-Twenty years ago, Daryl Pillsbury and I wanted to do something to help people struggling to pay home heating bills. The price of fuel was high and we figured that, in a short time, the situation would get better and we could suspend our operations.
We had no idea what we were getting into when we started the Windham County Heat Fund.
Over the years, we have learned that the price of heating fuel has only a little to do with people's ability to pay for it. A host of factors feed into the situation.
Global and national politics enter into the mix. The gap between the haves and the have-nots is wider than ever and, as long as that continues, more and more people will struggle to pay for life's necessities.
Richard Davis, a retired registered nurse, serves on the Brattleboro Selectboard as clerk. "These comments do not represent the Brattleboro Selectboard," he writes. "They are my personal thoughts." BRATTLEBORO-When I came to this area 45 years ago, Brattleboro felt like a quiet but vibrant and peaceful town where all...
Richard Davis, a retired registered nurse, was elected in March to a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard, where he serves as clerk. He speaks only for himself, and his words here do not express any official statement by the board. BRATTLEBORO-I have been a member of the Brattleboro...
Thank you to all of the voters who turned out for the Brattleboro election on March 5. Democracy is alive and well in our town. And thank you to those who voted for me. I hope to represent those who voted for me and those who voted for other candidates. The Brattleboro Selectboard is a nonpartisan institution, and that means that we have a great deal of potential for collaboration and consensus-building. I hope to promote that climate on the...
I recently had the pleasure to spend a little time with Oscar Heller, who is running for a three-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard. Oscar has been actively engaged in local government for a number of years, serving on the town Finance Committee. He is a local entrepreneur who runs a web design business and has gained an understanding of what it takes for a small business to survive in this area. Oscar is smart, and he makes it clear...
Covid will always be with us, and most of us have learned to live with it. Unfortunately, people continue to die from the disease at a rate of 255 deaths per day in the United States. Hospitalizations for the disease are up 8.7%, and the death rate has increased by 4.5%. The U.S. full vaccination rate is 68%. Mask wearing continues to be rare, but it seems to me that a few more people are starting to mask up again,
Brattleboro, Vermont is a quiet town, for the most part. Sure, we have our share of some of the world's worst problems, but we handle them well, and the quality of life for most residents is something to be envied. But I never thought I would be terrorized by a gang of roving masked thugs in my safe little town. On July 24, as I sat in my hot tub, as I do most nights, a pair of beady eyes...
The Windham County Heat Fund, an IRS-recognized tax-deductible nonprofit, was started in 2005 by me and Daryl Pillsbury. We never intended to create a fund that would keep going for so long but the need never decreases. So we raise money every year and rely on a generous community to do the heavy lifting for us. They always come through, and Daryl and I - and the people we help - are grateful for the support. This past heating season,