Around Town
compiled by Edd Merritt

Congratulations...
to Tim Halvorson, owner of Halvorson’s Upstreet Café on Church Street in Burlington, whose name recently replaced that of Nathan Harris on the award offered annually by the Burlington Business Association. Established in 1979 to honor the late Nate Harris, owner of Nate’s Mens Clothiers and a founder of BBA, the organization’s Executive Director, Kelly Devine, was quoted in the Free Press as saying that, “Tim Halvorson is the new Nate.” According to the “Cover Story” in the April 6 Business Monday section of the paper, the Halvorson Award goes to the “person who best showcases the dedication and commitment to service of Tim Halvorson in maintaining and improving the economic vitality of downtown Burlington.” Halvorson will retire from the Burlington Business Association Board of Directors after serving eight years.

to Paulette Thibault, who was recently appointed principal of Christ the King School in Burlington, a Roman Catholic school serving pre-school through eighth grade. Thibault is currently associate principal. She was selected following a review of candidates from throughout the country.

to Charlotte Dwight, a sophomore at St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, who toured New Orleans and Mississippi as part of the university’s Laurentian Singers. The Singers are composed of a select group of 27 undergraduates who gave a series of performances in Jackson and Hattiesburg, Mississippi as well as in New Orleans. Charlotte is majoring in performance and communication arts.

to Isabella Fenn, an eighth grader at Charlotte Central School whose poem entitled “An Anchor” was selected for inclusion in the “Young Writers Project” in the April 7th Burlington Free Press. Responding to a prompt to write in response to the phrase, “When I turned, it was gone,” Isabella bemoaned the fact that the ring of woven string made by “careful fingers” had disappeared from a friend’s hand. One moment it was there, anchoring her to the present, the next minute gone. She wonders where it is, and its loss is “messing” with her mind. Change may be tough, right Isabella?

to Christine (Fecteau) and David Kogut, whose son Jonathon Declan Kogut was born March 17 at Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington.

to Kathi Montheith, director of community relations at The Arbors senior living complex in Shelburne, who was selected for the first “Forget-Me-Not Award” given by the Vermont Alzheimer’s Association. The Association’s Executive Director, Jeff Maker, said that while there are many supporters, “Kathi goes above and beyond what is expected in her time, energy and support.”

to the following blood donors who were awarded gallon pins by the American Red Cross Blood Services, New England Region recently:
David Cray, 14 gallons
William Gardner, 37 gallons
Bruce Hasse, 60 gallons

to David Blittersdorf, for his April Fool “spoof rally” featuring a duct-taped 1970 Pontiac Le Mans parked on Church Street in Burlington and labeled “car of the future?”. The rally, organized by Blittersdorf’s organization The Clean Green Vermont Alliance, Inc., was aimed at mocking Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant’s attempt to extend its operating license. It and the late Pontiac were built at roughly the same time.

to Amy Lynne Redmon and Brandon Craig William Sim on their marriage March 28 in Arlington Hall, Lee Park, Dallas, Texas. The son of Susan and Craig Sim of Charlotte, Brandon is a portfolio assistant at Silvercrest Asset Management Group in New York. His wife is a vice president for investor relations at Reservoir Capital Group. They will live in New York City.

to Jan Blittersdorf and her company, NRG Systems of Hinesburg, who recently developed a partnership with the French firm, Leosphere, specialists in lidar (laser radar) for atmospheric observations. The partnership will serve customers around the world, measuring winds for site assessment.
is extended to family and friends of John R. Kendrick of South Burlington who passed away March 30 at the age of 65. Kendrick spent his career working in the Burlington area. He lived in Charlotte for over 30 years where he raised his family and was active in scouting, Little League baseball, Ducks Unlimited and Vermont’s Junior Waterfowl program. In lieu of flowers, John asked that donations be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1460, Williston, Vermont 05495.

Sympathy...
is extended to family and friends of Michael J. Leary of Hinesburg who passed away at home March 31 at the age of 47. His family includes his brother Dean and Dean’s wife, Dianne, of Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in his memory be made to Rokeby Museum, 4334 Route 7, Ferrisburgh, Vermont 05456; the Burlington Irish Heritage Festival, P.O. Box 311, Burlington, Vermont 05402; or to the Cancer Patient Support Group Fund, P.O. Box 64700, Burlington, Vermont 05406.