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, 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; 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

Mums the word. We’re not talking about chrysanthemums, that cheery harbinger of fall, but about the ominous silence from proposed cell tower builder Vertex. Since the public hearing back in late May, Municipal Tunbridge has been waiting for the developer to apply to the PUC (Public Utilities Commission) to move the process along. At that point, the PUC listens to concerns from the Tunbridge Selectboard and Planning Commission about the tower, and can demand answers from Vertex. Because the process flows through the PUC, an Act 250 permit is not required. Communications from Tunbridge to Vertex have not been returned. Why Vertex has “ghosted” us is anybody’s guess, but the relationship underscores the difference between corporate American and small town government. We aim to be transparent, friendly and do our due diligence; on the other side is radio silence, a company that mispronounces “Tunbridge” (calling it “Tunebridge”), and budget decisions made behind closed doors. We want better cell coverage in town, but we also want to partner with a company that will shake your hand and look you in the eye.

As it happens, we are partnering with just such a company on another tower. For years we’ve had conversations about transitioning our road crew trucks from low-band radios to high-band. With our fire department and ambulance services on high-band (low-band is kind of the rotary telephone of the radio communications world—it still works, but technology has moved on), it makes good sense for our road crew to be able to talk to emergency services and our schools. In addition to installing high-band radios in our highway department equipment, this meant erecting a new tower on Kay Jorgensen’s land with a new FCC license. Doug Dutile, of Haverhill, NH, won the bid for making this upgrade come to fruition and has gone the extra mile for Tunbridge. He’s been a pleasure to work with and if we have any hiccups down the road, we know where to find him. A special thanks to Kay Jorgensen, too, who signed onto a new easement for the tower located on her property, securing access and signal for years to come. If you see her, give her a high five or a fist pump—a fine community citizen is she.

If elephants are pregnant for 18 to 22 months, the gestation period for a new dump truck is even longer. Our new 4 wheel drive dump truck was ordered over two years ago; it should have arrived by the time this TQ hits your mailbox, but, then again, we wouldn’t be shocked if it didn’t get here ‘til Christmas. The waiting time for big equipment in America—between order and delivery—is so far out that municipalities have to change the way they do business. If we look at our equipment replacement schedule, and say we’ve got a ten-wheeler on the list for 2028, we should have ordered it yesterday—which means setting aside funds in 2026 for something we won’t be able to use for two or three years.

We’ve applied that same forward-thinking to building a new town garage. What appears to make the most sense is to keep our existing garage and build a new no-frills structure on the lot. If a dump truck or two and the grader could be tucked into this new building, it would free up space in the old garage to give the road crew a safer work place, and also protect expensive equipment from the elements. After all, today’s $400,000 grader is made up of a high-tech motherboard, miles of wires, and tons of metal that takes commands from that computer chip. Not the sort of thing you want to leave out in the yard in all kinds of weather, whether it’s this summer’s dustbowl or next winter’s bombogenesis.

Lastly, budget season is fast approaching and the Selectboard must prepare to do battle with time and money: Everything takes longer than it used to and everything costs more.

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.

The deadlines have always been 15 days before the delivery date which gives time for the straggling entries to come in, for me to format the file to then send it off to Spaulding Press for printing. Once I get the finished copies I process them for bulk mailing and have generally dropped them off to the PO in time to be delivered on or before the 1st of the month. Or at least that used to be the case. With the changes in timing of the PO the TQ has consistently been a few days late. I will work to step up the game on the front end and hope to get it back on track for delivery on the 1st of the month each quarter… we’ll see 🙂

Tunbridge Town Clerk
Bonnie McCrillis, Clerk 889-5521
Mariah Cilley, Asst Clerk town.clerk@tunbridgevt.org
Hours: Monday through Wednesday 8-2 Thursday & Friday: By Appointment

Happy Autumn Tunbridge! We are gearing up for the fair as I write this, but by the time it is in your hands it will be a few weeks past. The weather is looking beautiful, so hopefully that stayed true, and everyone enjoyed their time being a fairgoer.

If you didn’t already notice in the headline above, I have stepped down as Town Clerk to focus my energy on the three little Cilleys’. I am popping in and out of the office as needed from our NEW Town clerk, Bonnie (who you all have come to know these past few years), and working from home as time allows. Luckily for the town, Bonnie stepped right into the role and has been doing a stellar job. As Clerk, she has been working on more land record digitization, including purchasing a large scanner which will be able to photocopy the mylar plat maps (survey) as well as maintaining the day-to-day duties with ease. I am always around to help and am still offering appointments outside of the posted office hours to help you access the town office on your timeline. Please call or email the contact listed above to set up a time to meet.

Dump Hours will be consistent on Saturday and Wednesday’s and will not change due to the change of the season. Wednesday hours will stay at 4pm-7pm throughout the winter.

There is no election this year, so the Board of Civil Authority met for their Biennial Purge of the Voter Checklist. This is done every two years by the BCA and entails reading through each of the 1,164 registered voters and using their collective knowledge of the townspeople to question if the voter still currently lives in our town. We sent out a total of 75 challenged voter letters, which allows that voter to state if they have moved or still currently live in town and if they would like to remain on the checklist. This keeps our checklist the most up to date for all the elections in town.

As always, please forward your tax questions along to our treasurer, Becky Hoyt at 889-3571 or treasurer@tunbridgevt.org.

If you would like to request a slot on a Selectboard meeting agenda, please email tunbridge.adm.assist@gmail.com 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, reservation contracts, and can answer any other questions you may have.

Enjoy the beautiful Autumn in Vermont; how lucky are we!?

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

Tunbridge Fair has come and gone for another year. Hope everyone who attended enjoyed the exhibits, shows, meeting friends old and new. Our volunteers in the ticket booth appreciated the people who stopped by to support FBA by buying tickets or just to say hi. Without your continued support, we would not be able to provide the services we do. Thank you, Thank you.

We are excited to have Cecelia Goodwin join our dedicated team. Please welcome her when you see her and thank her.

FBA will be having an EMT class starting after the holidays. So, if you or a friend are interested in joining our team now or then, It would be a great time to get nformation by calling the station at 802-685-3112 and talking to Chase or Liz.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new ambulance. It is expected to arrive soon after the first of the year.

Please order your red house marker if you have not done so. It will make it easier to find you if you’re in need of our assistance. You may obtain one for a charitable donation of $20.00 by contacting Judy Tucker at 802-889-3305 or judytucker@ yahoo.com.

FBA hopes you have a nice fall, enjoy the holidays, stay safe and healthy

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, Christine Battcock, Deb Mullen 802-889-3571
(lister@tunbridgevt.org) Office hours: Tuesday & Friday 9am-3pm

Greetings from the Lister Office. For the second year in a row, we have enjoyed a gorgeous stretch of golden days through the Fair this year, highlighting the blessings of being able to live and work in this community. We were very sorry that Darlene Miller had to step down as one of our listers this year and greatly appreciate her service to the town but are glad to know she is still just down the road and keeping an eye out on us. Christine Battcock was appointed by the selectboard to fill the remainder of Darlene’s term until Town Meeting in March 2026 and brings a strong background in real estate appraisal. Please welcome Chris if you are by the office or about town. We have now signed a contract with NEMRC (New England Municipal Resource Center) to complete a town-wide reappraisal, our first since 2010, with fieldwork beginning in 2028 and completion slated for the Grand List that will be lodged in June 2030.

We are still checking Homestead Declarations weekly. You can file a late homestead declaration until October 15, 2025, though late fees and penalties will apply. Revised Tax Bills are sent out if late Homestead Declarations are made.

Quarterly rotation visits this year will be in the Northwestern quadrant of town (Chelsea Town Line to Monarch Hill Rd, west of Route 110). Look for a postcard if you are a landowner in this area of Town, noting visits there in the coming months. These visits help us stay current with changes; we update exterior pictures of your property and will call you if an inside inspection would be helpful. We would also appreciate a heads-up if there are significant changes to your property (up or down), whether you are in this portion of town or not.

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 Community Nurse
Jodi Hoyt – 802-249-8956

The Tunbridge Community Nurse program continues to be a vital support system for clients navigating complex medical and social needs. In recent weeks, I have continued to connect clients with essential resources such as meals on wheels, medical equipment, VNH care, and medication pick-up and also have provided personalized care addressing the health challenges and social factors impacting their well-being. I have added new clients and continued to care for current clients.

Medical supply support has been strengthened by generous donations from the community to our medical supply closet – now thriving thanks to an incredible community response. I am so grateful for this ongoing support, which allows me to better serve those in need. With some wonderful volunteers from the community, we were able to thoroughly clean and organize and label the medical supply closet and begin inventorying its contents. The next step is to create an accessible spreadsheet to ensure more efficient access for myself and the community. Of note, we are in search of both extra-large and normal-sized wheelchairs.

Looking ahead, I have been actively working on scheduling flu vaccination clinic. In addition, I am planning to relaunch the DHMC cardiovascular clinic, offering critical screenings and education to help community members manage heart health. Looking like this clinic will be held at the community breakfast at town hall, Sunday October 19th 9-11.
flu clinic free for everyone.
Covid does have a cost and or could be covered by insurance.
Cardiovascular clinic free for any age 8-noon same day.

The Tunbridge Community Nursing board has expanded with new volunteers and is meeting monthly to help me set the goals that would best support Tunbridge. There is a huge need for affordable help with housecleaning and meal prep, so if anyone interested should please reach out to me.

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 full of new and exciting programs this fall! Story hour is back in full swing at TPL! Each Thursday at 10:30am children birth-7 and their caregivers are invited to sing, read, and play for a full hour of story time! Bonus that this also falls on the weekly timing of our Bumblebee Playgroup in partnership with Orange County Parent Child Center (10am-12pm). We are also visiting OCPCC regularly with a traveling story time to all the preschoolers. In the works is a grant to purchase oversized books to add to our collection and enhance our story times! This is a gift to the next generation of readers, but truth be told, it is also a bright spot in our week. Win-Win

Coming up our ADHD support group is returning with Meg Hopkins of “Same-Same, Different Brain”. The group will meet every third Thursday through April from 7–8 PM. This is a welcoming space for folks with ADHD to connect, share experiences, and build practical skills together. The group will be low-tech, conversation-driven, and shaped by the interests and ideas of those who attend. Whether you’ve just started exploring what ADHD means for you, with or without a diagnosis, or you’ve been navigating it for years, we hope you’ll join us. Please RSVP.

Imagination Fridays continues with Rooted Rolls at 3pm (an original table top imagination game for 6-11 year olds), followed by Magic the Gathering until 5:30pm. Look for special events on Fridays such as Paint and Sips and other craft nights during this time frame. Fridays at the library are shaping up to be the place to be!

Qigong with Catherine Freese is a popular way to start the week. All experience is welcome. The group meets at the library from 9:30-10:30am on Mondays.

Knitting Wellness created the most amazing (and adorable) sheep scene at the fair. I hope you all were able to check it out! The group continues to meet monthly at the library. All are welcome! Next meeting is October 7th from 5-7pm.

Shelf Love, our adult books club, continues one Friday per month. 9/26 the group will discuss “Pick Your Own Fair Reads.” In October join in for “Historic Haunts” with a discussion of Winter People by Jennifer McMahon.

Looking ahead, mark your calendar for a few VERY special events. The library has a packed day of fun on October 4th starting with Hobby Horse decorating with Whitney at 11am. RSVP for this 8+ event. Then in the afternoon join up with Russell for a Magic the Gathering draft and Mariah for a Paint and Sip. These activities will happen at the same time so drop off your kids and have some fun or just come have some fun! Please RSVP. No experience needed for any of these events.

Community Collage Night with Heather, an amazing and inspiring local artist will take place on October 17th from 5-7pm. Don’t miss out on this wonderful family friendly event. All are welcome- all ages- all experience levels. Spending time with Heather will undoubtedly bring us all peace through this meditative and very fun experience. RSVP if possible!

Pam Steiner will discuss her book “Collective Trauma” Sunday, October 19th from 2-3:30pm. Pam has so much experience and information on this timely topic. Do not miss out. On October 24th from 4-5pm please come and decorate your own hula hoop to take home! This is an event for all ages. Hula hooping is an activity we all can do in some capacity, or at least we can all laugh together while we try.

Have an idea for the library? Want to volunteer? Want to recommend a title? Our library is a community library in every sense of the word and we always welcome suggestions and ideas!

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

Happy Fall! It’s hard to believe the 2025 Fair has come and gone! It is amazing to see how much work goes on, year-round, to prepare for those four special days each September. The Friends have been busy, too. Hope you had a chance to take note of our updated shuttle shelters and signage; we also added some new benches to both the shuttle stops and to various points around the grounds. A huge thank-you goes out to Demi Boles, who volunteered the time and resources to make the benches, taking them from logs to lumber to finished product. Just a reminder: You can donate to have a bench with an engraved plaque made in memory of a special friend or family member.

More thanks go out to Duprey Towing of South Royalton for supporting the shuttle service, and to local radio stations WDEV and Royalton Radio for hosting us and giving us the opportunity to chat with listeners about the fair and the Friends.

Keep up with Fair goings-on year-round by becoming a Friend of the Fair! If you’d like more information about what we do and/or how to join, contact FTWF president Deb Mullen at the contact info above.

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

What an incredible summer we have had at the Tunbridge Historical Society! Attendance at Society events continues to grow, starting with a sold out bus tour of Tunbridge barns in late June led by Izzy Provoncha. The Ice Cream Social and Tunbridge Speaks was well attended and that was followed by over 30 people participating in the August 2 Cemetery Cleanup/Workshop at the Hutchinson Cemetery on Howe Lane which was sponsored by VOCA (Vermont Old Cemetery Association). The Annual Meeting of the Society was on August 17 with the typical delicious Tunbridge pot luck supper while Izzy shared his knowledge of the reenactment community and its many nuances. This year we printed up our first order of Tunbridge Society T shirts which feature the North Tunbridge Church. A second printing is being considered as only a few are left.

Last but certainly not least, the amazing Folk Tales was published last month. Sales of the book have been so brisk that the first run has sold out and a second printing has been ordered. The book was featured in an article in the White River Valley Herald newspaper and was also offered for sale in Heritage Hall during the Tunbridge World Fair. Posters of each interviewed subject were displayed in the Hall as well. If anyone missed the display at the fair, it will be hung in the Tunbridge Library for the months of November and December. Books will continue to be sold at the library and other local venues such as the North Tunbridge General Store.

Fall is also shaping up to be busy. Our popular Ghost Walk will be at the Old Spring Rd cemetery at 1pm on Sunday October 19. Please park on the edge of the road if you wish to attend. The Ghost Walk is followed by the Haunted Trail at Landgoes Farm on October 24 and 25. Committees for the Haunted Trail have been working all summer to come up with historic and scarier “tableaus” for some good frightening fun. We absolutely need some volunteer help with this popular event so please contact Emily Howe at emilylouisehowe@yahoo.com for more information about how you can help before the event but especially as an actor during the event. We will also be soliciting baked goods donations. Again this year the Tunbridge Recreation Department has agreed to provide food for sale to warm you up either before or after your wicked walk!

As always, new members are welcome to join the Society. Our next meeting will be November 9 at 1pm in the Town Hall basement. Please contact Elaine Howe secretary@tunbridgehistoricalsocvt.org for more information.

Tunbridge Grange # 384
Rosemary Distel 802-272-2235

The Tunbridge Grange #384 has many activities planned for this 2025 fall/early winter season:

Poster Contest: create a poster to celebrate Autumn in Vermont! Age groups: 5-6 year olds; 7-9 year olds; 10-12 year olds. Turn in Poster and Registration form at the North Tunbridge General Store from October 11th – 16th. Prize Winners will be chosen on Sunday, October 17th. Posters will be displayed at the Tunbridge Town Hall on October 18th during the Grange Harvest Supper

Annual Harvest Supper at the Town Hall in Tunbridge Village
October 18, 2025 with two settings: 5pm & 6pm. Menu will be the traditional ham and corned beef, root vegetables, and of course, an assortment of homemade pies. No reservations required. $15/adults and $8/kids under 10.

Holiday Market at the Grange Hall in North Tunbridge
November 22, 2025 from 9am to 3pm.Crafts, Candies, Holiday Decor and more!For more info or to register as a vendor, email or call: chancityyoung@gmail.com, 802-272-4782

Holiday Prize Bingo!
December 12, 2025, 6:30pm sharp at the Grange Hall in North Tunbridge. Get ready for a festive and fun-filled Holiday Bingo Night. Gather your friends and family

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

Fall is in full swing and so are the autumn happenings in Tunbridge and nearby. Did you know there were more than 80 events within a 1/2hr drive of town this past summer? We all get busy and those weekend days are few. So, penciling in the things that you like to do early is important.

I produce an EVENTS CALENDAR, updated weekly. It’s a chronological list of events within 30-60 minute drive of Tunbridge (not including big cities). I hunt high and low for events and keep it simple: Date, event and place. You can find the list online here https://tinyurl.com/Tunbridge-60 . I also leave copies at the town office, library, general stores and bulletin boards. Organizers can send entries to bill@tarkulich.com

ORGANIZERS It’s time to make sure your autumn event receives its unfair share of publicity! You need not have the details. Just get out the event name and date as EARLY as possible to get as many attendees as possible. Don’t wait until two weeks before! Details can be added later. Send it to as many places as you can: newspaper online, town & store bulletin board and signs.

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

This month we mark a significant change in our membership. After eight years on the commission, Betsy Gaiser is moving on to serve Tunbridge in other important roles. Betsy served this commission since its founding in 2017 and was tireless in her commitment and care for our natural resources and conservation issues. Betsy served as chair for many of these years, organized our annual river clean-up efforts, supported many winter evenings with interesting guests, mapped and observed our vernal pools and kept us connected with many regional organizations. Thank you, Betsy, for all your efforts.

In August we hosted an evening moth sighting event in collaboration with Fledgling Farms community potluck. We found such a variety of moths under the light, and our co-chair Cheryl Metcalf was able to identify dozens of species. Keep an eye out for future moth nights, you won’t be disappointed!

In the beginning of September we hosted an Invasive Plants workshop at the Tunbridge Central School. Attendees learned to identify the most common offenders, distinguish from look-alikes, consider a variety of mitigation options, and helped clear a whole brush pile worth of multi-flora rose, buckthorn, burning bush and honeysuckle from the elementary forest classrooms.

As of this writing we are in the thick of planning our Wicopy Woods Welcome event in collaboration with the Forest and Trails Committees. We hope you were able to attend on September 27th. If not, consider yourself invited to your own private grand opening. Take a walk on the trail, picnic under the pavilion or try to identify the leatherwood in the understory. Improving Wicopy Woods has been a team effort of several of your town volunteers over many years. We hope you can take advantage of this peaceful public space.

If you’ve received your TQ in time, please join us on October 4th at 10am for our annual river clean-up. Park at the South Tunbridge Church and we’ll clean the river between Belknap Brook and Russell Road.

Looking further ahead, we will be hosting conservation themed Winter Evenings on select Fridays in January, February and March. As we confirm details, you can learn about these events on the Tunbridge town website – click through to the Conservation Commission page. We also post to facebook, Front Porch Forum, the town listserve and send notices to The Herald.

The Tunbridge Conservation Commission meets the first Thursday of the month at 6pm at the Tunbridge Public Library. We are actively seeking more members; come to a meeting to learn more about our work. We can be reached at tunbridgeconservation@gmail.com. Information about our commission can also be found at http://tunbridgevt.org/conservation-commission/

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

Once again I am pleased to report that patrols and tips are making a huge difference in Tunbridge and the First Branch Valley. Neighbors supplying camera images, stepping forward with what they saw and providing names and registration numbers have aided police in identifying suspects in a couple of cases recently. Information provided to this administrator (forwarded to the police confidentially if requested) and directly to the police will lead to arrests and hopefully convictions. This is how our system is supposed to work. Neighbors helping neighbors.

One case in Tunbridge utilized the information from residents in Tunbridge, Chelsea and Vershire to identify the suspects. Many of the cases involving property crimes need input from outside our town to make the case. The Orange County Community Watch Group, a private group, has been very helpful in a recent Tunbridge case. Crime in our community has dropped significantly over the past year indicating that just the presence of police in the area makes a difference. Tunbridge, Chelsea, Strafford, Bethel and Brookfield all now have contracted patrol hours and it shows in the amount of crime in these towns. All seeing reduced criminal activity while other towns within the county without patrols continue to have elevated numbers of problems. Unfortunately, the catch and release procedures of our justice system
continue to place many of these individuals back on the streets with little or
no consequences for their prior actions.

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

The Shindigs dance series is held from Nov. – April, always on the first Saturdays of the month except this year I am skippikng January, so no NYE dance, sorry folks. 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 are potentially contagious.

Nov. 1 – Soul Porpoise
This funky soul drenched band will move your body with airtight grooves.
Dec. 7 – Better Days Band
R & B, Classic Rock, Blues and Fun stuff with unique arrangements!
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!

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

The Ed Larkin Contra Dancers will host Contra Dancing at the Tunbridge Town Hall in October and November 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.

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

By the time this Tunbridge Quarterly arrives, we will be supplying the back pack program again at our school. This program has been in existence for a long time and supplies supplemental foods for families who have registered for it. Last year we fed between 7 and 12 families, weekly. It is a totally confidential program. For information about signing up, please contact the school nurse. The Food Shelf merely packs the backpacks, which are distributed from the school.

We are still waiting to hear if there are major financial cuts by the present administration, that would affect the financial situation or availability of foods for the VT Food Bank. Recently, there has been a very limited supply of meat, but we have been able to acquire eggs and cheese from them, so far. That with our supply of tuna and peanut butter allows us to deliver complete protein sources to our recipients.

The outdoor food pantry in the creche area, will remain open until the weather gets too cold. We make that decision when it becomes necessary. Thank you to everyone who has generously donated foods and other items this summer. It hasn’t been an outstanding garden growing season, so your contributions have been doubly appreciated.

As always, anyone wishing to donate financially can send a check to our treasurer, Mary Fisk PO Box 12, Tunbridge, VT. Once the weather gets into the freezing range, food donations should not be left outside, but rather inside the parish house during the food shelf time, ( Fridays 4-5:00), or by calling the number above to make arrangements for a drop off. Please note that the phone number is for messages and you probably will not receive a call back, immediately.

Have a wonderful fall and early winter. Please feel you can use the food shelf to supplement your food needs regularity or periodically, and/or recommend us to a friend. We are here to help during the months ahead.

Lasagna Love
Mindy Checkon – 802-431-8138 Mindycheckon@gmail.com

Looking to volunteer? In need of help?

Check out https://lasagnalove.org/ to find out about this global nonprofit and grassroots movement that aims to positively impact communities by connecting neighbors with neighbors through homemade meal delivery.

Sign up if you need a meal or would like to volunteer by baking lasagna to help feed locals in need, regardless of income. If you are just in need of a break and a hot meal delivered to you and your family, please consider lasagna love!

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 include rides to appointments (doctor, dentist, etc.), bringing trash and recycling to the transfer station, and shoveling off and sanding a ramp.

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 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.

We are very grateful that over the summer The Ranger again donated $2,000 to our organization, and facilitated the donation of a bicycle worth over $1,000 to our middle school biking club.

We are thrilled to finally be able to report that plans have solidified for an ice-rink warming hut and storage shed in memory of TCS teacher Rachel Brown. Framing has begun by middle school students under the tutelage of Erik Anderson.

Our annual fall fundraiser of catering the Fieldstone Farm Brooks Hubbard concert will take place on the evening of October 4th. We hope to see many friendly faces in attendance enjoying our homemade mac and cheese supper. We expect to host our High Mowing seed order in January. And…if we can pull it off we hope to have some apparel for sale ahead of the holiday season.

Our club relies on volunteers who can lead a fundraiser, take on a volunteer shift at a school event, or send in a baked good of teacher gift a couple of times a year. You don’t have to be a parent to support your local school; we welcome all community members to be part of the effort to celebrate and support our teachers and students!

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 email list by sending us a message at friendsoffirstbranch@wrvsu.org.

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.

ECFiber and the Town of Tunbridge
Town Representative: Henry Swayze, Dick Dybvig
tunbridge@ecfiber.net | www.ecfiber.net | 802-ECFiber
Entry written by former delegate, Janet Zug

We can trust ECFiber!

ECFiber is being attacked by GWI (Great Works Internet), the corporation that was hired as the operating company. Perhaps you’ve seen their paid ads in The Herald?!

Because ECF is a community-owned, nonprofit municipality another company needs to be hired for the day to day operations. The cable on the polls, the trucks, the tools, the desks in the office…. Everything, is owned by ECF and in extension, by the member towns and us.

ECF has a governing board of delegates, two from every town that is served by the network. The board decided not to renew the contract with GWI because of the increase in their fee and also they planned to outsource many of the local jobs which would include the call-in center. Those calls would be forwarded and greatly diminish the quality of customer service. (I feel certain everyone knows what that’s like.) It’s just not in-keeping with the mission of ECF which can be found in the “about us” tab at www.ECFiber.net.

Since the non-renewal of their contract, which ends on 12/31/25, GWI has started a slander campaign of propaganda in attempt to undermine confidence in ECF’s ability going further. What GWI is saying is simply NOT true. ECF has formed a new nonprofit operating company, called VISPO, and is stocking it with experts to take over the network on 1/1/26. We can trust them to continue to serve our best interests.

Let’s all stand with ECFiber, OUR Vermont community-owned fiber optic network!

If you are intersted in volunteering for this improtant project as a representative from Tunbridge please contact us at the info above.

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

The Tunbridge Church and Sharon Congregational Church seek to begin a new chapter in our histories with a shared minister — bringing back a tradition from our individual pasts. We seek a lay or ordained pastor to serve both communities with Sunday worship and religious holiday services in each town. Pastoral duties could be developed for the candidate who is a good speaker, relates well to people and is enthused about the possibilities. For more information call 889-5528 or email kjayvt@gmail.com.

After holding summer services at the South Tunbridge Methodist and North Tunbridge Baptist churches The Tunbridge Church community has returned to Tunbridge Village. Sunday worship services are held at 10 a.m. All are welcome.

The church will host the following events through Christmas:

Oct. 26, Senior Celebration Lunch, Town Hall, 12 p.m.
Oct. 31, Community Halloween Treat or Trunk on the fairgrounds
Nov. 22, Delivery of Thanksgiving treats bags for senior and homebound residents
Nov. 30, First Sunday of Advent with carol singing and church
decorating, 10 a.m.
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.

Women who are alone are welcome to the Women Moving Forward potluck meals at 12 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the Parish House. Nancy Howe and Margaret Rogers lead these times for support and discussion.

This summer the church hosted a Community Ice Cream Social and served and delivered an August senior meal. The Parish House lawn was used by nonprofits on Memorial Day and by vendors at a July yard sale. The vegetable garden on the lawn stocked the outdoor food pantry in the creche. 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 and AA meetings on Sundays at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively.

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 thetunbridgechurch@gmail.com 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 www.tunbridgechurch.org.

Tunbridge Heating Fuel Assistance Committee
802-889-3571, 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 Betsy Sponable, Helen O’Donnell, Anne Mallary, Ben Wolfe, Shari Murawsksi, 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!

We are currently reviewing the application process. It will be available here soon. Feel free to reach out at the above email address with any questions or suggestions.

Donations can be given directly to the Town treasurer or mail to Town treasure 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.

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

SRR thanks all the Tunbridge residents covered by SRR for your support in subscribing to our yearly subscription program. This covers all household members for the cost of transport if SRR is the transporting service.

SRR is currently staffed with 6 EMTs, 8 AEMTs, and 2 Paramedics. We have one employee who is presently in Paramedic school. We are a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service with a crew on duty at the rescue house.. The level of AEMT covers the majority of our shifts.

Our Administrator, Ryan Terrill, and Deputy Administrator John Leighton continue to improve our service, which covers a portion of Tunbridge. South Royalton Rescue and First Branch Ambulance proudly share a few employees who help us become more familiar with each territory covered by the two services. Both services are available for Mutual Aid when needed.

We thank all who may have driven through the intersection of 110 & 14 on the Saturday of Tunbridge Fair Day and contributed coins to our annual fundraiser shared with the South Royalton Fire Department.

We are very grateful for the very generous $250,000 donation towards our new building from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Based on our most recent professional estimates, this completes our fundraising for the project. The USDA is working with us to process our $649,000 Congressionally Directed Spending Grant (earmark). This is a long, complicated process, but it moves forward every week. We are grateful to our neighbors and friends, the Towns of Royalton, Sharon, and Tunbridge, Vermont Law and Graduate School, Bar Harbor Bank, and several foundations for their essential financial support. We look forward to our new building in 2026.

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

Interested in local events, new services, items for sale, news? Perhaps you would like to discuss a local issue with your fellow residents.

The Tunbridge Community Discussion List is provided to encourage discussion on topics specific or relevant 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). Particularly, it is not a large social media entity bound to gather data about users. The non-profit Vital Communities manages several community discussion lists across the Upper Valley. You’ll need 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

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

Hopefully by the time you see this section, there is rain in the forecast!! We are issuing no permits at this time for burning until we get good rain, hopefully before the ground freezes. From campfires to putting hot chainsaws down in the woods…use caution. Yes, hot chainsaws can cause fires. Vermont now has the driest August since 1895. Central Vermont is in Severe Drought at the time of this writing. Across the Conn. river in the Hanover area they are in Extreme Drought. The state is asking folks to report on the VT ANR drought report if you lose your well water. The stats may help us work on grants to build limited water storage for firefighting in the future.

The fire department is slowly losing many of their drafting sites on the First Branch River. We are trying to get emergency permission to dig out our draft sites to give some depth but that is slow going to convince VT ANR that this is a life/safety issue for small towns that have no municipal water for firefighting.

The upcoming winter notes:
As usual we promote all Tunbridge residents to be independent if they lose power and water for at least 2 weeks. That takes some planning as gas stations will have run out of fuel, way before the end of that time. They also need cash as the card machines don’t usually work with no power. Of course that means you can even get out to go to the gas station. In truth, if we got a big snow storm with power out…you could easily be on your own for at least that amount of time. Try to communicate with your neighbors and help one another. Food, water and dare I say heat as winter is coming. If you need ongoing medical care, monitor the weather and move to the hospital area before the storm hits. Keep extra animal food, extra medication, and hunker down.

We will try to have another gathering to talk about ideas and what to have to prep for these events later this fall. You do need to have a bit of a prepper mentality to be prepared. There are decent dried foods sealed selections in storage containers with all you could desire to eat for weeks, months and the stuff is supposed to last for 25 years. Gotta do what ya gotta do.

Call if you have questions,
Brenda Field
Fire Warden, Emergency Director
John Durkee Deputy Fire Warden
James McGuire- Emergency Coordinator

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

The Fire Departments Annual Chicken BBQ following the Memorial Day parade this year was a very successful turn out. The department cooked over 550 halves of chicken and all were sold. This event and the parade showed a great turn out of our town community.

The Fire Department attended the last day of school events at Tunbridge Central School. They brought one of the fire engines and sprayed the children water. This is a fun and wet event that the department enjoys participating in with our community. This year the rain helped as well.

Any Tunbridge residents in need of obtaining a burn permit please contact the Fire Warden Brenda Field at 802-889-5548. Please follow safe burn practices and have a water source nearby. Please check the town website to inquire about burn bans and what is permitted to be burned at www.tunbridgevt.org.

The Fire Department is always welcoming new Volunteers. If you are interested in joining or would like to receive information about joining the Tunbridge Volunteer Fire Department please stop by a meeting any Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m., or email Tunbridge.fire@gmail.com.

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

The Tunbridge World’s Fair had another successful year! Admissions were up a bit on Saturday and down a bit on Sunday, so it all averaged out to another great attendance year, with perfect weather all four days. The only thing we could have asked for was a little less dust in the air! Congratulations go out to all the award winners – job well done! The Board of Directors continues to make upgrades on the fairgrounds and this year was a complete success for vendors and staff having access to reliable Wi-Fi services.

The final event for the 2025 season is The VT Sheep & Wool Festival on October 4th & 5th.

Winter Storage reservations are coming in fast. Please call or email the fair soon if you are interested in 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.