Cavendish Update 7/10/15

As Cavendish Connects approaches its first anniversary on Aug 1, we’d like to point out, we’re very good at what we do with one big exception. We suck at fundraising!
 
Think about it-  Is it reasonable to expect the same people who provide the Cavendish community with a completely integrated and seamless news and community networking service to also go out and grovel every couple of months in order raise a few bucks to meet expenses? No. Besides, it’s sucking our soul dry. And you know what that leads to.
 
To save you the trouble of repeating the same two comments we hear consistently on this topic, we’ll do it for you:
• The town should support this effort. If you want original content and investigative reporting, you don’t want your news media funded by a governmental source.
 
• Local Advertising: We had some ideas, tried a few, no response and so we recognize getting business support is not something we do well or really have the time to do. However, we do know the organizations and businesses in town are definitely benefitting from Cavendish Connects.
 
At this point, if you’re wondering where the local news and events are this week, we’ve been too worried about money issues, so it’s limited. See, wouldn’t you rather we spent our time working on the things we do well?
 
It’s pretty simple, if you value Facebook, the Cavendish Update, website, Pinterest etc. then do one of the following:
• Give a donation of any amount. You can do that on-line,  mail a check to Cavendish Connects, PO Box 3, Cavendish, VT 05142 and/or dropping off a donation at the Cavendish Connects booth (Proctorsville Green) on July 25 (Town Wide Tag Sale).
 
• Organize a fundraiser. It can be as simple as giving a certain percentage of your sales from the Town Wide Tag Sale or hosting an event.
 
• Volunteer to work on fundraising
 
E-mail us with your questions or suggestions at cavendishconnects@gmail.com
 
CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
Tax Rate: At a special Select Board meeting on Wed, the board adopted the tax rates below, all of which are down slightly, with the exception of Proctorsville non-residents, which went up slightly.
 
Fire District 1 (Proctorsville): Residential rate 1.18383; 1.8256 for non residents
Fire District 2 (Cavendish): Residential rate 1.8243; 1.8116 for non residents
 
Cavendish Telecommunications-Ludlow Internet Tower Now On-line: VTel’s Ludlow Tower is now live. For many this is thought to be a long awaited answer to their Internet issues. You can call VTel 802 885-7734 to set up an appointment for a signal test and/ or you can e-mail swhitaker@vermontel.com with your physical address for similar information. The VPR article VTel’s Statewide Wireless Broadband System Approaches the Finish Line, includes an important comment by President of VTel who notes that they may not reach all areas as anticipated. "It doesn’t go as far as expectations were some years ago. The signals simply don’t carry through foliage like people thought they might. The signals simply don’t go around buildings like we thought they might." There are Cavendish residents who have found this out the hard way since they are unable to utilize the wire less service because of tree height as well as foliage. 
 
Having High Speed Internet Impacts Price of Home: A nationwide study released recently by researchers at the University of Colorado and Carnegie Mellon University finds fiber-optic connections, the fastest type of high speed Internet available, can add $5,437 to the price of a $175,000 home—about as much as a fireplace, or half the value of a bathroom. In the last 12 months, we know of at least four Cavendish home sales that were lost due to poor Internet. Wall Street Journal 
 
 EVENTS
Check out the Cavendish Connects Calendar or Cavendish VT Pinterest, that includes separate boards on the Wed. night Concert series, upcoming events, things to do with kids and so much more.