Sage Jewelry holds anniversary sale; USDA employee honored; broadband grants in So. VT

Iconic tree earrings and pendant by Michele Colby Bargfrede of Sage Jewelry.

Sept. 14: Sage Jewelry celebrates 3rd Anniversary with sale

Michele Colby Bargfrede, owner of Sage Jewelry and Gifts, is announcing its 3rd Anniversary Sale Saturday and Sunday Sept. 14th and 15th.

Sage Jewelry, located at 78 the Common in Chester, VT, features its own line of unique jewelry made in the store by Bargfrede, as well as custom design and jewelry repair. Sage also features works from local and Vermont artists, including hand painted glassware, slate home goods, soaps, lotions, baby items, blown glass, purses, artwork, wind chimes, watches, maple syrup, jams and more.

The anniversary celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday Sept. 14th and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday Sept. 15. All jewelry will be for sale at 10 to 30 percent off. There will be prize drawings and refreshments.
For more info call Sage Jewelry at 802-875-SAGE(7243) or visit us on Facebook or at www.sagejewelryvt.com

From left, Jon-Michael Muise, Brattleboro area director, congratulates Deborah Boyd of Wilmington, on receiving the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her dedicated volunteer work with the Deerfield Valley Food Pantry.

USDA employee honored for volunteer service

Deborah Boyd of Wilmington, VT, was awarded the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her volunteer work with the Deerfield Valley Food Pantry.

Boyd works in the USDA Rural Development Brattleboro office as a housing program loan officer and has served Southern Vermont for 34 years.
Through her work in assisting rural homeowners, Boyd’s awareness of hunger and food insecurity in the community was kindled. She has served on the Deerfield Valley Food Pantry board of directors for eight years as both secretary and vice president. She actively volunteers in DVFP’s food distribution and fund-raising events. Additionally, she is the founder and coordinator of DVFP’s Annual Benefit Motorcycle Ride Fundraiser. The benefit ride has grown to be a major fundraising event for the organization.

Information on Deerfield Valley Food Pantry can be found at:  www.deerfieldvalleyfoodpantry.com.
For information on the Annual Benefit Motorcycle Ride, contact bikeride@deerfieldvalleyfoodpantry.com.
For information on the Presidential Service Awards program go to: www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

Broadband grants target So. VT areas

MONTPELIER
Support of successful broadband Internet expansion by the Vermont Telecommunications Authority continues to involve multiple types of solutions and a number of service providers. Two recent awards will bring service to as yet unserved locations in southern Vermont.

FairPoint Communications will receive $295,750 to expand its DSL broadband Internet service to locations currently without access in Bennington, Brattleboro and Wilmington. Southern Vermont Cable has been awarded $135,804 to expand services in Newfane and Putney. The awards require meeting or exceeding the VTAs minimum for combined download and upload speeds of five megabits per second.
On learning of the awards, Gov. Peter Shumlin stated, “I am delighted that the VTA continues to target its funding to expand our broadband infrastructure in southern Vermont and elsewhere, and I appreciate the partnership of Fairpoint, Southern Vermont Cable, and other providers in helping us bring greater service to Vermonters.”

Target Grant Areas in the FairPoint award include addresses on a number of roads. In Bennington, locations on Mount Anthony Road are part of the project. In Brattleboro, addresses on Abbott, Akley, Gateway Farm Lane, and Melchen Roads are included. In Wilmington, Boonesboro Drive, Bossert Road, Haynes Road, Kirby Drive, Old Ark Road and Tessahok Lane will be part of the expansion project. Southern Vermont Cable will be extending service in Newfane along all or portions of Newfane Hill Road and will reach onto Grout Road. In Putney, new service will be available on East Putney Ferry Road.

The VTAs Broadband Grant Program is focused on finding solutions for Target Grant Areas where broadband service is not currently available. These areas do not have another funded project in place to expand Internet access. The 2013 round of the program has nearly $2 million in funding available. Eligible locations were compiled using information collected from Internet service providers as part of Vermont’s Broadband Mapping Initiative.
Look for additional announcements about awards and stay up-to-date on telecommunications expansion by visiting Broadbandvt.org and Telecomvt.org.