Cavendish Update 12/5/14 Survey/Swap/News/Events

If you appreciated checking out the Cavendish VT Facebook to see if school was cancelled or delayed earlier in the week, read the preliminary findings of the Cavendish Telecommunications Survey, followed the unfolding stories of recent robberies on The Dish, or just enjoyed seeing what new photograph was posted to the Facebook page, show your appreciation by:

• Making a donation at the Abundance Swap on December 6 

• Mailing a check to Cavendish Connects, PO Box 3, Cavendish VT 05142 or clicking the Support Button and donating on-line. 

• Make a donation for an issue of the Cavendish Update in someone’s name

• Organizing a fundraiser

THE 12/5/14 EDITION OF THE CAVENDISH UPDATE

1. Weather Forecast and Upcoming Abundance Swap

2. Cavendish Related News

3. Cavendish Russian Christmas

4. Real or Fake: Which type of Christmas Tree is Eco Friendly?

5. Events

1. WEATHER FORECAST AND ABUNDANCE SWAP: The National Weather Forecast in Burlington has issued a winter weather advisory for wintry mixed precipitation, which is in effect from 7pm this evening, Dec. 5, until midnight Saturday night Dec. 6. Snow, sleet and freezing rain are forecast with a potential accumulation of 1-3 inches of wet snow.

The Abundance Swap is scheduled to start at 9:30 tomorrow morning, Saturday Dec. 6 and go until 11:30. Since the forecast calls for warmer temps and rain at this time, we will hold the Swap as scheduled, staying open longer to accommodate those who can’t get there earlier. In the event that the forecast changes, and we need to cancel this event, we will post on the Cavendish VT Facebook page at 7:30 am as well as the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For more information about the Swap, please check the calendar page

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Cavendish Robberies- from 11/23-12/3: Note: An additional robbery took place this week. According to Crime Reports, https://www.crimereports.com there have been a series of robberies in town as follows:

11/23 (Sunday) 1100 Block Tarbell Hill-Larceny

11/25 (Tuesday) 1700 Davis Rd-Larceny

11/26 (Wednesday) 800 Block Farm Town Rd- Breaking & Entering

11/26 (Wednesday) 4200 Block Twenty Mile Stream- Larceny

12/3 (Wednesday) High Street-Larceny

If you have any information on these cases, please contact the Vermont State Police 875-2112.

Cavendish Telecommunications Survey: Preliminary Findings: From November 15-30, Cavendish Connects conducted an on-line survey about Internet, cell and landline service. Of the 97 respondents 80% were full time Cavendish residents and 17% second home owners. All parts of town were represented in the survey. Preliminary findings from the survey are available at The Dish. 

VT Attorney General’s Office Warnings to Consumers: There is a phone scam taking place in Vermont in which callers claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are demanding money. The caller threatens legal action if an alleged outstanding debt to the IRS is not paid immediately. The callers then direct the consumer to call a phone number and make immediate payment by credit card or other direct means of payment. WPTZ 

• Scammers are also creating fake posts on Craigslist stealing information from legitimate real estate sales but claiming the properties are for rent. Other scammers are making up listings for properties that don't exist. They entice victims with low advertised rents and ask them to wire a deposit. The AG says never send money until you've tour the property and met the owner, property manager or real estate agent. WCAX 

3. CAVENDISH RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS: As part of understanding the heritage of the many countries that Cavendish residents have come from, this holiday season the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) is celebrating Russia.  Many will immediately think of Cavendish’s connection with the famous Russian writer and Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who lived in our town for 18 of the 20 he was in exile. However, the first Russians came to our area in the early 1900s, thanks to the Gay Brothers trip to Eastern Europe to recruit Mill workers.

Many of those who came to Cavendish, were from villages, where it would have been customary to place a sheaf of the year’s grain crop and decorate it with ribbons. If you notice the swags on the Museum and Cavendish Stone Church, you’ll see that these traditions continue. Instead of wheat, it’s likely that many of our Russian immigrants would have used flax, once grown in Cavendish, as well as other items found in nature-birch and pinecones.

On December 22, CHS will be holding a series of workshops for the students of the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) where the students will engage in a “hands on activity,” as well as sample Russian Christmas goodies. Special thanks to Svetlana Phillips for her help with this program.

To learn more about Russian Christmas and the program for Cavendish students, go to the Cavendish Historical Society blog

 4. REAL OR FAKE? WHAT TYPE OF CHRISTMAS TREE IS ECO FRIENDLY? With both fire departments launching their annual Christmas Tree sales this weekend, you may be wondering whether it is environmentally more friendly to buy a real tree or use a fake one. According to Post Consumers, real trees support farms and natural eco systems. Buying a real tree isn’t just a “more” eco-friendly decision than using a fake tree, it’s actually a way to actively help the environment and enjoy the aroma/feeling of nature in your home. You’re also helping local farmers, which is always a good thing. And in our case, buying a tree from either Cavendish or Proctorsville Fire Departments supports our community. 

 5. EVENTS: December 6 (Saturday) is the First Annual Abundance Swap and the Holiday Fair. December 6 and 7th will be the annual Christmas tree and wreath sales at the Cavendish and Proctorsville Fire Departments The Juniors of the PFD will also be conducting a bottle drive, so please drop your cans and bottles that are worth a .5¢ deposit.

For more information on these and other upcoming events, go to

• Cavendish Connects Calendar

• On going Cavendish Fall Activities 

•  Okemo Valley Calendar 

SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS