Tunbridge Quarterly – Town of Tunbridge, Vermont

The TUNBRIDGE Quarterly is mailed four times a year to everyone that owns property and/or resides in Tunbridge and contains news and information from town and school officials and local volunteer efforts. The brainchild of Tunbridge resident Janet Zug, its first edition was published in July 2005 and has been curated by Janet ever since.

The deadlines for TQ entries are on the 15th of December, March, June and September. Contact Janet at 802-889-9602 or zugglassstudio@gmail.com

THE CURRENT ISSUE

Published October 1, 2026 – Follow this link to view or download the current issue in PDF format.

Click here to see past issues.

Tunbridge Selectboard
John O’Brien, Clerk
889-3474; bellwetherfilms@yahoo.com
Gary Mullen, Chair
889-3323, barn or 889-3242, house; theflyingfarmer29@gmail.com
Mike McPhetres, Vice Chair
802-272-6108, cell or 802-728-3390, shop; farmallfix@yahoo.com
Aileen Lem, Administrative Assistant
802-889-5521 or tunbridge.adm.assist@gmail.com

It’s not very often that the last day of the Tunbridge World’s
Fair falls on the last day of summer, but it did this year. So now we’re launched well into autumn and it’s accompanying joys and dreads: harvests, foliage, frosts, Halloween, hunting season, stick season, snow tires season, Thanksgiving.

This Fall will be a busy time for the newly-created Town Garage Committee. Chaired by Selectboard Vice Chair, Mike McPhetres, and filled out by volunteers Rodney Hoyt (Road Crew Chief), Aileen Lem (Administrative Assistant to the Selectboard), as well as Baxter Doty and Jeff Solsaa (keenly interested Tunbridgians), the Committee, working with local architect, Andrew LaRosa, will explore the many options open to the Town of Tunbridge regarding a future home for the Road Crew’s increasingly high-tech equipment—a climate-controlled storage space, a safe and efficient workshop and maintenance space, a place that can be upgraded and adapted over the coming decades. The Committee will do their best to find answers to some of these questions: What does the Road Crew need in a Town Garage over the next 25 or 50 years? What kind of budget are we talking to meet those needs? Should we build an annex building or an entirely new Town Garage and repurpose the current garage? Should the structure be principally made of steel or wood? Of the towns around us with new garages—Chelsea, Vershire, Strafford, Brookfield—whose structure would be a good one to emulate? We do know that delaying planning and building is only going to make the project more expensive; we aim to have our Town Garage “campus” up and running by 2030, and we want make this process transparent and consensus-driven. The Selectboard will carry the findings of the Committee forward to our 2027 Town Meeting, with recommendations and real numbers. We look forward to a lively discussion.

One season we forgot to mention above is “Budget Season.” This begins for the Selectboard in late October or early November and ends in early January, when we finalize the Fiscal Year 2027/2028 budget recommendation (Our FY runs from July 1st to June 30th). That annual budget, printed up in the Town Report, will be voted on at our March 2027 Town Meeting. While the current Selectboard is a frugal bunch, here are two examples of increased spending that illustrate how difficult it is to level-fund budgets:

1. Inflation. Last year, road salt was $95 a ton. This year, our supplier, Cargill, is charging $116.50 a ton. No competitor is going beat that price. Whether it’s salt, diesel, or sand, material prices tend to creep up, year after year. All we can do is pay more for the same amount of material—and keep our roads in excellent shape—or change our policy, and decrease our plowing, sanding and salting coverage over very unpredictable winters and mud seasons.

2. Fairness. The Selectboard recently voted to establish an $800 stipend for the Tunbridge Forest Fire Warden, a position ably carried out by Brenda Field for over five decades. Previously, the state’s Department of Forests, Parks and Rec ponied up an annual Scrooge-like $30 stipend for the appointed position, but now they’ve decided that Vermont municipalities should cover that cost. We arrived at the $800 figure because it aligned with the annual stipends we pay for other appointed positions, like Health Officer and Constable. We could beg Brenda to continue on for nothing or next to nothing — and she probably would for a year or two — but we need to reasonably fund the position, post-Brenda’s retirement, and a commensurate stipend is the least we can do to show our appreciation for such remarkable public service.

One innovation to our coming budget would be list all the grant monies we are awarded every year, our town’s “match,” and how much we saved taxpayers. Whitney, Bicknell, Dickerman, Hanson, and Kibling Hill, are all roads that witnessed grant-paid culvert or ditching work this year. And energy efficiency upgrades—HVAC and electrical—are continuing at our venerable Town Offices Building and Town Hall, all grant funded. If there’s “free” money out there, at the state or federal level, our Grants Manager, Maryann Caron, will find it.

The TUNBRIDGE Quarterly
Janet Zug 889-9602 zugglassstudio@gmail.com

All TQ Entries are printed as received and only edited for typos or space constraints. Please accept my apologies for any mistakes I miss or make! Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or suggestions.

The deadline dates for TQ entries are the 15th of December, March, June and September.

Tunbridge Town Clerk
Bonnie McCrillis, Clerk 889-5521
Jan Fifield, Asst Clerk town.clerk@tunbridgevt.org
Hours: Monday & Wednesday 8-2 Thursday by appointment

It is Tunbridge Fair time! I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Fair weekend filled with sunshine, good food, and time with family and friends. Only 14 or less Fridays till Christmas.

Primary Voting Day was a success, and I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mariah Cilley and everyone who helped make the day run smoothly. Your support and guidance were greatly appreciated.

We are now preparing for the General Election. Ballots will be mailed by the State beginning September 21. If you have not received your ballot by mid-October, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at (802) 889-5521. Remember, voted ballots can be returned early to the office or placed in the secure drop box outside the Town Office.

Before we know it, we will be into Town Meeting season!

Please contact our office if you need something on the days, we are closed. Please give us a couple days’ notice so we can be available.

As always, thank you for your patience and support. It is a privilege to serve the residents of Tunbridge. Enjoy the beautiful fall season, and I look forward to seeing many of you around town.

Better Bones
Kay Jorgensen – 889-5528, kjayvt@gmail.com

Better Bones balance and weight-bearing exercise program is offered at the Town Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. It is aimed at increasing bone density at an age when bone mass is lost and osteoporosis is a concern. Anyone can drop in for a session. A doctor’s permission is requested for those who continue with the program.

Chelsea Area Senior Center
Susan Pirie, 685-2290, chelseaseniorcenter@gmail.com

In addition to offering Meals on Wheels and Curbside pick-up, the Chelsea Area Senior Center is open for indoor dining on Mondays at 12:00 pm. Please call to make a reservation to eat indoors, for curbside pick up, and also for Meals on Wheels.

First Branch Ambulance
Barbara LaFrancis 889-3378

Fall is upon us, Tunbridge Fair has gone by, and the projects/chores to get done before winter are ahead.

**NEW WEBSITE** www.fba911.com

The web site above was created earlier this year for First Branch Ambulance. Log on, look around. read about FBA. Find phone numbers, e- mail contacts, addresses, programs FBA provides, applications to join our dedicated team, and the ability to make donations to FBA among them.

**As always, IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911**

For those of you who may not have computer access and need to correspond with FBA, you may reach First Branch Ambulance by using the following:

Non-emergency Questions: 1-802-685-3112

By mail: First Branch Ambulance P O Box 74 Chelsea, VT. 05038

Physical Address: First Branch Ambulance 324 VT. Rte 110 Chelsea

First Branch Ambulance gives a big thank you to everyone who visited our booth and the people who volunteered in the booth during Tunbridge Fair. We appreciate the support of our communities and the fairs many visitors who support our cause. Whether it was to try their luck, say thank you, give comments or suggestions, we were glad to see you. It enables FBA to serve our communities efficiently.

We continue recruiting efforts to find qualified people or people who are interested in training to join our dedicated team. If you are interested or know someone who might be call the station at 802-685-3112 to talk to Chase or Liz. Or go to our website at fba911.com and complete an application, print and mail in

911 red house markers are available for a small donation of $20 by contacting Judy Tucker at 802-889-3305 or judytucker40@yahoo.com. These markers are important in helping FBA locate you easier and faster if/when you call us. Please place them in a prominent place to be seen.

FBA hopes you have a happy, healthy Fall and Holiday Season.

Tunbridge Board of Listers
Dan ‘rudi’ Ruddell, Aileen Lem, 802-889-3571 ext. 103
(lister@tunbridgevt.org) Office hours: Tuesday & Friday 9am-3pm

Greetings from the Listers’ Office! We hope you enjoyed the 154th Tunbridge Fair and are settling into a beautiful start to fall.

Since our last Quarterly, Chris Battcock stepped down as a Tunbridge Lister to take on a new role as a District Advisor with Vermont Property Valuation and Review. We are grateful for all she has done for the town and wish her well in this new position. Her experience and knowledge are especially valuable during this time of enormous and rapid change in property assessment. If you or someone you know might be interested in serving as a Lister, please contact us for more information.

Homestead Declarations may be filed through October 15, 2026, although late fees and penalties will apply. Revised tax bills will be issued when a late Homestead Declaration changes the amount owed. Property taxes are due November 2, 2026.

For the 2027 Grand List, our rotational review will focus on properties in the northeast quadrant of town. As part of this process, we typically update exterior photographs and contact property owners to see whether any changes have been made. We also appreciate hearing from property owners whenever significant improvements, additions, or other changes occur, regardless of where the property is located. In some cases, substantial changes may call for an interior inspection.

Our annual “As-is” assessment date for the 2027 Grand List is April 1, 2027. Changes made after April 1 will be reflected on the 2028 Grand List. The Abstract of the Grand List will then be lodged in early June, and notices will be mailed to property owners whose assessments have changed. Grievance hearings are held no fewer than 14 days after the Grand List is lodged. Property owners may appeal their assessments during the grievance period.

In 2025, Tunbridge signed a contract with the New England Municipal Resource Center (NEMRC) to conduct a town-wide reappraisal, the first since 2010. The reappraisal is scheduled to begin in July 2028 and conclude with the lodging of the Grand List in June 2030.

A town-wide reappraisal updates property values to reflect current market conditions and helps ensure that properties throughout town are assessed consistently. The amount of municipal taxes to be raised is determined at Town Meeting, while education taxes are set by the state. The tax rate is calculated by dividing the total taxes to be raised by the total assessed value of all taxable property in town. Because the tax rate changes as the total assessed value changes, an increase in your property’s assessed value does not necessarily mean an increase in your tax bill.

We continue to work on updates to the town’s digital parcel maps for inclusion in the Vermont Parcel Viewer and expect to complete these updates in September or October. Please visit our webpage for maps and additional information: https://tunbridgevt.org/board-of-listers/

Tunbridge Town Treasurer
Becky Hoyt – 889-3571 treasurer@tunbridgevt.org

Tax bills are out! Please take a moment to look over your tax bill and make sure the information is correct. If something doesn’t look right or you have a question, please contact the Treasurer’s Office sooner rather than waiting until the due date.

Property taxes are due Monday, November 2, 2026. November 1 falls on a Sunday this year, so the due date moves to Monday.

Payments can be made by cash or check, and credit card payments are available both online and in the Treasurer’s Office. Please keep in mind that credit card payments include a processing fee of approximately 3%. This fee is charged by the credit card processor and does not go to the Town.

New Transfer Station clings are here! This is our first year using the new windshield cling system, and we appreciate everyone’s patience while we work out what works best for our community. Remember to remove the clear protective film from your cling before placing it inside the lower passenger-side windshield.

If you are a renter and need a Transfer Station cling, please bring some form of proof of residency to the Treasurer’s Office and I will be happy to issue one. Likewise, if you are a property owner with tenants who need clings, please have them contact me so we can get them what they need.

If your household regularly uses more than one vehicle and sharing one cling is impractical, or if your cling has been lost or damaged, please reach out. This first year is a learning process, and your questions are helping us figure out what works and what needs to be clearer going forward.

Tunbridge Library
Mariah Lawrence – Library Director
802-889-9404/tunbridgelibrary@gmail.com/tunbridgelibrary.org
Tues 10-5, Wed 3-6, Thurs 10-5, Fri 3-6, Sat 9-1
Staff ~ Maureen Moriarty, Theresa FitzGerald, Russell Lewczuk-Jensen

The library is proud and excited to announce The First Branch Reads Project! This is a three-year collaborative literacy initiative serving children in Chelsea and Tunbridge. Funded by the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF), the project brings local partners together to provide children and families with free, brand-new books; fun and interactive events; and ongoing opportunities to build and sustain a lasting culture of literacy in the community. Looking ahead we will host our first book giveaway and kickoff event on the first day of the Aftershcool Program October 7th at 3:15pm.

Speaking of our afterschool program, don’t forget to sign your kids up for our four week afterschool program this fall. Emily Howe will teach dance fitness, Elaine Howe will teach cooking, Mariah will teach nature crafts, Russell will teach Rooted Rolls and we will offer the always popular LEGO club! Sign ups are on the website.

Looking ahead to the new year the library will continue its regularly scheduled programs. The library hosts a monthly knitting group which meets the first Tuesday of every month. This group welcomes fiber artists of all abilities. The library also hosts “Shelf Love” , our book club led by Kathi Terami, one Friday a month. Look to our website for specific dates as it shifts throughout the year.

The library has set up a Community Blood Pressure Station thanks to The American Heart Association and town nurse Jody Hoyt. Patrons are welcome to come in and monitor their blood pressure or check out a monitor to bring home. Jody will be available by appointment to assist anyone wanting extra help.

The library will continue to host Friday game nights with Russell. October 3rd and the first Saturday of every month for the rest of the year the library will host a Magic the Gathering Draft! Please RSVP if you would like to participate. Experienced and beginners welcome!

Qigong continues Mondays at 9:30am with Catherine Freese. This is a well established group and they also welcome any newcomers! No experience necessary.

The library hosts Story Hour every Thursday 10:30-11:30 where babies-7 year olds and their caregivers are invited to play, snack, sing, and of course read together! During playgroup on the third Thursday of the month this fall the library will welcome Alanna Birch with her program The Family Herbalist: 3 Herbs for 3 Everyday Health Needs. Come ready to learn some skills to keep your family healthy. All are welcome!

As you can see the library is full of ways to get to know your neighbors!

Friends of the Tunbridge World’s Fair
Deb Mullen – 889-9406 damullen49@gmail.com

Hello, Friends! Hard to believe, but Fairtime is HERE as of this writing! If you haven’t had a chance to get to know us either through our booth in the Dodge Gilman building or from our previous posts in the TQ, here’s a little about what we do:

The Friends of the Tunbridge World’s Fair was created as a way for more folks to participate in the Fair experience and to support the very best of what the Fair stands for: agricultural education and heritage, rural communities, and Vermont history. Our goal is to preserve the past while preparing for the needs of the future. We raise money to support projects that enhance the Fair, whether it is improving exhibition spaces, expanding public access, or funding programming.

You can be a part of the Fair legacy by joining us in our mission! Our most recent project is visible on Antique Hill (year ‘round, in case you missed it at the Fair): the “Up-and-Down Sawmill” building, the original of which started life on the banks of the river in South Royalton in the 19th century. The building now houses much of the cider-making equipment; thanks to donations collected by the Friends, it has a new foundation and is no longer in danger of sliding down the hill onto the track.

The Friends are a 501c3 non-profit and your donations are tax-deductible (and very much appreciated!). If you feel you have skills or ideas that would add to the quality of the Fair experience, we’d like to hear from you! We are always looking for new members, and active individuals to join our board of directors. If you are interested please contact Deb Mullen at 802 889-9406 for more information.

Tunbridge Town Hall Shindigs
Janet Zug – 802-738-9602 shindigsvt@hotmail.com www.shindigsvt.com

The Shindigs dance series is held from Nov. – April, always on the first Saturdays of the month, except January. Last year I skipped New Years’ Eve. I may do it this year, but haven’t booked it yet. If so, it will be advertized on FB, the list serves, the Herald and posters locally.

All Shindigs are held from 7-10pm, doors open at 6:30. The cover charge is $15. at the door. Please send an email if you want to be added to the email update list. All the funds collected, above the cost to rent the hall and insurance, are paid to the band.

The Tunbridge Town Hall offers a large dance floor upstairs and a quieter space for visiting downstairs. All are welcome to bring your own food and beverages. It’s a pack-it-in, pack-it-out event, everyone is encouraged to bring what you want for the evening and then leave no trace. Please do not attend if you’re feeling ill or are potentially contagious.

• Nov. 7- DSM-5
High energy, 5 piece cover band blending rock, blues, soul and country favorites into a fun and electrifying musical experience!
• Dec. 5 – Something Reckless
All your favorite dance tunes featuring Classic rock, 90’s hits, and Country.
• Feb. 6 – Moovus Wayopus
Playful, groove-forward mix of roots, blues, rock ’n’ roll, and adventurous jams with infectious energy and a sense of fun.
• March 6 – Soul Porpoise
This funky soul drenched band will move your body with airtight grooves.
• April 3 – The Party Crashers
Motown to modern pop. High energy, soul filled music for all generations.

If you like to dance, you’ll love the Shindigs!

Tunbridge Area Events List
Bill Tarkulich bill@tarkulich.com, phone 781-799-2930

The events list is updated every two weeks, year ‘round. Go to this web address https://tinyurl.com/Tunbridge-60 Any day, any time and you will always find the latest events listed. There are also paper copies at the library, at the town offices and on the bulletin boards.

Tunbridge Volunteer Fire Department
Jamie Bradford – 802-889-3478

October 04-10, 2026 is Fire Prevention week. Each year during Fire Prevention Week there is a theme, this year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home!” This theme will focus on the safe purchase, charging, and recycling of lithium-ion batteries. The Fire Department is happy to answer any questions you may have around this topic.

Please remember that it is important to check your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and have your chimneys cleaned and your furnaces serviced this time of year. Mark your calendars to replace your detectors batteries every time you turn the clocks back and then again when you set your clocks ahead. The Fire Department can be reached by email tunbridge.fire@gmail.com to help with any of your fire safety and prevention questions.

The Fire Department hopes that everyone that was able to attend had an enjoyable and safe time at the Tunbridge World’s Fair this year. We appreciate everyone’s continued support with the coin drop. This is the Fire Departments biggest fundraiser and we are grateful that we are able to hold this fundraiser each year. If you were not able to make the coin drop this year but would like to donate, please visit the departments Facebook page. All donations are greatly appreciated.

As always the Fire Department is looking for volunteers, if you are interested in joining the department, helping fundraise, or looking for more information, reach out to Simon Bradford at tunbridge.fire@gmail.com.

Tunbridge Community Discussion List
Fred Pond – 802-476-5520, pondfc@yahoo.com

The Tunbridge Community Discussion List provides easy access to your neighbors, without gathering personal data for reuse as social media sites do constantly.

TCDL supports discussion on topics specific to Tunbridge. Interested in local events, new services, news? Perhaps you would like to discuss a local issue with your fellow residents, or offer some local ‘lore’, or sell some cattle.

All you need is an email account to receive daily mailings – sent first thing in the morning.

To sign up and learn more about posting guidelines, visit:
https://lists.vitalcommunities.org/lists/info/tunbridge

Tunbridge Conservation Commission
Eliza Minnucci, secretary – eliza.minnucci@gmail.com
Chair: Cheryl Metcalf, Treasurer: Mali’o Kodis
Peter Hayden, Linda Clark, Tess Mix, Stewart Fisher, Bryan Kalleberg

Recent activities of your Conservation Commission include hosting a Moth Night in collaboration with Fledgling Farm. Cheryl Metcalf set up a screen and high-powered lamp and was able to identify numerous moths along with many awed community members. We are grateful to Evan Reiss for hosting this annual event, as well as for his years of membership and leadership on our Commission. His term has ended and we extend our gratitude for his service and cheer on his continued participation in conservation, agriculture and community-building. Thanks, Evan!

In September we hosted an invasive species workshop. We looked at many of the usual suspects: honeysuckle, barberry, autumn olive, knotweed, bittersweet, multiflora rose, burning bush, and buckthorn. There is interest in our community in hosting work days to address invasive species. In a world where multiflora rose threatens pasture take-over, a ragtag crew of Tunbridge residents emerge from the fog, armed with loppers, weed wrenches and nothing to lose. Would you like to join this team of flor-avengers? Drop us a line.

When we searched the river for a site for our annual clean-up, there was not a section to be found that merited our usual group of 10-15 volunteers. This is a problem we can celebrate! Over the last three years we’ve taken 133+ tires, yards of scrap metal and agricultural plastic, an ATV and a bicycle out of the river. Where should we focus our river clean up efforts next? Survey at www.bit.ly/tunriver

Planning for our Winter Evenings series is underway. We’d love to hear your suggestions of conservation or natural history topics or speakers we should consider for our cozy library talks in 2027.

The Tunbridge Conservation Commission meets monthly, hosts 10+ events annually, collaborates with the Trails and Forest Committee, advises the Selectboard and considers topics of community concern. We benefit from full and diverse commission membership, and we have a spot for one more! Consider attending a meeting (first Thursdays, 6pm, Tunbridge Public Library) to determine if formally joining our Commission might be a good fit.

We post information on the Tunbridge town website, and on facebook: TunbridgeVTConservationCommission and instagram:
@tunbridgeconservation.

You can email us at tunbridgeconservation@gmail.com

Friends of the Tunbridge Library
Donna Nelson, Treasurer 802-249-0969 donnanelsonvt@gmail.com; Elaine Howe, President 802-889-5560 elaineahowe@gmail.com; VP- we need one !;Maureen Moriarty, Secretarymemor360@gmail.com; Kay Jorgensen, Editor 802-889-5528

The Friends of Tunbridge Library gives a big “thank you” to our community for making the Memorial Day bake sale ( it sold out, we do love our goodies), used book, gift, and card sales, such a success. We raised more than $1,000 to help finish the renovations of the Underground store.

Speaking of the Underground store, since last fall the Friends have spent $19,000 (that’s a lot of $1 books and $1 cards!) to finish the exterior (inside) wall with sheetrock, add other sheetrock walls, hang new lighting and a drop ceiling, built a closet to enclose equipment wires and paint. We still have to do more sheetrock and painting to finish the project.

The Friends along with our Recreation Department put on the Town Meeting dinner with its array of donated pies. Feel free to don a green library apron and join in the fun of setting up tables and serving our community.

In the past, the Friends have also provided funds for summer reading programs, provided banners and signs for events, bought equipment such as phones, coffee/tea pots and contributed $1,000 to $10,000 yearly to the town library’s operating fund.

The Underground store is open during library hours and is always getting in new used books, gifts & greeting cards for all occasions. Prices range from 50 cent books to 50 % off gifts, $1 greeting cards, $1 DVD’s & CD’s. Donations of books to sell are always welcome. Arrangements can be made for large collections.

Everyone who visits the library is considered a “friend” and is welcome to attend our meetings, which are held about three times a year. We hope (need) you will join us and share your talents.

Ed Larkin Contra Dancers
Clyde Jenne – clydo46@gmail.com

The Ed Larkin Contra Dancers host Contra Dancing twice a month at the Tunbridge Town Hall, Weather permitting.

October 9 at 7:00 PM
October 25 at 2:00 PM
November 13 at 7:00 PM
No dances in December

Tunbridge Affordable Housing: A Community Land Trust
Betsy Gaiser betsygaiser@gmail.com
Janet Wells wellsjanet505@gmail.com

Mission statement: Our mission is to care for our neighbors and strengthen our community by creating permanently affordable housing and access to community owned land.

Affordable housing means housing that is affordable to its occupants based on their income and household size. According to the Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development “the greatest current housing needs in Vermont include older adults looking to downsize, young families who need more space, and young professionals who are looking to purchase their first home.” TAH hopes to purchase property in Tunbridge that can be modified to meet these needs.

TAH has established an EIN and is pursuing 501C3 tax-exempt status. The Tunbridge Select Board endorses and supports TAH, but understands that the town is under no obligation fund projects. The proposed purchase of a property in North Tunbridge was supported by the Select Board and would be funded through grants and private donations.

Future meetings will be publicized so that community members can give input as any proposed project moves forward.

We welcome community participation with the goal of improving housing for all Tunbridge residents.

Tunbridge Area Cats, TNVR Program
Janet Zug – 802-738-9602 zugglassstudio@gmail.com

This Trap-Neuter(&spay)-Vaccinate-Return program for has been created to humanely manage our local free roaming/homeless cat population.

Captured cats that are feral are returned to the location where they were trapped after being fixed and vaccinated for rabies. If they are friendly, I work to find homes for them. Cats that are offered for adoption are neutered/spayed, vaccinated for rabies and RCCP, tested for Felv/FIV, and microchipped. Other treatments may be administered on an individual basis.

Thirty nine cats were captured since the last TQ. of those, 21 were socialized and have been adopted into homes. The rest were feral or semi-feral and were returned to the property where they were trapped and have caretakers; folks that provide food and offer them some kind of shelter, not inside their home.

Donations can be made online at www.tunbridgevt.org/Tunbridge_Area_Cats. Checks may be mailed to the Town of Tunbridge at P.O. Box 6, please make sure to note that it’s for the Cats, so it goes into the correct fund

Tunbridge Community Food Shelf
Open Fridays, 4-5 p.m.
802-693-5878 (please leave a message)

Fall is in the air, especially noticeable on recent mornings. With the advent of cold weather, we worry about our community members who are balancing increased heating costs this winter, with providing their families with sufficient healthy foods during these uncertain times. The Food Shelf is here to help. We purchase items from the Vermont Food Bank, and have a decent supply of pasta and sauce, canned vegetables and fruits, condensed soup, cereal, other packaged foods, as well as some meat. We anticipate receiving eggs in the near future from the food bank as well. We also have a somewhat limited amount of pet food, and some cleaning supplies, ie.dish detergent, etc.

We encourage you to stop by and see what is available. The Food Shelf is run by a separate committee, with the space provided by The Tunbridge Church in their parish house, which is across from the town offices and the church. We are open every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00. All visits are totally confidential. There are no restrictions on who uses the food shelf. We require that you let us know the number of adults and children in your home. This is a requirement of the VT Food Bank for their records only.

Additionally, we will again be providing backpacks with food items for local families. Last year we packed 8-12 back packs per week. These fed approximately 50 people during the school year. If you are interested in this program, please contact the Tunbridge School. The school nurse will supply the program information. The program is carried out by our volunteers, but is totally confidential.

As weather gets colder and frost sets in, we close down our outdoor food pantry. Fall temperatures will determine when that happens. We are very appreciative of all the community support we received this summer. You have been very generous with donations of surplus vegetables from your gardens, as well as herbs, and a wealth of other gently used items. Thank you.

Unfortunately, the only safe time to drop off food once very cold weather occurs is during the Food Shelf hours, Fridays 4:00 to 5:00. We welcome food donations. As always financial donations are welcome at any time. Please send checks to our treasurer, Mary Fisk at PO Box 12, Tunbridge 05077. Stay well and healthy this coming season.

Tunbridge Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Claire Brock – 889-3785 clairebrock53@gmail.com
For TNHN services call 889-3437

Tunbridge Neighbors Helping Neighbors coordinates and provides basic services at no charge to town residents through the efforts of volunteers. We are a non-profit organization whose operating costs (primarily phone service) are supported by the generosity of Tunbridgians who allocate funds at Town Meeting, and by donations, which may be sent to TNHN, P.O.Box 22, Tunbridge VT 05077.

A few of the services offered by TNHN are:

Rides to appointments, etc.
Pick up of prescriptions or other store goods
Cooking meals for people who are ill or otherwise unable to cook for a short period of time
Minor repairs or painting, minor home repairs, changing a lock**
Changing a flat tire or jump-starting a car
Simple repairs to household appliances**
Helping to lift or move large objects
Delivery of library books or Food Shelf items
Help with gardening, lawn care, or stacking firewood
Shoveling snow off walkways and steps
Other reasonable requests

**Please note: Cost of materials needed falls on the person requesting help.

Services provided by volunteers in recent months included rides to appointments, (doctors, dentists, etc), bringing trash and recycling to the transfer station, helping the town nurse at the medical equipment closet, delivering food shelf items, picking up a prescription, helping replace a pool pump, and providing assistance capping an appliance water line.

Anyone needing a service offered by TNHN should call 802-889-3437. We do our best to find a volunteer who is available for the specific request at the specific date and time. We cannot guarantee same-day rides or services. To join our list of volunteers, please contact any of the board members listed below or call 802-889-3437. We respect and value your willingness to help your neighbors.

Current board members: Michael O’Donnell, President 802-763-8985; Claire Brock, Vice President 802-889-3785; Liz Williams, Secretary 617-435-9661; Donna Nelson, Treasurer 802-249-0969; Pat Howe 802-889-5512; Helen O’Donnell 802-763-8985

Friends of First Branch School Club
Eliza Minnucci, Laura Ginsburg, Kayla Thibault
friendsoffirstbranch@wrvsu.org

The Friends of First Branch Schools is an informal group of
educators, families and community members who volunteer and fundraise to support and celebrate the students and staff of our schools.

We started the year off celebrating our staff with gifts for their years of service. All staff received hats, those with five years of service received insulated mugs, those with ten received canvas totes, fifteen years of service was recognized with embroidered vests. We have several staff members with over twenty years of service and they received gift certificates to a local business of their choice. Of special note, Penny Lewis has been working for our school for 34 years, Lily Twombly for 35. We were so pleased to be able to show our deep gratitude for their commitment to our children.

We have purchased a pop-up tent with our middle school cross country team in mind. Cross country has been a steady if small crew for many years, but is now showing a surge in popularity with 25 runners, some right in the top of the field for middle school runners across the state. We are glad to support their hard work and give them a nice home base at their meets.

Our first fundraiser of the year is at the Brooks Hubbard Concert at Fieldstone Farm, October 3. We hope to see many of you there. We’ll serve you a great dinner and Brooks will provide the entertainment.

We’ll soon have First Branch Schools winter hats for sale, just in time for colder weather. Keep an eye out for those soon.

Volunteer opportunities come up throughout the year. If you’d like to be on our email list to stay in the loop, please contact us at the email address above.

FrontPorchForum.com
The Tunbridge Forum

Sign up to join the free daily forum and share news, coming events, requests, lost and found, free stuff, whatever. The service started 13 years ago. In a recent month the Tunbridge email forum reached local inboxes 15,600 times. It is also available via mobile app, email, and web.

Tunbridge Historical Society
Maureen Moriarty 401-662-5341
vicepresident@tunbridgehistoricalsocvt.org

Hot off the presses!! The 2026 edition of the very popular Folk Life book has been printed and is now available for sale. Under the able leadership and direction of Elaine Howe and Elise Gabriel, the team has produced another wonderful set of interviews with long time Tunbridge residents. The THS held a kickoff brunch honoring both this year’s and last year’s interviewees at the Tunbridge Library on August 23. Everyone had a wonderful time catching up with their fellow “long timers”! The books can be purchased now at the Library, the North Tunbridge Store, and the Tunbridge General Store.

Like last year, posters were printed up with pictures and quotes of each interviewee. They were on display in Heritage Hall during the World’s Fair and will be displayed again in the library later this year. The posters from last year are also on display in the library.

The THS annual meeting was held at the North Tunbridge location on August 16 and was followed by a potluck supper. Accomplishments this year included the painting of the outside of North Tunbridge Church as well as the labor of love scraping and painting of the shutters. We are now looking for someone to assist us with re-installing those shutters. If you know of anyone with the skills to do this work, please let Izzy know.

The Historical Society will be hosting a luncheon on October 10 for the VT Covered Bridge Society. As many people know, Tunbridge has a wonderful collection of covered bridges and has the second highest number of these bridges in Vermont. This summer the THS offered a bus tour of our covered bridges in which Izzy Provoncha gave a running commentary on the structures themselves, their uses, their ages and more. The bus tours are extremely popular and we plan to run another one next summer. Topic to be determined.

Our last events for 2026 will be the Ghost Walk on October 18 and the Haunted Trails on October 23 and 24. The Ghost Walk has been moved to the Hutchinson Cemetery on Howe Lane with a 1:00pm start. The Haunted Trails at Landgoes Farm, on Moody Road (off of Strafford Road), is our most popular and successful fund-raising event each year. Emily and John and their howlingly scary team of volunteers put together an amazing “Fright Night” for local families. We are always in need of more volunteers, goblins and ghouls included, contact Emily at emilylouisehowe@yahoo.com.

Fern Strong president@tunbridgehistoricalsocvt.org
Maureen Moriarty vicepresident@tunbridgehistoricalsocvt.org
Izzy Provoncha treasurer@tunbridgehistoricalsocvt.org
Elaine Howe secretary@tunbridgehistoricalsocvt.org
Lydia Flanagan Tunbridgevthistorical@gmail.com

The Tunbridge Church
802-693-5878, thetunbridgechurch@gmail.com

The Tunbridge Church has resumed 10 a.m. Sunday worship services in Tunbridge Village after holding summer services at the South Tunbridge Methodist and North Tunbridge Baptist churches.

Community members are welcome at all Sunday services and other programs, especially Trunk or Treat on Halloween and the Christmas Eve service. Coming events on the church calendar included
• Monthly third Thursdays, Women Moving Forward potluck meal for women alone, 12 p.m. at the Parish House
• Oct. 27, Senior Celebration Lunch, Town Hall, 12 p.m.
• Oct. 31, Trunk or Treat on the fairgrounds or Town Hall if bad weather. All community members are invited to have a “trunk,” decorated or not, and all children are invited from 4-6 p.m. Details will be posted on the Tunbridge Facebook pages.
• Nov. 21, delivery of Thanksgiving treats bags for senior and homebound residents
• Nov. 29, First Sunday of Advent with carol singing and church decorating, 10 a.m. Rev. Kirsty De Pree will lead this and all Advent services through Christmas Eve.
• Dec. 21, winter Solstice Service of Light, a time of remembrance and reflection, 7 p.m.
• Dec. 24, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols, 7 p.m.

Reverend DePree, Rev. Skye Murray, Katie Walsh and Theresa Lever will lead the Sunday services until Advent.

During the summer the church hosted a Community Ice Cream Social and a senior meal. The Parish House lawn was used by nonprofits on Memorial Day and by vendors at a July yard sale. The outdoor food pantry at the creche featured produce from the garden at the Parish House and donations from local gardeners.

The indoor Tunbridge Community Food Shelf is open Fridays from 4-5 p.m. in the Parish House. The house is also open for Al-Anon meetings on Mondays at 4 p.m. and AA meetings on Sundays at 7 p.m. Town groups are welcome to contact the church about Parish House availability for meetings.

Most services are streamed and recorded via Zoom. Go to tunbridgechurch.org for Zoom. Previous services can be found at the Index to Services link. You can also follow the church on Facebook. To receive the weekly email news, email or call, the contact info above.

The church welcomes support of its programs by credit card/PayPal through the “Donate” button at tunbridgechurch.org or at PO Box 270, Tunbridge VT 05077.

Tunbridge Heating Fuel Assistance Committee
Contact our Treasurer 889-3571, ext 102 treasurer@tunbridgevt.org

Don’t get left out in the cold.

You don’t have to read the news to know that prices have gone up a lot in the past months and years. Fuel costs have gone up faster than just about anything. You might not know that Tunbridge has a group of people that are dedicated to helping you get what you need for the coming winter. The Tunbridge Fuel Assistance Committee has been revived and is ready to help.

Are you concerned about how you are going to afford fuel in the coming winter? Let us help you find the resources you need starting now – it’s not too early!

The cold will come sooner than we think, so please do not wait until the situation becomes overwhelming. To get the best benefit, we encourage you to reach out as soon as you can. We would love to hear from you, we are eager to help, and there is no downside to contacting us: we can guarantee that all personal information is kept strictly confidential.

If you would like to get started on your own, you can reach out to Capstone Community Action. They offer a variety of programs for households that meet income eligibility guidelines. Capstone can be reached at 802 728-9506 or 800 846-9506, or you can visit their website at capstonevt.org. To ensure maximum benefits for heating the heating season. You should apply between July 15 and Aug. 31. However, applications are accepted from July 1 to the end of February.

Tunbridge Fuel Assistance is a grant-based service available to Tunbridge residents and is funded entirely through the generosity of community members. Every donation helps a neighbor stay warm and safe during winter months. If you are able, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support this important community resource. No gift is too small, and every dollar stays in our community to help residents in need.

Donations may be made directly to the Town Treasurer or mailed to Town Treasurer, P.O. Box 6, Tunbridge VT 05077. “Fuel Assistance Donation” in the subject line.

Whether you are in a place you could use some help or you would like to give some help, taking action makes the whole community stronger. Together, we can help ensure that all Tunbridge residents have a warm and safe home throughout the heating season.

Committee Members: Rebecca Hoyt, Anne Mallary, Helen O’Donnell, Ben Wolfe, Shari Murawski, Gary Mullen, and Tory Milstonedential.

Tunbridge World’s Fair
Ingrid VanSteamburg – 889-5555. info@tunbridgeworldsfair.com

The Tunbridge World’s Fair had another good year despite a soggy start and finish! The Board of Directors hope fairgoers & exhibitors enjoyed the continued Wifi coverage, additional ATMs, the ability to use credit/debit cards at the gates and the new Floral Hall bathrooms. Congratulations go out to all the award winners – job well done! The top Tunbridge winners in champion classes include Charlotte Aiken, Tiffany Bates, Morgan Caron, Ruth A. Hall, Hattie Hoyt, Channa Howe, Lucy Howe, Sylvia Johnson, John W. McClain, Whitney McClain, Darlene Miller, and Emily Reiss.

The final event for the 2026 season is The VT Sheep & Wool Festival on October 3rd & 4th. Please call or email the fair soon to check on availability for storing your camper, boat, car, etc. for the winter ahead. We hope you enjoyed the events on the grounds this year, and we are already booking events for 2026.

Qigong Mondays
Catherine Freese – 889-9410. freesevt@gmail.com

Stop by the library any Monday morning from 9:30-10:15 to practice simple exercises that combine movement, breath and focus to create good health. There is no charge and no experience is necessary–just a desire to strengthen joints, improve balance and sharpen mental faculties.

The hardest thing about Qigong is pronouncing it (chee-gung); the rest is easy!

Tunbridge Town Website
Geoff Hansen, 802-889-3373, or info@geoffhansen.com

Tunbridge’s town website is a timely resource for information from the Town Clerk, board meetings (including videos of meetings via Zoom), an Events Calendar listing upcoming meetings and community events, and past issues of the Tunbridge Quarterly. Please let us know if there’s something you would like to see listed or have any questions.

Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD)
Aileen Lem, Board of Supervisors Rep. – a.leen.lem@gmail.com

Waste Diversion Resources
Below are 3 categories of waste that most households generate and are banned from the trash. Find the full list of landfill-banned materials at cvswmd.org/how-to-get-rid-of .
Regular Blue Bin Recycling:
Must be clean, larger than 2×2 inches & smaller than 2×2 feet, and has never contained hazardous chemicals.
* Cardboard/Boxboard
* Metal Cans, Pie Pans & Foil Balls
* Mixed Paper
* Glass Bottles & Jars
* Rigid Plastic #1, #2, #5 (no black plastic)
Anything else in regular recycling is contamination, including plastic bags.
Free Special Recycling:
State programs fund the proper disposal of these materials. Find local outlets that accept these items at cvswmd.org/free-special-recycling-outlets . CVSWMD’s Eco Depot also accepts them.
* Computers & Peripherals (cords, desktop printers, keyboards, mice, mics/speakers/cameras, modems/routers, monitors, scanners, towers)
* Fluorescents: bulbs (unlimited) / tubes (up to 10/day) must be intact
* Household Batteries (up to11lbs or lithium up to 300 watt hours)
* Mercury Thermostats (intact)
* Architectural Paint/Stain/Finish in original container with label
* TV’s
Hazardous Waste:
CVSWMD’ Eco Depot in Berlin accepts hazardous waste year-round by appointment. If you have these or similar materials, make an appointment at cvswmd.org/eco-depot or call (802) 229-9383.
* Adhesives/Tar
* Automotive Fluids
* Aerosol Paints, etc.
* Broken Mercury Devices: fluorescent bulbs, switches, thermostats, etc.
* Cleaners/Disinfectants: bleach, ammonia, corrosives, drain openers,floor wax
* Cologne & Perfume
* Cosmetics: hair dye, nail polish & remover
* Fuels
* Insect/Rodent Repellants & Killers
* Lawn Chemicals
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* Paint: art & craft, machine, marine or not in original container
* Pool Chemicals
* Solvents: degreaser, paint thinner, etc.
CVSWMD’s A-Z Disposal guide lists almost 200 different waste classes with options for their appropriate disposal at https://a-z-guide.cvswmd.org. If you don’t see what you are looking for, contact us at comments@cvswmd.org or (802) 229-9383.households.

Tunbridge Grange # 384
Rosemary Distel 802-272-2235

We had a busy and successful three days running Bingo at the annual Royalton Old Home Days from July 30th to August 1st, welcoming both veteran players and many first-timers.

In August, we opened the Grange Hall on Sundays to provide restroom access for those attending the historic Baptist Church next door. This church is owned by the Tunbridge Historical Society, and we are pleased to allow them access to our Hall as well.

As mentioned in the last Tunbridge Quarterly, we discovered a leak in our spring waterline and are continuing to research drilling an artesian well. An engineering company has provided initial approval for a well location, and we are now awaiting approval from the State. We are also exploring various funding options for this major project. Donations of any size are deeply appreciated and can be sent via check to:

Tunbridge Grange #384 PO Box 32 Tunbridge, VT 05077

We also hope to see many of you at our annual Harvest Supper on Saturday, October 17th, anytime between 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Tunbridge Town Hall. The menu will feature traditional fall root vegetables, hash, ham, corned beef, and a variety of delicious pies. The cost remains at $15 for adults and $8 for children. Takeout containers are available, and no reservations are required.

To round out the year, we will host our popular Holiday Prize Bingo event on Friday, December 11th, at the Tunbridge Town Hall. We look forward to another fun evening with great prizes!