The Londonderry Monthly
The Londonderry Monthly is available online You can get your copy of The Monthly online from the Town of Londonderry’s website
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Volume 9 Number 8 August 2018
Letter from the Editor:
Fantastic July, I must say. The fireworks at Magic were better than ever!!!(Do I say that
every year?) But it’s true. There were dazzles and bursts I’ve never seen before. It was
INCREDIBLE. Thank you to all who made it happen and especially Magic Mountain
who pulled out all the stops to keep the event happening despite soda fireworks of a
different kind that almost ruined things. The show must go on & it did. I can’t wait for
next year!
As the daughter of two teachers and as a parent – I know the mixed blessings that August
brings. The horror by teachers and students of thinking that summer is more than half
over with back to school sales are already starting, and the joy and anticipation by parents
who can’t find enough for their kids to do all day, every day (on rainy days) shiver with
the thrill of knowing soon enough it will be somebody else’s problem. So far this summer
has been a doozy – extreme heat, some of the most gorgeous summer days and stunning
beauty anybody could ask for, and most recently some much needed rain that is not
letting up. Enjoy folks – it will be over in a flash!
Memorial Park July 4th week.
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Ahhh – the life of the young, happy & innocent – frolicking in the summer. The exact
images I want to think of for all of you and your families this summer. These are the
pictures and memories we all have in our minds from moments past – sometimes decades
old. The kind of images we hold dear and hope to give to our own families and children.
Sadly after this week, not everyone has these blissful images in their minds. I can’t let the
recent spate of horrific accidents and fatalities go without comment. First to bless those
that have passed and offer sympathy to their families, but also to thank all the volunteers
from the Rescue Squad, the Technical Rescue and the Fire Departments for the endless
amount of hours and effort they gave on behalf of our community. They find themselves
a part of grisly circumstances and have to live with those visions every day thereafter.
Please folks, be safe for the rest of this summer season and let’s not give our Rescue &
Fire people any reason to leave the stations. Let us hope they have some time to make
new images to replace the ones they can’t forget.
OK – on to happier thoughts. IT IS NOT TOO LATE! To picnic, swim, see concerts,
watch a sunset, get burnt, mow the lawn, swing in a hammock, stop by the library for a
good read, watch the still very green tomatoes ripen…(my rosemary is glorious for those
of you that care!). You get my point – we live here for a reason – it’s a 4 season
playground – have a great rest of your summer.
Darcy Duval
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INTERVIEW for AUGUST
Our very own Kelly Pajala
Town Clerk & State Representative
Introducing Kelly Pajala – finally! I have been trying to interview Kelly for several
months. Kelly has been working as our Town Clerk (an elected position) for 7 years and
was appointed by Governor Phil Scott to fill the vacated seat in our state capital by Oliver
Olsen in November 2017. She returned home full time from Montpelier after the state
budget passed in June.
Kelly moved here from NJ with her family when she was 11. She attended Burr &
Burton Academy and was then accepted at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.
After a brief stint in Portland OR, Kelly returned to her VT roots, married and had 2
boys: Olav age 11 & Jaakko age 10, collectively referred to as the Vikings. Raising kids
in Vermont is one of the great joys of Kelly’s life. The Vikings are currently learning
beekeeping, gardening & pickling from Kelly’s parents, “Nanny & Steve”. They also
enjoy fishing and skiing with their Dad. With any luck the Vikings are learning about
civic responsibility and community engagement from their Mother.
Kelly was happily ensconced at our Town Hall when Oliver Olsen stepped down mid-term as
House Rep due to personal reasons. The Governor announced he would accept letters of interest
from any Independent who might like to fill the term remaining. Kelly saw an opportunity not
only to broaden her own experience but to also help her community by using her voice in the
capital. She was selected & appointed from the 3 applicants. Kelly hoped to get a better
understanding as to how local town government worked with state government and to access
resources for the larger southern Vermont community. It felt a natural progression for her to
work both as Clerk and Rep. hand in hand, as the State Rep position only calls her to Montpelier
part time, January through May. Her State Rep term ends this year. She has recently announced
her candidacy for the House seat for a 2-year term (2019-2020). She will be on the November
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General election ballot as an Independent. The Representative district is comprised of
Londonderry, Jamaica, Stratton, Weston & Winhall.
Kelly loves her job as Town Clerk over the past 7 years. She loves the work, and the people she
serves – commenting that it is never boring and there is something new happening every day.
She enjoys her colleagues and the camaraderie they share. Tina Labeau, our Town Treasurer
(and May’s interview) has been a rock star as Kelly’s right-hand woman. Tina, Tammy Long,
who has since left the town office and Bonnie Cobb as the Assistant Clerk, and all the other
officials at the Town Office have made it possible to keep the wheels of Londonderry rolling
along so that Kelly can work doubly hard for all of us! If you ask her what she is most excited
about in the Town Clerk’s Office she will tell you it is the addition of roller shelves in the vault
this fall. Who knew that organizing old records could bring so much joy to a person?
Although Kelly officially announced her candidacy for State Representative just days ago, she
will continue to work at both positions with equal amounts of enthusiasm. She believes that
serving the community is not about the notoriety that a campaign can bring, whether running for
Town Clerk or State Rep. It is about serving the people with respect & dignity and using her
skills where she can do the most good. Kelly believes that this is a really special place to live and
the best possible place to grow up. For her, it is worth investing the time and energy to keep it a
special place for everybody. Huzzah to that!
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A few Great Pictures from the Kitchen Dwellers at the
Town Hall
Thank you to everyone who attended Music Monday!!!! It was a blast!
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These lectures are offered at no charge, but please register to attend by calling 824-4343.
Local Author to Discuss
Revolutionary New Health Book About Breathe
Tuesday, August 14th from 2 to 3 pm as well as Tuesday, August 21st from 5:30-6:30,
Neighborhood Connections hosts local author Betsy Thomason who will share the
number one health secret that can bring well-being to all. Thomason’s book, Just Breathe
Out—Using Your Breath to Create a New, Healthier You, is a how-to-breathe guidebook.
This lecture is being offered at two different times to accommodate those who work.
There is no charge to attend, but please call 824-4343 to register.
Just Breathe Out features the BreathOut Dynamic system (BODs), revolutionary
breathing focused on the active, spine-stretching outbreath. Using BODs in daily practice
promotes relaxation as well as strength. If you want to manage stress and pain more
effectively, improve your strength, or perhaps conquer an addiction, learning and using
BODs can help you reach your goals.
Just Breathe Out, the paperback edition, will be for sale at this event. Neighborhood
Connections is a non-profit social services agency located in Londonderry’s Mountain
Marketplace, next to the post office.
Volunteers Needed
for Chocolate Fest August 6th
Experience the Chocolate/Cheese/Chili Fest free of charge by donating your time at
the event. We need volunteers at the gate to hand out plates and silverware, cheese
servers and help at the Silent Auction table. Your help is much appreciated!
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Chocolate/Cheese/Chili Fest Tickets on Sale!
A sample of what you can
taste at the annual festival
MONDAY AUGUST
6th
5-8 pm Hosted by:
The Landgrove Inn
Raffle Tickets are $1 each
or a book of 6 for $5.
Pre-Buy Tickets for $15
$20 at the door
Children over 6 $10
Free Admission for
children under 6
You won't want to miss this preeminent annual
fundraising event for Neighborhood Connections.
Sample cheese, chocolate and chili from some of the
area's top food vendors. As of today, these are the
food angels signed up to participate:
• Ambrosia Chocolates
• Bryant House
• Cellars at Jasper Hill
• Grafton Cheese
• Gringo Jack's
• Inn at Weston
• Landgrove Inn
• North Meadow Farm
• Pan Latin
• Southern Pie Company
• Main Street Coffee and Scoop Shoppe
• Tri-Mountain Lion's Club
• Vermont Country Store
• Vermont Quince Company
• Vermont Shepherd Cheese
• Wantastiquet Londonderry Rotary
• Windham Community Organization
• Windham Hill Inn
• Windham Sweets
There will also be a silent auction, a 50-50 raffle and a
raffle for one of three prizes including dinner for four at
The Landgrove Inn and jewelry from Von Bargen's and
McWayne's Jewelers. Listen to live music and order
beverages from the cash bar.
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2nd Congregational Church News:
2018 LONDONDERRY SENIOR LUNCHES
The Second Congregational Church of Londonderry, UCC, announces the 2018 season of
Senior Lunches. All Senior Lunches will be held at the Church’s Friendship room
beginning at noon on the fourth Thursday of the month. The remaining dates for 2018
are: August 23, September 27, and October 25. All seniors are welcome and encouraged
to bring friends. Families and neighbors can also encourage seniors to attend. There will
be a free will offering.
AUGUST HAPPENINGS AT THE
SOUTH LONDONDERRY FREE LIBRARY On display during the month of August are pastel works by Karol Allen. Karol was
dismayed at the rate we are losing Vermont barns due to time, weather and harsh winters.
She photographed many that were in disrepair and decided to render them in pastels
before they were lost forever. Karol will show some of them as well as other iconic
Vermont landscapes.
Events for Kids:
Wednesday, August 1st – Drop in anytime between 1:30 and 3:30 and Linda will help you
build a string rocket!
Monday, August 6th at 1:30 - Craft a Clown Mask and Tie. There will be music, a story
and a game.
Friday, August 17th - Come on over at 1:30 and do some Cool Jazz Kool Aid Painting
Saturday, August 25th – Come to the Library between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm and go
home with a balloon hat. Turn in your summer reading records and receive a Libraries
Rock! Certificate
Stop by anytime check out a book and pick up a craft to make at home
The Trustees of the Library would like to thank Kurt Hathaway and Precision Plumbers
for their pro-bono work they did on the library’s water system and installing a new
outdoor spigot. Their interest in their local library is very much appreciated.
The new Trustee roster is as follows:
Peter Isakson – President; Barb Wells, VP; Gun Burns , Treas.; Carol Barclay, Sect.
Sherry Clark, Laura Megroz, Marge Malko and Mimi Wright. Trustee meetings are
usually held on the third Thursday of the month and anyone interested is cordially invited
to attend.
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We thank past and present volunteers who take care of daily circulation and other tasks:
BJ Davis, John and Caroline Jopling, Paul Myers, Martha Dale, Josh Fine, Marcia Camp
and others who help out from time to time as needed.
Volunteers would be welcome to help the library get ready for the Peru Fair that will take
place on Saturday, September 22nd. Some muscle is needed to help move book stands to
the site on Friday evening, September 21st. Come over anytime the library is open to help
sort and price books before the event. If you can spare a few hours on that Saturday,
please call the library at 824-3371 and let us know. The Peru Fair is a fun annual event in
our neighborhood with thousands of locals and tourists in attendance.
We have hundreds of used books for sale in our Book Loft. There are really amazing
books in all categories from antique ones to current best sellers. All to be had at very
reasonable prices. There is something for everyone at your wonderful House of Books.
Library entryway in 1996. Stop in and see what it looks like now!
Library hours are: Mondays – 10 to noon & 1 to 5 pm; Wednesdays – 10 to noon, 1 to 5
& 7 to 9; Fridays – 10 to noon & 1 to 5 and on Saturdays we are open 10 am to 1 pm.
See you at the Library! Mary K. Butera, Librarian/Director
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Local Artists' Expo at the Custer Sharp House Labor Day Weekend
The Londonderry Arts and Historical Society has postponed the Local Artist Expo to
August 31 through Columbus Day at the Custer Sharp House, 2461 Middletown Road,
Londonderry. This exhibit showcases the work of regional artists working in all
mediums. There will be an artists' opening reception on August 31, 5-7 PM.
If you would like to exhibit, please contact Garrison Buxton at 917-602-2153 or email
[email protected]. Receiving dates for submissions are Wednesdays and
Thursdays, between 10 AM and 2 PM; Sunday July 29, 2-4; Monday July 30 10-2;
Tuesday July 31, 1:30-7:30, and the last day to drop off is Wednesday August 1st, 2pm.
Artist should provide paperwork with Name, Email, Phone #, Address, and complete list
of work(s). All art must contain information on the back including Artist's Name, Title,
Description of that work, and Price. Art must be hangable, ready to install/ sell.
The Custer Sharp House is the headquarters of the Londonderry Arts and Historical
Society. It is the former home of artists Bernadine Custer and Jimmy Sharp. This Spring
the exhibit space has been improved with new lighting and a display system. "These
upgrades enable us to really showcase our art and “artifacts " says Annie Campbell,
president of LAHS.
The mission of the Londonderry Arts and Historical Society is to be a beacon - helping
people understand the rich history and culture of our little town. Bringing stories of the
past to light. Igniting curiosity and awareness of how earlier Londonderry residents lived
and thrived. Presenting creative works by past and current artists that highlight the rich
cultural dimensions of our area.
Visit the LAHS website for more information on other events and programming:
w: LAHSVT.org.
fb: LondonderryArtAndHistoricalSociety
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THANK YOU ALL FOR A FABULOUS FOURTH OF JULY!!!
WANTASTIQUET ROTARY OF LONDONDERRY
This past Saturday, the Wantastiquet Rotary was out in full force feeding the
post parade participants and viewers. Hamburgs and hot dogs were served.
Many thanks to the community that supported us!
The “Crew” pictured were from left to right, Joel Kuhlberg, Bill Elio, Bill
Fike, President Tom Widger, Buzz Seelet, and Skip Raymond. {Not
pictured Dick Dale and Bob Rice}
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The beginning of the parade:
The end of the parade:
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TRI-MTN LIONS
Londonderry Tri-Mtn Lions are having a busy summer. The winners of the 4th of July
Duck Race, 1st place $150.00, Carol Lechthaler, 2nd place $100.00 Noreen Lenilko, 3rd
place Noreen Lenilko. Thank you to all who participated in this fundraiser.
Our club welcomes two new members: Andie Fusco of Londonderry and Kathy Scott of
Windham.
All monies from our fundraising goes back to the community. We recently donated
$70.00 to Grace Cottage Community Health team for the purchase of two blood pressure
monitors. Other donations include $100.00 to Fireworks and $250 to Music Mondays at
Pingree Park. We are providing rides for local seniors to the monthly Senior Luncheons
in Londonderry. We are also baking cookies for the take home bags for the Seniors.
We are making and serving Vegetarian Chili at the Chocolate, Cheese and Chili Fest on
August 6th, Landgrove Inn, 5pm to 8:00pm.
Our club meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 7:00 at Neighborhood
Connections meeting room. We welcome anyone who is interested to join us.
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Landgrove Meeting House
Dr. Gregory Mobley, Professor, Author and Ordained Minister to Speak at Landgrove
Meeting House Sunday, August 5th at 9:30am
The Landgrove Meeting House is especially pleased to welcome an exciting new
presenter, Dr. Gregory Mobley, who will preside at our 9:30 Sunday service on August
5th. He is a professor, author, and ordained American Baptist Minister with a special
interest in exploring the stories under the layers of the Bible.
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After teaching Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Union Theological Seminary in New
York and Andover Newtown Theological Seminary, he became a Professor of Hebrew
Bible and Congregational Studies at Yale Divinity School in 2017. He is also a widely
accomplished author, who explains:
I want writing about the Bible to be as soulful and idiomatic as the Bible itself.
I write for people like me, who are grateful to be alive and have the gift of
consciousness and will never, never give up their right to think and speak freely.
By the way, everything is holy.
His books include The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil’s Biblical Roots (with T.J.
Wray); Samson and the Liminal Hero in the Ancient Near East; The Return of the
Chaos Monsters –and other backstories of the Bible – in which each story is a variation
on a single theme: the dynamic interplay between order and chaos;
My Neighbor’s Faith – Stories of Interfaith Encounter, Growth and Transformation
(with J, Peace and O. Rose). Among others.
Professor Mobley’s teaching interests include Judges, prophetic literature, Job and
reading the Bible in the light of contemporary sensibilities toward environmental
sustainability. He writes articles and book reviews, teaches courses at YDS on
Interfaith learning, has done archaeological field work in Israel and served as an editorial
assistant on the Dead Sea Scrolls. And there’s more! Which will make for quite a
morning! Do join us for refreshments after the service where lively conversation is
known to break out.
See our complete summer Sunday service schedule at
http://landgrove.vermont.gov/community.html
Article Submission Information If your group or organization has community news to
share, and you would like to submit an article to The Monthly for publication, please
contact us via email at [email protected]. For your reference, our article submission deadline is
the 23rd of each month. Due to space limitations it is up to our discretion to edit any and all submissions
and/or reject submissions. The articles and information enclosed do not necessarily reflect the opinions or
policies of the Town of Londonderry or its board members ************************************************************************
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not submitted your email address, please consider doing so. Your information will not be
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