Berlin Community News

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The final story included has nothing to do with Berlin but I love the grassroots effort being made in Rupert


ANNUAL VERMONT STATE SCHOLASTIC CHESS TOURNAMENT APRIL 13TH
BERLIN MEETINGS
PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE / ZONING COORDINATOR POSITION
SUGAR-ON-SNOW AT MORSE FARM     
WASHINGTON COUNTY FAMILY FUN DAY MARCH 16
MIDDLESEX ALL YOU CAN EAT PIE BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER
5th & 6th GRADE PLAY IN APRIL THIS YEAR
POSTCARD PROJECT GOAL IS TO KEEP RUPERT POST OFFICE OPEN

 
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Selectboard 18th
Development Review Board 19th
Sewer Commission 25th
Historical Society 26th
Planning Commission 27th

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The Town of Berlin, VT seeks a qualified person to fill the position of Administrative / Zoning Coordinator, a highly responsible and independent position that provides administrative and technical assistance to the Town Administrator and other town departments. The work involves a variety of responsible complex tasks that require sound, independent judgment and action. The ideal candidate will b...e proficient with various computer programs, including Excel, Word, and Outlook. Previous zoning experience or work experience in a municipal office is desirable. This position requires interaction with the public and town employees. This is an appointed position that reports to the Town Administrator. This is a part-time position (18-20 hours per week). Candidates must have a combination of education and job experience to fulfill the minimum requirements of the job. The salary is commensurate with experience. To apply, send résumé, cover letter and list of three references by March 22, 2013 to: Town Administrator, Town of Berlin, 108 Shed Road, Berlin, VT 05602, or via email to jschulz@berlinvt.org

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Weekends in March Sugar-On-Snow with all the fixings is served up Friday, Saturday and Sunday noon to 4pm.  1168 County Road, East Montpelier.   Perhaps you're new in town and haven't been - it's 2.7 miles from the round about on Main Street in Montpelier ... go up Main Street and it becomes County Road.

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The Family Center of Washington County will host their annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, March 16th from 10am to 1pm at Union Elementary School, 1 Park Avenue in Montpelier (down behind Kellogg-Hubbard Library).  This is a free event and is open to the public throughout Washington County.  There will be live entertainment and fun activities such as baby playgroup, face painting, arts and crafts, and a child passenger safety technician.  There will be pizza, subs and baked goods available for a nominal fee.

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Saturday, March 23 at Rumney School in Middlesex from 9am to 11am or until pies run out.  $6 per person or $5 if you bring your own plate, cup and utensils.  A benefit for the Rumney School PTO and the Bandstand Concert Series.  Entertainment: Fiddle music by Ruth Einstein.  Pies and quiches too.  No nuts.  Blueberry pies from local berries and rhubarb pies from local rhubarb.

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The 5th & 6th graders are having their annual play on Thursday, April 4th and Friday, April 5th at Berlin Elementary school at 6pm each day.  This year's play will be Mary Poppins!

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  Note - the postcards can be seen at:
http://fluxustulip.blogspot.com/2013/02/postcards-for-rupert-vt.html

   On the outside, the tiny white post office in Rupert may look quiet, with the occasional chicken or two occupying the front porch.
   But lately this local post office has been buzzing with an influx of vibrant homemade postcards from around the world.
   After being faced with the possibility of hours being cut or even a total closure, local residents knew something needed to be done to save their post office.
   In an attempt to increase the post office’s mail volume, landlord Jane Davies posted a plea for help on her personal blog asking family, friends and strangers alike to send in art postcards.
   “They really came in fast and furiously,” said Davies, astonished by the amount of mail she received in the first week. “There were beautiful paintings of the post office and stitched mini quilts and collages and all sorts of cool stuff.”
   Those willing to help were encouraged to send handmade postcards addressed to Davies and in return the first 200 participants would receive a personalized homemade card.
   Though the card count has rapidly surpassed the 200 mark, she still attempts to respond to as many cards as possible.
   Davies scans each card she receives and posts them to an online gallery for people near and far to admire.
   “It was overwhelming at first,” she said, adding that she would spend hours a day simply uploading new cards.
   “People are aware that this office could go away if we don’t support it,” said Davies, hoping the postcards will continue to trickle in and bring up numbers until the office’s annual review scheduled for the end of the year.
   The U.S. Postal Service has fallen upon hard times in the past year, registering a $15.9 billion loss.
   “We are happy that our customers feel the passion and commitment to participate in this project to boost the fortunes of their local office,” said Tom Rizzo, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service Northern New England District.
   Rizzo said that to positively affect the small town post office, the project would need to run for a long time and include significant purchases of postcards and postage, coming in many individual transactions.
   “Considering the scope of the continuing financial challenges facing the organization, it is hard to predict with certainty how effective this activity would be,” he said.
   Though the project has its skeptics, the uncertainty has not stopped participants far and wide from standing up for the cause and sending in their handmade postcards.
   “As an artist and art teacher I am always on the lookout for ways that art can impact change in communities,” said Sharon Gorberg, of Newton, Mass., who has sent more than a dozen postcards ranging from abstract images to watercolor paintings of animals.
   Gorberg said small town post offices, like the one in Rupert, play an important role in the community and serve as a liaison between the town and the people who call it home.
   “And one of the best things about this project is that anyone can participate at any age,” she said.
   While postcards have been received from almost every state, news of the project has traveled far beyond the U.S.
   “A local post office is more than just a place to send and receive mail,” said Australia resident Jo Murray, “but a community meeting point where local news is exchanged, meetings arranged, and generally a focus for those who might be alone at home.”
   After reading about the project on Davies’ blog, he knew he wanted to help the small town and quickly took out his painting supplies and stamps to begin his card.
   Murray personally connects with the story behind the project since his own local post office was once in a similar situation before a community outcry put a stop to it.
   “I realize that ‘people power’ can make a difference,” he said. “I fully support these post offices, wherever they are.”
   The ongoing support and dedication to the post office has been greatly appreciated townwide, but one resident in particular has been especially moved.
   “I love my post office,” said Postmaster Elizabeth Winters, the officer in charge at the Rupert office, who has been in awe of the amount of attention her office has received.
   Winters has been with the USPS for more than a decade and has been stationed at the Rupert office for three and a half years.
   She said that although she is worried about the financial hardship that decreased hours or a closure would cause her, her main concern is the impact on the community.
   She said she hopes the postcards will continue to come and believes the project has helped the office’s business.
   “Everyone has been very supportive of the post office during this time of uncertainty,” she said. “And I thank them for that.”