Letters from Bob Bloch, Monica Marshall, Bill Fraser-Harris, Martha Perkins, Rick Brokaw, Jenny Morgenthau and Hazel Prindle
April 21, 2011, page 3....

Champlain College Student Publishes Book to Raise Money for Sudanese Orphans

Garang Peter Deng, a Champlain College Senior and native of southern Sudan, spent the spring semester working with fellow student and writer Jillian Towne to write a book about his experiences as an orphan in the Jonglei state of Sudan. Deng hopes to use sales of his book to raise money for his nonprofit, the New Sudan Jonglei Orphans Foundation, an organization with the simple mission to send Sudanese orphans to school.
With the book’s release date set for mid-April, students at the Champlain College Publishing Initiative (CCPI) are hard at work organizing a book launch and culture event for Deng. The event will take place on April 23 at 6 p.m. in the Perry Hall Presentation Room at Champlain College. It will feature a talk given by Deng, music, samples of traditional Sudanese food and a video created by one of the CCPI team members. The event is free and open to the public, but a donation of $10 is suggested.
I have been Peter’s mentor throughout the process, as Director of Champlain College’s innovative BYOBiz entrepreneurship program. Garang stands out among the talented student entrepreneurs in the program. He is remarkably focused on the mission of his foundation, NSJOF. His resourcefulness, selfless devotion and optimism have carried him a long way in fulfilling that mission. The foundation currently provides complete financial support to three young Sudanese children to attend a quality private school in Uganda, and the goal is to enable many more to receive a good education.
Champlain Professor Rowshan Nemazee described Garang’s work, after he gave a talk to her class, as “a testament to all that is good, just and noble in our world. His journey – one rooted in heartache – captured my students on numerous levels. Garang’s pain is palpable, yet he refuses to dwell on it. His is a poignant story of the resilience of the human spirit; and he is determined to wake us up to the healing power of ‘giving back’ – of transforming somber memories into hope by funding Sudanese orphans in their quest for an education and a bright future.”
I invite anyone interested in hearing Deng’s story first hand to attend the April 23 presentation and to check out the website of New Sudan Jonglei Orphans Foundation at nsjof.org.

Bob Bloch
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PTO Dog Show is May 1

The second annual CCS PTO Dog Show is coming up on Sunday, May 1, from 1-3 p.m. at the Charlotte Central School. There will be three categories: Obedience, Best Trick and Best Costume. Registration is open to anyone in Charlotte and surrounding towns. The entry fee is $10 per dog. Once again, Gulliver’s Doggie Daycare is sponsoring our event and will be at CCS with their “Purple Bus.” There will also be raffle items from nearby businesses.
Last year was a blast with many children and adults participating in the show.
Due to spring break this week, we will accept registration up to the day of the show. For more information or to register, you can call or e-mail me at 425-2426 or marshall4vt@comcast.net, or Tammy Hall at 425-3599 or thall0722@gmavt.net.

Monica Marshall
Charlotte PTO President
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Rink Recognition
The Recreation Commission would like to recognize two individuals who have remained pretty much invisible and yet volunteered innumerable hours in often miserable weather conditions to operate and maintain our rink at CCS. Jeff Payne and Ed Sulva have for numerous years taken on the task of trying to provide a smooth and consistent ice surface during a period of very inconsistent cooperation from Mother Nature. This year was a particular success through no small effort by these two fine town volunteers not to mention numerous others. Thank-you. We are now looking forward to an equally fine summer at the beach.
Bill Fraser-Harris
Recreation Committee Chair     
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Why Do You Live in Charlotte?

The Planning Commission’s approach to the Town Plan Update is pretty much the same as it always has been. They ask us necessary and specific questions that refer to the same issues we need to address in the Town Plan, year after year. I believe this approach, although efficient, stifles creativity and limits discussion.
Instead of, or in addition to the usual, I would suggest an approach that encourages us to explore how content we are with our personal and community lives in Charlotte. This approach also will reveal what changes in the Town Plan could help to make more fulfilled lives possible for our families, individuals and community in the next five years.
As we begin to explore what the 2013 Town Plan will outline, how about questions like these?
Why do we stay in Charlotte?
What bothers us about living in Charlotte?
What do we think about so few people (approximately 7% of registered voters) attending Town Meeting and voting on a $2,700,420 budget?
Most of us drive our cars (use gas) to fulfill our basic needs – food, finances, medicine, education, etc., etc. What do you think about this?
Other questions:
We have chosen a way of life by living in Charlotte.
What is that way of life?
What are the trade-offs we make to live here?
Are we comfortable with our trade-offs or do they bother us every day?
Why do we like living here?
For example, if I had to drive to work in Burlington every day, wouldn’t it be more sustainable if I lived nearer Burlington? But I love Charlotte and don’t want to live anywhere else. How to resolve this issue for me and my town and our world in the future? Can our Town Plan help me address this issue? Can our Town Plan help us to learn to live sustainably in as many ways as possible?
I am sure that by now you can figure out that answers to the above questions (and more like them) will lead to subjects that can be addressed in the updated 2013 Town Plan.

Martha Perkins

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Article Was Advertising

Nice ad spread on pages 12-13! (The Charlotte News, April 7, 2011) All the “article” needed was a “mention this article and receive 5% off closing costs.” This is the kind of article I might expect to see in The Charlotte Citizen, not The Charlotte NEWS (my emphasis). And it was written by the developer! Perfect!

Rick Brokaw
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Thank You to Fresh Air Fund Volunteers

It is with sincere gratitude that I recognize the tireless efforts of Fresh Air Fund volunteers in Western Vermont as the country celebrates National Volunteer Week. Their commitment to helping New York City children is exemplary for all community members and truly embodies the spirit of the 2011 National Volunteer Week theme, “Celebrating People in Action.”
Fresh Air volunteers work in several capacities throughout the year in 13 Northeastern states and Canada to help make The Fund’s programs possible. Caring Fresh Air host families open their homes and share the everyday joys of summertime with their Fresh Air guests. Our local volunteer leaders – many of whom are also hosts – serve on our local committees, plan summer activities, publicize the program and interview prospective host families. Additionally, individuals and businesses give generously of their time and resources to make the Friendly Town host family program throughout this area a great success each and every summer.
The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.7 million New York City children since 1877. For more information on how you can help to continue this wonderful tradition of volunteering, please call The Fresh Air Fund at 800-367-0003 or visit freshair.org.

Jenny Morgenthau
Executive Director
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History Correction

I read most of your newsletter. However, I did call Mary Lighthall after reading her article about Around the Mountains (“A Book Built By a Committee,” The Charlotte News, April 7, 2011).
The bit about my part in editing the book stated I became Town Clerk in 1978. Sorry, Mary, but it was 1974 after Priscilla Spear decided not to continue.
I wonder if the gentleman at Town Meeting who did not know where the Masonic Lodge was located has acquired a copy of Around the Mountains.
The Masons are a quiet group – used to have great fish fries with lots of smelt and perch.

Hazel W. Prindle
Morrisville