The Ripton Ridge Run is coming up

Our annual Ripton Ridge Run is coming up in just a few weeks.!

On Sunday, October 8th, runners and friends will gather at the Ripton Elementary School.

Click here to get more information, and to sign up.

Ripton's Warren King to receive lifetime achievement award

Warren King will receive a major award for his work in conservation.

Vermont Natural Resource Council (VNRC) is excited to present this year’s Arthur Gibb Award for Individual Leadership to Warren King, a lifelong conservationist, at VNRC’s annual meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at The Kirk Alumni Center at Middlebury College. King will be celebrated for the remarkable creativity, compassion, and energy he has brought to his work with Audubon Vermont, Vermont Nature Conservancy, Ripton’s Planning and Conservation Commissions, New England Wildflower Society, and more, in service of Vermont’s natural resources and communities.

 “Warren King epitomizes how the practice of taking local action can help address global challenges,” said VNRC executive director Brian Shupe. “King’s work has rippled across the state to better inform public policy and local action on a range of initiatives that have deeply impacted Vermont communities and our environment for the better.”

Congratulations, Warren!

Birthday potluck in May

Join us for a Ripton community potluck celebrating Hilda Billings' 97th Birthday! 

At the Ripton Community House

Saturday May 20th 1:00-3:30

Cake and drinks provided
Bring a dish to share

All Welcome

Presentation on Dec. 17: “Why Trump Won, and What It Means for America"

Coming up on December 17th is an important presentation by a Ripton resident and Middlebury College scholar:

“Why Trump Won, and What It Means for America,” will be a discussion and PowerPoint presentation by Middlebury College Professor Matt Dickinson at Ripton Community Church in Ripton village on Saturday, December 17^th beginning at t 2:00 PM. The talk is sponsored by the Ripton Historical Society. Dr. Dickinson summarizes his talk as follows: 

“Despite polls showing Hillary Clinton leading the 2016 presidential race, and pundits’ predictions that she would win, Donald Trump emerged as the surprise victor. What led to his unexpected victory? Was it racism? Economic anxiety?  Did Clinton run a poor campaign?  This talk will examine what political science tells us about why Trump won, and what it might mean for the country.” 

Dr. Dickinson previously taught at Harvard University, where he also received his Ph.D.  He is the author of numerous books and articles on the presidency, Congress, presidential decision making, and presidential advisers. He has been a frequent and popular guest at local news outlets, analyzing the events leading up to the November 2016 election and its outcome. Matt is a resident of Ripton.

See you all there!

Addison County Riverwatch Collaborative Sept. 7 Sampling Results

Here are results from the Addison County River Watch's study of the Middlebury River and Otter Creek:

E.coli Results – Middlebury River and Otter Creek, September 7, 2016

The Addison County River Watch Collaborative sampled three stations on the Middlebury River and two stations on the Otter Creek on September 7th. The readings are as follows:

Station MIR 10.6: Natural Turnpike in Ripton 2.02 org/100mL
Stations MIR 5.7: Middlebury Gorge 3.04 org/100mL
Station MIR 1.5: Seeley Swim Hole, Shard Villa Rd. 866.44 org/100mL

Station OTR 7.3: Vergennes Falls 41.35
Station OTR 18: Weybridge Twin Bridges 4.05

E. coli is one type of fecal coliform bacteria found in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. It is used as an indicator of potential fecal contamination of waters. While most strains of E. coli are themselves not pathogenic, detection of E. coli suggests that other disease-causing pathogens may be present. The Vermont Department of Health sets a health-based safety standard for swimming of 235 organisms/100 mL.

E.coli concentrations exceeded the health standard of 235 at the Seeley Swimming Hole.

In general, area rivers were flowing at very low levels on September 7, due to persistent hot weather and lack of substantial rain. Flows are lower than normal for this time of year, due to dry conditions in the months of May, June, July and August. It is not uncommon for E.coli counts to become elevated under these conditions due to high temperatures (proliferation of bacteria) and lower dilution effects from runoff for those sources of E.coli that may be more localized (e.g., septic, agricultural ditches, beaver dams, water fowl).

This was our last sampling date of the season. Sampling will resume in April of 2017. We are very grateful to our group of volunteer samplers this year!! They make this effort possible. Contact Heidi Willis (redpsrings@myfairpoint.net with questions.

(thanks to Heidi Willis for letting me share this)

Great talk at the community church this Sunday

An exciting event is happening in our town this Sunday, September 18th.  Middlebury College's new president will deliver the annual Reichert Bible Talk in the community church.

At 4 pm Laurie L. Patton, who has served as a professor of religion earlier in her career, will speak to “Reading, Resting, Contemplation:  A Biblical View.”

From the press release:

In keeping with Rabbi Reichert’s traditional practice, President Patton will challenge her listeners to discern what scripture or text from the Hebrew Bible she will present in her talk.  

All are welcome.  For more information call Norm Tjossem at 802-388-0338.
 
About the Bible Talk and its roots in Ripton:

The annual Reichert Bible Talk is a tradition that reaches back to the years just after World War Two, when poet Robert Frost invited Rabbi Reichert to visit him at the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference in Ripton. Frost had met Reichert while giving a reading in Cincinnati, where Reichert was rabbi of the Rockdale Temple, the oldest synagogue west of the Alleghenies, from 1924 to 1964. Their friendship deepened, and Rabbi Reichert and his wife Louise eventually bought an old one-room schoolhouse near Bread Loaf as a summer cottage.
 For many summers, the Reicherts attended the nearby Ripton Methodist Church, and Rabbi Reichert would give a talk in the late summer on one of the books of the Hebrew Bible, of those scriptures common to Jews and Christians. The “Bible Talk” became an annual event, and the Ripton congregation named Reichert the church’s “Rabbi in Residence.”
 Since Rabbi Reichert’s passing in 1990 at the age of ninety-three, Havurah—The Jewish Community of Addison County---and the United Methodist Churches of Middlebury, East Middlebury and Ripton have collaborated to sustain this interfaith tradition, co-sponsoring the Bible Talk every year.

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It's time to register for the Ripton Ridge Run!

The annual Ripton Ridge Run is only a month away, so it's time to register.

There is a 10K Run, a 5K Run, and a 5K Fun Walk.  The cost for each is $25.

Registration ends October 3, 2016 at 11:59pm EDT.

The Friends of the Ripton School invites runners and walkers of all levels to participate in a 10.4K loop run, a 5K run, or a 5K fun walk through Ripton, VT on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9th during peak foliage season. Lunch will be available during and following the race. A raffle and awards ceremony will follow with prizes for top runners and medallions for winners in each age group. All proceeds benefit the Ripton Elementary School.

REGISTRATION: On-line registration is available Sept.1-Oct.3 or to the first 125 registrants. Paper registration and race day registration will remain open until day of race. The on-line registration fee is $25 adults, $15 children (15 and under) and seniors (65+). A credit card transcation charge will be added to the registration fee. Fee includes a great lunch, raffle, awards and, for the first 175 paid entrants, a long-sleeved t-shirt. Racers may opt not to get a t-shirt -- subtract $5.00. Lunch may be limited to the first 200 registrants. Multiple registrations are possible with a single transaction and the transaction fee will adjust.

COURSE: Courses start and finish at the Ripton Elementary School on the Ripton-Lincoln Road. They traverse roads in Ripton and the Green Mt. National Forest and include water stops. The 10.4K course will be run counterclockwise.

LOCATION/TIME: Check in is at the Ripton Elementary School between 11:00-12:00. The races begin at 12:30.

You can find out more about the race at the Run's official site., or by emailing the director.