March 2016

Chamber Newsletter

An Irish Evening of Word and Song at the Book & Leaf

Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 7PM

The Book & Leaf Bookstore in the heart of Brandon will offer an Irish Evening of Word and Song on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, at 7 PM. Featured will be Larry Booker, author, and musicians, Peter and Kristina Cady of WOODCHUCKS' REVENGE. Come and enjoy this celebration of Irish culture with great conversation, and of course, complimentary tea, coffee and sweets!

Larry Booker's Irish American roots go back to his ancestors who settled on a farm in Danby, Vermont in the 1850's. His two books, McGrath's Detail and McGrath's Murder are adventure thrillers set in a small Irish town at the time of the D-Day invasion and just after the war. Typical Irish life, IRA sympathizers, Irish vs American ways, love and intrigue in the village of Kildunlee, all conspire to create an entertaining and poignant collection of characters and stories. Told in Larry's inimitable voice, these tales come to life and bring us right into the emotions and rigors of wartime Ireland.

Peter and Kristina Cady, of WOODCHUCKS' REVENGE, have played as a trio, quartet or duo for over twenty years. Their performances have taken them all over Vermont and neighboring states, to festivals, coffeehouses, summer concerts-on-the-green, First Nights and community celebrations. They will be performing a repertoire of Irish and Celtic music on guitar and fiddle. Many of their songs deal with some type of story, of people, places or events, and are accompanied with history, humor and an engaging connection with their audience.

Please join us for this very special evening at the Book & Leaf. Support your local talent and keep expanding our community of lovers of music and the written word.

Bios and Book Blurbs

Larry Booker is an author with roots in Vermont and New York City. His four years in the US Navy, his training in meteorology, and military service in England, served as inspirations for his two novels, McGrath's Detail and McGrath's Murder. Larry is a graduate of NYU and Castleton University and has taught Business at Windsor High School. He lives and writes in Pittsford.

Peter and Kristina Cady, of WOODCHUCKS' REVENGE, perform as a duo, with Peter playing guitar and Kristina fiddle and/or upright bass. Their repertoire ranges from traditional folk songs to western ballads, Irish, French and Spanish music, and a wide variety of contemporary roots-based music. Their music is heard frequently on Vermont and New York Public Radio. Peter and Kristina reside in Pittsford, and are currently working on recording a duo album.

Book & Leaf- 10 Park Street, 802-465-8423 contact B. Amore (amoreb@earthlink.net)

Swing Dancing Classes in Brandon

Learn to swing dance! Instructor David Allan will teach beginner and intermediate level courses at Brandon Music, in association with the Compass Music and Arts Center.

Classes will be held on Thursdays, March 24, 31, April 7 and 14th. The beginner class runs from 6:30-7:30pm, with the intermediate class from 8:00-9:00pm.

David teaches the proper posturing and connections and 6-12 basicsix-count swing patterns in the beginner class. The intermediate class will learn Charleston eight-count moves and how to combine East Coast Swing with Lindy hop. Intermediate class participants will need to have taken the beginner class or have equivalent experience.

David Allan learned to swing dance from the top dance instructors in the country while living in San Francisco in the 1990s. He runs Green Mountain Stomp Swing Dancing,teaching and organizing swing dances and has taught for eight years in communities and colleges throughout the Champlain Valley.

$45 for one 4-week series; $75 per couple per series; $75 for an individual to take both series. Register by March 18 by contacting 802-247-4295 or info@cmacvt.org.

Brandon Music is a sister venue to the Compass Music and Arts Center and is located across from the Neshobe Golf Course at 62 Country Club Rd. Brandon, VT 05733. www.cmacvt.org

Story Time: Playing with Words- Book & Leaf

Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 3PM

The Book & Leaf Bookstore in the heart of Brandon will offer a Story Time: Playing with Words for children ages three to ten on Saturday, March 19, at 3 PM. Featured will be Linda Cruise, author of Around the World from A to Z and Cotey Gallagher, author of Have You Ever?. Come and enjoy this celebration of wordplay for children and adults alike, and of course, complimentary tea, coffee and sweets!

Linda Cruise will be reading from her recently published book, Around the World from A to Z, which offers a fun look at countries around the globe while entwining them with letters of the alphabet. With vivid illustrations by Kaviya Pugazhendi, the book offers both kids and adults an engaging multi-cultural perspective. "Peru's pointed peaks promise pleasant panoramas" and "Whirls of wind whisper within the weathered walls of Wales" are only two of the books enticing poetic offerings which promise to entertain and intrigue listeners of all ages.

Cotey Gallagher, a Salisbury resident, has put her love of words into an inventive book, Have You Ever?. Cotey is a professional graphic designer who has both written and illustrated this unique picture book that encourages children to create their own imaginative prose to match the belly-chuckling play of language and sentence structure that she skillfully includes. With Cotey's engaging presentation of tongue twisters and colorful illustrations, language takes on an adventurous dimension.

Both authors use the building blocks of letters and words in original ways to bring delight to both children and adults. Please join us for this reading and book signing with Linda Cruise and Cotey Gallagher at the Book & Leaf. Support your local talent and keep expanding our community of lovers of the written word by introducing your children and grandchildren to spoken literature early in life.

BIOS

Linda Cruise is a freelance author, editor, instructor, multi-media specialist, and photographer whose published work includes fiction, creative non-fiction, literary criticism, journalism, poetry, biography, and photography. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Spalding University, a BA from Rutgers University, and a MA in Anthropology from Binghamton University. While living in northern Vermont with her family and dog, Linda enjoys travel, volleyball, nature, and skiing. Around the World from A to Z is Linda's first of three children's picture books with Tandem Light Press.

Cotey Gallagher is an artist and a self-proclaimed "Word Nerd." She has always enjoyed crossword puzzles and word games, while allowing her love of vocabulary to spill into her writing. A native of Vermont, she received a BFA in Illustration from the Art Institute of Boston. Cotey's newest book, The Literally Illustrated Collection of Idioms, Metaphors and Euphemisms, is also filled with word play.She resides in Salisbury, Vermont with her husband, son, and cat.

Book & Leaf Book Store- 10 Park Street, Contact: B. Amore (amoreb@earthlink.net)

The Bombadils to Enchant Brandon Music Audience

March 19 at 7:30pm

For over five years, rising folk-stars The Bombadils have been enchanting audiences around the world with their unique fusion of traditional, world and progressive folk. The trio will captivate Brandon Music audience members on March 19 at 7:30pm.

Endearingly described as "chamber folk," the group of cinematic storytellers have intertwined their musical chops rooted in classical and jazz music (all trained at Montreal's esteemed McGill University) around an approachable performance style that takes listeners on a journey through history and towards the future of Canadian folk.

According to Amy Gajadhar of the Canadian Folk Music magazine, the Bombadils "have all the elements of a great band - a high level of musical proficiency, deep respect for the traditional roots of their material and an engaging repertoire which holds the attention of the listener from beginning to end."

Each hailing from their own unique corner of Canada, group members Sarah Frank (fiddle, banjo, vocals), Luke Fraser (guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Kaitlyn Raitz (cello), first bonded over a shared curiosity and love of the Celtic and bluegrass traditions - but have since solidified their friendship with over 50,000 kilometers of touring and countless performances together.

After the release of their debut album, Fill Your Boots! in 2012, the group toured extensively across North America in support of the album, including performances at the Deep Roots Festival, Folk Alliance International, as well as Fiddles on the Tobique Festival, an artist exchange at Ethno Sweden, and Eaglewood Folk Festival where Artistic Director Liz Scott recounted that "this was the band that came out of nowhere and slayed the audience, offering a richer experience for everyone."

In 2014, an artist residency at The Banff Centre served as the incubator for their sophomore album, Grassy Roads, Wandering Feet, which was released in the spring of 2015. Since then, the album has been creating a buzz in the folk scene, with Penguin Eggs praising the group's strong original compositions. The group then set off on an international tour of Australia, the U.K., and a plethora of stops throughout Canada and the U.S. where they shared the stage with notable artists The Duhks, David Francey, Bruce Molsky, and De Temps Antan.

This event is a part of Vermont Arts 2016, celebrating public funding for the arts.

Concert tickets are $20. Reservations are recommended for the show. Dessert is available. Venue is BYOB. Call (802) 247-4295 or e-mail info@brandon-music.net for reservations or for more information. Brandon Music is located at 62 Country Club Rd. Brandon, VT 05733 www.brandon-music.net

It's time for the Otter Follies!

Talent show to held on

Friday, March 25, 2016

at 7:00 p.m.

Come Join us for an evening of Otter Nonsense! Otter valley High School Auditorium.

Sponsored by the Friends of Otter Valley Music

See a real winter in the 'Winter as Prism or Prison' exhibit

Compass Music and Arts Center presents images of winter as seen by nine different artists

Depending on your view of the winter season, this one has certainly turned out to be a "dud". The lack of snow and fluctuating temperatures has left some with a strong longing for a serene white-covered landscape. The good thing about winter though is that it inspires, and pictures, paintings and drawings can be forever.

The 'Winter as Prism or Prison' exhibit at the Compass Music and Arts Center presents images of winter as seen by nine different artists. The juried exhibit posed the question, "How do you feel about winter - does it make you want to embrace its beauty or hibernate until spring?" Artists submitted their responses and the result is a stunning exhibit in multiple mediums, reflecting the spectrum of human emotions when it comes to the longest season of the year.

The exhibit runs through March 26 and features work by Denise Bach, Dan Gilman, Jeanne Lamoureux-Wood, Tom Merwin, Norma Montaigne, Marise Morse, Catherine M. Palmer, Ayanna Proctor, and Lowell Snowdon Klock.

The jurors for the exhibit selected a Juror's Choice award as well as two Honorable Mentions. Visit the exhibit and see if you share their view of the winners.

The Compass Music and Arts Center is located in Park Village at 333 Jones Dr. Brandon VT, 05733 (Park Village used to be the Brandon Training School, located 1.5 miles north of downtown Brandon off of Arnold District Rd.).

Animals come to Brandon Music with Arioso's 'Zoologica'

March 26 at 7:30pm

Central Vermont's critically and audience acclaimed chamber music ensemble returns to Brandon Music on March 26 at 7:30pm with a concert of varied and entertaining music for piano, voice, and viola. Arioso will perform music of Granados, Ives, Saint-Saens, Shostakovich, Hoiby and Vermont composer Kathy Eddy. All the works on the program have an animal title or theme. The featured work is the premiere of "A Child's Book of Animals" by Worcester composer Michael Close. The success of Close's last year's Cheese Songs, led him to create for Arioso a song cycle which includes sinuous melodies of Octopus, a rapping Swan, the Seagull's fishing expedition, and the somnolent philosophy of the Sloth. It is the mission of Arioso to highlight new works by contemporary Vermont composers in all the group's concerts.

The members of Arioso are Elizabeth Reid, viola; Alison Cerutti, piano; and Linda Radtke, voice. The group was formed in 2008, and debuted in May 2009, sponsored by the Paine Mountain Arts Council in Northfield and Cathedral Arts in Burlington.

"Deeply beautiful...simply a pleasure" - Jim Lowe, Barre-Montpelier Times-Argus

Alison Bruce Cerutti has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout Vermont, and as a flute accompanist in the U.S. and France. For eight years, she studied with Louis Moyse and accompanied his flute master classes in Vermont and France and in 2012 performed with his former students in St. Amour, France. Cerutti has played with TURNmusic for the 2015 production of A Fleeting Animal, the Northern Third Piano Quartet, the Cerutti-Reid Duo, Veritas, and the Bruce Klavier Duo; and appeared as a soloist with the Burlington Civic Symphony Orchestra and the Vermont Philharmonic. She has premiered works by Vermont composers Lydia Busler, Erik Nielsen, David Gunn, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz, and Jacob Morton-Black. A Vermont native, she studied with Sylvia Parker and earned degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and the Hartt School. She maintains an active piano studio and is an adjunct professor at Norwich University.

Alto Linda Radtke, while classically trained, is comfortable with a wide range of musical styles and language. Her vocal style has been described as "engaging, with a warm and expressive style and impeccable musicianship." A graduate of Rutgers University and the University of Vermont, Linda sings with the professional vocal ensemble Counterpoint, and has sung solos of many great choral works with the Vermont Philharmonic, the Vermont Symphony, and in Vermont productions of opera and musical theatre, including Sound of Music (Maria and Abbess), King and I (Lady Thiang), Camelot (Guinevere) and most of the alto leads in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. She has presented the Rogers and Hart Songbook throughout Vermont with jazz pianist John Lincoln. Her research on Vermont songs led to touring programs with the Vermont Humanities Council's Speakers' Bureau with pianist Arthur Zorn and a recording, Vermont History through Song. Other recordings include nine with Robert De Cormier and Counterpoint. Linda hosts a choral program on Vermont Public Radio.

Violist Elizabeth Reid is in high demand as a musician in Vermont. Her playing has been described as having a "deep and expressive sound" and a "natural musicality." (Times Argus) A native of Canada, Reid studied viola performance with Lorand Fenyves, Ralph Aldrich, and Rennie Regehr. She has played principal viola in the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Banff Opera Orchestra. Locally she has performed as principal violist of the Middlebury Opera Orchestra, as well as playing regularly with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Burlington Chamber Orchestra, and the Northern Third Piano Quartet. Reid has a strong interest in contemporary music and has been involved in various premieres of solo and chamber works in Canada and the U.S. In 2014 she performed a solo viola concert of contemporary American and Canadian works at Gallery 345 in Toronto to great success. She lives in Northfield, Vermont with her husband and three sons.

Michael Close is a composer, cellist, and teacher living in Worcester, Vermont. He graduated from Bennington College in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in music composition and a master of arts in education. He has been a composer-mentor with Music-COMP since 2004, a program which encourages and supports students in composing and arranging music. He teaches cello and chamber music classes at the Monteverdi Music School in Montpelier and is the music teacher at Doty Memorial School. Close plays cello with a wide variety of orchestral and chamber groups around Vermont. He has been the section leader of and a soloist with the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra. He is a prolific composer and some of his most recent works have been performed by the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, The Birmingham Bloomfield Symphony, The Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble, Chamber Music at the Scarab Club of Detroit, the Eleva Chamber Players, and the Vermont Choral Union.

This event is a part of Vermont Arts 2016, celebrating public funding for the arts.

Judith Reilly "The Girl with the Purple Hair"- A Retrospective - Compass Music and Arts Center

Exhibit: April 1 - May 30

Opening Reception: Friday, April 1, 5:00-7:30pm

Gallery Talk: Sunday, May 1, 3:00pm

We all start out pretty young. And it has been said that the child artist is the only true artist because they have an uncluttered path to their own intuitions. This perfect intuitive mind of a child has been a model that Judith Reilly has tried to follow throughout her life. The Girl with the Purple Hair, the title for one of the award-winning fiber artist's transitional pieces, represents a side road, a turn she was impelled to take. This intuition (literally meaning 'inner tutor') has guided her on many such side trips along the way from beginning as a traditional quilt maker to becoming an independent, whimsical, and sometimes thought-provoking multi-media artist.

Flash forward and you will find the Brandon, Vermont artist in her studio creating representational, but not literal work; pieces which express both realistic and fantastic interpretations in a catawampus and quirky style.

Making and creating for 50 plus years, Judith has discovered a great deal about herself, creativity and life in general. As she looks back, she sees her life in stories, chapters, lessons and side roads. To her, it's not really about the art. "It is about the life that evolves and unfolds that then creates the art. The artwork is just the evidence that you have lived and listened to the intuitions and followed through. The ideas are always developing within us. Life is the muse."

The exhibit at the Compass Music and Arts Center, open April 1 - May 30, presents her work as she has seen it develop through each chapter and side road and as it relates to the 'Twelve Life Lessons for Creativity' which evolved through reflection of her own artistic journey. An opening reception will be held on Friday, April 1 from 5:00-7:30pm.

If you go back to that "sensitive child", as she describes her youthful self, you will find a farmer's child, one who loved the freedom of living in nature, playing alone, and who only ever wanted to make things - paper dolls, clothes for her Barbie, cookies, goofy drawings, and daisy chains - who learned to sew with her grandmother and was like a sponge, soaking up all that 4-H had to teach her, even then needingto create, to construct, to use her hands and fingers, her mind, instincts, and childlike curiosity; to be washed over with color and fiber and textures, to form and to shape, and to ask herself "What would happen if...?".

The question "What would happen if...?" was what sparked her into the transitional phase. "I claim that I was a traditional quilt maker for 15 minutes", she says. This may be a mild exaggeration, but as she explains: "After learning the basics of pattern design and construction, and slogging through yards and yards of uninspired fabric choices, boredom quickly set in. And when after making the first block for a 36 identical-block quilt, I declared "I have already made that. I'm not making that again.What would happen if..?""

So how do we clear the path and regain the magic of our genuine intuitiveself? Judith found some answers when she was asked 20 years ago to give a talk about her quilts. She was astounded at what she discovered when reviewing images of all her past work. She quickly began to recall all that she learned while creating each piece and discovered the lessons learned were actually the lessons of life. These lessons which she has dubbed 'The Twelve Life Lessons for Creativity' proclaim that you should keep "what you think they think" out of your creative process, that if you are not having fun, you're not doing it right, that you will need to kiss a lot of frogs, and that you should determine what is traditional, accepted and expected, and not do it! You may do foolish things, but we must do them with enthusiasm!

The move she and her husband George made from Connecticut to Vermont in 2004 is when she officially "left the quilt maker behind". She found herself in a flourishing arts community that embraced her as an artist. It was here that she reconnected with her inner child and let this intuitive child come out to play. She was inspired by all the artists she worked with and learned from, yet truly found her own voice as an artist. She played, doodled, experimented, and made mistakes. She created what she wanted to create for herself, not for anyone else and channeled her inner child by being enthusiastic, silly, timeless, fearless and passionately curious.

A child's approach to creativity is something she is quite familiar with, being a grandmother to four young children. How they know every finger painting is a masterpiece and that it doesn't matter what others think because to them it is perfect (because it is), brings things full circle for Judith. These reflections reinforce that 'The Twelve Life Lessons of Creativity' truly are lessons for inspired creating and living.

Judith's work has been shown in national and international exhibitions as well as in government offices. Her quilts have been awarded in several competitions internationally and across the U.S., in addition to articles about the artist and images of her work having been published in books and magazines. She maintains a gallery in her home in Brandon, Vermont where she sells original artwork, print reproductions, a delightful collection of accessories, and most recently, hand-hooked rugs she designs for the Chandler 4 Corners company of Manchester, Vermont. Visit her website at www.judithreilly.com

Hear Judith speak about her life and work at a Gallery Talk on Sunday, May 1 at 3:00pm.

Compass Music and Arts Center is located at Park Village, 333 Jones Dr. Brandon VT, 05733 (Park Village used to be the Brandon Training School, located 1.5 miles north of downtown Brandon off of Arnold District Rd.). www.cmacvt.org

An Evening with the DuPont Brothers and Friends

Brandon Music- April 2 at 7:30pm

Brandon Music is excited to bring back brothers, Sam and Zack DuPont, and this time, with some of their friends! The Vermont-made folk-Americana duo performs April 2 at 7:30pm. Their lush finger-style guitar work is complimented by elegant prose and a vocal blend that could only be matched by blood relation. The Mountaineer describes them as "Deeply passionate old souls with a new and refreshing take on contemporary folk-pop music".

Their first full length release, 'Heavy as Lead' received praise from Smoky Mountain News, who said"It's the essence of what stop-you-in-your-tracks music is suppose to do, which is shake you out of your day-to-day life..." The brothers are nearing the releaseof their next recording, being produced by Michael Chorney.Zack says the new album is "a tasteful balance of our stripped down style with orchestral and textural embellishments from violin, upright bass, electric guitars and pedal steel. We're really moving towards a band element moving forward and this album will bring that new concept to our listeners."

"Together the DuPont Brothers resonate at just the right frequency. There were moments that honestly gave me chills." - Dan Bolles, Seven Days VT.

Since 2013, the brothers managed to play over 400 shows, covering 50,000 tour miles throughout the U.S. Versatile songwriting modes, blood harmonies and fingerstyle guitar arrangements have opened doors to support a wide variety of national acts including Grace Potter, Sturgill Simpson, Bahamas, Jerry Douglas, Langhorne Slim, Blake Mills, Howie Day, The Lone Bellow, Ben Sollee, Horse Feathers and Chris Eldridge and Julian Lage.

Concert tickets are $20. A pre-concert dinner is also available for $20. Reservations are recommended for the show and required for dinner.Venue is BYOB. Call (802) 247-4295 or e-mail info@brandon-music.net for reservations or for more information. Brandon Music is located at 62 Country Club Rd. Brandon, VT 05733 www.brandon-music.net | http://www.dupontbrothersmusic.com

Sarah Blacker at Brandon Music

April 9 at 7:30pm

Brandon Music is excited to welcome Sarah Blacker with Aaron Katz on April 9 at 7:30pm as she premieres new material in preparation for an upcoming live album. The singer-songwriter, a Brandon Music favorite, is known as Boston's 'Sundress Rocker'. The Huffington Post says "her infectious, well-written songs led to her being named Female Performer of the Year at the New England Music Awards." She has often been compared to Sara Bareilles but the Huffington Post says "comparisons be damned: she's her own artist."

Sarah certainly has a knack for songwriting. She writes in an uninhibited, honest and fearless style, producing "a constant flow of material" that, according to South Shore Magazine "is a testament to the fact that she is such a prolific writer". Red Line Roots agree; they say Sarah "weaves songs that tell personal, yet relatable tales."

However, her ability to write is only half the battle, says South Shore, because "when Sarah performs her music, she is equally steeped in technical proficiency as well as pure emotion, bringing a veteran's confidence to the whole package." Along with Aaron, a percussionist with the national band Percy Hill, Sarah artfully spans rock, pop, indie-folk, and Americana.

In 2014, Sarah was nominated for song and songwriter of the year at the New England Music Awards, in addition to winning 'Female Performer of the Year'. She was also nominated for 'Songwriter of the Year' in the Boston Music Awards. Sarah has toured extensively and shared stages with dozens of internationally renowned artists including Mishka, Sara Bareilles, Leon Russell, Rusted Root, Carbon Leaf, America, Eddie Money, Richard Thompson, 10,000 Maniacs, Loudon Wainwright III, Livingston Taylor, Paula Cole and many others.

This event is a part of Vermont Arts 2016, celebrating public funding for the arts.

Concert tickets are $20. A pre-concert dinner is also available for $20. Reservations are recommended for the show and required for dinner.Venue is BYOB. Call (802) 247-4295 or e-mail info@brandon-music.net for reservations or for more information. Brandon Music is located at 62 Country Club Rd. Brandon, VT 05733 www.brandon-music.net | http://www.sarahblacker.com

Brandon Artists Guild Member Show:Out on a Limb

The show will hang through May 3^rd.

There is nothing that compares with the unique spirit and sculptural form of a tree. The members of the Brandon Artists Guild are proud to present "Out on a Limb", reflecting the personal style and media of each artist.

"The moon was so bright, and there were many bands of varying shades of yellow all around it, glowing thru the trees", said artist Joan Drew about her watercolor painting, "Moon Glow".

Judith Reilly, known for her intricate stitched fine art, has created an optically illusionary piece called "Limbs", with "multi-colored threads sown in a tight, squiggly manner...when you step back, you see that what remains black are human figures pressed together and reaching out to form a tree, a tree created by 'limbs' ".

Robin Kent, in creating her large large assemblage, "Tree of Life", said, "I was trying to mimic what nature suggests, through trial and error". It tells the story of a lumber jack who changed his mind when "after close inspection, saw its beauty and thought

differently. Such is life."

Warren Kimble has created a large sculptural wall piece, "Tree", measuring 4 feet high. It is a debut of a new contemporary style, with a free form shape and textured acrylic.

Brandon Artist Guild painting class!

Fundraiser to benefit area school art programs

The Brandon Artist Guild is excited to announce a fundraiser to benefit all of the nine area school art departments! The cost of adult classes is $45.00 and includes related supplies and your take home project. Classes are limited to 15. The first painting class will be held on Sunday, March 20th from 1-3:30. So reserve your space now by registering at the Artist Guild on Center Street in Brandon.

Children's classes are also being scheduled. We welcome sponsors, business and individual, to help cover the cost of art supplies. Join in the fun!!

More info to follow on future classes. Questions, call Dolores Furnari at 802-247-3695

The Vermont Downtown Action Team (V-DAT) was highlighted on National Main Street Program's "Story of the Week".

VDAT worked with many Brandon groups and organizations to plan strategies for recovery from "Irene" and to implement procedures to help mitigate damage from future flooding.

Check out the link below-

http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/main-street-news/story-of-the-week/2016/vermonts-downtowns-build.html

Common Ground Restaurant and Pub

up and running!

After a long road we are proud to announce that Common Ground Restaurant and Pub is up and running! We are looking forward to serving the greater Brandon area with a new Italian American menu and full service bar. We are opening 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) from 2pm-9pm offering daily specials and always taking suggestions to improve menu, atmosphere and service!

Thank you for all of your support as we have been renovating and designing.

We look forward to seeing you for dinner, reservations are a great idea 802-464-8010.

Mae's continues to thrive here in Brandon! Thank you for all of your support!

The Brandon community is one we are proud to be a part of, thank you for your continued support and patronage.

Erynn & Andrew Doaner
Owner, Mae's Place and
Common ground Restaurant and Pub

Compass Treasure Chest

Open every day!!

We're delighted to announce the Compass Treasure Chest! Run by a group of local residents, the store is a unique co-op consignment shop. They sell and consign collectables, antiques, dishes, tools, furniture, jewelry, stamps, puzzles, books, toys, art items and much more! They will always be looking for more items and of course, always receiving new items, so stop in frequently to see what is new.

For more information or to inquire about consigning with them, contact Annie at 802-558-2663 or email compasstreasurechestconsign@gmail.com and follow them on Facebook.

Compass Music and Arts Center has more to offer!

There is always something going on at Compass- stop in and explore!!

You've probably seen events, classes and exhibits mentioned here for the Compass Music and Arts Center in Park Village, but do you know what else Compass has to offer?

The Compass Caf� is open daily from 10:00am - 5:00pm (with the exception of most Saturdays when they close at 2:30 due to concert events at Brandon Music) with daily specials, soups, salads, wraps, Donna's award-winning chili, delicious home-made desserts and more. Stop in for a bite while you explore the rest of Compass.

The Phonograph Rooms is a permanent exhibit at Compass. It offers fascinating insight into the history of recorded music in the home. The exhibit features vintage "talking machines" from 1890 to the 1970s, with the opportunity to listen to great recordings of the past - both classical and popular. A display of antique radios and TVs is also included. There is a small entrance fee to help with maintenance of the machines.

Compass is also the home of the international record company Divine Art Records. You can browse their 400+ CD titles and CDs by local musicians, as well as art and music books, general interest books both new and collectible, and a wide range of gift items at the Compass shops.

Looking for a studio to rent or office or retail space? Compass has rooms available to rent by the month or by the hour. There are currently several artists working out of Compass and by now you may have heard about the Compass Treasure Chest, a consignment shop located in the Compass building.

There is always something going on at Compass- stop in and explore!

Compass Music and Arts Center 333 Jones Drive, Brandon, VT 05733 802-247-4295 www.cmacvt.org

Check out Little Pressroom's

latest newsletter!

Little pressroom newsletter

43 Center Street- Highly visible on route 7, prime downtown Brandon retail space. 1,500 sq. ft. restored historical storefront with maple floors, high tin ceiling and windows over the Neshobe River. A couple of storage spaces and plenty of parking. Located next to Gourmet Provence Bakery.

Available immediately. Call Jim Leary @ 802-247-9595 or Nancy Leary @ 802-558-1444.

Rutland County Solid Waste District Survey

Solid waste issues

This survey is required by the state to find out what the general knowledge is in the community about solid waste issues. There are many issues facing us now and more in the near future. Your input and answers will help tremendously. Please click on this link and take the survey!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S86DB77

Deane Wilson- Waste Diversion- Rutland County Solid Waste

2 Greens Hill Lane

Rutland, VT 05701

(802) 775-7209 www.rcswd.com deanew@rcswd.com

Music Swap Returns to Compass:

Reserve your space now

Compass Music and Arts Center is holding a series of sales during the winter months

For the third year, Compass Music and Arts Center is holding a music swap, and music enthusiasts have opportunity to sell their goods to make some extra cash, free up some storage space and give someone else the chance to make use of and enjoy their items. See the event information below and contact 802-247-4295 or info@cmacvt.org to reserve a space or with questions.

Music Swap-March 26, 10-2pm

Calling all Music and Audio Enthusiasts:

Sell, swap and barter!: vinyl records, CDs, 78s and tapes; new and vintage audio equipment, phonographs, radios, and musical instruments; accessories and more, at the Music Swap on Saturday, March 26th from 10-2pm.

$20 per space ($5 additional charge per table, if renting) for each 6'x6' selling space with a maximum of 3 spaces per seller. Spaces are limited. No commission is taken so price your items to sell. Send completed registration form and payment by check by Thursday, March 24th. Registration form is available online at www.cmacvt.org or by contacting 802-247-4295 or info@cmacvt.org.

The OFFICES at 25 Union Street

Furnished, private professional offices with shared conference room, full kitchen, comfortable customer waiting area, and parking. $350 - 3750 per month (all utilities included). Co-office environment. Walking distance to village center. Community includes educational publisher and accountant. Large unfinished space also available.

The GRANARY at 29 Union Street, Brandon VT

This beautifully renovated, historic building contains 14 artist studios. The spacious studios have lots of natural light, great lighting, handicapped ramp and parking. The community includes milliner, jeweler, graphic designer, painters, sculptors, photographer and Brandon Artist Guild. The GRANARY is located in the village of Brandon, walking distance to shops, restaurants and galleries. Rents range from $325 - $485 per month ( all utilities included).

http://jeromeproperties.com/

Please forward to anyone who may be looking for space in Brandon. I look forward to discussing the available options and showing you the spaces.

Please contact me at sjerome@visuallearningsys.com or 247-3214 or 683-8209.

Please Practice Polite Parking :)

Be aware of your fellow businesses and their needs.

We all have to be aware of parking by our employees in the downtown. Try to park off the main streets when possible, and if you park out front before other businesses open, try to move your vehicle after regular hours kick in.

There's lots of off-street parking so take advantage of it when you can.

Remember we're here for hours working, but our customers are only popping in for a short time, so let's make it easy and convenient for them to shop and support all of our businesses.

Thanks for making it easier for all of our customers.

Brandon Fire Department reaches out to area businesses

Fire pre-planning for your building

Roman Wdowiak - Chief of the Brandon Fire Department encourages businesses in the Brandon area contact him about doing a walk thru of their building(s) to see where everything is in case of a fire so they can do some pre-planning.

Call 802-247-3400 to arrange a walk-thru.

Cyber Hacking and protecting your business.

by Paul Gladding of Holden Financial Services

Please click here for Paul's complete article on cyber protection.

Vermont Association of Chamber Executives

Insurance program offerings for Chamber members.

Although the VACE health insurance program, that many of took advantage of for years, is no longer available, other products still offered through VACE include, Dental, Vision & Life packages.

More information on all of these products can be found at www.vaceinsurance.com

Or contact Holden Financial Services (802) 775-2503

Meet this month's newest

Chamber business!

Our latest addition to the Chamber family.

Good Earth Farms

(formerly Pinewoods Garden Center)

2473 Franklin St.
Brandon, VT
802-310-8534
goodearthgrows@gmail.com
www.goodearthgrows.com

Welcome !!

2016 New Members- go to Brandon.org for more info on our newest members

NEW BUSINESS MEMBERS 2016

-Good Earth Farm- Hannah Davidson- 310-8534

-Simple Systems of Vermont- Greg Smela- 458-0620

-Common Ground Restaurant & Pub-Erynn & Andy Doaner- 464-8010

-Upscale Resale-Leo and Penny Larocque, Jill and Tim Comes, Mary & Tim Shields- 324-0613

-The Little House-A Vacation Home- Kerrie Quinn & Russ McColman- 247-2770

Own a business?? Join us and connect with other dynamic businesses in the Brandon area and gain great exposure for you business!
Just click here for an application and rates.

We also have many Individual Members -- what a great way to support a local non-profit and all the great things we do in our town. (Individual/couples memberships are only $50/year)

NEW INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS 2016- who will be our first in 2016? Maybe you ??

Paying the bills.

2016 Chamber dues

Dues are coming in strong, thanks so much!

For the fifth straight year, the Chamber Board of Directors has decided to hold dues steady. Board members are delighted to be able to continue to provide the same great benefits to members and the general community, without raising dues.

Please pay promptly so we can spend more time on programs, events and activities, rather than bookkeeping!

Thanks for supporting your Chamber throughout the year!

For more info, contact the Chamber at 802-247-6401 or info@brandon.org

Next Chamber Meeting

Monday, April 18th, 2016 at 6:30

The Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors will meet at 6:30pm in the Cliver Room at the Stephen A Douglas Birthplace. Chamber membership and the general public are invited to attend.

The March meeting will be a work session for our board of directors.