Around Town: March 8

Edd Merritt

Congratulations to Lulu Loucheim whose essay titled “Dear Baby” appeared in the Young Writers section of the February 24 Burlington Free Press. Lulu responded to a prompt to write a letter to a new baby that introduces the child to the world as the writer sees it. She chooses to write to a Syrian baby whose family recently fled Aleppo and was now living in a Turkish refugee camp. Because of recent American policy, the family has just begun applying for American citizenship, which Lulu says may take a very long time, given our current change in policy. She encourages patience, however, because there is “a lot of love and support coming from the kind people in this world. Love always trumps hate.”

Congratulations to Courtney Howard of Rutland and John Dubuc whose wedding announcement made it into the Free Press and other local newspapers. They were married July 9 of last year. John is the son of Susanne and Brian Dubuc of Charlotte.

Congratulations to all involved in the progress being made conserving and selling a 100 acre parcel of farm land at the intersection of Guinea and One Mile Roads. The potential purchaser is Dylan Preston, a 25 year old who began working on horse farms when he was still in elementary school and about five years ago bought some beef cattle and other necessary items to keep them fed and healthy. The property he hopes to farm is currently owned by Clark Hinsdale III who is working with the Vermont Land Trust to form an easement on the land, then conserve and sell it to Dylan at a twenty percent discount. The Charlotte Land Trust and Conservation Fund are working along side in the process. According to a Burlington Free Press article, Dylan and his father Ward will hold partnership on the purchase agreement, saying, however that, “it’s Dylan’s deal.”

Congratulations to Barry Finette of Charlotte who was featured in the latest issue of Vermont Life magazine for his founding of MEDSINC (Medical Evaluation and Diagnostic System for Infants, Newborns and Children). A pediatrician and father himself, Barry came up with the idea while serving in developing nations where he discovered that many children in the countries were ill and dying from preventable diseases. He felt there was a technology that could help with their treatment and be available and usable by healthcare workers. That became MEDSINC which is downloadable to a mobile app and guides health care workers who don’t have full skills through diagnosis and treatment. Barry says that one of the most fulfilling aspects of the work is “going into this whole new world of entrepreneurship, working with amazing people who have no fear of failure.”

Congratulations to Michael Metz whose photos are on display at the Champlain College Art Gallery through March 25. Metz says of his photography that it comes with the moment. He is quoted in Seven Days, “I enter the street empty and return with world in my hand.” Metz, of Charlotte, is co-founder of Generator in Burlington and a Trustee Emeritus of Champlain College.

Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Dennis Bowen of Shelburne who passed away February 25 at the age of 79. An avid sailor, he was a member of the Lake Champlain Yacht Club and active in the Charlotte/Shelburne Rotary. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations in his memory be made to the Charlotte/Shelburne Rotary Club Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 156, Shelburne, VT 05482 or to the Alzheimer’s Association online.

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