our revenue exceeded
expenses by $72,000. This very favorable
bottom line was made up of a $26,000 increase
in unrestricted funds used during the year and a
$46,000 increase in donor-restricted funds to be
used in Fiscal Year 2015 or beyond.
To request a copy of our complete
financial review, please contact Phil Bush:
Phil@VitalCommunities.org
or 802.291.9100 x104.
4)
We are pleased to report that Vital Communities
ended the 2014 fiscal year in a strong financial
position. Our robust cash position coupled
with historical and newly identified revenue
streams enabled continued success in bringing
our communities together to work on the
challenges facing our region.
D SUPPO
RT
E AN
U
(F Y
N
E
1
V
7%
VALLEY QUEST
LEADERSHIP UPPER
VALLEY
1%
CORPORATE
COUNCIL
4%
LOCAL FIRST
ALLIANCE
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 • Carola Lea • Amy Miller Eberhardt,
Lebanon Farmers’ Market • Becka Warren, Vital Communities
VALLEY QUEST ADVISORY GROUP: Elizabeth Adams • Anna Adachi-Mejia, Geisel School of Medicine • Lorna
Holcombe, Groveton 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
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS
OUR INDIVIDUAL DONORS
(In-Kind Donations in Italics)
100,000+:
Anonymous
10,000–99,999:
Jeanie & Bayne Stevenson
1,000–9,999:
Anonymous (2)
Charlotte and Charles Faulkner
Kathy & Bill Geraghty
Kathy & Bill Geraghty
Sue Kirincich & Chuck Wooster
Carola Lea
Margot & Dick Lewin
Laurel Mackin & Tim Briglin
Jane Kitchel McLaughlin &
Peter McLaughlin
Charlotte Metcalf
Nini & Robert Meyer
Ron Miller
Kathy Rines & Ben Schore
Jennifer & Mark Schiffman
Susan & Clayton Simmers
Jane & Bill Stetson
Elizabeth & Robert Stragnell
Marilyn & Skip Sturman
Jenny & Stan Williams
Joanne & Doug Wise
500–999:
Anonymous
Joan & Daniel Collison
Susan & Richard Cote
Stephen Ensign
Sue & Don Foster
Christina & Harvey Hill
Ruth Mayer & Peter Blodgett
Mary McBryde & George Newcomb
Carolyn Miller
Amy & Joseph Morel
Judy Music & John H. Vogel
Nita & Robert Z. Norman
Barbara Palmer & Dennis Stern
Linda & Rick Roesch
Sarah & Bruce Schwaegler
Anne & Peter Silberfarb
Jean & Mike Smith
Cindy & Jim Varnum
100–499
Anonymous (6)
Lynn Adams & Simon Carr
Brooke & Jim Adler
Susan Almy
Maren Ardell & Michael O’Connell
Ellen Arnold & George Moore
Tracy Bach & Brian Lombardo
Virginia & John Bayliss
Nancy Bell
Charlotte Belser
JoAnn & Chip Berns
Cynthia & William Bittinger
Ruth & Peter Bleyler
Marion & Putnam Blodgett
Ellen & Martin Blumberg
Lynnette & Charles Bohi
Daniel Brand
Jane Bayley Brown & Tracy
(Skip) Brown
Matt P. Bucy, III
Judith & Phil Bush
Nancy & Harry Byrd
Mary Ann & Len Cadwallader
Carol Campbell & Jack McKenna
Sonja Carlborg
K Carriere
Lisa Cashdan & Peter Stein
Paula & Jonathan Chartrand
Margaret Cheney & Peter Welch
Jocelyn Chertoff & Christopher Brown
Liz Ryan Cole & Chuck Cole
Judi & Stan Colla
Annabelle Cone & Remko Scharroo
Suzanne Cronkite
Gail & Karl Dahlstrom
Elena & Jere Daniell
Deecie & Jock Denison
Closey Dickey
Debra L. Diegoli & Ingrid Anderson
Theodora Feldberg
Myra & Allan Ferguson
Linda L. Fowler
Jon Gilbert Fox & Darrell Hotchkiss
Lynn Freeman & Peter Martin
Denise & Gregory Froehlich
Carolyn & Milt Frye
Dori & John Galton
Laura Gillespie
James Grossman
Midge Guise
Janet Miller Haines
Susan Hardy
Connie & Nicholas Harvey
Emily & Rick Hausman
Herndon-Miller Family
Patricia Higgins & Scot Drysdale
Richard B. Hoffman
Linda & Ed Howes
Nancy & Larry Huot
Merideth Jackson & David Brooks
Anne Kapuscinski & Wayne Barstad
Ruth & Alan Keitt
Marcia & Adam Keller
Rita & Greg Kennedy
Karen Kluge & Terry Rosenmeier
Kevin Kober
Sara & Ron Kobylenski
Lorie Loeb & Tom Roberts
Rebecca Lovejoy & Kevin Peterson
Betsy Rybeck Lynd & Lee Lynd
Jennifer MacMillen
Pauline M. Marran
Denise & Barry McCabe
Judy & Robert McCarthy
Liam McCarthy
Jim McCracken
Dr. Martha McDaniel &
Dr. Stephen Plume
Jeanie McIntyre & Geof Little
Lucy & Robert McLellan
Carolyn & Peter Mertz
Frank Miles
Lyn & Donald Miller
Valerie Miller & Ralph Fine
Corb Moister
Margaret & William Montgomery
Sheila Moran & David Millstone
Giavanna & Max Munafo
Helene Nagy
Patricia & Tom Norton
Linda & Ernst Oidtmann
Rosamond Orford
Dorothy & Theodore Osgood
2014
Pauline & Henry W. Parker
Kathy Petuck & Clifton Below
Mary Louise Pierson
Jane & Steve Plumley
Martina Quellmann
Allie J. Quinn
Stephanie Reininger
Denise & Len Reitsma
Martha & Stephen Richardson
Judith Roberts
Elisabeth Russell
Karen & John Sanders
Jill & John Schiffman
Nan & Joe Schwartzman
Anne Segal
Lynn Sheldon & Daniel Hudnut
Daphne & Charles Sloan
Mary Margaret Sloan & Howard Krum
Jane & Chris Soderguist
Jane & John Stephenson
Charles Sullivan
Susie Sweitzer & Hal Hamilton
Janet & Timothy Taylor
Steve Taylor
Jeremy Thompson
Mary Louise Thorndike
Elise & Tig Tillinghast
Phyllis Tremaine
Ellie & Lawrence Tsetsi
Jared Ulmer
Margery S. Walker
Rhonda & Milton Weinstein
Ruth Wellington
Joan & Robert Williamson
Rebecca & Andrew Winter
Christianne & William Wohlforth
Jean & John Woodward-Poor
Betsy & Jim Wooster
Alice Worth & Peter Van Oot
Susan & James Wright
Ro & Bill Wyman
Sallie & Thomas Yurkosky
<100:
Anonymous (9)
Susanne & George Abetti
Betty Ann & Bill Aldrich
Sandra Anderson & Reeve Williams
Phyllis Arata-Meyers & Robert Meyers
James B. Atkinson
Rebecca Bailey & Jim Schley
Ron Bailey
Anne Baird & Stephen Campbell
Bronwen & Bob Ballou
Cynthia Barton
Fran & Bill Baschnagel
MK Beach & Terry Osborne
Iris Berezin
Betty & John Berlenbach
Richard Bircher
Willy Black
Kelly & Ernie Bourassa
Ann Bracken & Bob Franco
Sargent Bradlee, Jr.
Ann & David Bradley
Susan & Peter Brink
Anne & Richard Broussard
Aaron Brown
Christine Brown
Sue L. Bryan
Joan Burchenal
Spencer Burdge
Margie Carpenter &
Charles R. Sherman
Nancy & Bill Carter
Kathy & Peter Christie
Robert Christy
Ann & David Cioffi
Cary Clark
Jean Clark & Charles Townsend
Cathee & Darrin Clement
Nicole & Tom Cormen
Ginger & Max Culpepper
Linda & Lawrence J. Dacey
Andy Daubenspeck
Robert Daubenspeck
Sylvia Davatz
Marilyse de Boissezon
Karen & Gary Douville
Betsy & Larry Draper
Alice & Ron Eberhardt
Carol & Jonathan Edwards
Cathleen & William Emmons
Margaret Fanning & David Cate
Edie Farwell & Jay Mead
Sue & John Foster
Joanne Foulk & Denis Kelemen
Pierre Fournier & Richard Waddell
Sylvia & John Garfield
Hamilton Gillett
Diane Gorine
Nadia & Greg Gorman
Kari Jo & Martin Grant
Linda & Thomas Gray
Ali & Isaac Gresser
Happy & Clark Griffiths
Dana & Dan Grossman
Laurie Harding & Peter Mason
Louise & Marvin Harrison
Susanne & David Haseman
Sheila Hastie & Andy Jones
Jill & Bill Hatch
Deb Hawthorn
Betty Heston
Bruce D. Hettleman
Jacqueline Hill
Beth Hindmarsh
Sandra Hoeh
Henry Homeyer
Ellen Hubbell
Amelia Ihlo & Dan Weinstein
Aare Ilves
Christine Jacobson
Margaret & Chris Jernstedt
Corlan Johnson & Richard Neugass
Rita & Win Johnson
Susan Johnson & Jason Kelley
Barbara Jones
Nancy Jones
Phyllis & Arnold Katz
Elizabeth & Peter Keene
Punam & Kevin Keller
Rainie & Larry Kelly
Michael F. Kenney
Joyce & Paul Killebrew
Marie Kirn
Laird Klingler
Katie Kobe
Vivian Kogan & Bernard Benn
Suzanne Laaspere
LaBombard Family
Gary Laperle
Jack Learmonth
Suzanna Liepmann
Bonnie MacAdam & Doug Tifft
Vera & DeWitt Mallary
Andrea Marquay
Lu & Peter Martin
H. Sloane Mayor
Chris Mazurek
Betsy McCann
Betsy McClain & Chris Kennedy
Phebe & Timothy McCosker
Cathy & Scott McGee
Margaret & Edward Merrens
Lianne Moccia & Allyn Field
Bob Moran
June Morgan
Skip Morrison
Annual Report
Martha Mott
Mary Mudge
Mollie & Urs Naber
Joanne Needham & Andy Johnson
Donna & Bruce Nelson
Helen North
Joanne & Dick Norton
Jaye Olmstead
Mr. and Mrs. Donald S. Page
Jane & George Palmer
Angela Park & Ben Sparks
Beatriz Pastor & Dwight Lahr
Barbara & Henry Payson
Susan & Mark Pepe
Karen & Gary Phetteplace
Connie Philleo & Claude Phipps
Janet & Peter Pollock
Fred Pond
Avery D. Post
Gerhard Postpischil
Becky & Steve Powell
Justin Provost
Jacqueline Richter-Menge
& Richard Menge
Jennifer Rickards & Jonathan Roberts
Laurie & Darcy Rogers
Andy Rowles
Patricia & Daryl Royce
Peggy Sadler & Paul Gross
Carl W. Schmidt
Helen & Merle Schotanus
Laurie & Anibal Sepulveda
Laura Sharpless & David Watts
Kathleen & Jack Shepherd
Helen Skeist
A.L. Smith
Vicki Smith
Joan Snell
Jacqueline Springwater &
Sydney Alonso
Karen & Bill Stack
Kate Stephenson
Betsy Sylvester
Melissa & James Thaxton
Mrs. Ray G. Theriault
Cynthia Thompson
Laurie Tostenson
Susan & Mark Valence
Deborah & Jay Van Arman
Amy Vanderkooi
Milica & Fred Wainwright
Suzanne & Graham Wallis
Marion & Bruce Waters
Carol P. Weingeist
Ken Wells
Hailey Wetherbee
Donna & Phil Wheeler
Joanna Whitcomb
& Bill Mlacak
Margaret Willey
Karen B. Williamson
Sybil B. Williamson
Penny & Peter Wright
Jeanne & Arthur Young
Winnifred Zappala
Martha & Dean Zoerheide
LEGACY CIRCLE
We thank the following donors who have made planned gifts to Vital Communities. Their support will
sustain Vital Communities in the future, enabling us to continue making our region a better place to live,
work, and play every day. Bequests and other planned gifts allow donors to provide significant support to a
particular nonprofit while, in many cases, preserving personal resources or strengthening an estate. If you wish
to make a planned gift to Vital Communities and would like to be included in our Legacy Circle, or if you
would like to learn more about these opportunities, please contact Ellen
Arnold, Board Chair, at 802.291.9100 or Info@VitalCommunities.org.
We are grateful to those who have already declared their bequest:
Anne and Peter Silberfarb
Mary Margaret Sloan
Jenny and Stan Williams
Len Cadwallader
Carola Lea
Betty Porter
OUR BUSINESS AND FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS
(In-Kind Donations in Italics, * Indicates Multi-year Award)
50,000+:
The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation
Jane’s Trust
John Merck Fund
Robins Foundation
*Vermont Agency of Transportation
20,000–49,999:
Canaday Family Charitable Trust
Dartmouth-Hitchcock
*The High Meadows Fund
*Two Rivers-Ottauquechee
Regional Commission
*University of Vermont
5,000–19,999:
Co-op Food Stores
Couch Family Foundation
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth Printing
Company - Sheridan
Dartmouth Printing Company – Sheridan
HOPE Foundation
Kettering Family Philanthropies
King Arthur Flour
King Arthur Flour
Lake Sunapee Bank
Ledyard National Bank
Mascoma Savings Bank
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
*New Hampshire Department of
Agriculture, Markets and Food
2014
Sustainable Agriculture and Research
Education - Northeast SARE
The Telaka Foundation
TooCap Foundation
*Vermont Agency of Agriculture,
Foods & Markets
Vermont Community Foundation
- unnamed fund
500–4,999:
A.B. Gile, Inc.
Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital
Boatwright Foundation
Cape Air
Chelsea Green Publishing Co.
Chippers, Inc.
Claremont Savings Bank Foundation
Creare, Inc.
Frances R. Dewing Foundation
DRM Downs Rachlin Martin
Emily Landecker Foundation
Fat Hat Clothing Co.
Farm-Way, Inc.
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund - BriglinMackin Family Foundation
Hamill Family Foundation
Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce
Hypertherm
Jake’s Market & Deli and
Jake’s Coffee Co.
Jake’s Market & Deli and Jake’s Coffee Co.
The Jane R. McBryde Family
Charitable Trust
Kendal at Hanover
Kleen Envoy Service, LLC
John Ring CPA
LaValley Building Supply, Inc.
Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce
McCollum Family Foundation
Morton Trails, LLC
Mt. Ascutney Hospital
and Health Center
New Hampshire Charitable
Foundation - Bruce M. and Sarah
T. Schwaegler Fund, Children’s
Fund of the Upper Valley, Doug
& Joanne Wise Family Fund,
Hermit Hill Farm Family Fund
New Hampshire Humanities Council
Newspapers of New England
Nomad Communications
Positive Tracks
RSG
Schwab Charitable Fund Morel Family Fund
Sheehan, Phinney, Bass + Green PA
Simon Pearce
Stettenheim Foundation
Sustainable Energy Resource Group
Town of Enfield
Town of Hanover
Town of Hartford
Town of Norwich
Upper Valley Lake Sunapee
Regional Planning Commission
Vermont Community Foundation Sturman Family Fund, Sustainable
Future Fund, Vogel-Music Fund
Vermont Humanities Council
Village Green Publishing
West Lebanon Feed & Supply
Working InSync
Working InSync
Yankee Farm Credit, ACA
<500:
Allan’s Vending Service
Amidon Jewelers
AVA Gallery and Art Center
Billings Farm & Museum
Blue Ox Farm
Blue Sky Restaurant Group
Bucy Family Fund
Calvert Social Investment Foundation
- Charles Sullivan Fund
Chase Brook Software
Collective-The Art of Craft, Inc.
Copeland Furniture Company Store
COVER Home Repair
Creative Lighting and Decor
Crossroad Farm
Dartmouth Regional
Technology Center
Designer Gold
ECFiber
Energy Emporium
Enfield Shaker Museum
Everything But Anchovies
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund - James
C. McCracken Charitable Fund,
Ferguson Family Charitable
Fund, Miller/Fine Gift Fund
Folk Floors and Zumba Fitness
Gilberte Interiors
Gnomon Copy
Got Weeds?
Greater Claremont Chamber
of Commerce
The Harry Frank Guggenheim
Foundation
Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce
Haynes and Garthwaite Architects
Henderson’s Tree & Garden Services
Henderson’s Tree & Garden Services
hmdStudio
Hogwash Farm
Hubert’s of West Lebanon Inc.
Huntoon Farm
Jericho ValVu and Hill Farms
Jericho ValVu and Hill Farms
Lake Morey Resort
Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce
Lebanon Paint & Decorating
Lenovo
Longacres’ Nursery Center
Lou’s Restaurant & Bakery
Lyme Properties 2 LLC
Main Street Kitchens
Marilyn & Mike Grossman Foundation
McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton
Mike’s Store & Deli
Mountain View Publishing LLC
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
- Whit and Closey Dickey Fund
North Branch Construction
North Road Sugar Works
Northern Stage
Opera North
Pathways Consulting
Richards Electric
River Road Veterinary Clinic
River Valley Community College
Salt hill Pub
SAU #88 - Lebanon School District
Silver Screen, LLC
Simple Energy
Spaulding Press, Inc.
Sunrise Farm CSA
Sugarbush Cheese and Maple Farm
Sustainable Woodstock
TBW Automotive Inc.
Top Stitch Embroidery
Tuckerman Capital
Upper Valley Life
Upper Valley Ride
Upper Valley Trails Alliance
Vermont Community Foundation Cashdan/Stein Great Grandmother
Fund, unnamed fund (2)
Vermont Law School
Wild Apple Graphics
Winter Moon Farm
Woodstock Home & Hardware
Annual Report
2 0 0 Quests in
4 5 Different Tow
82 Business Mem
bers of the
Local First Allia
nce
3 6 Smart Com
mute Workplace
s
5 0 % of the Reg
ion’s Employmen
t
Base Represente
d by Our
Corporate Coun
cil
ns
Working together for
Vital Communities
in 69 towns in
New Hampshire
and Vermont
Our Mission
2 5 New Leader
ship
Upper Valley
Leaders Every Y
ear
O v e r 35 Tow
n
Energ y Commit
tees
3 0 0 + Food &
Farm
Listings in Our O
nline Guide
2 0 + Town Dis
cussion Lists
Our Programs
Vital Communities
engages citizens,
organizations, and
communities in creating
solutions to our region’s
challenges.
Photo Credits: staff unless
otherwise indicated
• Kevin Comeau (cover)
• Mark Schiffman (inside cover)
Design: Nomad Communications
Printing: Compliments of
Dartmouth Printing Company
The HEART of a Vibrant Upper Valley
alley Quest, community-designed treasure hunts
V
that teach individuals and groups about the places,
people, and history that make our region unique.
Local First Alliance, promoting local businesses.
alley Food & Farm, fostering relationships that
V
make agriculture a vital part of daily community life.
eadership Upper Valley, inspiring, educating,
L
and engaging leaders to better serve Upper Valley
communities.
Transportation Program, promoting sustainable
transportation for businesses, municipalities, and residents.
nergy Program, working with businesses, municipalities,
E
and residents to move our region toward energy
independence.
orporate Council and Municipal Leaders Group,
C
fostering a robust and sustainable economic climate by
regularly convening the region’s corporate and municipal
leaders for discussion, partnership, and collaboration.
Nonprofit
U.S. Postage
195 North Main Street
White River Junction, VT 05001
802.291.9100
VitalCommunities.org
To correct your contact information or duplicate mailings,
please contact Info@VitalCommunities.org or x103.
PAID
WRJ, VT 05001
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