More evidence that Addison Independent readers and contributors know and care about the English language. Reader Will Sipsey of Starksboro drew our attention to the fact that the online Merriam-Webster Word of the Day recently cited Addison County’s newspaper of record as a source for the word “aggress.” The website defined “aggress” as “to make an attack; to act aggressively,” and cited a July 17, 2017, letter from Dottie Nelson that ran in the Independent: “Under-socialized dogs are risks to their owners and to others because they can become frightened by everyday things, making them more likely to aggress or bite.” Thanks Will and Dottie! Keep reading and writing in.
 
The wildly successful Three-Day Stampede Toward a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis will soon be accepting donated items for the giant lawn sale that will be a main feature of the event, slated for July 27-29 at the Bristol Recreation Field. Beginning on Saturday, May 26, donors can drop off items at a location in the Bristol Works parking lot off Munsill Avenue, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Organizers will then similarly accept drop-offs each ensuing Saturday, with the exception of Saturday, June 23. A list of the items the Stampede is not able to accept can be found at threedaystampede.org, and organizers reserve the right to reject items that they believe can’t be sold.
 
As usual, several Memorial Day parades will be staged in Addison County this coming Monday, May 28. See our special section in today’s paper with the times, locations and special features of the special events aimed at honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
 
Addison County Transit Resources reminds riders that buses will not be running on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28. Normal service will resume on Tuesday, May 29.
 
CORRECTION: Remember how last week we told you how the brother-sister team of Ben and Romy Munkres of Cornwall are such great traditional music performers, and that Romy had won the Young Tradition Vermont contest? Well, we were only half right; Romy and Ben BOTH won, and they will share a $1,000 prize and opportunities for representing YTV such as at the New World Festival in Randolph. Sorry to leave you out, Ben.
 
Contestants from the Middlebury Highway Department excelled in the 36th Annual VHMA Equipment Show & Field Day held on May 9 in Barre. Contestants had to maneuver a highway plow truck with full wing attachment through a series of turns and chutes while knocking over obstacles with both front plow and side-wing without disturbing surrounding objects. Scoring was a combination of overall time to run through the course with deductions for missed items. Shawn Devino and Jordan Fleming of Middlebury participated in the event and took home 3rd place out of 35 total teams. This followed a first-place finish last year, along with achieving the best safety record as well. Quite an accomplishment for two of Middlebury’s hard working highway crew members.
 
Three local organizations will host a first-ever “Race for Sundaes” along the Trail Around Middlebury (TAM) on Sunday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning at the Battell Woods parking area off Route 7, across from Denecker Chevrolet. The trail bike/run will begin at 9 a.m. and finish line celebrations will include free ice cream sundaes, music, games and raffle prizes. Participants have the option of a 1-mile running race or a 2-mile biking race. The entry fee is $8 for adults and $5 for children, with all proceeds will benefit the 18-mile TAM and getting people to appreciate and use this valuable recreational asset. The Race for Sundaes is a collaboration of the Middlebury Area Land Trust, Better Middlebury Partnership and the Addison County Bike Club.
 
Addison County Home Health & Hospice has earned a Five Star Rating by Medicare, according to Maureen Conrad, the organization’s director of development. In the last survey conducted by medicare.gov, Home Health Compare, Addison County Home Health and Hospice was voted one of two 5-star agencies in Vermont for patient satisfaction. Ninety-percent of patients surveyed said they’d recommend the agency to their friends and families, Conrad said. The 5-star rating is the highest available, and the national average for patient satisfaction ratings is 78 percent, according to Conrad.