Living

Living story sections

Plant Trees with 350Vermont this Spring!

by LBritt | Nature

Rewild Brattleboro
Planting trees, sowing justice, growing community

350VT’s statewide Rewild Vermont project builds on synergies between food justice, climate action, and ecological restoration, and we’re excited to dig in locally! Fill out this google form to reserve trees to be planted this spring, either as an individual or as an organization.

Nursing Home Selectivity

by RDavis | Health

Nursing homes are the kind of places that care for the sickest and most vulnerable among us. That is certainly true and, for the most part, these facilities do an excellent job of caring, comforting and maximizing the potential of their residents.

But there is one area of nursing home policy that has always bothered me and when I talk to people about it they are surprised unless they have had experience with the rules around admission and discharge.

Nursing homes interview patients before admission to make sure they can provide the proper care for a potential resident. That is a standard process and it protects both the patient and the facility. There are times when admission is not appropriate and when that happens families end up in a state of chaos.

Pot Roast Meal To Go at the Brattleboro VFW April 17th! Public Welcome

by LisaL | Food

Thank you to everyone that came out and supported the VFW for our turkey to go meal that we had March 13th. It was a great success, and we appreciate all the people that ordered from us!

It’s a bit early, but mark your calendar for our next meal and let us do the cooking for you. Saturday April 17th we are offering a pot roast to go meal with pick up times from 4pm – 6:30pm.

Growing Old Is Not For Sissies

by RDavis | Health

As we age our bodies, with few exceptions, start wearing out. Every creature lives and dies and in between those two ends they age. Some of us are able to accept aging better than others but no matter our outlook, we all have to deal with bodily changes that annoy and pain us.

As parts wear out such as knees and hips it can become a matter of choosing the right time to replace them now that we have the technology and expertise available to us. Most people that choose to have new knees and hips are happy with the outcome and they are able to get on with their lives much easier with less pain and greater mobility. Those are the relatively easy aging body parts to deal with.

Brattleboro VFW Turkey To Go Dinner $12 – Open to the Public – Call by March 12th

by LisaL | Food

It’s back! $12 Brattleboro VFW turkey to-go meal on Saturday March 13th. Turkey, gravy, mashed potato, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry sauce and your choice of blueberry pie or chocolate cake with homemade peanut butter frosting. You will have to call in your meal orders by Friday March 12th and let us know time for pick up, number of meals needed, number to call back, and choice of dessert.

Pick up times are between 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm. Public is welcome. Drive up to the glass doors, pay for your meals and we will bring them out to your car. No need to even get out of your vehicle. Orders must be in by Friday March 12th. Call 802-257-0438 and leave a message. You will receive a confirmation call in return.

No Hope For Reform

by RDavis | Activism

As the pandemic unfolded it became clear how dysfunctional the American health care system is. There was even talk among a wide range of people about the urgency for the need for systemic reform. Sadly, when legislators talk that way nothing usually happens. They recognize the problem, say something must be done and then move on to the next pressing issue. Anyone remember gun control?

This has been the case both nationally and on a state level. The Biden administration has done a few things that will tinker with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to undo some of the damage that the previous administration did and make insurance a little more affordable for some people, but it is unlikely they will make any bold moves when it comes to health care reform.

Ten Years Since Fukushima

by Safe and Green Campaign | Activism

March 11 2021 marks ten years since Japan was hit by an earthquake and tsunami, destroying 85,000 homes and businesses. By 2021 the country could have rebuilt but for a disaster that continues today: the meltdown of three nuclear reactors in Fukushima, on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. The reactors were Mark 1 boiling water reactors, the same type and age as Vermont Yankee. Vermonters witnessed horrific stories coming from refugees in the Fukushima evacuation zone and beyond, reactors exploding and radioactivity filling the air, land, water and groundwater. All these tragedies continue in Japan today. In 2014, Vermont Yankee shut down; today, its 900 tons of nuclear waste remains on site, beside the Connecticut River.

Post-COVID Lives

by RDavis | Health

Life with COVID has been difficult, but humans are a flexible species and we have adapted fairly well to the new normal. There will always be those who do not possess a shred of common sense or decency and thankfully the leader of that group has lost most of his power. The yahoos will persist and the rest of us have to keep as much distance as possible from them.

Thankfully, they are the minority and preventing disease transmission has become part of the daily routine for the majority. That is why we will eventually see a day when other things take priority. The big question is, “When will that day come, if ever?”.

I am trying to imagine what the world will be like a year from now. It is an activity that is all guesswork but it is something that helps to provide some hope for a more active and open society. I think it will take close to a year before there are any significant changes in life as we now know it.

Brattleboro VFW To-Go Turkey Dinner $12 Open to the Public

by LisaL | Food

It’s back! $12 Brattleboro VFW turkey to-go meal on Saturday March 13th. Turkey, gravy, mashed potato, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry sauce and your choice of blueberry pie or chocolate cake with homemade peanut butter frosting. You will have to call in your meal orders by Friday March 12th and let us know time for pick up, number of meals needed, number to call back, and choice of dessert.

Reverse Rummage Sale To Benefit Asylum Seekers

by NewsWriter | Activism

The Windham County Democratic Committee is looking for donations to its Reverse Rummage Sale to support families in the Community Asylum Seekers Project who are living in the area while they await asylum hearings.

The WCDC has set up a website with sign-up opportunities, including for two pickup trucks to gather and deliver the donated items the weekend of February 20-21 as well as a Spanish interpreter.

Other items on the list include kitchen bowls, small televisions, a bedroom dresser, twin bed frame, electric iron, blender for fruit juice, microwave oven, men’s winter gloves in size large, bed linens and mattress pad and four curtain panels in 63-inch length.