Feb. 26, 2009

By Tim Simard

Observer staff

As the smell of freshly baked bread wafted through Rachel McKnight’s cooking classroom at Williston Central School last Thursday, students rushed from rolling pin to baking sheet, from blender to oven making fresh breads, cookies and muffins.

The students were in the midst of a project for the school district’s annual Theme Week. This year’s theme, called “Hands Across the Community,” worked to involve students in community-related projects in the local area.

With help from University of Vermont student teaching intern Melissa Stimson, students baked bread to sell at UVM and raise money for The Hunger Project — a global nonprofit organization that works to end hunger by teaching impoverished people to grow and make food. Students also baked other goodies to raise money for the Burlington Emergency Shelter.

For Stimson, it was important to teach her students how to bake bread from scratch in an effort to show how The Hunger Project teaches similar skills to people all over the world.

Fifth grader Maureen Porter and eighth grader Emily O’Brien got the message.

“Instead of giving a person food, you can teach them to plant or cook,” Porter said as she and her fellow students followed a recipe for blueberry muffins.

“If you can teach them something, they can use that (skill) whenever they want to,” O’Brien said while putting chocolate chip muffins in the classroom’s oven.

Students in the Williston School District spent last week in various projects related to Theme Week. All were able to choose two focus areas. Some of the week’s activities included designing T-shirts for refugees that have moved to the region, beading bracelets to sell to raise money for the Regional Autism Center, and teaching seniors how to play interactive video games.

Physical education teacher Jennifer Oakes was enthusiastic about this year’s Theme Week and hoped students could carry the lessons they learned into the future.

“As far as I can see and as far as community outreach goes, it’s been wonderful,” Oakes said.

Students agreed. Eighth grader Mary Rutenbeck said the whole student body looked forward to Theme Week.

“It can be so much fun,” Rutenbeck said.

Rutenbeck and her classmates in M.C. Baker’s art class were designing T-shirts to be given away to refugees coming to the state through the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program. Each T-shirt was uniquely designed with paint, and by Thursday afternoon more than 60 shirts had been completed — with more on the way. Baker said her students could make one shirt for themselves as well, but most wanted to donate it to the program instead.

“My kids rock the house,” Baker said with a big smile.

The creative streak continued in Liz Demas’ class, where students created unique bracelets and necklaces for autism awareness. Students were able to choose from various glass beads and handmade charms. Hannah L’Esperance had been particularly busy making bracelets.

“This is my fifth,” L’Esperance said, holding up a multi-colored creation.

Demas said the bracelets and necklaces would be sold at various student fairs and events to raise money for the Regional Autism Center. She hopes to raise “a couple thousand dollars” from the more than 225 creations.

Over in Virginia Memoe’s classroom, students participated in Random Acts of Kindness, making gift boxes and papier-mâché flower arrangements for adults in the school who “make a difference,” according to Memoe. The boxes were decorated with colorful drawings and cutouts, with chocolates and candies inside.

“We just picked anyone that we’re thankful for who teaches us and helps us,” said student Phoebe Quayle.

Besides flexing their creative muscles, students also participated in a few competitive events, including the Will-Iditarod, based on the famous Alaskan dogsled race. Students pulled one another on sleds through an obstacle course around the Williston Central School playground. Students said it was a grueling race and required them to use teamwork if they wanted to win.

“We had to encourage each other to move on,” student Andy Ho said.

Oakes said many residents stopped by the school to help students with the projects, an extension of the community theme that allowed students and Williston residents to learn from each other.

 

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Feb. 26, 2009

Locked in

A family of four was locked inside Greers Laundromat at Taft Corners on Feb. 22, according to police reports. The family went in to retrieve a blanket at about 10 p.m. and when they were ready to leave, they noticed a sign on the door that said the doors “automatically lock,” according to the report. Discovering they were locked in, they contacted the security company listed on the sign, but the company was unable to help, so they contacted police, the report notes. Police and fire personnel responded and one of the family members was able to open the back door, according to the report.

Driving under the influence

Following a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Industrial Avenue and Williston Road on Feb. 22, Leonard J. Duncan, 70, of South Burlington was cited on a charge of driving under the influence, according to police reports. His blood alcohol test was .279, the report notes. The legal limit in Vermont is .08. Duncan was cited to appear in court.

Wanted person

Robert L. Tyler, 27, of Colchester was arrested on Feb. 16 on two outstanding warrants for civil contempt of court, according to police reports. Bail was set at $4,100 and the inspection sticker was removed from his vehicle as it was not assigned to the vehicle, the report notes.

Theft

• Jennifer A. Stephens, 25, of St. George and Amber R. Bartlett, 20, of South Burlington were cited for charges of retail theft from Wal-Mart on Feb. 16, after allegedly stealing $91 worth of merchandise, according to police reports. They were cited to appear in court.

• Tiffany Bessette, 20, of Milton was cited to appear in court on a charge of retail theft from Wal-Mart on Feb. 17, according to police reports. No details as to the nature of the theft were released.

• Margaret J. Flynn, 54, of Williston was cited for a charge of retail theft from Wal-Mart on Feb. 22, after allegedly stealing $119 worth of merchandise, according to police reports. She was cited to appear in court.

• Pamela A. Boyer, 54, of Burlington was cited for a charge of retail theft from Wal-Mart on Feb. 22, after allegedly stealing $65 worth of merchandise, according to police reports. She was cited to appear in court.

Driving with suspended license

• Aleax Miller, 24, of Williston was cited for a charge of driving with a suspended license following a motor vehicle stop on Feb. 12, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court.

• Nathan R. Young, 22, of Charlotte was cited for a charge of driving with a suspended license, third offense, following a motor vehicle stop on Feb. 20, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court.

 

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Scare away winter blues

Feb. 26, 2009

By Kim Dannies

Yes, the light is changing and the days are getting longer, but a harsh fact of northern living is that we still have a lot of winter to go.

What can we purchase in the produce department to perk up our spirits as we whittle our waistlines waiting for spring? How about making friends with that scary, hairy softball knob, celery root? This is my favorite winter vegetable and it suffers, rightly so, from a beauty-and-the-beast syndrome. I’ll admit that it is downright frightening to plop that monster into your grocery cart, but give it a chance, Belle — you’ll be glad you did.

After peeling away the skin of the celery root (also called celeriac) you’ll reveal something that looks like a potato. Shred it raw in a food processor or grate it by hand — you’ll be rewarded with ribbons of snow white, crunchy, fresh tasting slaw. Mixed with lemon aioli and flat-leafed parsley, you can practically taste spring coming around the corner. Lemony Celeriac Salad pairs beautifully with late winter braised meats as well as lighter entrees such as grilled salmon.

Lemony Celeriac Salad

1. Peel 1 hearty knob of celery root, shred it and place in a prep bowl.

2. Lemon aioli: In a small processor, finely mince 4 garlic cloves and the zest of 1 lemon. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard, the juice of the zested lemon, and 1 cup of mayo. Process for 30 seconds. Add kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste.

3. Lightly fold the lemon aioli over the celery root. Top with several handfuls of clean, dry, de-stemmed flat leaf parsley. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic and store in fridge. Salad can be made up to one day ahead; serves 8.

Warm Spinach Salad

Another fun veggie combination is a warm salad of fresh spinach and Brussels sprouts seared in brown butter and topped with a sprinkle of toasted walnuts and blue cheese. This savory side is superb with grilled steak or chicken; for a main course just add a bit of chopped bacon or sausage.

1. Prep 15 to 20 Brussels sprouts by slicing off each bottom and peeling off a few layers of leaf. Place in a glass bowl, cover and microwave for 3 minutes on high (do ahead).

2. In a large sauté pan, toast 2 ounces of walnuts for 40 seconds; reserve in a small bowl. When cool, gently break up the walnuts by hand.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a hot sauté pan and lightly brown the butter. Add the Brussels sprouts; cover and sear for 2 minutes, shaking pan often. Add 4 generous handfuls of fresh spinach; cover and turn off the heat. Set for 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Place salad in a serving dish and top with sea salt, fresh pepper, walnuts and crumbled blue cheese to taste. Serves 4; doubles nicely.

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston with her husband, Jeff; they have three college-aged daughters who come and go. For archived Everyday Gourmet columns go to kimdannies.com

 

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Among the Benedictines

Feb. 26, 2009

By Katherine Bielawa Stamper

The key was enormous. We fiddled. We fuddled. We felt entirely kerfuffled by the seemingly simple scrap of metal.

Was someone trying to keep us out of the convent? A resident Benedictine handed us the long, black skeleton key moments before. Finally, after numerous failed attempts, the heavy wooden door relented, allowing my sister and me to push our way in.

Dressed in jeans and lugging backpacks, we didn’t appear candidates for the novitiate. We were weary travelers needing a night’s lodging. Staying at a convent in Warsaw’s Old City fit our finances and came with a few bonus Hail Mary’s offered on our behalf.

Our footsteps echoed along the windowless corridor leading to a guest alcove offering two simple rooms. When travelling on a budget, a convent can be a great place for sleep and introspection.

There was no concierge to greet us, no bellhop in a spiffy uniform with shining brass buttons. We used a second, smaller key to open our room; a twist of the locking mechanism pierced the silence.

Stone cold floors and sparse furnishings prompted us to speak in whispers. Our beds were narrow but the sheets were starchy clean. A crucifix prominently nailed to the wall filled any void created by lack of a television, telephone or mini-bar. A Bible sat quietly on a bedside table. A Lazy Susan was cut neatly into the wall.

My older sister Jane was visiting me halfway into my two-year stint as an American exchange student in communist Poland. Her initial reaction to our parents’ homeland reflected mild discouragement. The shortages, the gray surroundings and the bleak political climate prompted questions about whether the place depressed me. On the contrary, it fascinated this budding social scientist.

Jane dug deeply into linguistic memory to unearth Polish she’d spoken at home as a child. She could order a meal in restaurants and converse with aunts, uncles and cousins she met for the first time. It didn’t matter if her grammar wasn’t perfect. Polish’s declension of nouns adds a layer of grammatical complexity unknown in English.

Our Benedictine hosts were cloistered nuns, women who relinquished all but minimal contact with the outside world to live in contemplative prayer. We’d only met one nun, the public face of the convent, in the formal reception area. She was young, perhaps 30, as she sat in her black habit behind a window. We stated our request for a night’s lodging and she passed us keys beneath the glass. We sealed the deal by sliding a neatly folded American bill back, evoking from her the Polish response, “May God repay you.”

Western currency was a hot commodity in a communist state plagued by shortages. God witnessed the borderline illegal monetary transaction and didn’t strike us dead. Perhaps even He recognized the legitimacy of clergy participating in such dealings in a corrupt political system.

The convent was reduced to rubble during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, when members of the Polish Underground launched an ill-fated attempt to retake their capital from German occupiers. They failed. Molotov cocktails and handguns couldn’t stand up to tanks and mortar fire. Warsaw was decimated by war’s end: 70 percent was destroyed. It took decades to meticulously rebuild the city, with care taken to recapture its original architectural splendor.

Dinner arrived magically, from hands we’d never shake, from women we’d never meet. We heard a gentle rapping as our Lazy Susan spun around. I remember slices of rye bread, Polish white cheese, tomatoes, butter and jam offered on a simple tray. A small pot of tea, glasses for drinking and a few cubes of sugar completed the meal. A note affixed to the tray said, “Supper for the ladies.” We ate dinner and discussed plans to catch an early-morning train to Vienna.

A knock at our door startled us. Who could it be in this place of silence and introspection? I cautiously opened the door to find a smiling, 50-something woman standing before me.

“I knocked to see if anyone else was staying here,” the woman in street clothes offered. “My name is Danusia.* I’m visiting my sister.”

We invited Danusia in and shared what was left of our tea. She was intrigued that we were Americans and asked many questions about our impressions of Poland.

Danusia’s sister was one of the Benedictines.

“At night, she sneaks out of her room and whispers to me through the Lazy Susan,” Danusia revealed. “It’s funny she became a nun. When were kids, she was the one always getting in trouble for misbehaving.”

Danusia, a resident of Gdansk on Poland’s Baltic Coast, was in Warsaw on official business. Her husband and daughter emigrated to the West two years before. Danusia would be visiting the West German embassy the next day, standing in line for hours, in an attempt to gain a visa.

The convent evoked a distinct separated-from-the-world quality. Tucked behind an imposing wall, the high ceilinged, stone-floored edifice was a fascinating — but creepy — place to sleep

I put my head to the feather pillow and shut my eyes, only to see images of the Warsaw Uprising. It was as if the space was speaking to me, sharing history of those who came before.

You could almost feel the quiet. Laying in darkness, I’d hear light footsteps of a nun’s sandaled feel passing in the corridor, the gentle jangling of her rosary beads infiltrating the silence.

Breakfast arrived early with a gentle tapping and a swivel of the Lazy Susan. We ate, packed our backpacks and took the train to glittery Vienna. The sudden shift to blinding opulence unsettled me as I thought of Polish friends left behind.

And what of Danusia? We traded a few post cards. She eventually received a visa and moved to West Germany, abandoning her Polish home for freedom in the West.

*Name changed

Katherine Bielawa Stamper lives in Williston. Reader comments are welcome at [email protected] or [email protected]

 

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Feb. 26, 2009

Digging up the truth

I am all in favor of a truth commission, provided it goes back and covers all the last 16 years (“Liberally Speaking,” Feb. 19).

We could compare what Bush did to protect the country vs. what Clinton did to help the Democratic Party and line his own pockets. Shall we look closely into all the pardons that were sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars in the last year of his presidency and also to help elect Hillary to the Senate? Perhaps we could prosecute someone for the illegal transfer of thousands of FBI files to the White House basement computers. Perhaps we could prosecute Hillary for selling access to her husband for $100,000 in phony futures trading.

The possibilities go on and on. I doubt Sen. Pat Leahy has anything like that in mind.

Ralph M. McGregor

Williston

 

Fresh perspective on President Bush

How totally refreshing to read Mike Benevento’s column “Dear President George W. Bush” in the Feb. 19 Williston Observer.

After having had to endure several years of “Bush bashing,” it was like a breath of fresh air to read Mr. Benevento’s positive and uplifting remarks about President Bush, who gave eight years of his life in leading our country through some of the most extremely difficult times in our nation’s history. Although, as Mr. Benevento points out, President Bush was not perfect (and who is?), he was a man of outstanding character and conviction, serving God and his country without caving in to the pressures of his opponents, but resolutely forging ahead with what he believed to be right.

Our heartfelt thanks to President Bush and to Mr. Benevento.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Welner

Williston

 

Disagreeing with Bush and Benevento

In response to Mike Benevento’s paean to George Bush (“Right to the Point,” Feb. 19), I would like to differ with him on several points.

The lifting of the global gag rule does not mean there will be a mad dash to abortion on demand. Abortion is but one option of many when it comes to family planning. Under the Bush administration, the Health and Human Services Web site suppressed information about many types of contraception, for their misguided belief was that abstinence until marriage, or until the arbitrary age they set at 29 if unmarried, was to be the standard. Religious ideology prevailed, science was tossed by the wayside. Third world nations with untenable population growth were cut off from any assistance because the word abortion was verboten.

Concerning the bringing of democracy to other countries, and especially Iraq: With relentless bombing and the loss of untold hundreds of thousands of lives, there is still no democracy. There is, however, a U.S. embassy that exceeds Vatican City in size and a puppet government that cannot survive without massive military assistance from the United States. Perhaps democracy is not the best fit for Iraq or many other nations.

Terrorism has not been defeated. The Iraq debacle has done nothing more than increase insurgency and anger toward this country. Water boarding and other medieval torture methods have not elicited any credible information from those who have been mistreated in violation of the rules of every civilized nation and the Geneva Convention.

As far as Sept. 11, if ever there are truth and reconciliation hearings, perhaps we will know for certain whether Bush, Cheney et al. orchestrated or at the least allowed the attack to go ahead unchallenged. If nothing else, Bush showed a lack of leadership by continuing to read “My Pet Goat” instead of taking quick action when he was told of the attack.

Julie Bonanno

Williston

 

Now is the time for same-sex marriage

I am an 87-year-old Catholic mother of eight and I emotionally and wholeheartedly support “Right to Marry” legislation for all committed, loving, caring couples who wish to spend the rest of their lives together.

Same-sex couples are simply ordinary people who have the same dreams, hopes and desires that other ordinary couples do, so what’s the big deal?

So legislators, please do what’s right and pass “Right to Marry” legislation and do it now!

Because so very many families are trusting and depending on you …

Helena A. Blair

Williston

 

Treat gay marriage with caution

Although there are many more dire issues in front of us at this time of economic turmoil, it seems inevitable that the Vermont Legislature will be taking up the issue of gay marriage this session. Although I empathize with every individual’s desire to belong and to fit in, I am gravely concerned that the long-term ramifications of making such a change are, as of yet, largely undetermined. It is crucial that before we move ahead and change a basic tenet of our society that we explore the pros and cons of such a move from the perspective of society as a whole: ourselves, our children and their children. It is easy to understand the anxiousness which supporters of such a change might feel on many levels, but a decision of such magnitude must be made with very careful consideration, and with great surety.

There are many related issues that must be assessed when considering the gay marriage issue. Civil unions currently provide full legal status for homosexual couples who wish to share with and provide for each other. It’s up to us to ensure that future modifications don’t take us to a place we don’t want to be.

Deanna Plourde

Williston

 

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