The End of Free VY Calendars

Everyone who moved to southern Vermont in the last few decades was treated to a free calendar. It was sent out each year by Vermont Yankee (and later Entergy) and featured old photos from historical societies in the area.

These calendars contained the required safety information for the nuclear plant about emergency notifications, iodine tablets, special alert radios, evacuating the area, shelters, what to do with pets, siren testing, and a message about how radiation is natural and accidents unlikely.

The final calendar (unless one shows up soon) was sent out in 2016. Sure, it contains mini-calendar in the back for 2017 and 2018, but it was the final full calendar sent.

The VY calendar was never my primary calendar. A trip to Everyone’s Books usually fills my need for something a bit more colorful. But I always hung the VY calendar, too, much in the way many of us have more than one clock. It’s good to know what day it is in all the rooms of the house!

One year I defaced my calendar. I drew in pictures of cooling towers and power lines into all the historic photos.

I never ordered a radio, nor did I get iodine tablets. I heard siren tests but never had to shelter in place. We’ve discussed evacuation routes but haven’t needed to take them. Problems at the plant never rose to any of these sorts of levels while operating.

The calendar, though, was nearby and handy, in case of such an event. My brain knew that if anything happened, I could grab it and follow instructions. (1, 2, know what to do and all that…). I appreciated the intention and potential usefulness.

I also enjoyed the old photos. With the VY calendar gone, it does open up room in the calendar market for other historical calendars. perhaps historical societies across southern Vermont will begin producing them?

There are some other free calendars, but they are heavy in advertising and marketing, usually requiring you to look at coupons as much as days of the week. It’s not the same.

So, a tip of the history hat to the era of the VY Calendar. Regardless of thoughts of nuclear power, it was a good calendar with interesting photos and useful information.