Cavendish Recovery Update 9/2/11

The Cavendish Connects website now includes much of what was included on this blog as well as a calendar of Cavendish events. The new blog, “The Dish,” includes the Cavendish Update as well as on-going information.

Information can also be posted on the Cavendish VT Facebook Page


Anybody else wondering what day of the week it is and whether you have clean underwear for tomorrow? I sure hope I’m not the only one. Anyway, lots of progress is being made.

Our young adults are just terrific. We had a group go on a search and rescue party for a lost teen in Brattleboro, attend soccer practice, come back and were pouring milk at 8 pm for the guard. Thank you Luke for organizing the kids for an intense soccer match. Many of our kids are helping out-setting tables, working on road crews to get the back roads open, staffing places for the fire department and helping to deliver food and water to distant parts of town.

We hear from a lot of people that they’d just like to get back to “normal.” Well, we can’t go back to the way it was. Instead, we will have a much stronger community. Many of us have made new friends that will last the rest of our lives and in short, we will have a different community but it will be richer and better for this experience.

We’re all getting a bit punchy and/or edgy. If someone says something and you want to deck’um, count to 10, and let it go. Chalk it up to Irene (and not Irene Pearson who is doing an amazing job) and move on. Girlfriends got a lotta check marks by her name.

So here are the highlights until noontime, when I’ll post morning updates directly to www.cavendishvt.blogspot.com

Trash Dumpsters: This morning a trash dumpster will be placed in front of the Cavendish Historical Society Museum in Cavendish and another for Proctorsville will be placed by the Brick building at the Green. There is no fee being charged for dumping and there is no need to do sorting. The transfer station continues to remain closed. Because of the location of the dumpster in front of the Museum, it will not be opened this coming Sunday.

National Guard: The soldiers will continue to work through the weekend. There was a crew down on Davis Road and work continues on the Glidden/Churchill/Cavendish Canyon (everybody has their own name for the spot by the Duttonsville School). They are making progress as are the many local citizens who are rebuilding many of the back roads. We understand that Brook Rd will most likely be up and running by tomorrow night.

Power and Water: Yes, you maybe taking a shower only to have no water. This is a very difficult situation. As they do repairs, they are looking for other problems. It is very possible that those on town water have it one minute and not the next. You can shower at the Ludlow Community Center from 7 am to 8 pm. Please refrain from 8 pm since the guard is generally going then. Water is available at the school, firehouses and town office. We’re also getting people to drive water to all areas of town to make sure people have what they need.

Power may also need to be stopped to make for safe work conditions and we know that some people are still with out it.

Flood Warning: Fortunately, the flood warning posted was dropped and only a few raindrops fell in our area. Whew!

Donations/Cavendish Cupboard: We had another air drop yesterday so we’re doing great with water and MREs. Many donations are being made to the Cavendish Cupboard and people are making good use of it. We do have need for the following:
• toilet paper and paper towels
• Gloves for cleaning
• Masks
• LED Flashlights
• alkaline batteries
• Baby formula-soy based (we have a family that needs this)

Cleaning: Now that intense cleaning and clearing is underway, a word of caution-water and electricity don’t mix. Use caution. We’ll have dumpsters in place, and people are volunteering to help. Let’s work together and get it done. It is isn’t easy to see a lot of your possession having to go in the dumpster. However, it’s just stuff. It’s replaceable but your not. We are working to get cleaning supplies at the Cavendish Cupboard thanks to Jenn Harper and others. If you need help, call us at 226-7758 or e-mail t We now have work crews that can help you.

Meal Schedule: Breakfast (7am); Lunch (noon) and dinner (5:30) at the school. Thank you Doug Haskel, Amy Jones, Sysco and 56 Main Street for a delicious turkey dinner. Thank you to the Chester women who made it possible for a number of the Cavendish crew to sleep in for the breakfast shift. Tonight’s dinner will be provided by Cota and Cota. It will be a BBQ! Cleaning up, trying to work, taking care of kids and just having to deal with the stress of the situation is a lot, so know there is always good food and company at the school.

Proctorsville Fire Dept Weekend Schedule: They will be operating from 9-5 Saturday –Monday. Haven’t heard directly, but suspect Cavendish will be doing something similar.

Town Office Weekend Schedule: They will be keeping the town office open this weekend with staff taking shifts trying to answer questions and helping you find what you need. Please be patient. If you get a busy signal, it means they are helping a neighbor.

Work Crews: We are thrilled to have teams of workers going out to help those in need with clean up. See Help Needed/Volunteers below.

Shaws: The following were posted on the Rebuild Okemo Valley Facebook page, “As far as Shaw's Goes....I can say that we'll have a three thousand square foot tent in the parking lot in a couple of days carrying staple items from Grocery, produce, meat, dairy and other items to be determined. It will be VERY scaled down but we're trying to meet the needs of the immediate community. Hope to be open by Sunday morning at the latest....keep your fingers crossed....we're all in this together. Darren Williams, Store Director of the Beautiful Island of Ludlow VT. Ralph Pace posted the following to the same site:
1 - Shaws, according to recent info from the Town Manager, will open a large, tented with sides facility outside the Shaws Market. Timing a little questionable but it should be within several weeks. What it will carry in terms of food stock is unknown at this moment.
2 - Peoples United Bank will continue the ATM and add a "trailer" banking facility will renovation takes place
3 - Rite Aide is handling drugs in Springfield and will deliver to some point in Ludlow for pickup
4 - the Ludlow Transfer Station will be open Friday, Sat, Sun, and Mon. Will accept all refuse from residents at no charge-ask that you separate it for recycling
5 - there will be large dumpsters placed at the Ludlow Community Center and in the town parking lot across from Heritage Credit Union sometime next week for use by area property owners
6 - the village water supply was NOT affected by Irene; it's completely safe to drink
7 - the village sewage system was compromised by Irene but the structural integrity of it is okay; it will be returned to full processing capability in incremental steps. Sewage is being chlorinated now.

Help Needed/Volunteers to Help: Please make your own connections. For new additions, or to let us know that your need is met or you are no longer able to volunteer at this time, please e-mail margoc@tds.net You can also register at the school. Please let us know your volunteer time for FEMA purposes.

- Volunteers to Help
Amy and Seth Perry: Offer chain sawing and tree work this weekend. Anyone in need can contact us through this email, the constable site on FB, or by calling 226-8181 with their name address and a phone number if they have a working phone. We will keep this offer open for as long as we have energy, time and working chainsaws over the next few weeks, on weekends. We also have a 10-15 foot long 24" new culvert for someone, free, if they need it. Perfect for a small driveway.

Antonio Antinori: Has building experience call 226-7446

Chris Blackmon Has 500 gallon non potable well water available.
Deb Harrison 802-738-5783
John Maclean 802-299-6961
Chris Power 802-279-6830
Mike Tuomisto 228-5024
Franie D'ottavio 226-7028
John Smart 226-7492
Deb Norton 802-554-0044 or cell 802-384-7297
Katie Karkowski: Can help with driving or other needs through Sunday. Text 802-353-4870 or e-mail kkarkowski086@hotmail.com

- Help Needed
Dumpster, a dehumidifier, and, although an impossible request, a new furnace. Our insurance has turned us down flat. Contact Amy and Seth Perry 226-8181.

Robys (Smiling Faces Daycare) on Main Street Cavendish need fill dirt.

Use the Cavendish VT Facebook Page for a lot of local information that people are providing. This is a great place to learn about road conditions and how to get from point A to B.

The Cavendish Chronicles will be repeated on Saturday night at 7 pm. It may be a late in starting because we need to feed the guard. We will be asking for donations to help with the relief. Every penny helps. And if Sandra ever makes a comment about needing material for a play 50 years from now, gag her. Actually, Sandra is doing an amazing job helping in the kitchen, working on rewrites of the play to incorporate this new chapter in our town’s history and finding new cast to replace those who can’t be there. Where else but Cavendish can you have dinner theater in the middle of a massive relief effort?