People on the move

Realtor McEnaney expands volunteerism at Pan-Mass Challenge

On the weekend of Aug. 4 through 6, Betty McEnaney of Chester, a Realtor with the Bean Group, will once again volunteer for the Pan-Mass Challenge, hoisting the luggage of cyclists from one stop to another as part of its Luggage Crew.

More than 6,200 cyclists from more than 40 states and eight countries will descend on Massachusetts to traverse the 192-mile route through 46 towns to raise $48 million for critical research and cancer care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

For McEnaney, who has volunteered at the PMC for four years, this year will be a bit different.  On Sunday, Aug. 6, she will participate in the 80-mile Volunteer Ride from Cape Cod Canal and returning to Wellesley. “This is new to me this year,” she told The Telegraph on Friday, adding that she had not ridden a bicycle in 15 years before beginning preparing for the trek this spring.

To learn more about McEnaney and her involvement with PMC, click here. To donate to PMC through McEnaney’s ride, click here.

Daire Gibney joins Barrett and Valley

Barrett and Valley Associates real estate firm announces that Daire Gibney of Andover has joined its team as a licensed salesman in its Chester office.

A native of Ireland, Gibney has made Vermont his home for the past 17 years with his wife and their daughter.

Gibney is a snowboarding instructor at Stratton Mountain, and enjoys traveling, gardening, fishing and camping with his family.  He has served on the board of directors at The Little School and has volunteered with Chester Andover Elementary School’s winter sports program.

Allbee to retire from Grace Cottage

Roger Allbee of Townshend has announced that he will be retiring as CEO of Grace Cottage Family Health and Hospital in Townshend as soon as the board finds a suitable replacement.

In launching the search, the Board of Trustees acknowledged Allbee’s more than three years of dedicated service.  Stephan Morse said, “Without Roger’s dedicated service, Grace Cottage would be a very different facility today.  The West River Valley is grateful for his devotion to Grace Cottage Hospital.”

The board has been pleased with the direction that Grace Cottage  has taken during the last three years, a time of rapid change in healthcare. Allbee is also a former Secretary of Agriculture for Vermont.

Grace Cottage Family Health and Hospital has established itself over the years as an important health care provider within the West River Valley and beyond.

Semones, Parks join Family Center board

The Chester-Andover Family Center welcomes two new board members: Mary Semones and Bruce Parks.

Semones was born and raised in Chester but most recently lived in Pennsylvania before returning to her hometown.  She served in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps and worked as a community/home health care nurse for 17 years. Parks, a longtime Chester resident, spent many years in education. He has been a member of several boards including the National Science Teachers Association, the Vermont Science Teachers Association, the Whiting Library and the Green Mountain Union High School Board of Directors.

Thrift Shop Interim Manager Stephanie Mahoney has been busy welcoming and training new volunteers and implementing their ideas to give the Thrift Shop a new look. Thrift Shop hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Chester-Andover Family Center Thrift Shop and Food Shelf is located at 908 Rte. 103S.

NEH programs chief joins Vermont Arts Council as exec director

The Vermont Arts Council announces that Karen S. Mittelman, Ph.D., has accepted the position of executive director for the state arts agency. Mittelman is currently director of the Division of Public Programs at the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington, D.C.

She brings to the Arts Council more than thirty years of experience in the public sector and the federal cultural arena. In addition to the NEH, Mittelman held a senior position at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and served as a curator at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

“This is a challenging time for artists and cultural organizations, and it is also a time when the arts are essential to the life and strength of our communities. I look forward to working with my new colleagues and with our partners across the state to learn about, build on, and enhance Vermont’s deep commitment to the arts,” Mittleman said.

Prior to selecting Mittelman, the Council conducted a comprehensive national search resulting in 70 applications, including many qualified candidates from Vermont and across the country.

Mittelman has close ties to Vermont, having spent time in Bennington County throughout her life. “Since childhood, I’ve spent significant stretches of time kayaking on the Battenkill, skiing, walking, and exploring museums and historic sites,” said Mittelman. “Vermont is a place that I love and feel deeply connected to.”

Mittelman received a bachelor’s degree in American civilization and a doctorate in U.S. history from the University of Pennsylvania. She taught at the University of Pennsylvania and American University, and is a published author.

Through its programs and services, the Vermont Arts Council strives to increase public awareness of the positive role artists and arts organizations play in communities and to maximize opportunities for everyone to experience the arts.