Letters: Future of the CCC Steeple, Thanks from SCHIP and Sweet Charity
June 2, 2011, page 3.....

Future of the Congregational Church steeple under discussion

This letter is in response to the letter from Hazel Prindle in the last issue (The Charlotte News, May 19, 2011) regarding her question about whether the state can require the return of the Charlotte Congregational Church steeple. The church is listed as being in a National Register Historic District, and, although it is an integral part of the district, there is no requirement of any kind for any architectural restoration. While this might be what the members of the church eventually choose to do, we are currently under discussion about the future of the steeple. We hope to better inform the community of our progress in this matter as the summer progresses.

Frances Foster
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Thanks for Green Up donations to SCHIP

Thank you, Charlotte, for helping SCHIP on Green Up Day. From the local businesses and town buildings that displayed our flyer; to people who mentioned our donation drive on the Front Porch Forums; to Eileen Curtis and the Scouts for the donation thank-you gifts; to John Quinney and The Charlotte News for including our donation drive in their press coverage of Green Up Day; to Carlene Emmons, Pat Nestork, Cathy Burke and Ritchie Murray who gave up their Saturday to accept and collect donations; and to all in town who greened up the inside of their homes to make a donation to SCHIP, thank you.
One last thing: please drop in at the SCHIP’s Treasure Resale Shop in Shelburne (mustard house next door to the Shelburne Town Offices) to see where your generous donations are sold. Your donations create the sales that create the monies to create the grants that return to help and to enrich the townspeople of Shelburne, Charlotte and Hinesburg.

Sincerely, Patricia G. (Tricia) Coleman for
SCHIP (Shelburne, Charlotte,
Hinesburg Interfaith Project)
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Donations help those in need

Small miracles occur frequently in the 501(c)(3) business. Women of Wisdom (WOW), an organized group of local women who operate Sweet Charity in Vergennes, is the conduit to these miracles. WOW raises funds through the resale shop to help women, children, families and organizations in our community and to support Hospice Volunteer Services of Addison County.
One small miracle occurred last fall when Nancy Walsh, a former resident of Charlotte, donated 100 watercolor paintings to our store. All originals, they are the works of her uncle, Richard Belchard, who was the principal architect for Macy’s Department Store in New York City during the 1940s. The majority of Belchard’s paintings reflect his love of nature through his landscape artistry. Sweet Charity has sold about half of the originals and, through these sales, Belchard’s legacy lives on.
We are grateful for people like Nancy and many, many others who have generously donated precious items that will once again be loved. Generous neighbors all around our communities have donated quality home goods and furniture they no longer need. People from all walks of life visit Sweet Charity for pre-loved items for the home. Quality donations are enthusiastically accepted; quick turnover makes Sweet Charity a must-stop shop for anyone coming to our fine city, Vergennes. As one donor recently said, “I have loved from the heart; I helped someone in need.”
Our thanks to Nancy and other Charlotters, such as Marcia McCauley, Robin Colburn and Mary Volk, who have helped us build Sweet Charity to the point where we can give back and help those in need within our community.

Liz Bicknell
Women of Wisdom Sweet Charity
Volunteer Coordinator