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By the way for May 20

A sure sign of spring and the impending summer: the Lincoln Gap Road opened on May 13. Please use common sense and drive cautiously, because high elevation storms can make road conditions slippery at any time of year. Also, please drive with care to avoid hikers and cyclists in this heavily traveled recreational area.

Vermont’s EMS crews have been at the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic since it began. As part of EMS week this year, you can thank them for all their efforts in person. Do it at the same time you stop by one of several EMS vaccination clinics that will be held throughout the state this weekend. Here in Addison County, there’s a clinic set for Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bristol EMS station at 45 Monkton Rd. The sites will offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for people ages 18 and older. You can walk in — no appointment needed. Extra bonus: creemee coupons are available for people who get their shot. See a listing of EMS Week vaccination sites at www.healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine.

Bristol American Legion Post 19 will host a Memorial Day Ceremony at the park bandstand on Monday, May 31, at 1 p.m. There will be patriotic music, a speaker and placing of a wreath at the Veterans Memorial. Unlike past years, there will not be any parade, just the ceremony on the park. Please follow COVID protocols — wear a mask and social-distance.

The Vergennes Farmers Market will return to the city green on June 17, and will continue a run of consecutive Thursdays into early October.  Each market will run from 3 to 6 p.m. So get ready to support local farmers, makers and vendors in the heart of the Little City. Stay tuned for details. Follow the market at @vergennesfarmersmarket.

The USDA has announced that May will be the final month of the Farmers to Families program. However, the Vermont Foodbank is announcing the launch of “Full Plates VT,” which will distribute food boxes at drive-thru style locations throughout all 14 Vermont counties. The program is currently scheduled to run from June through September. To keep wait times to a minimum, reservations will be required for the distributions. Registration will go live on May 24 and new dates will be added to the registration website every two weeks. To register and see the dates and locations, please visit vtfoodbank.org/gethelp or call 833-670-2254 for assistance. Each reservation will receive fresh produce along with other fresh and self-stable products. Households must register for their own food boxes and self-certify that they meet the income guidelines. You will not be asked for proof of income. Those unable to attend the event in person may register for a food box and designate another person to pick it up from the distribution.

The Friends of Ilsley Library will return to the public eye on Saturday, June 5, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Town Hall plaza. The group will kick off its first fundraiser in 15 months in support of both adult and children’s programming at the public library. Available for purchase will be dozens of used CDs, DVDs and audiobooks, priced $1-3 each. No credit cards can be accepted and there will be no early deals. In the event of significant rain, the sale will be canceled. Masking is optional, while social distancing is appreciated. Please send your questions to [email protected].

Supporters of  Lincoln Preschool: There’s an online auction running to noon on May 21 to support the school. Please visit the secure “Bidding for Good” site at www.biddingforgood.com/lincolnpreschoolvt, or the mobile site: bforg.com/lincolnpreschoolvt. There’s a wonderful assortment of more than 40 donated goods and services, including food, gift certificates, garden seeds, instruments, jewelry and art. You could learn about local medicinal plants, golf, or visit ECHO. Or get some cozy socks to wear while drinking coffee or tea and reading the newspaper or books.

Middlebury has received a $90,000 state grant to build a sidewalk extension along Middle Seymour Street and Maple Street to the future Amtrak Rail Platform and parking lot. It will add an important connection to ensure the safety of pedestrians and bicycles. The project was one of several beneficiaries of $565,000 in grants awarded recently by the Vermont Downtown. These grants were awarded to the designated downtowns of Brattleboro, Middlebury, Montpelier, Newport, Poultney, Springfield and St. Albans. Funding will support projects that improve the safety, access, and comfort of people walking and riding bicycles in downtowns.

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