Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

The VYCC is excited to partner with Vermont Public Television to promote the premiere of Ken Burns’ new series, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, on September 18, 2009. The idea of creating a National Park system is as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. Accompanying this 12-hour television event is a community engagement campaign intended to raise awareness and stewardship of Vermont’s public lands and to increase public use of these unique areas.

For more information, visit the Vermont Parks & Public Lands website: http://parks.vpt.org/

On Friday, October 9th, 2009 the VYCC will host our annual Denim & Diamonds event!

We are adding carrots to our karats! Join us for an evening full of local food (including produce from the Monitor Barn garden), area entertainment, dancing, games and trivia, and fine company in support of Vermont’s leading youth and conservation organization.

Ticket information: If you are interested in purchasing tickets or being a sponsor of this year’s Denim and a Few Diamonds, please click here to view our ticket form. Or, you may call Breck Knauft at (802) 434-3969 ext. 110

The VYCC announced today that the Connecticut-based 1772 Foundation has generously awarded the VYCC with a $50,000 grant to support the rehabilitation of the recently purchased East Monitor Barn. Once renovated, the East and West Monitor Barns and nearly 400 accompanying acres will return to a single, conserved ownership for productive and sustainable, agricultural, educational and recreational use. These combined facilities will be training headquarters for the VYCC, allowing for continued organizational growth, including the expansion of a year-round and statewide alternative education program.

In April of 2008, following the purchase and successful rehabilitation of the West Monitor Barn, the VYCC acquired the neighboring East Monitor Barn, Carriage Barn, Farm House and 160 acres in order to fully develop the ‘Monitor Barn Leadership, Education and Training Center.’ Representing a highpoint in human and animal powered agriculture, these turn-of-the century barns are one among Vermont’s most important examples of architectural and agricultural heritage. The barns’ unique ventilating system runs from the windows in the clerestory to the stalls in the lowest floor, and allowed farmers to “monitor” the air flow. At the time of their construction, they represented a major advance in agrarian architecture.

Initially, the East Monitor Barn will need to be raised, a new foundation will be installed, and internal post and beam rehabilitation work completed. The VYCC is in discussion with various contractors and hopes to begin the first stages of work later this year.

Support from the 1772 Foundation makes this first phase of work possible, and according to Tom Hark, founding President of the VYCC, “this gift symbolizes a new beginning for a great Vermont structure. These barns are a great source of pride and we can’t wait to use them in ways that strengthen our programs and deepen our ties to the traditions and landscape of the region.”

Our summer field season ended on August 17^th with 12 crews returning to the Leadership, Education & Training Center at the West Monitor Barn to hand in their green shirts and say goodbye to the VYCC for the summer. Each crew gave a presentation to an audience of parents, headquarters staff, Corps Members and Crew Leaders from 2008. Below are some photos from the 2008 Field Season.

Out of nearly 100 submissions from non-profits throughout the United States, the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) has been selected as one of the top five organizations to share in Redwood Creek’s commitment to preserve, protect, and provide access to the great outdoors. The general public will be urged to cast their votes for one of these non-profit organizations. At the end of the competition the non-profit with the most votes will be granted $50,000 and the runner-up $10,000. The voting can be done by going to the Redwood Creek Great Outdoor Project website where you can place your vote for the Catamount Trail Association. Please vote and encourage other to do the same.

The VYCC has partnered with the CTA on many projects over the years and would be delighted to see them win this award. From constructing bridges in Stowe and Somerset to maintaining and relocating miles of trail, the VYCC has worked on numerous CTA projects since 1995. Please show your support by voting for them in this contest. It will make a difference for the future of the CTA and potential projects for the VYCC!

To participate follow the link below!

http://www.redwoodcreek.com/greatoutdoors/voting.asp

Earlybird tickets purchased before August 1, 2007 will receive a 10% discount for the second annual Denim & Diamonds event on Saturday, October 13th, 2007! This event will support program expansion since our move to the Leadership, Education & Training Center. With a seated dinner by Dish Catering, live music by the Chrome Cowboys, a fabulous Silent Auction, and Games of Chance, it’s an event not to be missed!

We are looking for donations of items for our silent auction – gift certificates, tickets to sports or cultural events, and other fabulous items that will help us raise much needed dollars for our year-round and summer program expansion — so please keep the VYCC in mind when at your favorite business, and ask them to donate to the silent auction!

Check our event website for silent auction donation forms, to purchase tickets, or for more information, or contact Polly Tobin Goddard at 802.434.3969 ext. 130 or polly@vycc.org.

In early June, the VYCC Agriculture & Natural Resource Crew and other volunteers transplanted thirty 10-15 foot spruce and maple trees to the Leadership, Education & Training Center. In the spring of 2006 when her piglets were threatened by rising water, Richmond farmer Mary Houle called on VYCC for emergency assistance. Help arrived quickly and moved the piglets to safety, and this month she returned the favor by donating trees to VYCC for one of the last remaining landscaping projects at the Center. Installation of the trees was completed by student-interns from the Center for Technology – Essex, who worked alongside professional landscapers to accomplish this highly visible property improvement. Thanks to Mary Houle and Chittenden Bank, whose generous donations made this project possible, and to the crews from CTE for all of their hard work!

We are working to raise the last $200,000 required to fully complete the West Monitor Barn restoration and provide the finishing touches such as landscaping. If you would like to make a cash or in-kind donation to help us complete our $3.7 million campaign, please contact Kate Villa at 802.434.3969 ext. 110 or kate@vycc.org.

On Saturday October 13th, 2007, VYCC will host the second annual Denim & Diamonds event to support VYCC’s program expansion since our move to the Leadership, Education & Training Center! The 2006 event was met with such rousing applause that we just have to do it again! With a seated dinner by Dish Catering, dancing and live music by the Chrome Cowboys, a fabulous Silent Auction, and Games of Chance, it’s an event not to be missed! Earlybird tickets purchased before August 1, 2007 will receive a 10% discount.

Demin & Diamonds information, or contact Polly Tobin Goddard at 802.434.3969 ext. 130 or polly@vycc.org.

For 21 years, VYCC crews began their experience in parking lots across Vermont, but thanks to our new home, that is history! On June 16th, VYCC launched our first session from the Leadership, Education & Training Center, sending more than a dozen crews to every corner of the state to complete high-priority conservation work. Summer Program Director Brian Cotterill, VYCC veteran of six years and many Start Ups said, “For the first time ever, we had this big, beautiful barn as a beacon for Corps Members from across the state to come join their crews. And also for the first time ever, rain wasn’t even a consideration for Start Up since we had the spacious Hay Mow to shelter us in the event of rain… but none threatened the horizon… another first!”

To volunteer for the second session Start Up on Saturday July 21st, contact Brian Cotterill at 802.434.3969 ext. 132 or brian@vycc.org.