NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

The latest news from Neighborhood Connections MAY 2018

From the Desk of Trish Paradis mountain towns are to supporting one
another. Over the past couple of weeks I
I have been with Neighborhood Connec- have had the pleasure of meeting the
Calling All Volunteers
tions for just over a month now and am many community partners who all work
Looking for a meaningful starting to settle in. I can’t tell you how together for such amazing causes. I look
volunteer experience? delighted I am to be forward to meeting more community
Consider Neighborhood a part of this unique members and walking alongside them as
Connections! Presently organization filled we all work together.
we are in search of
with such caring and
Front Desk volunteers I am currently scheduling times to meet
to greet clients and do committed individu-
als. I am quickly with various organizations to hear ongo-
light clerical work.
learning what a gem ing community needs and to work togeth-
Front Desk volunteers
are needed for weekly 4 of a community this er to address those needs.
hour shifts. Call us at area truly is. It Please come in and say “hi”, I would love
824-4343 to set up an warms my heart to to talk with you all and hear your
appointment. see how committed thoughts on area needs and how we can
the folks in these support one another!

A Message from NC’s Board of Directors’ President

Coming out of one of the most “snow-infested” winters, it’s nice to be greeted by a
crocus, daffodil or tulip or two. Yes, winter seemed to hang on forever. But that was
then. This is now and I’m delighted to report there’s lots of good news at Neighbor-
Did You Know? hood Connections—starting with our new Executive Director, Trish Paradis. Trish
comes to us at a time of growing need among vulnerable people around us and she’s
that Neighborhood got the background to help drive us in positive directions. What’s more as of late
Connections takes no 2017, we’ve added five new board members to our team—each with enthusiasm and
federal or state funds?
willingness to “roll up sleeves” and make good things happen. The Community Part-
We rely on community
donations, grants and ners initiative—where area non-profits gather to identify needs and collaborate to
fundraising events. Please resolve them is firmly established. Our Helping Hands squad of two dozen handy men
consider becoming a helps elderly and otherwise needy residents safely live in their homes. We’re explor-
sustaining donor today! ing possibilities of expanding our offices in Londonderry to provide more space and
Go to our website to expand The Meeting Place used for community learning opportunities.
sign up. And—thank you.

For many, these are truly difficult times. Fortunately Neighborhood Connections is
here for all who need help. And fortunately you are all here with your generous sup-
port to make sure we are able to keep doing what we do. From the bottom of our
hearts, thank you.
-Bob Wells
 Showcasing Just Neighbors
PAGE 2

Just Neighbors is a Community Partner organization

comprised of volunteers teamed to support people
faced with crisis situations. Not only do they partner
with Neighborhood Connections, they also collaborate
with area churches and many social service organiza-
tions to provide assistance to folks with housing, trans-
STAFF portation and other safety, health and security needs.

Trisha Paradis Serving Andover, Bondville, Landgrove, Londonderry,

Executive Director South Londonderry, Peru, Weston, Winhall and Windham, volunteers deliver cut
and split firewood; confidentially assist with payments for utility and home repairs;
Noreen Lenilko give rides to medical appointments, drugstore and grocery stores; and offer assis-
Social Worker tance grants to purchase food, for essential housing costs, transportation, neces-
sary physician care and prescription needs.
Regina Downer
Community Nurse For more information, to volunteer or make a donation, please call their Help
Line at 802-787-1225; e-mail them at justneighborsvt@gmail.com and/or check
MC Schwartz out their web-site at www.justneighborsvt.org.
Program Director
Vol. Coordinator
Firewood operations start with log lengths and
Jackie Borella end up like this - split logs ready for a stove or
Finance Director fireplace.
With generous grants from the Fanny
Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund,
BOARD OF The Stratton Foundation and the Thom-
DIRECTORS as Thompson Trust, Neighborhood Con-
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: ANDREW THOMPSON
nections has launched a Community
Bob Wells Care Initiative to address critical gaps in
President If you and
health know Andrew,
social chances are
services.—working in the first thing you recall is the warm, powerful
hug he bestows upon greeting you. Since his volunteer stint at the Front Desk
collaboration with existing community
Ed Magee began 3 years ago, he has proven to be as solid as that bear hug.
Vice President partnerships.
Andrew and his wife Elizabeth moved to Cincin-
In cooperation
nati, Ohio from withEngland
The Mountain
in 1976Val-
on assignment for
Carolyn Partridge
Secretary ley Medical
Proctor & Clinic and our
Gamble, network
where he ofwas employed as a
mechanical engineer. The assignment was for two
Joel Kuhlberg years, but after one, P&G gave him the opportuni-
ty to return to the UK or stay permanently in the
Delores Barbeau US. He and his wife of now 53 years not only decid-
ed to stay, but became US citizens in 1988. He re-
Susie Wyman tired from P&G in 1994. A few years later, while
visiting two of their daughters who were working
Dwight Johnson at a summer camp in Fairlee, VT the couple fell in
love with the state. In 1996 they built a home in Rockingham and moved to Ver-
Mary Jo DeGrandi mont full time.

Jim Linville Andrew’s advanced computer knowledge has been invaluable to this organization.
He is compassionate, seemingly unflappable, indispensably handy with tools and
Skip Raymond always willing to volunteer outside of his regular Monday morning shift. In addi-
tion to his commitment to NC, he has been for the past 3 years an AARP Tax
Pat Cherry Preparer and is an active part of the lay community at The Weston Priory.

He and Elizabeth have 4 girls and nine grandchildren.

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
 MAY 2018 PAGE 3

A Word From Our Social Worker

Another Volunteer
Spotlight
David McCooey, Jr. is en-
rolled in Rutland’s College
of St. Joseph and studying
Health Sciences with a concentration on Ra-
diology. His Provider’s Scholarship through
the school requires him to volunteer 20 hours
a semester. Being from Londonderry, he
chose Neighborhood Connections as his vol-
unteer site. He was a great addition and we
thank him for doing his service with us.
News: Expansion plans are in the works at
Neighborhood Connections—with the inten-
tion of adding office space, more storage
and enlarging The Meeting Place. Stay
tuned….
Affordable housing continues to be a constant barrier
in our community as it is in most geographical areas.
Though the demand for housing may not be vast,
there are enough individuals and families in need that
come through our doors at Neighborhood Connec-
tions to warrant concern. A continual search for avail-
ability and affordability proves frustrating; especially
for the people who are in search for this basic need.
Moving out of the area sometimes is the only choice
and most are connected in our communities, be it
through employment, medical providers and local
schools. A tough choice for anyone to have to make.
The hope for the future is that we, all area partners,
organizations and individuals can come up with a real-
istic approach to this very real problem. This may not
be an easy nor quick solution—but the level of care
that our communities embrace is the best place to
start.
-Noreen Lenilko

Nursing Intern at Neighborhood Connections

There’s been a new young face at Neighborhood Connections! Her name
is Nicole (Nicky) Shea and she is a third year nursing student at Castleton
University. She is working with Regina Downer, our Community Nurse as
part of a six-week course in Community Health.

Nicky lives in Mount Holly with her parents. She heard about Neighbor-
hood Connections through her grandmother who, according to Nicky,
“lives nearby, knew about the agency and had good things to say about it”

The nursing program at Castleton University includes a course in Com-

munity Health. Students select a community organization for mentorship
in order to gain knowledge and understanding of health issues that exist in local towns, outside of in-
stitutions like hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. One of Nicky’s goals during the mentorship at NC
is to identify health and wellness issues that particularly relate to life in rural towns. She accompanies
Regina on home visits.

Nicky moved from Connecticut and is thrilled to be living in Vermont. She loves skiing and is an avid
dog-lover. In the summer she works at Okemo. When Nicky graduates with her bachelor’s degree in
nursing she would like to remain in Vermont and work in a trauma setting. We are thrilled she is part-
nering with us.

NOTE: We are in the process of constructing a new web-site with interactive features, a calendar and lots of oth-
er user-friendly characteristics. We will let you know when it goes live! In the meantime, go to
www.neighborhoodconnectionsvt.org. And please, like us on Facebook!
 Thrifty Attic Grant for Upgrades to The Meeting Place
Did You Know?
Thanks to a generous grant from The Thrifty Attic, The Meeting Place is getting
In 2017, The Meeting an upgrade. Recently new, comfortable folding chairs were purchased; black-out
Place hosted 468 shades are on order and remaining monies are relegated for a 72” Smart televi-
people with 67 pro- sion and other equipment. Thank you Thrifty Attic!
gram sessions. Of
those attendees, 150
were new to The Annual Appeal Thank You to Local Towns’ for Support
Meeting Place and A Huge Success!
Neighborhood Con- Neighborhood Connections is not funded with
nections. Thank you, thank you, thank state or federal dollars, so local support is a
you to all who answered our necessity for our operations. In addition to pri-
annual appeal! With gener- vate donors, we thank the towns who pledged
ous donations, including local monies at the recent March town meetings.
Calling All Seniors!
foundations, we exceeded
These towns include Andover, Chester, Jamai-
Every Wednesday previous annual appeals to
set a new record. ca, Landgrove, Londonderry, Peru, Winhall,
from 9:30-11am,
Weston and Windham.
seniors are invited
These monies help support
to gather at Neigh-
us while we carry our mis-
borhood Connec-
sion forward to provide valu- In Need of Medical Equipment? We have med-
tions for lively able resources to the com- ical equipment available to anyone on loan.
conversation, fun munity. Mother-in-law coming to visit and in need of a
and games, re- shower seat or wheeled walker? Call us.
freshments and
loads of laughter.

PO Box 207 Londonderry, VT 05148