True, downtown Middlebury is full of construction, but it’s also replete with hidden gems for children to find. Kids can pick up a map and collection bags in the ATM area of the Main Street branch of the National Bank of Middlebury and then hunt for gems until Saturday, Aug. 8. Please do not take more than 25 gems per child; leave some for your fellow gem hunters. After they’ve found at least 15 gems, kids can turn in their bags at the National Bank of Middlebury and receive $10 in Middlebury Money in exchange. Exchanges can happen at the bank drive-through on Seymour Street during the week of Aug. 10. You can also exchange them in person in front of the Main Street branch between 2-4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 10. Middlebury Money prizes are limited to the first 200 children. Details can be found at ExperienceMiddlebury.com. This gem hunt promotion is part of the group Neighbors Together’s effort to encouraging community support of downtown Middlebury businesses to help mitigate the impacts of the downtown rail bridges construction project.
The recent Third Annual “Raise a Child in Haiti” walk-a-thon held in Bristol was a big success, with a record amount of money raised for sustainable orphanages in that impoverished nations. Walk participants were respectful with social distancing and mask wearing. Everyone got to enjoy a small section of the Bristol Trail Network, as well as sidewalks throughout the town. The kids at the Haiti orphanages will now get some much-needed infrastructure to include running water and flush toilets. If you didn’t get in on the fun this year, you can still support these precious children by returning bottles and cans to Bristol Redemption Center and telling them the proceeds are for Haiti. You can also check out sustainableorphanagesforhaiti.com and make a donation on the gofundme link, or mail a check to UCOL, 23 Quaker St., Lincoln, VT 05443 with “Haiti” in the memo line.
Hey political junkies, an item in last week’s Independent accidentally gave the wrong date at which the Bristol Democrats will nominate a justice of the peace candidate. The meeting will take place via Zoom video conferencing on Thursday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. To get a virtual invitation email Linda at [email protected].
South Street Extension in Middlebury will be closed from the Eddy Horse Farm south to Morse Road from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday, Aug. 3, through Friday, Aug. 7. Middlebury road workers will perform routine ditching maintenance and replace deteriorating cross-street culverts and several driveway culverts. Every effort will be made to give local residents access to their properties during this time, but delays should be expected. If you have questions regarding this project, please contact the DPW at 388-4045.
Due to the unprecedented volume of donated household goods coming into the Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects Resale Store at 282 Boardman St. in Middlebury, and the need to keep staff members safe, the nonprofit poverty-fighting organization must take a brief hiatus from accepting additional donated goods. Furniture will be accepted at this time, but nothing else until further notice. Check HOPE’s Facebook page and Instagram posts for updates at hopemiddleburyvt.org.
The American Red Cross reports that supplies are very low due to COVID-19. Their need for plasma donations is particularly acute. Locals can take the opportunity to donate at the next blood drive, which will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Vermont Hard Cider, 1321 Exchange St. in Middlebury. Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions — including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff — have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the blood draw by downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Donors are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.
The Vermont Sports Hall of Fame has postponed its annual induction dinner to April 17, 2021, due to the risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The inductees will include ice hockey player, coach and referee Carol Weston of Bristol. The induction of the 8th class was initially planned for April, but got bumped to Oct. 24 in the hopes that restrictions under COVID-19 would be relaxed by the fall. Board Chairman Barry Stone of South Burlington said the decision was made recently to delay the induction again — until next spring. Current limitations about social distancing would have had a serious impact on the expected sold-out dinner at the Delta Marriott Burlington Hotel in South Burlington, Stone said. Next spring’s induction dinner is now planned for the Delta Marriott, with Myers Waste of Colchester as the new presenting sponsor. For more information log on to vermontsportshall.com.