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 [email protected]

THE CURRENT ISSUE

Published January 1, 2025 – 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; [email protected]
Gary Mullen, Chair
889-3323, barn or 889-3242, house; [email protected]
Mike McPhetres, Vice Chair
802-272-6108, cell or 802-728-3390, shop; [email protected]
Mariah Cilley, Administrative Assistant
802-889-5521 or [email protected]

What is it about the darkest time of the year that makes us reflective and full of resolutions? Unlike our colonial forebears, hunkered down with 22 cords of wood in houses with no insulation, few of us hibernate anymore (Look at the traffic on 110, at 5 PM!). But those long winter nights do lend themselves to more mental work and less physical activity. In that spirit, you might find the Selectboard and the Treasurer, on the night before the night before Christmas, hunkered down in the Town Offices, fortified with Cabot Habanero cheese and Ritz crackers—donated by the Vice Chair—going over next year’s budget one more time. We start, back in November, with a proposed level-funded budget, acknowledge inflation, and then start looking for line-item expenses from the current budget that we can trim. For example, in FY 26, we can do what’s call a “review” instead of a full audit, and save $5,000.

We are also mindful that property taxes have gone through the roof to pay for education; this is not the time for big spending (a new town garage will have to wait). The line items that have edged upwards are either common sense adjustments—unlike, say, diesel or propane, sand and gravel just go up and up—or recognition of valuable services secured. We aim to pay competitive wages to our town employees so they will stay in Tunbridge (neighboring towns would hire any of our road crew away, in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, if they could) and we feel that what we’re paying for law enforcement, ambulance services, and the town nurse, are dollars well spent—those professional services make Tunbridge safer and healthier.

And whether you agree or disagree with the proposed FY 26 budget, or with what the Selectboard prioritizes, the great check and balance on all this is Town Meeting. Discussion of all-things-financial is encouraged, dissent is recognized, majority rules.

In other news, we’ve heard from our Transfer Station Attendant, Adam Kenyon, that opportunists have been coming from as far away as Barre to get rid of their recycling because it’s free here. If Tunbridge has become a destination for out-of-towners looking for a cheap way to get rid of their cardboard and plastic, we may have to change our policy. Adam suggests going with a recycling sticker for residents (that would cost $50); anybody without a sticker would have to pay, by amount. Adam also proposes upping the price of a bag of trash. The town has never tried to pay for all the trash collected with its bag fees—that revenue helps pay down Casella’s hauling bill, but it’s property tax that pays for the majority of the expense. In the past, Tunbridgians have felt very strongly about proposed changes in dump policy, so this might be a good topic to discuss at Town Meeting.

With this edition of the TQ hitting mailboxes around the first of the year, and with the Warning for Town Meeting being finalized by mid-January, now is the time to get in touch with the Selectboard if there’s anything else you would like to see as an article on the warning, any issue that would benefit from a town-wide conversation. The same goes for an appropriation for a not-for-profit (we need to receive a letter describing what the organization does and what amount is be requested). It may seem incongruous, but the seeds for a productive town meeting are planting now, during darkest winter.

The TUNBRIDGE Quarterly
Janet Zug 889-9602 [email protected]

TQ Entries are printed as received and only edited for typos. 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
Mariah Cilley, Clerk 889-5521
Bonnie McCrillis, Asst Clerk [email protected]
Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 8-2
Call or Email to set up time outside of these hours

Happy New Year folks! I hope you all had a cozy, cheerful holiday season with your loved ones. When this is hot off the press and into your hands, I have my hands full with the newest Cilley baby! Please note the updated hours above. My amazing assistant (who I could not do this without!), Bonnie, will be managing the office on Monday and Wednesday’s while I am home on Maternity Leave. I will be back for Town Meeting, which will be held at the Tunbridge Central School on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 10am. I look forward to seeing you all there!

Transfer Station- This year was the first year we did not change from summer hours to winter hours. Our current hours for Wednesday are 4-7pm and Saturday hours are 9am-3pm.

Dog Licensing for 2025 will begin on January 1st. Deadline for licensing is April 1, 2025. If your dog(s) is/are due for a rabies vaccine prior to April 1, a license cannot be issued until an updated rabies certificate has been received. Cost per license has increased at the state level this year, so current cost for a spayed/neutered dog is $11.00; $15.00 for non-spayed/neutered.

If you would like to request a slot on a Selectboard meeting agenda, please email [email protected] or call the number above.

If you would like to reserve the Town Hall for an event, please call Judy Howe at 889-3487. She maintains the reservation book, contracts and can answer any other questions you may have.

Stay warm, well, and enjoy the rest of the beautiful Vermont winter, and I will see you all in a few months!

Better Bones
Kay Jorgensen – 889-5528, [email protected]

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.

First Branch Ambulance
Barbara LaFrancis 889-3378. Judy Tucker – 889-3305

The holidays are now another memory of gathering with loved ones and friends, enjoying good food, and making our New Years resolutions. Now we settle into another year to face all the challenges ahead.

Our annual letter has been mailed. The letter contains a lot of valuable information. Please take time to read about what is happening at First Branch Ambulance and what your donations make possible.

Your donations are an extremely important part of keeping FBA operating efficiently by being properly staffed and equipped to handle the needs of people they serve. We rely on your support.

Thru the last 40 years FBA’s dedicated leadership and squads have been there to serve their communities. Present and past are to be commended for all the time and effort they put into serving us. Look for a celebration of our 40 years to be coming.

If you would like to be part of a great team and serve your community, please call the station at 802-685-3112 and talk with Liz or Chase.

Reminder, 911 red house markers are a good way to help FBA locate you when you need assistance. You may obtain one for $20.00 by contacting Judy Tucker at 802-889-3305 or [email protected].

Ed Larkin Contra Dancers
Clyde Jenne – [email protected]

The Ed Larkin Contra Dancers host Contra Dancing at the Tunbridge Town Hall on second Fridays of the month. Dances start at 7pm, weather permitting.

All dances taught. Refreshments at intermission. $8 donation at the door. Bring the family. Children under the age of 12 admitted free.

Tunbridge Board of Listers
Dan ‘rudi’ Ruddell, Darlene Miller, Deb Mullen 802-889-3571
([email protected]) Office hrs: Tu, Fr 9am-3pm

Greetings from the Lister Office. We are currently working in the Southwest quarter of town for our quarterly site visit rotations. We also continue to gather information on any new construction (anywhere in town) so it can be on our Grand List (GL) as of April 1, 2025. We are working on the 2025 Grand List. Our deadline for assessing “as is” status of a property is April 1. Changes of appraisal are notified in early June, with opportunities to grieve later that month.

Our last town-wide reappraisal was in 2010, and as is the case with 62 percent of the towns in Vermont we have been mandated to conduct a new town-wide reappraisal. We have submitted a preliminary plan for this process to the Vermont Department of Taxes (Property Valuation & Review) for review, and hope to issue a Request for Proposals from qualified firms and Project Supervisors in mid-January 2025. This would likely mean a town-wide reappraisal for the 2027 Grand List at the earliest.

An important reminder when filing your 2024 taxes: business use/rental use is declared on your Homestead Declaration (HS-122); remember to report any changes in use on this form. If you no longer declare such use, please notify us, as this portion is billed at a non-residential rate.

Tunbridge Town Website
Geoff Hansen, 802-889-3373, or [email protected]

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.

Sunday Series
Kay Jorgensen, 889-5528 [email protected]

The Sunday Series begins Jan. 5 at the Tunbridge Public Library. The free speaker series features two programs a month at 2 p.m. January through March.

  • Jan. 5: Growing Resilient Flocks. Mary Lake, Tunbridge butcher, shearer and shepherd, will speak and show slides illustrating how her shepherding practices mimic the wild, improve the soil and make for a happier flock.
  • Jan. 19: Tunbridge Winter Recreation. Panelists Shirley Boles, Ted Hoyt, Bonnie McCrillis and Margaret Rogers will reminisce about indoor and outdoor activities when they grew up.
  • Feb. 2: Poetry Reading. Ina Anderson of Randolph, who has has lived and taught in Vermont for many years, will read from her new book Sky Furniture. Tunbridge poet Carol Potter will introduce her.
  • Feb. 23: Where Do We Go From Here? Shirley A. Jefferson, Vermont Law and Graduate School’s vice president of community engagement and government relations and its first vice president of color, is a nationally sought after speaker and adviser on matters relating to race and the law and equitable access to legal education.
  • March 2: Sustainable Forestry. Tunbridge resident Kate Forrer is executive director of Vermont Woodlands Association which educates and advocates for the practices of productive stewardship, use and enjoyment of woodlands.
  • March 16: Preserving Vermont’s Cemeteries. Vermont Old Cemetery Association President Tom Giffin started exploring cemeteries as a child and helps engage community groups to care for the state’s almost 2,000 cemeteries.

Tunbridge Library
Mariah Lawrence – Library Director
802-889-9404/[email protected]/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

Programming at TPL finished up strong in 2024 with over 50 participants attending crafternoon. Each year the library offers time, space and supplies where folks can create artful gifts for family and friends. As I write this, we are preparing for the 2nd annual Community Concert. This is a sweet event where musicians of all ages showcase a song or two on the beautiful stage created by Jeff Porter! Hopefully many of you were in attendance!

Homeschool Day occurs the first Monday of every month from 10am-1pm. Last month participants were led around the fairgrounds by the one and only Rudi, as he discussed river health and tracking. Cheryl Metcalf will teach us about winter birding next!

Knitting Wellness continues to meet the first Tuesday of every month. This creative and welcoming group is for adult crafters of all abilities!

Shelf love, led by the lovely and extremely well read Kathi Terami, will report on their book swaps from December’s meeting on January 10th. The group meets once a month. Check the website for details!

The Sunday Series starts this month, beginning with Mary Lake, our local celebrity shearer and butcher! Come listen to her talk about her experiences on Sunday January 5th at 2pm. Check the website for details on all the Sunday Series speakers.

The Conservation Commission has partnered up with the library for an exciting book talk by Vermont Author, Ethan Tapper. He will discuss his recent book “How to Love a Forest” on Sunday January 26th at 3pm. Books will be available for purchase and signing. The Conservation Commission also will begin their Winter Evenings series starting with Aaron Weed, who will discuss Bird Monitoring in the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park on January 17th at 7pm. Check the website for all the Conservation Commission talks!

Joan Hoffmann’s National Park painting exhibit at the library is a perfect compliment to the evening’s discussion. Come check out her amazing scenes anytime this winter!

The library continues to provide great programs to make the library a more accessible space for people who are neurodivergent. Through our recent Libraries Transforming Communities Grant from the American Library Association, Meg Hopkins will offer a series on attention deficit disorder and the best practices to manage your time and energy! All are welcome at the series, no diagnosis is needed. Meg starts the series January 23rd at 6pm with “Activation.” Also through this grant the library will be offering a workshop on Artificial Intelligence on January 16th at 6pm. This is not a workshop you will want to miss! Mindfulness programming such as Qigong with Catherine Freese, and several yoga series with Lauren Priestap will continue. Just added to the calendar is a teen yoga series, the second Sunday of each month February-April at 4pm. Also just added is a family yoga workshop, January 11th at 3pm. Check out the calendar on our website for details on all upcoming events.

Bumblebee Playgroup continues to meet Thursdays from 10-11:30. Children and babies birth-7 and their caregivers are invited to this OCPCC sponsored playgroup where participants can expect to craft, sing, and play!

Fridays are for Imagination! Russell leads kids ages 5-11 through his original table top game, Rooted Rolls, from 3:15-4:30. Magic the Gathering, for all ages, runs on Fridays from 3:15-5:30!

Have you received the library’s 2024 “Year in Review” and annual appeal in the mail? We always love putting together a memento of the year’s events and accomplishments. Your generous support allows us to continue to provide programs, books and events for our community! As always we welcome ideas and suggestions on what you would like to see happening at TPL!

Friends of the Tunbridge World’s Fair
Deb Mullen – 889-9406 [email protected]

Did you know? 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.

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 have two openings on our board of directors. If you are interested please contact Deb Mullen at the number above for more information.

Wishing all of our Friends, old and new, a happy and healthy holiday season!

Tunbridge Historical Society
Maureen Moriarty (401) 662-5341

The Tunbridge Historical Society continues to plan and raise money for their current project, replacing the windows on the Baptist Church in North Tunbridge. To date we have secured donations to cover 4 out of the 7 windows on this beautiful building. The work is scheduled to begin before the end of the year with the projected completion date of late spring. Anyone who is interested in contributing to this worthy cause can send a check to Tunbridge Historical Society, PO Box 300, Tunbridge VT 05077. More detailed information will be listed on the THS facebook page very soon.

In the meantime, work has begun on both the Memorial Day events and the next cemetery walk. WWII will be featured for Memorial day and the Old Spring Road cemetery will be the location for the next walk/talk. If anyone has anything to share about either of these, please contact Elaine Howe ([email protected]). She is particularly interested in stories that could support any documents you might have to share. The Society collects documents such as deeds, marriage licenses, newspaper articles etc. We want to be able to collect and archive this material for future generations.

“Yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream” Khalil Gibran

No date has been set yet for the February THS meeting. The THS welcomes all new members. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Elaine Howe to be added to our mailing list. Or any of the officers listed below. And thank you for your continued support of the work of the Society.

Fern Strong [email protected]
Maureen Moriarty [email protected]
Israel Provoncha [email protected]
Elaine Howe [email protected]

Tunbridge Emergency Management & Fire Warden
Contact Brenda Field 802 889-5548

First off I would like to introduce you to James McGuire as the new Tunbridge Emergency Coordinator. If you see him around, I think he still has a Texas plate (they may go green soon), say Hi. He stepped up and volunteered, and was officially voted in by our Select Board. James has already got a big win for us by assisting Rudi and Lisa getting to her backup passcode with the help of Norwich University. This enabled her, to start receiving all her information, bills etc. You can’t imagine how frustrating and complicated this is until it happens to you.

Which brings me to another subject. After Rudi and Lisa’s fire, I am reminded that we all should put surge protectors on our freezers and refrigerators. I heard my refrigerator “pop” multiple times that night as the power failed. I just couldn’t get to it in time to unplug it. Another tip is to leave a spare car key and your passwords to your computer in a safe container in another building or hidden spot.

I still challenge folks to plan for a two week power outage. Windshear, “Big Daddy” snowstorm or a substation failure is always a possibility. Living in our rural area, you may not get help or fuel, food replenishing for an extended period of time. With planning that goes beyond 3 days, you can do it. Don’t forget extra dog and cat food, medications, fuel etc. Stay versatile in your thinking. No one will commit you for checking out a couple of prepper sites.

Tunbridge Fire Warden. All of you were great this year. We could burn safely early in the year and then it got dry. I find everyone so good about permits and asking questions. Remember – no snow surrounding your burn, you need a permit. Phone numbers are on the town website.

Tunbridge Grange # 384
Rosemary Distel 802-272-2235

If you missed our annual Holiday Prize Bingo in December, be sure to attend next year as we had many amazing donations from local businesses for the prizes! Fund raising events like our special December bingo, supports local families in need, so we greatly appreciate our generous donors and people who came to our fun event!

Speaking of Bingo, we start up our Friday night Bingo on January 3, 2025 at 6:30pm in the lower level of the Tunbridge Town Hall. In addition to Bingo, we sell refreshments and raffle drawings.

National Grange Mission: Strengthening individuals, families and communities through service, education, nonpartisan grassroots advocacy, and agricultural awareness.

Tunbridge Conservation Commission
Eliza Minnucci [email protected]
Tunbridge Conservation Commission Betsy Gaiser and Evan Reiss – Co-Chairs, Cheryl Metcalf – Secretary, Eliza Minnucci – Treasurer, Bryan Kalleberg, Mali’o Kodis, Tess Mix

Welcome to winter. And welcome to more light returning each day. This fall your Conservation Commission undertook our annual river clean-up along our branch of the White. Each year we are joined by volunteers new and old, and find more curious things tucked in the riverbed. We were joined this year by Baxter Dody shuttling trash and a lucky volunteer or two back and forth on his side-by-side. The tire count topped 44 – the work of bringing them up the steep banks was eased by Craig Armstrong and his winch. Kudos to Craig for this back-saving help every year. Finally, we’d never be so efficient without Rudi and his reliable canoe. Nothing clears a river, or warms a heart, better than Rudi and we are so grateful for his help. Dare we hazard a guess as to how many tires Rudi has pulled out of the White River? Thousands is probably not an unreasonable number.

If your pleasure is more relaxing-in-an-armchair than standing-chest-deep-in-the-river-digging-out-a-tire, Commission member Cheryl Metcalf has installed a book nook at the Tunbridge Library. You’ll find it just beneath the window that faces front from the adult stacks. Check it out for a variety of conservation themed materials which will change seasonally. In case anyone wonders, Cheryl is equally comfortable doing both the reading and the chest-deep-tire-digging!

Finally, Welcome to Winter Evenings!

Our co-chair Betsy Gaiser has organized three intriguing speakers for us this winter. Please join us – each presentation begins at 7pm at the Tunbridge Public Library. All are welcome, refreshments are provided and events are free(donations graciously accepted).

  • January 17: Bird Monitoring in our National Parks – Aaron Weed, National Park Service
  • February 7: Protecting Vermont’s Ecosystem: Backyard Strategies for Corridor Conservation – Emily Ruff, Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary
  • March 7: Understanding Bats Through Their Ecology – Adam Kozlowski, National Park Service

We will also be joining the Tunbridge Public Library in co-hosting Ethan Tapper, forester and author of How To Love a Forest, on Sunday, January 26th at 3pm. His book will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

We have space on our commission for two more members and would love for you to consider joining. Our work is varied and fulfilling. You can learn more about what we are up to on our facebook page: Tunbridge VT Conservation Commission, on instagram: @tunbridgeconservation, on the web: tunbridgevt.org/conservationcommission.

While we generally meet the first Thursday of the month, 6pm at the library, our January meeting will be held on the 9th.

Central Vermont Intelligence Based Policing
Robert S. Childs 802-889-3241

We continue to see less crime in Tunbridge than surrounding towns due in part to the increased patrols. CVIBP membership continues to grow and their activity has helped by providing information to Windsor County Sheriffs and VSP.

“If you see Something Say Something” benefits all of our residents.

Additionally, many members stepped forward this fall by advocating for those seeking election that supported increased policing and law reform. We all need to keep the pressure on our elected officials to look at the criminal justice system and make changes that reduce the revolving door policies currently in place. Increased patrols by officers are only part of the equation. The entire criminal justice system, corrections and rehabilitation needs to be addressed. This must come from all of us by keeping our legislature focused on these issues.

A couple of people have mentioned having an in-person meeting. The co administrators have discussed this and presented the idea to the membership. The majority of respondents felt that the current use of messenger on the Face Book page was working well. So, I will ask. Do Tunbridge residents wish to have a meeting like we had before COVID? If so contact me at the above number or message me. If enough would like a meeting, who would like to work on getting an agenda, meeting place, date and time set up? Contact me by phone above or by messenger.

The Shindigs
Janet Zug – 802-738-9602 [email protected]

The Shindigs dance series is held from Nov. – April, always on the first Saturdays of the month except the January gig is on New Years’ Eve. 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 their own food and beverages. It’s a pack-it-in, pack-it-out event, everyone is encouraged to bring what you need for the evening and then leave no trace. Please do not attend if you’re feeling ill or potentially contagious.

Come on out for the next three dances! On 2/1 we have “YaYa with Ted Mortimer” playing Now Orleans style funk, soulful re-imagined classics and original tunes. On 3/1 it’s the “Pillsbury Slow Boys” offering harp driven blues, rockabilly and classic rock, all for dancing. And the last Shindig of the 17th season will be held on 4/5 featuring “Drumstick Bossman” bringing their blend of rich danceable reggae grooved with elements of hip hop and funk.

The cover charge is $15. at the door. No advance reservations needed. Please email shindigsvt.com if you want to be added to the update list. If you like to dance, you’ll love the Shindigs!

Tunbridge World’s Fair
Ingrid VanSteamburg – 889-5555 [email protected]

We hope everyone enjoyed the Trunk-or-Treat event that was hosted on the fairgrounds for the first time this year. Winter Storage was buttoned up in early November and with the first snow of the season all is quiet at the fairgrounds. This year we saw several long-time storage slots given up for a variety of reasons, so please call or email the fair if you are interested in storing your camper, boat, car, etc. for next winter. While the fairgrounds are quiet, we are busy making plans for the 2025 fair and summer events.

The board would like to thank Betty Rogers for nearly 30 years of service on the board – she will be missed! They would also like to welcome Israel Provoncha as a new board member. The fair hopes you have a safe and warm winter season.

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

The New Year brings with it a familiar reminder, that the Tunbridge Community Food Shelf is here, if you need help supplementing your food supply.

We have a fairly wide range of foods available which include canned goods: fruits and vegetables, soups, tuna and more. We have an abundant supply of dried milk, flour for baking, peanut butter and jelly, dried beans, rice, and various pastas. We have some meat available, and often eggs. Several community volunteers pick up vegetables once a month at VeggieVanGo, and that supplies us with fresh winter vegetables.

As mentioned in the October TQ, we were the recipients of a very generous donation of food items, provided by the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints during the summer. We are also particularly thankful to the Recreation committee. The final softball tournament sponsored by the group collected donations from all the teams. Many thanks to all those who donated non perishable foods, toiletries and turkeys. This effort definitely helped fill our shelves and the weekly backpacks. Additionally the organization collected food at the Sunday December breakfast for us as well.

Many other generous individuals have helped supply turkeys and potatoes at Thanksgiving, eggs and an entire box of winter squash. Other, assorted food donations appear periodically.

The Food Shelf is still providing backpacks full of food for the school children and 10-12 families each week. We provided each family with a box of food for the Thanksgiving break. We also have supplied food items to support the Tunbridge Church Outreach committee with the Senior Celebrations meals during the year.

Thank you to all those who recently sent financial donations to the Tunbridge Community Food Shelf. Your support is very appreciated. All donations of either food or money are always gratefully accepted. Financial donations may be sent to our treasurer, Mary Fisk at PO Box 12, Tunbridge, VT 05077.

Please don’t go hungry this difficult time of year. Stop by and pick up items to supplement your food budget. We hope you will all stay safe, warm and healthy in 2025.

Tunbridge Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Claire Brock – 889-3785 [email protected]
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**
  • Help lifting or moving 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 (doctor, dentist, optometrist, vet), helping load a couch onto a roof rack, delivering food shelf items, moving a ping pong table, repairing a broken door latch, shoveling off and sanding a ramp, and bringing trash and recycling to the transfer station.

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; Pat Howe, Treasurer 802-889-5512; Sarah Priestap Porter, Secretary; Helen O’Donnell; Liz Williams 617-435-9661

Friends of First Branch Schools
Tiffany Bates, Eliza Minnucci, Laura Ginsburg
[email protected]

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

This fall we finally allowed Jen Loftus to retire from her treasurer position, a role she held for more than a decade. Thank you, Jen, for seeing the club through into the new First Branch era. And without attracting an audit, too! Phew!

Laura Ginsburg steps into the position now, and with some more wonderful regular members, and lots of support from our email list, we are maintaining some traditions and adding in new ones. This fall we catered the Fieldstone Farm Brooks Hubbard Concert and, despite cold and thick rain, managed to gross $1,000. A lot of hustle was put into that event by Peggy Grote, Laura Ginsburg and Connie Surber. In August, we received a donation of $2,225 from the folks at The Ranger. This is in addition to the money we make selling lemonade and cookies at the event. A fun donation we had show up in September was from a stranger who donated in gratitude for justice of the peace services from former principal Scott Farnsworth. He keeps our community in his thoughts and is fundraising on our behalf from afar.

Our next fundraiser will be the High Mowing seed sale. Catalogs will be ready January 3rd, orders due January 17th.

Our volunteers supported a wonderful Apple Carnival at the elementary school in September, with gratitude for the above and beyond support from Steven Thomas with his mobile cider press, bushels of apples and sleeves of cider jugs.

This fall we were able to approve the following requests for funds:

  • $440 for middle schoolers to attend a concert at the Chandler
  • $900 for the Planetarium Lady (and her mobile planetarium) to spend two days at each campus
  • $300 for cookies for the Elementary Winter Concert
  • $200 for personal hygiene items for middle school students
  • $500 for the Great Book Give Away for elementary students
  • $300 for books for an elementary school-wide read coming in 2025
  • $1,000 for teaching supplies and staff room provisions

We look forward to sponsoring more experiences for students, celebrating and honoring our staff, building our fundraisers and welcoming new Friends into our meetings. Please follow us on facebook at Friends of First Branch School Club, or get on our emailing list by sending us a message at [email protected].

ECFiber and the Town of Tunbridge
Town Representative: Dick Dybvig
[email protected] | www.ecfiber.net | 802-ECFiber

Tunbridge is a member of the East Central Vermont Telecommunications District, the state’s first communications union district (CUD), whose mission is to provide world-class fiber-optic based internet service to all on-grid homes and businesses in its member towns. The District consists of 31 member towns and owns the business which operates under the trade name ECFiber. The business added over 900 new customers, and now serves nearly 9,500 customers, via 1,800 miles of network. When completed, the ECFiber network will be available to about 32,000 premises over more than 2,000 miles of network. ECFiber is a miracle of collective action; without it few customers in our mostly rural towns would have decent internet.

ECFiber dates its legal existence back to Town Meetings in 2008, when a two-year organizing effort paid off with 23 towns agreeing to create an internet service provider. Henry Swayze was a founder of this original effort and is a member today. The first customers began receiving service in 2011, just before the lrene floods; ECFiber became a CUD in June, 2015, opening the way to issuing revenue bonds. ln 2020, eight new towns joined; in 2023 the last of the original towns came online, and in November, its Series 2023A municipal revenue bond received a ‘BB” rating from Standard & Poor’s Global Credit arm, a historic moment in US financial history: the first time a municipal revenue bond not backed by taxes, and not for a regulated utility or exclusive service territory, received a rating. This was extended to the six earlier bonds as well.

All 31 towns select two representatives, as approved by local select boards, to comprise the Governing Board, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month by Zoom. This body is organized into working committees: Operations, Governance, Construction and Marketing, which also meet monthly.

Henry and I both feel that younger representation is needed for the next phases of EC Fiber. Should we expand beyond our current size? How do we make this powerful internet connection more useful to people for education, entertainment, farming, live music, business building, community engagement? To complete our coverage in Tunbridge we need to explore how we can extend service to off-grid households and how do we lower costs when current services are under ground?

Please volunteer to become a representative from the Town of Tunbridge. Contact either of us for more information; the process is welcoming.

The Tunbridge Church
(802) 693-5878, [email protected]

The new year finds the church anticipating a quiet winter. The annual meeting and a meal delivery for seniors will be held in February. The last months of 2024 were busy with a Town Hall senior meal, delivery of Thanksgiving treats, church decorating, poinsettia deliveries and the annual Service of Light on the solstice and Christmas Eve service.

The church hosted two new community events: a family Trick or Trunk Halloween at the fairgrounds and reading of Charles Dickens’ script based on his “A Christmas Carol.”

Special offerings were taken for Vermont and western North Carolina flood relief. The year ended with collections for the Rudi and Lisa fire fund and gifts for displaced children in Myrhorod, Ukraine, through Bethany Church and the Randolph Rotary Clubs.

Women who are alone are invited to the monthly Moving Forward time for fellowship, support and a potluck at 11:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the Parish House. The Tunbridge Community Food Shelf is open at the Parish House on Fridays from 4-5 p.m. Al-Anon and AA meetings are held at the house on Sundays at 5 and 7 p.m., respectively.

Pastor John McClintock hosts study groups for Lent, Advent and on other subjects. He is in the Parish House office weekdays from 1-5 p.m. and can be reached at [email protected]

All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. People who enjoy singing are invited to join the monthly choir. Regular church attendance is not a requirement.

Most services are streamed and recorded via Zoom. Go to tunbridgechurch.org for Zoom. To listen by phone, dial (646) 876-9923 – meeting ID: 858 4950 1899, passcode: 526048. Previous services can be found at the Index to Services link. You can also follow the church on Facebook.

To join the church email list, write [email protected] or call 802-693-5878. The church welcomes support of its programs at PO Box 270, Tunbridge VT 05077 or by credit card/ PayPal through the “Donate” button at tunbridgechurch.org.

PAST ISSUES

2025
TQ 79, pub. Jan. 1, 2025

2024
TQ 78, pub. Oct. 1, 2024
TQ 77, pub. July 1, 2024
TQ 76, pub. April 1, 2024
TQ 75, pub. Jan. 1, 2024

2023
TQ 74, pub. Oct. 1, 2023
TQ 73, pub. July 1, 2023
TQ 72, pub. April 1, 2023
TQ 71, pub. Jan. 1, 2023

2022
TQ 70, pub. Oct. 1, 2022
TQ 69, pub. July 1, 2022
TQ 68, pub. April 1, 2022
TQ 67, pub. Jan. 1, 2022

2021
TQ 66, pub. Oct. 1, 2021
TQ 65, pub. July 1, 2021
TQ 64, pub. April 1, 2021
TQ 63, pub. Jan. 1, 2021

2020
TQ 62, pub. Oct. 1, 2020
TQ 61, pub. July 1, 2020
TQ 60, pub. April 1, 2020
TQ 59, pub. Jan. 1, 2020

2019
TQ 58, pub. Oct. 1, 2019
TQ 57, pub. July 1, 2019
TQ 56, pub. April 1, 2019
TQ 55, pub. Jan. 1, 2019

2018
TQ 54, pub. Oct. 1, 2018
TQ 53, pub. July 1, 2018
TQ 52, pub. May 15, 2018
TQ 51, pub. Feb. 15, 2018

2017
TQ 50, pub. Nov. 15, 2017
TQ 49, pub. Aug. 15, 2017
TQ 48, pub. May 15, 2017
TQ 47, pub. Feb. 15, 2017

2016
TQ 46, pub. Nov. 15, 2016
TQ 45, pub. Aug. 15, 2016
TQ 44, pub. May 15, 2016
TQ 43, pub. Feb. 15, 2016

2015
TQ 42, pub. Nov. 15, 2015
TQ 41, pub. Aug. 15, 2015
TQ 40, pub. May 15, 2015
TQ 39, pub. Feb. 15, 2015

2014
TQ 38, pub. Nov. 15, 2014
TQ 37, pub. Aug. 15, 2014
TQ 36, pub. May 15, 2014
TQ 35, pub. Feb. 15, 2014

2013
TQ 34, pub. Nov. 15, 2013
TQ 33, pub. Aug. 15, 2013
TQ 32, pub. May 15, 2013
TQ 31, pub. Feb. 15, 2013

2012
TQ 30, pub. Nov. 15, 2012
TQ 29, pub. Aug. 15, 2012
TQ 28, pub. May 15, 2012
TQ 27, pub. Feb. 15, 2012

2011
TQ 26, pub. Nov. 15, 2011
TQ 25, pub. Aug. 15, 2011
TQ 24, pub. May 15, 2011
TQ 23, pub. Feb. 15, 2011

2010
TQ 22, pub. Nov. 15, 2010
TQ 21, pub. Aug. 15, 2010
TQ 20, pub. May 15, 2010
TQ 19, pub. Feb. 15, 2010

2009
TQ 18, pub. Nov. 15, 2009
TQ 17, pub. Aug. 15, 2009
TQ 16, pub. May 15, 2009
TQ 15, pub. Feb. 15, 2009

2008
TQ 14, pub. Nov. 15, 2008
TQ 13, pub. Aug. 15, 2008
TQ 12, pub. May 15, 2008
TQ 11, pub. Feb. 15, 2008

2007
TQ 10, pub. Nov. 15, 2007
TQ 9, pub. Aug. 15, 2007
TQ 8, pub. May 15, 2007
TQ 7, pub. Feb. 15, 2007

2006
TQ 6, pub. Nov. 15, 2006
TQ 5, pub. Aug. 15, 2006
TQ 4, pub. May 15, 2006
TQ 3, pub. Feb. 15, 2006

2005
TQ 2, pub. Oct. 15, 2005
TQ 1, pub. July. 15, 2005