Community Roundup - November 3, 2022

Efficiency Vermont offering free business energy visit
Efficiency Vermont is offering free on-site energy visits to all Vermont businesses. These consultations give businesses access to rebate offers, financing solutions, and technical advice. The result: lower energy costs and a more resilient business.

A clear understanding of what systems are wasting energy and money.
Financial incentives on products including lighting, HVAC, weatherization, renovation, and more. Customized incentives and flexible financing options are available to suit your business needs.
Objective recommendations and direct access to your energy consultant for future project needs or questions.

Schedule a walkthrough today, even if you plan to make energy updates further down the road. Your consultant may be able to provide low and no-cost ways to start lowering your energy bills now.

Lend a hand to an agency that needs volunteers
United Way’s Volunteer Connection site is set up to help connect agencies and volunteers. Agencies are working hard to navigate volunteering during this time, but opportunities are increasing. Visit Volunteer Connection at unitedwaynwvt.galaxydigital.com to learn more about these and other opportunities:

Burlington Dismas House provides transitional housing for newly released prisoners. They will be providing a wonderful Thanksgiving meal for residents and guests at their Buell Street (Justin Adair at 802-655-0300) and East Allen Street (Hailey Leisten at 802-658-0381) locations. They’re looking for volunteers to help make this a memorable event. Volunteers are encouraged to enjoy the meal with the residents.

Mercy Connections is doing their community lunch on Thursdays and is looking for volunteers to help prep delivered food and serve. Shifts are roughly from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Upcoming dates are: Nov. 3, Nov. 10, a special Harvest/Thanksgiving meal on Nov. 17, Dec. 1, Dec. 8, and a holiday meal on Dec. 15. Contact Maeve Keating.

Spectrum Youth and Family Services is looking for volunteers to serve as mentors for youth ages 12-22. If you are a responsible adult in Chittenden or Grand Isle County and have reliable transportation, here’s the chance to spend some quality time with a young person who is waiting to be connected to a healthy, compassionate mentor. Mentoring pairs can enjoy biking, a University of Vermont sports game, a show at the Flynn or many other mutually enjoyable activities. Contact Rebecca Majoya at 802-864-7423, ext. 216 or email.

Peer Teaching and Learning is expanding and enhancing its board of directors and board committees with volunteers from communities in Vermont. They are looking for various skill sets and diverse age, geographic location, learning styles, gender, race, and ethnicity. The board meets via Zoom seven times a year with an annual in person meeting. Peer Teaching and Learning provides advanced learning opportunities for underserved populations, primarily adults with disabilities. Board members are encouraged to visit any of the 11 Vermont campuses to experience the unique opportunity being provided to students. Contact Stephen Tavella at 802-424-7717 or email.

Training geared for women running in local elections
Emerge Vermont, the state’s premier organization for recruiting and training Democratic women to run for office, announced today that it will offer a new regional training program for women interested in running for local office.

Emerge Vermont Local is a half-day training that will provide skills and tools to enable Democratic women to run successful campaigns for school boards, selectboards, city councils and village trustee boards on Town Meeting Day.

“We are excited to launch this new training program for women who want to serve in local office. Fewer than a third of selectboard members in Vermont are women. This training will help improve women’s representation in local government,” said Elaine Haney, executive director of Emerge Vermont.

The training will be offered in St. Albans on Nov, 19, Greensboro on Dec. 10 and Brandon on Jan. 14 and will focus specifically on campaigning locally. Participants will develop practical knowledge in areas such as voter contact, messaging, fundraising, campaign strategy and more.

Emerge Vermont Local is different from the organization’s more comprehensive candidate training program. “Local elections typically involve fewer registered voters and smaller geographic areas than legislative campaigns. They generally occur on Town Meeting Day each spring, and so the campaign season is also relatively short and requires less fundraising,” Haney said. “The Emerge Vermont Local program will offer campaign training suited to the comparatively smaller local election cycle.”

“Emerge is the gold standard in campaign training in Vermont. I’m thrilled to see them expanding their program to support candidates for municipal office,” said Jim Dandeneau, executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party.

The cost of participation is $35 per person. Those interested can learn more.