| Route 7 is being paved today and will
re-open later this afternoon
The bridge passed inspection yesterday, Brandon House of Pizza was moved and emptied (not removed, however) and Route 7 is now being prepped and paved.
Markowski Excavating employees are prepping Route 7 right now to get it ready for paving and opening. This is excellent news for Brandon, of course, but also for all travelers on Vermont's western corridor. Thursday and Friday's Photos With Route 7 opening and the feeling of emergency subsiding, this will hopefully be the end of our special e-newsletters on the Flood of '11. The Chamber's e-news next week will be full of our regular postings, messages, specials, events, and announcements. With the opening of Route 7 and the end of daily updates, it doesn't mean things are "back to normal" for everyone. There are lots of changes and there is still lots of help needed. Donate, Help, Support. And at the concert tonight, let's all do a little SUN DANCE for this weekend's weather! We don't need any _ _ _ _ (we won't print the word for fear of jinxing)
SHERI'S DINER: 
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CAN YOU HELP THIS WEEKEND?
Tina Wiles at the Brandon Town Offices is coordinating efforts for volunteers who want to help this weekend. Please send your availability AND your phone number (cell is best - they hope to call Friday afternoon but it may be later or even Saturday) to info@brandon.org. We will gather the information and get it to Tina and her office volunteers. |
CONCERT ~ COMMUNITY GATHERING ~ BRAND-AID FUNDRAISING
FRIDAY ~ TONIGHT ~ 6:30 pm
Brandon's most powerful garage band, Feral Godmother, will be rocking Central Park tonight at 6:30 pm. Its a concert, a community gathering and a fundraiser. C'mon down!
We will have a 50 / 50 raffle and a passing of the hat for the fundraiser so please bring a few dollars with you.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW
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Update from Town of Brandon Officials:
Friday, September 2, 2011
Progress, progress, progress! BHOP building successfully on dry ground; Sheila and Greg are moving across and up the street. Demolition will be begin ASAP. Thank you to Phil Scott, Peg Flory, Dave Markowski, and Greg and Sheila Gearwar for coordinating the arrangements for getting this done. Two lanes of Route 7 could be open late Friday afternoon. It won't be your father's Route 7 but there will be travel lanes, parking spaces, and a sidewalk/walkway. Town Offices are running out of the Fire Station in a limited way. No deed work or records checks yet. Call 247-5721.
Transfer Station open extra days and longer hours. They are open 8-3 today, 8-3 Saturday, normal hours on Tuesday, and 8-3 on Wednesday. They can take anything they would have been able to take on Saturday. If you aren't sure about something, just ask them! What they can't take can go in the roll-off containers - there is one at the Admin Building at BTS, one at Tucel, and one at the Legion. There is a second at the Legion for scrap metal. Please separate out the metal and put it only in the scrap metal container. Also, please, please, please NO HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE IN THESE.
Thank you to Neshobe School, Naylor & Breen, Junction Store, Sheri's diner, Vermont Sandwich Shop, and all the volunteers! A FEMA requirement is a visual assessment of damage for all homes within a designated area; there is a group of volunteers doing this and we are thankful for all of their help.
Preservation Trust of Vermont can help with emergency assessments of historic buildings. Their website is www.ptvermont.org or you can email Paul at paul@ptvermont.org.
The National Guard will be dropping off cleaning kits sometime today. We will try to send out an update when they get here. We've also asked them for rakes, shovels, etc. to help with cleaning up lawns. Thank you to the New Hampshire and Maine National Guard for coming to Vermont to help!
If all goes well today, the Select Board won't have a meeting tonight.
If you need help with clean up or know someone who does, please call us 247-5721. We have many volunteers who would be happy to help.
Please report damage to Tina at 247-5721. Remember to document, document, document!
Working is speeding along on the police station so we can get them out of the Fire Station and into their new home as soon as possible. Some work at the Town Hall was delayed but will start on Thursday.
We know it is change, and that is most difficult for some of us, but there are three intersections that have been modified. Please stop at the new stop signs at the intersection of Park/High/Marble, the interection of Park/Country Club/Smalley Road, and as you come from ForestDale on Route 73 at Country Club and Town Farm Road.
Thank you for your help, your cooperation and your patience throughout all of this.
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NOTICES
BRANDON MUSEUM
The Brandon Museum at the Stephen A Douglas Birthplace will re-open Saturday 9.3.11, normal hours. 11 am - 4 pm daily.
GREEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST
From Jenny Nixon Carter, Moosalamoo Association: The US Forest Service has issued a blanket emergency closure of the Green Mountain National Forest, including the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area until USFS personnel can assess damages and an area is considered "safe for use and occupancy". They will be opening areas once this determination is made. They were not willing to give me a timeline for when they will inventory the MNRA or re-open the area. All trails and campgrounds are closed
BRANDON RECREATION DEPARTMENT NEWS:
From Erin Gallivan and Rec Director Shawn Smith: "I have spoken with our Rec Director Shawn Smith and I'm helping him organize soccer since he currently has no office and no computer. Hopefully whatever registration forms that have been sent in will be forwarded to the relocated town offices at the fire station. I am going to pick up all the forms at the fire station on Tuesday morning and get the team lists organized. There will be additional sign-ups in the cafeteria/gymnasium at Neshobe on Wed Sept 7th at 5:30. If you have already sent in a registration form, you can come by and double-check, or you can call me at 247-4518 after Wednesday 9/7. If you want to send in a form & check you can send it me at home at 25 Champlain St, Brandon, VT 05733. The forms can be found online at
http://www.wix.com/staceycoburn/brandonrecdept#!forms
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We still need additional assistant coaches at all ages, so please call me if you can help or let me know on Wednesday night. Please forward this message on to anyone else you think might be interested. Thanks, Erin Gallivan"
NESHOBE GOLF CLUB
THANKS THANKS THANKS to EVERYONE who came to help on THURSDAY, for our volunteer night to help clean up the MASSIVE
amount of mud left on the lower holes by the Hurricane and flooding.
Until you see it yourself, you can't imagine how much mud the river has left on the course. We put a good dent on cleaning the 7th hole, BUT THERE'S MUCH MORE TO DO! Anyone who has time is more than WELCOME to come to help with the clean up- ANYTIME. The tool that is the most useful right now is a long handled firm squeegee. We have quite a few at the course, but if you can bring one, that could help too. A SPECIAL THANKS from all the members, staff and the board goes to Woody Dorsey. Woody donated Thursdays dinner and the beer for the workers in the "Men's Night" clean up. Thanks so much for your kindness and generosity. PLAY for this weekends Club Championship / President's Cup competition is obviously postponed and will be rescheduled at a future date, yet to be determined.
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HELPING BRANDON BUSINESSES
DONATE NOW
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THE REPORTER
SPECIAL ADVERTISING OFFERS
The Reporter is offering special advertising discounts for Brandon downtown businesses affected by the flooding. For the issue of 9/7 we are running "Brandon is Open for Business". Ads are 50% off and we also have a commitment from the Addison Independent to run those ads in the 9/12 issue at a rate of 50% off their regular pricing. Color is also discounted. Contact Alyssa at ads@brandonreporter.com or call 247-8080 or 345-7848 for more information. Deadline is Sunday 9/4
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STONEBOTTOM FARM AT FARMER'S MARKET
From Karen Sommerlad, Stonebottom Farm (vendor at Brandon Farmer's Market every Friday): "We are glad that you have set up a fund to help Brandon's businesses recover. We sell at the Brandon Farmers Market and will donate a minimum of 50% of our Friday's proceeds to the Fund."
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BRAND-AID
DONATIONS
ARE POURING IN
Lake Sunapee Bank is committed to assisting those businesses affected by the storm, and donation to the fund will help insure businesses get operational again as quickly as possible.
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NESHOBE RIVER WINERY
Neshobe River Winery is open and accessible! Wine tastings and wood-fired pizza. Take Wheeler Road to Stone Mill Dam Road.
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BRANDON ARTISTS GUILD OPENING FRIDAY 9.2.11
Brandon Artists Guild opening this Friday, September 2 from 5 - 7 pm. Opening reception for Joan Curtis show, "Greener Grass." |
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STAYING CONNECTED
Google Maps has teamed up with VT AOT officials and have created a VT interactive map with road closures. It is very accurate.
Continue to check the Town of Brandon website for updates.
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REMINDERS
BUY BRICKS for the Brandon Green Park Rebuilding: Contact Bette Moffett or Warren Kimble (247-8880) or stop by 10 Park St.
CRITICAL NEED: BLOOD DRIVE. September 8 from 12 - 5:30 pm at the Fire Station
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RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES, NON-PROFITS, and HOMEOWNERS. These documents will stay on the Chamber website indefinitely.
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If you are a business (for-profit; non-profit; multi-family housing provider, etc.): Report damages or speak to someone about additional resources available, please call 802-828-3211. The VT Agency of Commerce & Community Development has set up a system to document damage to businesses and properties (both for and non-profit businesses, including multi-family housing providers and services) in order to assist FEMA in their collection of information
- Insurance Company guidelines for reporting damages
. - NeighborWorks of Western Vermont can help homeowners whose homes were damaged by Tropical Storm Irene. Please pass this along to anyone you know who might be in need of assistance and have them call right away (802) 438-2303 x 210. Please visit www.nwwvt.org for more.
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CONTACT INFO
| Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 267
Brandon VT 05733
802-247-6401
info@brandon.org
www.brandon.org
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