Focus Grants
Friends
of West River Trail
Manchester Music
Festival’s “Meet the Music Program”
Neighbor to
Neighbor
Northeast Organic
Farming Association of Vermont
Northshire Library
Consortium
More
previous Grant recipients
Friends
of West River Trail
Friends of the West River Trail Inc. is a 501©3 non-profit
volunteer organization working since 1991 to reclaim, maintain
and preserve the historic West River Railroad bed as a safe
and scenic multi-use recreational path and to raise public
awareness and enjoyment of outdoor recreational opportunities
and the history, ecology and geology of the West River Valley.
One
of the primary focuses of the West River Trail has been
to purchase and rehabilitate the South Londonderry Depot.
The Stratton Foundation made a Focus Grant in 2007 to
support this project. As designed, the South Londonderry
Depot Visitor Center will serve as a trailhead for the
West River Trail, a gallery for artifacts of the historic
West River Railroad, information center for the West River
and West River Valley, and a community-gathering place.
Click to see the trail map.
“The
grant from the Stratton Foundation has provided a substantial
component of our fundraising effort to complete the Depot
project. As someone who first became involved with the
Friends of the West River Trail because of my love for
the trail and the outdoors, I am very excited to have
the visibility of the Depot to help guide others out onto
the trail and give them a glimpse of this great community
resource.” Greg Meulemans, Vice President and
Treasurer
Fred
Hartman – President
West River Trail
P.O. Box 2086
S. Londonderry, VT 05155
info@westrivertrail.org
www.westrivertrail.org
fred.svtre@adelphia.net
802-297-2007
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Manchester
Music Festival’s “Meet the Music Program”
The Manchester Music Festival is the only organization
in southern Vermont offering both year-round performances
and education in classical music.
Program
Summary – Southern Vermont’s elementary
students have limited exposure to classical music and
are unlikely to experience the many benefits classical
music offers. For this reason, MMF designed the “Meet
the Music Program” to stimulate children’s
interest in classical music through three opportunities
– In-school Lessons, In-school Educational Performances,
and MMF Concerts. These opportunities move children toward
deeper involvement with music.
In-school
Lessons – Beginning in September 2007, MMF
Linda Morrison, a professional musician and educator delivered
lessons to small groups of students in ten elementary
schools. Whenever Linda teaches, she brings instruments
with her that students can play. Experience has shown
that hands-on work with instruments results in children
developing an interest in classical music.
In-School
Educational Performances – In mid-January and
again in mid-May, the Manchester Chamber Ensemble will
perform at each of the ten elementary schools. Professional
musicians will perform for students in their classrooms,
interacting with them in question and answer periods.
MMF
Concerts – Believing that nothing strengthens
an appreciation for classical music more than attending
a concert, the MMF will provide 140 free tickets to its
concerts. This will allow 70 students to come to a concert
accompanied by an adult.
“The
Manchester Music Festival is both honored and deeply grateful
to have been selected to receive one of the coveted Focus
Grants. The MMF has been the grateful recipient of nine
grants fro the Foundation since 2002, now qualifying for
a Focus Grant. We consider them as among our strongest
allies in the on going promotion of arts and culture in
the Northshire and beyond.” Ariel Rudiakov,
Artistic Director
Robyn
Madison
Managing Director
Manchester Music Festival’s “Meet the Music
Program”
42 Dillingham Rd
Manchester, VT 05254
(802) 362-1956
http://www.mmfvt.org
mmfVT@comcast.net
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Neighbor
to Neighbor
Neighbor to Neighbor addresses the needs of non institutionalized
members of the community (“Care Recipients”)
who have long-term health care needs or disabilities,
allowing them to maintain their independence for as long
as possible by providing non-medical assistance with daily
activities. The objective is to reduce their isolation,
depression, and the poor quality of life that results.
Volunteers
are recruited from the community at large, coalition partners,
and participating congregations. Currently, there are
seventy-three volunteers providing services to sixty-two
Care Recipients.
The
Stratton Foundation is in the second year of a three-year
Focus Grant commitment to fund a new social program for
Care Recipients. Every six weeks, a volunteer transports
his/her Care Recipient to a special event. The grant money
helps pay for entertainment, food, bus transportation
(for example, for a fall tour). This program is different
from the normal interactions between Care Recipients,
and the volunteer in that those meetings are not in a
group. The Stratton Foundation gave Neighbor to Neighbor
the initial grant with the understanding that the organization
would have the time and a successful record of accomplishment
to attract sufficient funding to assume full financial
responsibility for the program after the third year.
A
sampling of events made possible in 2006-7 by the first
focus grant included; spring luncheon and concert by the
Arlington Middle and High School Chorus, Southern Vermont
Art Center lunch and tour, and lunch and dress rehearsal
of “Once Upon a Mattress” at MEMS.
“We
are delighted to be the recipient of a Stratton Foundation
Grant again this year. We are already planning events
for the fall and winter; in addition, this grant will
allow us to do a much anticipated foliage bus trip in
October. As you are aware, these social programs have
been extremely successful, nurturing friendships, building
community and helping to keep our care recipients connected
to each other, their volunteers, and the community at
large.” Kate Coss, September 25, 2007
Kate Coss, Project Director
Neighbor to Neighbor
P.O. Box 226
Manchester Center, VT 05255
802-367-7787
fiaction@sover.net
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Northeast
Organic Farming Association of Vermont
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont received
a grant to expand and document their Farm to School Mentor
Project serving some of the towns eligible for Stratton
Foundation Support. The Farm to School Mentor Project
builds partnerships between schools, farmers, and their
communities through agricultural education. The expected
outcomes are:
•
Youth develop a learning relationship with Vermont farmers,
• Teachers learn that agriculture can be the basis
for multi-disciplinary learning, and
• Farmers realize the educational potential of their
farms and increase marketing opportunities within their
community.
The
program consists of three components:
•
The Farmer Correspondence Program – (participants
include; MEMS, Flood Brook School, Dorset Elementary School,
Fisher Elementary School, for a total of 15 classrooms,
240 students, and 20 farmers.)
• The School Nutrition Program – (Four schools
will develop gardens; The Northshire Day School, The Dorset
Elementary School, MEMS and the Currier School.)
• The Youth Framer Initiative. (Youth Farmer’s
markets will be set up in Dorset and Londonderry, providing
an entrepreneurial opportunity for youth, while attracting
more adults to the market.
Enid
Wonnacott, Executive Director
Abigail Nelson, Ag-Ed Coordinator
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont
P.O. Box 697
Richmond, VT 05477
802-434-4122
www.nofavt.org
Enid Wonnacott elila@sover.net
Abbie Nelson abbienelson@comcast.net
