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 January 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
Mariah Cilley, Administrative Assistant
802-889-5521 or tunbridge.adm.assist@gmail.com

If this time of year encourages us to be both reflective and forward-thinking, the big events during the darkest days—Winter Solstice, Christmas and Hanukkah, New Year’s—remind us of the cyclical rhythm of our calendar. For the Selectboard, year after year, December and January are devoted to budgeting for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1st. First, we have to assemble a budget for what we predict the town will spend in that next fiscal year; then we have to figure out how we’re going to pay for running the town; finally, we have to present that budget to the citizens of Tunbridge and ask for approval at Town Meeting. There’s no process as democratic as that in the world. Where else do people agree to fork over their hard-earned money, mutually agreeing that a community does some things better than individuals (like education or road maintenance), but with the caveat that we will abide by majority rule and listen to all respectful dissent? For a more articulate version of how remarkable direct democracy is, come hear our Moderator kick off Town Meeting on that first Tuesday in March.

For the most part, our annual budget doesn’t change that much, except that everything, from gravel to printer ink, generally bumps up in price. Occasionally, though, we find ways to fight that inflationary creep. For example, we project the municipal electricity bill to be 40% less this upcoming year. What? How? Here’s how: Thanks to the persistence of our Grants Manager, Maryann Caron, Tunbridge was awarded grant money for improving our municipal infrastructure energy efficiency. With the first tranche of that award, we invested in expanding our solar array out by the Town Garage. It’s up and running and immediately our bills plummeted. The next infusion from that grant will go towards buttoning up the Town Offices and Town Hall. While grant dollars are hard to come by, it makes sense, when possible, to invest those dollars in projects that keep the annual budget under control.

One budget-busting project that needs to be scheduled is an expansion of our Town Garage. After a field trip to Brookfield, the Selectboard is leaning towards that town’s solution to the Highway Department space crunch: Build a no-frills structure, with three or four truck bays, on a slab, with heat but no septic. This mega-shed would work as an annex to the current garage. It would provide a dry and warm place for our dump trucks, grader, loader and backhoe to be stored and cleaned, and create space in the Town Garage for standard workplace amenities like a shower and an office bigger than a closet. Until we can park our big equipment—each one costing six figures—under cover, we are not prudently taking care of those investments, and we’re asking our Road Crew to work in a substandard environment. While this building will require bonding, we aim to keep the structure as utilitarian as possible. We also understand that if we kick the can down the road, the space problem won’t be solved and the build price will double every decade. We won’t make any definitive decisions until we hear from the town; this is a big deal and it requires a town wide discussion.

According to estimates provided by the Governor, Vermont needs to build 40,000 homes by 2030. Currently, we build a little more than 2,000 homes annually. Yes, we have a housing crisis. In Tunbridge’s effort to address this crisis, we have created a Housing Committee of volunteer Tunbridgians, who want to focus on creating senior housing for our town. While we can all agree on the need for senior housing, facilitating its existence is indeed going to be a challenge. But with our federal and state governments overwhelmed by budget demands, it does seem consistent with our history that the first thing we try to do is take care of our own on a community level.

Happy New Year and circle Tuesday, March 3rd on your calendar!

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

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

Hello friends! As I write this, snowflakes are dancing outside—our first real snow storm of the season! It makes me dream of sunny beaches, but honestly, there’s something magical about a Vermont winter.

I’m settling into my new role as Town Clerk and couldn’t do it without Mariah’s wisdom and patience. Here’s what’s happening in the office as we cozy up for winter:

Digitizing Land Records: We’re making great progress!

New Scanner: It now handles PLAT maps (surveys) — a big help for our records.

Next Project: Scanning old septic designs (1970s–2007) so they’re easy to access.

Dog License Season: Coming soon! All Tunbridge pups need a current rabies
shot and a license by April 1st. You can start licensing January 1, 2026 — make it your easiest New Year’s resolution

Need something? Here’s who to reach out to:

Mariah (Admin Assistant): Email Tunbridge.adm.assist@gmail.com for
Selectboard agenda scheduling and other town matters needing the
selectboards attention.

Tax or Payment Questions: Becky Hoyt at 889-3571 or treasurer@tunbridgevt.org.

Transfer Station Hours: Wed 4–7 pm, Sat 9 am–3 pm.

Town Hall Reservations: Judy Howe at 889-3487—she’s your go-to for
bookings and questions.

Enjoy the season! Whether you’re skiing, sipping cocoa, or just watching the snow fall, here’s to a cozy and joyful winter in Tunbridge.

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!

First Branch Ambulance
Barbara LaFrancis 889-3378 | Judy Tucker 889-3305

Happy New Year to everyone. FBA hopes you all had a nice holiday season and that the new year will bring you all the best.

FBA Annual Fund Raising Letter will be mailed to you soon. Please look it over and see what has been happening or will with the generosity of our friends and neighbors. Without your support we would not be able maintain the services that help you when you need it most. FBA appreciates your continued support.

Whether you are new in town or have not yet gotten your 911 red house marker, please consider contacting Judy Tucker at 889-3305 or judytucker40@yahoo.com. I must apologize if have tried to contact her by email, as the address had been incorrect the last few mailings. These markers make it easier to locate you when an emergency occurs.

There will be an EMT class coming soon, hopefully later this month. Watch for dates & location or check in with Chase or Liz to see when it will be. We would like anyone whose interested in becoming a member of our dedicated staff to call 685-3112 to find how to be a part of FBA. We are continually recruiting.

A reminder that FBA provides House Call Visits.

These are weekly/bi-weekly non medical check ins. If you or someone you know would benefit from this service, please call the station at 685-3112 to talk to Liz or Chase to find out more about the program.

Your FBA Tunbridge representatives are listed above.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding FBA give us a call. We will find the answer if we don’t know and pass along other concerns.

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.

Tunbridge Board of Listers
Dan ‘rudi’ Ruddell, Darlene Miller, Deb Mullen 802-889-3571
(lister@tunbridgevt.org) Office hours: Tuesday & Friday 9am-3pm

Greetings from the Lister Office, it’s December already! We are currently working in the Northwest quarter of town for our quarterly site visit rotations. We also continue to gather information on any new construction (anywhere in town). We are already working on the 2026 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 goal in the Lister office is to estimate fair market value for each property in town and ensure that the costs of living and working here are borne as equitably as possible, across the town and across the state. Given the enormous changes in our world over the last several years, that is a challenging endeavor, coupled with new State requirements requiring Listers and Assessors be certified (per 32 V.S.A. 4052 (b), amended by Act 68 in 2023): Listers and Assessors must be certified as determined by the Director of Property Valuation and Review. Effective January 1, 2026, any elected Lister who is not certified at the time of election will have one year to comply with requirements. Minimum education in the first year is 48 hours, plus a State mandated Ethics webinar/video (~45 mins).

Due to changes in personnel over the last few years, Town Meeting 2026 will include elections for two Listers, one for a 2-year term and one for a 3-year term.

HOMESTEAD DECLARATIONS AND HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX ADJUSTMENT CLAIMS ARE DUE APRIL 15, 2026, even if you anticipate filing an extension for income taxes (adjustments can be made later and still be considered timely if you file by April 15). Late fees and penalties apply after April 15, and no HS declarations are approved after October 15, 2026.
If you are eligible, the Homestead Property Tax Adjustment is a credit against taxes, filed at the same time as the Homestead Declaration. Further information can be found at: https://tax.vermont.gov/homestead-declaration

An important reminder when filing your 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 Community Nurse
Jodi Hoyt – 802-249-8956

Rooted in the values of rural resilience and neighborly support, the Town Nurse strives to promote wellness in every stage of life. Compassionate, accessible, and comprehensive assessments, referrals, advocacy and coordination of services for the community members of Tunbridge.
We’re excited to share several positive developments from the past quarter:
Our “medical closet” of durable medical equipment such as walkers, wheel chairs, beds, and bathroom accessories continues to thrive. This allows neighbors to quickly access essential equipment at no cost. Equipment is
provided entirely by donations from community members like you. Thank you! This year’s Tunbridge Fair medical equipment help went noticeably smoother. Many residents reached out weeks in advance for guidance,
equipment, and preparation, which helped reduce last-minute stress and
ensured safer, more organized participation for everyone.

Our recent Flu and Cardiovascular Clinic was an outstanding success, with 47 attendees—nearly triple last year’s participation. We’re thrilled to see such strong community engagement in preventive health, and we plan to continue expanding these offerings.

Moving ahead:

We are in the early stages of organizing a community health speaker event and would love input on topics that matter most to residents. Some ideas include:
• Medicare Navigation
• Nutrition guidance, especially for older adults
• Fall prevention and home safety

If you have suggestions or would like to participate, please reach out—we’d love to hear from you.

The Community Nurse Board has been meeting monthly, and the sessions have been productive, collaborative, and full of forward momentum. We are grateful for the dedication of everyone involved. We’re currently designing informational postcards to distribute around town. These will highlight the services of the Community Nurse program and make it easier for residents to know how and when to reach me.

Thank you for being part of a community that looks out for one another.
Together, we continue to strengthen wellness, support, and connection throughout Tunbridge.

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

We wrapped up 2025 with the 3rd annual Community Concert on December 12th. This is an incredibly sweet event that you will want to mark down for next year. The night included a set of 8 local musicians of all ages, a table full of delicious treats and tea, and for the first time a very interesting silent auction put on by our awesome trustees.

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 is in the process of setting up a Community Blood Pressure Station thanks to The American Heart Association and town nurse Jody Hoyt. It will be readily available in our quiet space created last year during the Libraries Transforming Communities Grant period. This space has been an asset to our community and will now be even more useful. 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 Imagination Fridays with Russell. Rooted Rolls leads the afternoon with kids ages 7-11 enjoying a table top imagination game. No need to come to every session unless you want to, this is a drop in program that your child is sure to enjoy! Also on Fridays adults, teens and preteens are invited to enjoy Magic the Gathering. Experienced and beginners welcome!

Qigong continues Mondays at 9am with Catherine Freese. Finally,
the library hosts a 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!

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

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!

Speaking of which, we’d like to take a moment during this special season to express our thankfulness and gratitude to all those Friends and businesses that have chosen to help us further that mission by donating time, funds, products or services this past year: Crossroads Bar & Grill, Duprey Towing, Patrick Rogers and the Duck Race volunteers, Anichini, Zug Glass Studio, the Tunbridge Sewing Group, Nancy and Ed Howe, Demi Boles,
Mike Bogardus, WDEV, and Royalton Radio. These are just a few of the “host of angels” who have stepped up to support our work, there are many more, and we deeply appreciate every one of you!

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 802 889-9406 for more information.

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.

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

After a crazy busy summer and fall, the Tunbridge Historical Society has settled into a much slower winter season of planning and preparing for next year. Items on our “to do” list include preparing grant applications for continued work on the North Tunbridge Church, the next cemetery clean up with VOCA on August 8, preparations for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Tunbridge World’s Fair Heritage Hall exhibits and more.

For those who might be interested in learning more about the work of VOCA, here is the link to their website: www.vermontoldcemeteryassociation.com.

The subcommittee in charge of the second edition of Folk Life has met and is currently scheduling interviews. A timeline has been developed for editing and then publishing the next edition of this very popular publication in early summer. There are still copies of the first edition available for sale at the Tunbridge Library, the North Tunbridge General Store, and the Tunbridge General Store.

A little bit of trivia……the 250th anniversary is called the “Semiquincentennial”. Not quite as easy to remember as “Bicentennial” is it?

A big thank you to everyone who participated in our Haunted Trails event this past October, either as a volunteer, a baker or as a paying visitor. Friday’s attendance was hampered by cold rainy weather, but Saturday was a wonderful success. Attendance was down a bit from last year but overall, it is the Society’s most successful fundraiser, and we appreciate all the effort that goes into it. A very special thanks goes to Emily Howe and John O’Brien.

Lydia Flanagan, our archivist, has been busy digitizing Euclid Farnham’s Behind the Times articles. She is also listening and transcribing recordings from the 1980’s and beyond. We are grateful for her diligent work in preserving these historical Tunbridge records. These are not searchable online but interested parties could make an appointment with Lydia to discuss her work.

As always, new members are welcome to join the Society. Our next meetingwill be January 11 at 1pm in the Town Hall basement. Please contact Elaine Howe elaineahowe@gmail.com or secretary@tunbridgehistoricalsocvt.org for more information.

Sunday Series
Kay Jorgensen, 889-5528 kjayvt@gmail.com

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

• Jan. 4: “The Rule of Law in Uncertain Times.” Jared Carter is a longtime professor and veteran attorney who regularly advocates for social, legal and economic justice. He directs the Vermont Community Law Center at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

• Jan. 18: Family program “The Violin Family Plays . . .” Cellist Melissa Perley, author of two children’s books about the violin family, is a performer and teacher who was recently invited to be a representative for the Children’s Literacy Foundation.

• Feb. 1: “Resourcing for Resilience: Herbal Medicine & Deep Earth Connection.” Tunbridge herbalist and holistic health practitioner Alanna Birch’s immersive program will introduce the sensory qualities and unique personalities of various herbs.

• Feb. 15: “Back to the Land.” Tunbridge residents including Louise Barreda, Judie Lewis and Henry Swayze will reminisce about their lives near the end of the back-to-the-land movement. Audience recollections welcome.

• March 1: “An Inside Look at Vermont’s Moose.” Josh Blouin, a wildlife biologist with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, manages Wildlife Management Areas, reviews development projects for impacts on wildlife and their habitats, and supports bear and moose research.

• March 16: “Preserving Vermont’s Covered Bridges.” The Vermont Covered Bridge Society was started in 2000 to address the loss of these bridges and to preserve remaining bridges. Tunbridge is one of five towns with five surviving bridges. (Montgomery has the most, seven.)

Tunbridge Conservation Commission
Eliza Minnucci – eliza.minnucci@gmail.com
Tunbridge Conservation Commission
Cheryl Metcalf, Evan Reiss – Co-Chairs, Eliza Minnucci – Secretary, Mali’o Kodis – Treasurer Bryan Kalleberg, Tess Mix, Linda Clark, Peter Hayden, Stewart Fisher

Looking back on a lovely, if dry, fall, we want to extend gratitude for the river-cleaners who joined together for our annual Fall River Clean-up. This year the volunteers outnumbered the tires, which is really something to celebrate!

We were very glad to see many of you attend the Wicopy Woods Welcoming event at the end of September. We had presentations and lunch under the gorgeous pavilion, a dedication to Skee Barnaby, and a walk around the trail. The work done up at this Town Forest lot located off Recreation Road has been a collaboration of many volunteers – from the Forest Committee, Trails Committee, Conservation Commission and beyond.

Wicopy Woods is named for the leatherwood shrub that grows in the understory of the eastern slopes of our river valley. Called wicopy, or wigebi, by the indigenous people who have lived here for thousands of years, it is a reminder of the generations of conservationists who came before us. Because of its remarkable flexibility, wicopy was used for basketry, ropes and even bowstrings. Fish traps were tied together with wicopy rope, and withstood the strain of submersion in rivers across New England catching shad. That such a commodity – wicopy bark – was not stripped from the landscape by over-use is an original conservation story. Slow-growing, and delectable to white-tailed deer, the balanced and thoughtful use by generations of inhabitants of the White River Valley stewarded this plant through the years. We hope you take a hike up to Wicopy Woods and test out the flexibility of the leatherwood yourself, taking inspiration to care for Tunbridge’s natural resources as so many of those before us have done.

Looking ahead, we warn you to Prepare for the Irruption! Different from an eruption, an irruption is a sudden flow of an animal species into an area where they usually aren’t seen. Because boreal seed crops north of us were poor this year, we can expect to see some less common finch species visiting our trees, shrubs and feeders. You may remember having seen Redpolls, Pine Siskins and Evening Grosbeaks during the last irruption winter, 2020-2021. Evening Grosbeaks are especially fun to see – they are the dapper beefcakes of the finch world! They prefer platform or tray feeders – try setting out black oil sunflower seeds and let us know what you see!

In fact, how many different species of bird do you expect we can identify in Tunbridge in January, February and March? Let’s find out! At the beginning of the new year, we’ll let you know how to register your guess (is it twenty five species or fifty? or somewhere in between?) We’ll accept sighting reports, and we’ll report out at Town Meeting.

Please mark your calendar for the 2026 Winter Evenings,
7 pm at the Library
January 23 – Walter Poleman, UVM Ecologist – From Bedrock to Maple: The Landscape of Tunbridge VT
February 20 – Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences – Owls and Their Calls (with Live Owls!)
March 23 – Dave Wilcox, Watershed Forester – Forest Management and Water Quality

The Tunbridge Conservation Commission meets the first Thursday of the month at 6pm at the Tunbridge Public Library. The public is welcome at our meetings. We can be reached at tunbridgeconservation@gmail.com.
Information about our commission can also be found at http://tunbridgevt.org/conservation-commission/

Tunbridge Grange # 384
Rosemary Distel 802-272-2235

It’s what you all are waiting for to help make it through Vermont’s long winters– Friday Night Bingo! We start back up on January 9th and run until April 24th. All Friday Night Bingo will be held in the downstairs of the Tunbridge Town Hall. Games start promptly at 6:30pm and as always, we will have refreshments and raffle tickets to sell.

Tunbridge Grange #384 continues to support various members of
the Tunbridge community—and beyond—who are in need of a little extra
support. The Grange has a mission of identifying local needs and offering meaningful assistance, whether through providing meals, coordinating
volunteer help, or offering other assistance during challenging times. Their commitment to service reflects a longstanding tradition of community care
and neighborly responsibility.

In addition to meeting immediate needs, Tunbridge Grange #384 works to strengthen the broader community by organizing events, encouraging civic engagement, and fostering connections among residents. Their ongoing efforts demonstrate how a dedicated local organization can make a significant difference, creating a stronger, more supportive environment for everyone who calls Tunbridge home.

Your continued participation in fundraising events hosted by the Tunbridge Grange means that you too are supporting our local community members. So, THANK YOU for your support!

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

The Shindig dances began at our town hall in 2007, feature live
music, and are held on the first Saturdays from Nov. – April (no January
gig this year). 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 are potentially contagious.

• Feb. 7 – Funky Flats
High Energy funk band based out of Vermont.
• March 7 – Adam McMahon Trio
Upbeat hopping trio guaranteed to move your feet with songs ranging from
classic rock to country and blues!
• April 4 – Sensible Shoes and The Illustrious Subs
One of Vermont/Cape Cod’s favorite dance bands, playing a fun mix of
original music and covers.

All dances are held from 7-10pm, doors open at 6:30. The cover charge is $15. at the door. No advance reservations. Please send an email if you want to be added to the update list.

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

Events in and around Tunbridge
Bill Tarkulich bill@tarkulich.com, phone 781-799-2930

The purpose of this list is to provide a reliable and current listing
of all local events in the Tunbridge and surrounding area open to the
general public within a reasonable commuting distance. This includes Chelsea, Brookfield, Randolph, Sharon, South Royalton, and a few outliers if the event is especially noteworthy. Since most local organizers are already quite busy, I hunt down event announcements from many sources. The list is updated at least every two weeks and includes dates of events planned throughout the year. I distribute the list freely to a wide range of places, both online, print copies at the libraries, bulletin boards, town offices, newspapers, calendars, and stores.

Please pass the around to others. There are many non-profit fundraisers, all of which deserve our attention. You can always find the most up to date list online at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/Tunbridge-60

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

News since the last Tunbridge Quarterly:
We had another successful outdoor pantry and small community garden. Thank you to all who shared food and other items in the creche area. We moved back into the Parish House in early November once the weather changed.

We especially want to extend our sincere appreciation to Kathy and Matt Galluzo, who were responsible for organizing a late November softball tournament. The teams provided a very generous amount of food items, which supplement our food shelf programs. Thank you, thank you.

Boxes were sent out just before the holiday/winter vacation, for the 9-10 families, who we support through our backpack program in cooperation with the local school. Appreciation to the volunteers who pack the backpacks each week. Thanks go to the loyal volunteers who man the food shelf each Friday afternoon, also.

On December 12th, the food shelf committee met with a representative of the VT Food Bank for our two year inspection, at which time we showed him our facilities and explained our system. We are happy to report that we passed with only a couple of small changes recommended.

The Tunbridge food shelf was closed the day after Christmas to allow vounteers a four day weekend. As of this writing, the food shelf planned to be open the day after New Years. Closings are posted on the Front Porch Forum and often on the Food Shelf facebook page.

We encourage you to stop in if your food needs ramp up during the cold winter months, and to encourage your family and friends to take advantage of this resource. We have a list of other agencies that are available to help,
as well.

As always, donations of unopened foods and ones that are not past their expiration dates are gratefully accepted. Financial donations can be sent to Mary Fisk, treasurer, PO Box 12 Tunbridge VT 05077.

The Tunbridge Shelf committee wishes you peace and good health in the coming year.

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; Pat Howe, Treasurer –
802-889-5512; Liz Williams, Secretary – 617-435-9661;
Helen O’Donnell – 802-763-8985;

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

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.

Our fall fundraiser catering the Brooks Hubbard concert at Fieldstone Farmwas a big success. We served 100+ delicious meals by chef Laura Ginsburg in about an hour. Working with Taylor at Fieldstone has become a great annual tradition. We are grateful for the continued opportunity and to all the student and parent volunteers who cook, serve and clean-up. See you next year at the farm!

This fall we funded requests such as supplies for a fourth grade science and plants elective, supplies for the elementary holiday gift-crafting event and wood for the middle school shop – where they are framing up a shed/shelter for the elementary campus. In January we will continue the tradition of welcoming staff back to the new year with needed supplies for their classrooms. If anyone is looking to chip in to supplies and experiences for students, we can help direct your efforts!

Our annual winter fundraiser is the High Mowing Seed sale. Order forms will be available the first week of January. Best to reach out to a First Branch student to submit an order, but we will find ways to share the order forms publicly as well. The deadline for ordering will be January 16th. We keep more than 50% of the seed price – which is the same you would pay from a display at a store – it’s a win, win, win to partner with this Vermont company.

We look forward to supporting several winter events, including a Skating Party, tentatively scheduled for February 6th, the elementary Winter Carnival on February 20th, and Maple Open House at the middle school sugar house in March.

We welcome you to join us in supporting more experiences for students, celebrating our staff, and developing our fundraising traditions. Please follow us on facebook at Friends of First Branch School Club, or get on our email list by sending us a message at friendsoffirstbranch@wrvsu.org. Our first meeting in 2026 will be January 13th, at 6pm in the elementary school library. We’ll have homemade soup or chili! Warm bowls, easy conversation – the coziest meeting you’ve ever attended!

ECFiber and the Town of Tunbridge
Town Representative: Henry Swayze, Dick Dybvig
tunbridge@ecfiber.net | www.ecfiber.net | 802-ECFiber
History of ECFiber: (copied from the website)

ECFiber is a unique business. It is owned by a government, the East Central Vermont Telecommunications District. ECFiber was created by the voters at 23 town meetings in 2008. The towns then entered into an inter-
local contract to build broadband to all homes and businesses on the grid in the member towns.

Why? The simple fact is that the cable companies were not going to build out in our largely rural area, and the phone company was not upgrading its technology here either: the low population and spread-out geography made investing here a losing proposition. We had to figure out how to create our own broadband business.

This was an entirely grass-roots effort. It received no support from the state or federal government. In fact, it took until 2011 to raise enough money from local investors to build the first 25-mile “proof of concept” network.

By 2014, ECFiber’s leadership — the Governing Board created by the inter-local contract and the executive management provided by ValleyNet, Inc., the nation’s only non-profit ISP — concluded that a change in Vermont State law was needed in order to enable ECFiber to issue municipal revenue bonds.

In 2015, the legislation proposed by ECFiber became law: 30 VSA 82 “Communications Union Districts” (CUD). On January 1, 2016, the inter-local contract and all its assets were transferred to the new government entity, Vermont’s first CUD.

In early 2016, the first of seven bonds was issued, with half the proceeds going to retire the loans made by local folks; this was repeated in 2017. Through 2023, the District has issued over $70 million in debt that is backed only by the revenues of the business of ECFiber. The District has no recourse to the member towns or the citizens of the District.

ECFiber is a miracle created by the efforts and contributions of hundreds of local citizens. It has created more than two dozen good jobs and inspired the State of Vermont to help eight other CUDs form.

When we say we are community-owned, it is because the District that owns the business is governed by local citizens appointed by Selectboards to represent their town on the board. Each of the now-31 member towns has one vote on the Governing Board.

If you are interested in volunteering for this important project as a representative from Tunbridge, please use the contact info above.

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

The Tunbridge Church and our community had a wonderful surprise in December when Nativity figures appeared in the creche across the road from the church. Theft of the manger figures last year made news statewide. They were never recovered. Thank you very much to the generous benefactor.

From January through June the church will be served on Sundays by four guest service leaders. Their schedule will be available in the weekly email newsletter (sign up at the email above) and on Facebook.

The service leaders are Rev. Kirsty De Pree, a spiritual health chaplain at Dartmouth Health and former interim pastor at West Lebanon Congregational Church; Rev. Skye Murray, a pediatric chaplain serving children, their families and staff at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth; Katie Walsh, a social worker whose second master’s degree is in divinity; and Ben Wolfe, who grew up in the church and has studied with the LifeTree School of Ministry of the American Baptist Conference.

Everyone is welcome at 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.

In the last months of 2025 the church hosted its fourth Senior Celebration Lunch, delivered Thanksgiving treats to 34 people and residents of Riverbend Home in Chelsea, gave poinsettias to local seniors, and hosted Service of Light and Christmas Eve services.

The church also collected gifts for displaced people in Myrhorod, Ukraine, given through Project Dove sponsored by Bethany Church and the Randolph Rotary Clubs, and made a donation for Myra Howe Hudson.

The Annual Meeting will be held after the Jan. 25 church service. All are welcome. Soup lunch and potluck desserts will follow at the Parish House. A winter delivery of homemade soup will be made to seniors by the Outreach Committee.

Women who are alone are invited to the monthly Moving Forward potluck meals at 12 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the Parish House. The Parish House is home of the Tunbridge Community Food Shelf which is open on Fridays from 4-5 p.m. AA meetings are held at the house on Sundays at 5. Al-Anon is Mondays, 4:30 to 5:30 through Feb 2.

Worship services are streamed and recorded via Zoom – meeting
ID: 881 4510 3797, passcode: 526048 – at tunbridgechurch.org. To listen by phone, dial (646) 876-9923. Previous services can be found at the Index to Services link.

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.

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

The Committee’s mission is to maintain and administer funds that
provide assistance to Tunbridge residents, allowing them to get the heating fuel they need. The goal is to keep our community strong and connected and to ensure that everyone has the ability to stay warm.

This is a service offered to help residents of Tunbridge just like you. The Committee can help point you to other resources that are available and will consider applications when a resident is in need. Please consider applying before this becomes an emergency.

Currently, the members include Helen O’Donnell, Anne Mallary, Ben Wolfe, Shari Murawski, Selectboard member, Gary Mullen and Town Treasurer, Rebecca Hoyt. There are lots of things we can do as a community to help one another through cold weather and tough economic times. Consider joining us at a meeting!

Applications are now available at the Town office, with a committee member and to download on the website.

Donations can be given directly to the Town Treasurer, or mailed to Town Treasurer; PO Box 6; Tunbridge, VT 05077. Include “Fuel Assistance Donation” in the subject line. We want to do this better and look forward to finding ways to reach more people who are struggling financially in the cold months.

Resources available: Capstone Community Action, Randolph Office: 12 Prince St., Randolph; 802-728-9506 and 800-846-9506, Barre Office: 20 Gable St., Barre; 802-479-1053 and 800-639-1053 or capstonevt.org
Community Action can help with crisis fuel, seasonal fuel, utility assistance, weatherization and furnace repair or replacement as long as you meet the income guidelines.

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

The Ed Larkin Contra Dancers generally host Contra Dancing at the Tunbridge Town Hall on the second Fridays of the month at 7:00 PM and the last Sundays at 2:00 PM. Weather permitting.

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

South Royalton Rescue
Ryan Terrill – (802)788-1050, admin@southroyaltonrescue.com

Happy Holidays to everyone during this season. Our ambulance and crew will be out and about at several local events this season. We’ll be joining the South Royalton Fire Department’s Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 13. Immediately following the parade, First Responders have been invited to an appreciation dinner at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a wonderful opportunity for responders from across our coverage area to gather and connect, and our staff is truly grateful for the invitation.

As winter weather settles in and the days grow shorter, our 24/7 EMS services continue without interruption in Tunbridge, South Royalton, and Sharon. Our goal is always to respond to every call safely and as quickly as possible. During storms, we carefully monitor road conditions to ensure crews arrive as efficiently—and safely—as they can.

We kindly ask all residents to make sure their 911 house numbers are clearly posted and visible from the road, especially at the entrance to their driveway. Clear access to your home, including plowed driveways, greatly helps our crews reach you promptly during an emergency.

If anyone in the Town of Tunbridge is interested in serving their community, we encourage you to join our team. You may call our Administrator, Ryan Terrill, at 802-788-1050, who can guide you to upcoming EMS course opportunities in the area.

Our South Royalton Rescue building project is moving forward as well. With the USDA fully operational again after the recent government shutdown, we have submitted the remaining documents needed to obligate our building funds. USDA has advised that they will reserve the funds as soon as the paperwork is processed. As of this writing, we expect to put the project out to bid in January, with a potential spring construction start. We sincerely thank everyone who has supported this effort and helped bring the project closer to reality.

Tunbridge Emergency Management & Fire Warden
Brenda Field – 889-5548

Two Week Power Outage Planning

Can you do this? Get a bit of your prepper on!

Tunbridge Emergency Planners and Royalton Emergency Planners are putting on a round table discussion which will challenge and prepare most of us.

What would you do if we got a huge Ice Storm (which has happened) or a big dump of a snow storm with power outages? What if those power
outages lasted up to two weeks? You are cut off for a longer period of time than a typical two or three-day outage. Food, Water, Shelter, warmth. Can you do this?

What if that storm has blocked the roads and little to no access while they are being cleared and the power company slowly works their way to you? This planning is brainstorming with folks from the fire dept, GMP, Two Rivers Regional Planning, and hopefully more to discuss some strategies. In truth most of us are “On our own” for a great period of time. We should all be able to be self-sufficient for a longer period of time with some arrangements ahead of time.

Come listen, brainstorm, contribute to some planning thoughts. Tentative Dates for this is Jan. 29th at the Royalton Academy Building in Royalton.

Brenda Field- Tunbridge Emergency Manager Director
James McGuire- Tunbridge Emergency Management Coordinator
Brad Salzmann- Royalton Emergency Management Director

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.

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

The Fire Department has enjoyed community events such as handing out candy and stickers during the trunk-or-treat at Orange County Parent Child Center and displaying our trucks during the light parade in South Royalton. We look forward to assisting the Rec Department soon in filling the ice rink. We have been invited to and hosted multiple mutual aid training events over the past few months. These smoke trainings, extrication and hazardous materials trainings strengthen our knowledge and working relationship with our mutual aid partners. We are so thankful to have these opportunities.

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.

As always the Fire Department is looking for volunteers, if you are interested in joining the department, helping fundraise, or looking for more information please reach out to Simon Bradford at the contact info above.

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

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.

The Tunbridge Community Discussion List provides easy access to your neighbors, without gathering personal data for reuse as social media sites do constantly. TCDL encourages discussion on topics specific to Tunbridge. It is not an ‘official’ list set up by the Selectboard or town office – (although they use the list to announce meetings, other news about the town).

All you need is an email account to receive daily mailings – sent first thing in the morning (because Tunbridge folk get up early, right?).

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