VeggieVanGo Interest Survey
We are exploring the possibility of having the VeggieVanGo truck drop shares at Lothrop for interested families. Pick-up would be monthly between 12:00 PM-4:00 PM. Please fill out this interest survey below. Should we get enough interest and are able to support this logistically, we will need families to formally sign-up in order to have accurate numbers. There is no cost for the VeggieVanGo shares.
Veggie Van Gough and Potential Antigen Testing Volunteers Needed
We are exploring ways to provide antigen testing as part of a Test and Stay program for children who are identified as close contacts. Volunteers with flexibility to come and help for about the first hour of school to help organize would be greatly appreciated as well. (Ideally, we would have a pool of people to call on so that no one would have to do it every day.) Melanie would be doing the testing. Volunteers helping to oversee kiddos who are waiting their 15 min before joining their classes each morning or organizing kiddos as they wait to be tested would be a great help.
Anyone providing direct supervision of learners would need to go through the fingerprinting process. Sara has that information.
4H Youth Environmental Summit (Grades 6-12)
We hope you will join us for this year's Youth Environmental Summit! Take an in-school "virtual" field trip on October 29 and come to our real-time virtual kick off from 9 am - 12:30 pm.
The kick off will feature keynote speakers and skill-building workshops around a unifying theme of climate change. Join us as a class, a club/team, or an individual. You won't want to miss this event!
For those unable to attend the kick-off, then join us for the month of November in our YES Flipgrid. You will have access to pre-recorded workshops on a wide variety of environmental topics, including everything that happened on Oct 29. This allows you to participate in YES on your own time, when it fits in your schedule!
Learn more and register at the 4-H Announcements page: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/youth/announcements
Sara's Stories
Promoting an Early Love of Reading
Sara’s Stories is a book program that began in Pittsford in 2016. Our program was created in 2016 in memory of Sara Gallipo, a beloved community member and mother of two of the program’s founders. Since 2016, Sara’s Stories has given out over 1,000 books to Pittsford and Florence residents. Our program helps to ensure that every child in our program has new books that are developmentally appropriate in their home. Research shows that early literacy is linked to success in elementary school, high school and beyond.
Over the years our program has grown and expanded. We initially provided free books at Pittsford events and through Caverly Preschool but wanted to be able to reach more of our community with books each month in an affordable, efficient way. In 2019, we found a way to make our goal a reality! Sara’s Stories began a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in October of 2019. In 2021, we were able to expand our Dolly Parton Imagination Library to include Chittenden, Proctor and Clarendon. We now serve as the local champion for Pittsford, Florence, Chittenden, Proctor and Clarendon. As a local champion we raise funds, attend community events and process applications for the Imagination Library book mailings. Sara’s Stories is funded by a couple of small fundraisers, business sponsorships and individual donations throughout the year. We still strive to attend Pittsford events and hand out free books, generally ones that coincide with the event or season, to all children in attendance, regardless of residency. Our Facebook Page, Sara’s Stories, will tell you when and where you can find us next!
In order to become part of the Sara’s Stories program, please fill out the attached form for all children in your household under age 5. If you provide your email address you will be able to create a Dolly Parton account which will allow you to see which book your little one can expect in the mail next, submit address changes and add any children that join your family. Once we receive your application, we will input your child(ren) into our system and your child(ren) will receive their first book in the mail within 8-10 weeks. Mail your application to:
Sara’s Stories
3114 US Route 7
Pittsford, VT 05763
You can also sign up online by following this link: https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability
Please keep in mind that this program is free and you will never receive a bill for the books that your child receives. We just hope that your family will enjoy the books and spend time reading together!
We hope to hear from you soon,
Meghan Fox, Kayla Desabrais and Jenelle Daly