Friday, October 28, 2011

 

News to Know October 28

Be sure to check out prior posts for additional news. Berlin residents please contact me at corinnestridsberg@gmail.com if you'd like to receive this news by email.

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Your help is needed Saturday, Oct. 29th! There is more debris (downed trees / brush) at 2664 Rt 12 to be cleared (where mini golf used to be). Folks will meet there at 9:30am. There is 2- 3 hours of work although even joining the effort for an hour would be helpful! We'll need some folks with chainsaws and a couple of rakes would be good, maybe a wheelbarrow or cart too. Also needed are a few folks with trucks or perhaps a trailer for logs that need to be carted away and also to haul other debris to the dumpsters. There will likely be other folks who need assistance and we can work on going from here to other locations. Please note that for many of us we do not get cell service down past M’s RV Sales.
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Replacement furniture needed: “I lost two large vintage wooden office desks that I used in my office/studio. I am looking for a nice solid wood replacement for at least one of them - the kind that have a large top surface and drawers down both sides (similar to a roll top desk, without the top). I could also use a smaller desk with drawers for the computer, and book/storage shelves.” - if you might be able to help this person out or have suggestions, please let Corinne Stridsberg know.
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Laundry Assistance – There is still a family affected by Tropical Storm Irene hoping for assistance in getting a large amount of laundry done.
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SENIOR PORTRAIT or other Portrait Photography Services needed? Check out the Wiggoddess http://www.wiggoddess.com/seniorpics.html Scroll down to the bottom of the page for package details. WOW photos! 229-1112
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Season opens for the Vermont SledCats – Jacob Lavigne 
http://www.wcax.com/story/15786259/the-vermont-sledcats
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Monday, October 31st is the deadline to submit letters of interest to our town regarding the open BERLIN SELECTBOARD POSITION along with volunteer committee positions. Letters should go to Town Administrator, Town of Berlin, 108 Shed Road, Berlin, VT 05602, or via email at jschulz@berlinvt.org . Please include in your letter or email the committee or position you wish to serve. Other positions include an alternate on the Berlin Development Review Board; representative for the Regional Transportation Technical Advisory Committee; and a participant for a hiring committee to review & recommend qualified candidate for the Town Treasurer position to the selectboard. http://www.berlinvt.org
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Our daughter, Minda, received a gift certificate for a 75 min Dr Hauschka Relaxation Facial, a $95 value at Holistica organic facials & skin care at 4 State St. Mplr www.holiticafacials.com . Being 15 yrs old she's not really needing this. Anybody out there want to purchase it from her for $40 or best offer? – Contact Corinne Stridsberg
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Saturday is “Scary Barre”, their second annual halloween celebration! Kids Kave activities up at the Barre Auditorium from 10am to 2pm, including bounce houses, games, coloring contests, free halloween cookies, free children's books, No Strings Marionette showing of "Handsome & Gretel" at 10:30 & 12:30, Halloween Stories with Carol Dawes and much much more. Admission is only $5 for adults, free for children under 12. Admission to Scary Barre also includes a kid-friendly daylight tour of the Haunted House at the Vermont Granite Museum (tours are at 11am, 12, and 1pm). On Halloween there will be trick-or-treating at the Barre businesses from 4pm-5pm.
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Efficiency Vermont – Irene Relieve Aid and Resources
• Sign up by Nov 15 for a FREE Flood Repair Assessment with Air Sealing for Homes and Small Businesses.
• Free Workshops around Vermont: Buttoning Up After A Flood – understanding the steps to make your home safe, healthy, and energy-efficient
• Rebates for appliances and heating and hot water systems
See details at their website: http://www.efficiencyvermont.com/about_us/efficiency_vermont_news/Irene/general_info/irene_recovery.aspx or call them at 888-921-5990
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In order to move its inventory of gently used clothing, toys and housewares, the Distribution Center on Rt. 100 in Waterbury Center (across from Sunoco) is making everything available to the entire community. Items are still free to families and individuals who were flooded (ALL families no matter what town you were flooded in). In addition, anyone who was not affected by the flood may shop there in exchange for a donation to the Good Neighbor Fund. Open Mondays and Wednesdays 9-noon, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Saturdays 9-noon
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FEELING STRESSED? Interested in some one-on-one counseling? Looking for stress reduction techniques and coping strategies? Wondering how to talk with your kids about what’s been happening since the flooding? Starting over Strong (SOS) is a short-term effort designed to find healthy ways to deal with the stress from the flood – this is a FREE service – Call 855-sos-vt00 (855-767-8800). To find out more about taking care of your mental and emotional health, go to http://healthvermont.gov and choose “After the Flood”.
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PUMPKINS!
http://vtdigger.org/2011/10/28/a-paucity-of-pumpkins-in-the-patch-not-really
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Current U-32 Newsletter - November
http://www.u32.org/grades9-12/images/pdf/current.pdf

New line of Raider apparel from the Boosters at
http://www.u32.org/grades9-12/index.php/athletics/boosters/290.html?page=dept&newcatid=137&newsec=46

Berlin Elementary Current Newsletter (Oct 28)
http://www.berlinschool.org/images/stories/pdfs/Current%20Newsletter.pdf
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Welch seeks USDA funding for farmers damaged by Irene
http://vtdigger.org/2011/10/26/welch-seeks-usda-funding-for-454-farms-damaged-by-irene/
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State officials outline progress, challenges post-Irene
http://vtdigger.org/2011/10/25/state-officials-outline-progress-challenges-post-irene/

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NOVEMBER 15 is the NEW DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the application deadline for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance to Nov. 15. Those with flood damage may register with FEMA at the Disaster Recovery Center at the Main Street Fire Station, by phone at (800) 621-FEMA (3362) or online at www.disasterassistance.gov. Hours at the FEMA center are 9-5:30 Monday-Saturday. Closed Sundays. FEMA representatives can register those who had flood damage, answer questions, review claims and update information, particularly regarding housing. FEMA assistance decisions also may be appealed through the same channels if a recipient is dissatisfied or believes there is an error.

BEFORE YOU TOSS THAT SBA LOAN APPLICATION …
According to statistics released Monday, more than 5,800 Small Business Administration loan applications were sent to Vermonters who registered with FEMA for disaster assistance but only 842 have been returned. Federal officials worry that residents may not realize that filling out and returning the application could give them financial options to help pay for their recovery – and they may be missing out on benefits by not sending it in. A few key points:
• The SBA helps renters, homeowners,and businesses with low-interest loans.
• If you do not qualify for a loan, you may be eligible for more FEMA grant money if you have not already received the maximum $30,200 FEMA award.
• You can decide later whether to take a loan. Applying gives you time to figure that out.
• The SBA can structure a loan in various ways including working with existing mortgages.
• Loan approval is based on flood damage and ability to pay, not on personal assets.
• As of Monday, 276 SBA loans worth more than $16 million were approved in Vermont.

Fill out an application with an SBA representative at the Main Street Fire Station Monday-Saturday 9-5 or call the SBA Help Line at 1-800-659-2955; forms online at www.sba.gov.

Rental Assistance
•With winter approaching, Vermonters who have registered with FEMA and who are currently staying with family, friends or neighbors or in a non-winterized or unsafe home should consider whether they may need temporary rental assistance until they can relocate into permanent housing.
•Those who have already registered with FEMA and informed us earlier they did not need rental assistance will have received a letter saying they are ineligible for assistance.
•If their situation has changed – for example, they can no longer stay with family or friends – they should call the FEMA Helpline 800-621-FEMA (3362) and report the change in circumstances.
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HOME SHARE NOW OFFERING HOUSING ASSISTANCE - Home Share Now is facilitating short- and long-term home sharing matches for people displaced by Irene. They are offering their services free of charge when arranging short-term matches to house Vermonters with immediate needs. If the flood has left you homeless, or you know of people with room in their home to share during this time of crisis, please have them call Home Share Now at (802) 479-8544. Learn more about home sharing at http://www.homesharenow.org

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CASE-MANAGEMENT TRAINING: The New England Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and Vermont Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) is conducting training in Disaster Case Management next week in Barre. Having local volunteers trained in case management could help get long-term recovery efforts in full swing. Case managers would work one-on-one with those affected by the flood to develop and carry out recovery plans for that individual or family. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is offering the course Basic Disaster Case Management Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the Hedding United Methodist Church, 40 Washington St., Barre. A Tuesday session will cover case-management forms. Interested? Ask questions or request an application from vtvoad@yahoo.com . Or call Katie Halliday, of FEMA, 617-816-6351.
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National Weather Service in Burlington, VT http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/btv/
Roger Hill’s “Weathering Heights” http://www.weatheringheights.com
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Local River Gauges: http://www.montpelier-vt.org/page/332
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Nationwide EAS (Emergency Alert System) Test Nov 9th 2pm eastern standard time. This event should serve as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kit and emergency plan for themselves, their families, pets, and businesses.

Some good links to help be prepared are http://vem.vermont.gov/community_preparedness

Red Cross preparedness
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=72c51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD

On one of the Red Cross pages from the above link there is this link for making emergency contact cards of info to keep on you: http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/ECCard.pdf

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