Thetford Town Newsletter

No. 30                                                                                                             August 2006

SELECTBOARD NOTES

Town Roads
Paving will begin this fall on Academy Road between Route 113 and Thetford Academy including repair of drainage problems. Vaughan Farm Road and Needmore Roads will also be paved. Top coating will be applied to some areas of Latham Road as well.

Tucker Hill Bridge
The Sayre Bridge on Tucker Hill Road was scheduled for renovation for the past two years. However, since federal funding was not released, renovation of the bridge will not occur during this construction season. The Selectboard will post notices regarding design review and future construction.

Submitted by Mary Spata

NEW BOOK AT LATHAM

So what's all the buzz about the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth?  
Latham Library now has a copy of the book companion to this talked-about film, featuring many of the photos and charts former Vice President Al Gore uses to make his case for global warming.  
Supportive?  Skeptical? Come take a look and decide for yourself.

Submitted by Elise Tillinghast

FIRE DEPARTMENT LABOR DAY BBQ AND PARADE

The Thetford Volunteer Fire Department is hosting the annual Labor Day BBQ & Parade on Monday, September 4th 2006.  Parade starts at 11:30 with BBQ to follow.  Back this year is the Interactive Fire Safety Trailer, flea market, crafts & fire truck rides.  

Submitted by Tim Ouellette

LATHAM LIBRARY NEWS
Latham Library Trustees are beginning a new program to raise public awareness and energy for the library. Our first step begins July 23 and continues July 29th, August 6th and 13th. At this time Library trustees will be at the Thetford Recycling Center from 9am-12pm to chat with residents about programs planned for the coming year and to elicit your input for future wishes for the library. Every 5 years the Library must submit a budget request at Town meeting. We want your input in this process and hope that this informal time will give us the chance to update you on the needs, plans and budgetary challenges of the Library.  We will also be selling raffle tickets for some first edition books to help in our fundraising efforts for this year.  Please come share your ideas and dreams for the Latham Library!!!

NEW BOOKS, VIDEOS AND AUDIOBOOKS AT LATHAM
About Schmidt [video recording]
Magical thinking by Augusten Burroughs.
A single shard by Linda Sue Park
Breathing Lessons [sound recording] by Anne Tyler
H.G. Well's The war of the worlds [sound recording]
Back when we were grownups [sound recording] by Anne Tyler
Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon
Don't know much about history[sound recording] by Kenneth C. Davis
Loving Che by Ana Menâendez
Money, a memoir :women, emotions, and cash by Liz Perle
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
Hatchet [sound recording] by Gary Paulsen
The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett

DID YOU KNOW?
Each year Latham library visits the Northeast Regional Library in Saint Johnsbury to borrow hundreds of books for all ages. The Peabody Library goes to the Midstate Regional Library in Berlin. Three times a year over 500 books are shelved in each library for your reading pleasure. Novels, histories, biographies, poetry, children's books, crafts and many other books await your exploration. These books greatly enhance the libraries 
collection. If one of these books leads you to another book that is not in the library we can always request it from another library for you.

REMINDER - - LATHAM LIBRARY has many copies of As Long As There Are Mountains, the VERMONT READS selection for this year.

BOOKS and VIDEOS/DVDs WANTED!!
Drop off Current hardcover books, videos and DVDs to help expand our collection!  Share a favorite with the whole community!

Submitted by Gina Sonne

THETFORD HILL SUMMER CONCERT/PERFORMING ARTS SERIES

All concerts are held on the Thetford Hill Green. Many people bring their dinners and enjoy the beautiful setting, music and people. 

Three Wheel Drive will perform Wednesday, August 9 at 6:30 p.m. 

With Laurianne Jordan on vocals, Phil Singer on upright bass, guitar, and vocals, Byron Berwick on guitar and vocals, and Bruce Brough on percussion, guitar, and vocals, Cold Comfort (a.k.a. Three Wheel Drive) plays a crowd-pleasing blend of folk/jazz covers and
originals, from sweet harmonic melodies, to up-tempo, foot-tapping tunes.

The season’s final performance by Marko the magician on August 24 is sponsored in part by Brown's Nursery. This will be a wonderful end to the summer for all the children (big and small). I would like to thank everyone who participated in the Take Home Dinners last winter and spring which provided the funds for this year’s concerts. I know many  people have enjoyed the concerts. There will be many more next year!

Submitted by Mary Dan Pomeroy

TA NOTES

TA announces a community production playing this month in the Shark Tank Theater: 
CLAY, a new play written by Carolyn Bardos and directed by Ray Chapin, opens Thursday, August 3, at 8 p.m. The play features Nick O'Leary, Neal Meglathery, Helen Jack, James Graham, Darri Colton and Carolyn Bardos.
Performances are Aug. 3 through 13--- Thurs. & Fri. at 8pm; Sat. at 4 & 8 pm;Sun. at 3 pm. Tickets are $15. Please reserve by calling (603) 643-6570 or emailing info@corefineart.com.

Also for theater minded, Jay Craven's film, Disappearances, based on the novel by Howard Frank Mosher, will be shown at TA on August 17 at 7:30pm.

The new school year at TA is starting this month, so we take this opportunity to remind folks that traffic on the hill will be increasing.  Sports practices for the fall season will start on August 14.  The first day of academic instruction for students is Tuesday, August 29; TES students are back in class on August 30.

Submitted by Wendy Cole

RMCA Potluck, Open Mike and Renovations

The Rice's Mills Community Association's next summer community potluck is
Sunday, August 13th at 6:00 PM followed by an Open Mike Talent Show beginning at 7:00.  The Talent Show is open to all performers - music, comedy, poetry, magic and more.  Call Mary Bryant at 785-4512 to sign up.  All are welcome to come join in the fun at the RMCA schoolhouse, located on Rt. 132 just west of Tucker Hill Rd. and don't forget to bring a meal to share as well as your dishes, silverware and cups.

Renovations continue at RMCA. The schoolhouse was recently scraped and painted.

A new play field/picnic area behind the schoolhouse was completed this spring
and is now open for use.  The community greenhouse has a new roof and post and
beam to shore it up. Next up will be new storm windows, reglazing of the window
sash, new greenhouse glazing and blown-in cellulose insulation.

RMCA would like to thank the many volunteers whose hard work made these
improvements possible, including Gary and Tim Ulman of Northwoods Excavating,
Ellis Paige and Shepard Butler who contributed to the play field.  We would also
like to thank all those who have contributed toward the renovation project over
the past 3 years, including: the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Mascoma Savings
Bank Foundation, The Sweetwater Hill Fund and a very generous anonymous donor. 

Your membership dues and additional generous donations to RMCA will help make
our future renovations possible. RMCA Membership Dues are: $10 for an individual
and $15 for families. Checks can be made out to "RMCA" and mailed to Polly Cole,
790 Poor Farm Rd., Thetford Center, VT 05075.  For information in use of the
building, please contact 785-4126 or bobwalker@valley.net.  Many thanks for your
support and participation.

Submitted by Bob Walker, RMCA President

COMMODITY FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM

The income eligibility guidelines for the Commodity Program have increased effective July 1, 2006.  For a family of 1, the yearly income level is $18,130.; monthly level is $1,511.; weekly level is $349.  For each additional family member, add $6,290 to the yearly level, $525. to the monthly level, and $121. to the weekly level.

Please call Roberta Howard (333-4607) for an application or further information.

Assistance for weatherization will also be available once again.  Please contact Bob Walker (785-4126) regarding this program.

Submitted by Roberta Howard

THETFORD TOWN ARTISTS EXHIBIT

Last Call!

The Thetford Town Artists Art Exhibit at Latham Memorial Library ends August 24th.  Now is the time to stop in during library hours and check out this fine show of local talent.

Submitted by Marla Ianello

TREASURE ISLAND BEACH PARTY

Friday, August 11, 12pm-3pm
Come to the beach for fun and games!  The party starts with a 12:00PM island potluck cookout, and continues on the beach with games, contests, swimming and dancing. DJ Dan Huff will provide the music, you provide the spirit! Tropical beachwear is encouraged, all ages are welcome, and residents from surrounding towns are also welcome.  Come celebrate the last day of swimming lessons!  (Beach Party rain date:
Monday, August 14.)

Submitted by Ann O’Hearn

 

Ways to stay current on town news and events include:
TOWN NEWLETTER ONLINE at  www.thet.net/.

THETFORD FORUM The most current town commentary and events updated daily electronically at http://lists.valley.net/lists/info/thetford.

THET.NET community web site of town information and resources www.thet.net/ includes Selectboard and School Board Minutes, Thetford Town Plan and other municipal and community resources.

THETFORD TOWN NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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