By Luke Baynes

Observer staff

Williston School District teachers Beth Dusablon (left) and Margaret Munt (right) are retiring at the end of the school year. Colleagues for the past 28 years, Munt and Dusablon have over 70 years of combined teaching experience. (Observer photo by Luke Baynes)

When Beth Dusablon and Margaret Munt retire at the end of the school year, they will leave behind more than 70 years of combined teaching experience.

Dusablon, 63, departs after a 42-year career as the longest tenured member of the Williston School District.

“I’ve been here long enough that I’ve taught students whose parents I’ve also taught,” Dusablon laughed.

But Dusablon, who has taught grades 1-4 at both Williston Central and Allen Brook schools, said her loyalty to the school district isn’t uncommon.

“There are quite a few folks in our district who have been here a long, long time, so that says something about the job and the quality of the schools,” said Dusablon.

Munt, 57, is a case in point, having spent the past 28 years teaching first and second grade in Williston. She said she stuck with early childhood education because of students’ openness to learning at that age.

“I love teaching literacy and early math skills. The children are just so inquisitive and eager to learn,” Munt said. “It’s just wonderful to develop relationships with the children and with their families.”

Dusablon, who taught third grade at WCS this year, agreed with her friend and colleague about the pleasures of the early elementary grades.

“I love seeing the change and the growth in the students, and I find that the younger the student, the more easily you see that within a year’s time,” Dusablon said. “When I worked with first and second graders, I would see some incredible changes over a year.”

Munt and Dusablon also give credit to the Williston community for consistently passing school budgets that have enabled the district to increase staffing and ensure small class sizes, despite a student population that has grown dramatically over their lengthy teaching careers.

“The community has always been supportive, and we’ve always had the resources that we’ve asked for, and we really appreciate that,” said Dusablon.

When asked separately what they will miss most about teaching, both Munt and Dusablon immediately responded: “The children.”

For that reason, Munt and Dusablon—who are both Vermont natives and graduates of the University of Vermont—cited “travel” and “visiting grandchildren” as top priorities in retirement.

For Dusablon, after 42 years of working around the school district’s schedule, she’s looking forward to the freedom and great unknown of retirement.

“It will just be nice not to have a schedule, and not to have a to-do list, to kind of take things as they come and not plan for everything,” she said.

Governor signs CPR bill into law at WCS

By Luke Baynes

Observer staff

Williston resident Tommy Watson trains Gov. Peter Shumlin in hands-only CPR on May 23 at WCS. (Observer photo by Stephanie Choate)

Gov. Peter Shumlin used two pens when he signed bill S.245 into law at Williston Central School on May 23.

He gave the first to Tommy Watson, the WCS eighth-grader whose hands-only CPR graduation challenge project spurred the passage of the bill.

The second pen went to Michelle Johnston, a sudden cardiac arrest survivor, whose presence at the event was living proof of the law’s benefit.

“The lesson in all of this is that each of us can do great things to help save lives, to make our state stronger and safer,” Shumlin said. “I’m very proud to sign this bill that the legislators worked so hard on. This is a simple way to save lives in Vermont.”

The newly signed law makes successful completion of hands-only CPR and automated external defibrillator training a mandatory condition of secondary school graduation. Iowa is the only other state with a similar law.

Watson, who had trained 267 people in CPR prior to teaching the governor and several others at the bill signing event, also addressed the packed WCS auditorium.

“I can’t stress enough how important CPR really is to everyone, and how easy it is to learn it, and I’m especially thankful that the governor can sign (the bill) today,” said Watson.

Williston State Rep. and Selectboard Chairman Terry Macaig, speaking to the Observer after the event, likened the bill’s lengthy period of debate in the House and Senate to the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” which Watson adopted as the theme song for his project because of its disco beat that mimics the correct compression frequency of CPR.

“This has been a two-year process to get this bill through, and once it got out of the Senate—finally, this year—I could sort of hear Tommy in the background, saying, ‘Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive,’ because the bill kept on progressing,” Macaig said.

Senator Ginny Lyons (D-Williston) said she hopes the law will serve as a precursor for future mandates to improve the health and safety of Vermonters.

“We should have a ‘health day’ in all business environments—and that includes schools and other workplaces—where people could be trained in lifesaving techniques, whether it’s CPR, or the Heimlich maneuver or whatever,” said Lyons.

Watson, it’s safe to say, won’t rest on his laurels following the successful passage of the bill.

On June 4, he heads to New York City for an NBC media day, with the hope of appearing on the Today Show the following morning to demonstrate to a national audience the lifesaving benefits of hands-only CPR.

Road crews will be out in force this summer working on Vermont’s roads. Check
On the Road” each week to see which projects are underway, what conditions to expect and when the projects are expected to be complete—plus, helpful tips to keep you safe on the road. Roadwork information is provided by the Vermont Agency on Transportation. To learn more and view maps, visit www.511vt.com

Current work

Richmond: Bridge reconstruction on U.S. 2, temporary bridge in place. Completion expected Nov. 30.

South Burlington: Bridgework, including milling and paving on Interstate 189. Lane switching to westerly side. Completion expected at the end of June.

Burlington: Cherry and Church streets will be one lane at times, until May 29. Curbing will be underway on Pearl and St. Paul streets until the end of summer.

Colchester/South Burlington: Work on Route 2 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Some delays possible. Completion expected on July 26.

Barre: New main being flushed on U.S. 302/Main Street. Use caution: very slippery due to rain. Completion expected by the end of summer.

Berlin/Montpelier: Rock scaling on northbound I-89 between exits 7 and 8 until mid-October, right lane closed, no delays expected.

Randolph/Williamstown/Berlin: Bridgework on I-89 northbound between exits 4 and 6, reduced to one lane with speed restrictions. Completion expected by June 28.

Rutland: Paving with flaggers on site on Route 4, no reported delays. Completion expected on Aug. 19.

Danville: U.S. 2 work: Ongoing paving, with alternating one-way traffic. Completion expected in November.

St. Johnsbury: Work on U.S. 2 St. Johnsbury bridge over I-91. Expect traffic signals, merge early, no delays. Completion expected in September.

East Hardwick: Bridge work on VT 16, one lane. Completion expected on June 15.

Poultney: Short delays for paving project on VT 30, south of Poultney. Completion expected on Aug. 19.

Franklin County: Bridges on I-91 between exits 23 and 26 reduced to one lane in both directions, with multiple works zones. Completion expected in September.

Upcoming projects

Richmond/Waterbury: Construction is expected to begin soon on north- and southbound I-89, lasting until late summer.

Safety tip of the week

Many Vermonters are still confused about using roundabouts, also known as rotaries and traffic circles.

Aside from always going around in a counterclockwise direction, the one rule to remember is to give way to any vehicle already in the roundabout. When entering the circle, yield to oncoming traffic, but do not stop if the way is clear. Once in the roundabout, you have the right of way.

Remember to watch for pedestrians and bicyclists.

By Stephanie Choate

Observer staff

Elizabeth Garner with her dog, Alvin. Elizabth Garner’s pencil sketches of Vermont scenes are on the walls on the Williston Police Department community room. (Courtesy photo)

Sketches of classic Vermont scenes—nostalgic sugarhouses, narrow wintry roads and serene lakesides— are decorating the walls of the community room at the Williston Police Department.

The pencil drawings are the work of Essex artist Elizabeth Garner, the latest in a series of artists to exhibit work in the town building.

“They’re all things that you would just see driving down the street,” Garner said of the sketches. “I like to take things that are meaningful for me or somebody else and draw them.”

Millie Whitcomb, executive assistant to the police chief, organizes the displays. Garner is the sixth artist to hang his or her work there since last fall.

“I personally think it’s gorgeous,” Whitcomb said of Garner’s work. “She does some really wonderful depictions of Vermont life… a part of Vermont that you don’t see a lot of anymore.”

Whitcomb said she was so impressed with the work, she even bought one of Garner’s drawings—a sketch of a farmer walking away across a field that Whitcomb said reminded her of her dad.

“It’s very simple, but it really touched me,” Whitcomb said. “I was very impressed with her stuff, and I love having it there.”

Garner is a dispatcher for the Vermont State Police, but has been sketching for several years.

“It’s something I like to do when I come home at night,” she said. “It’s very relaxing for me to just sit down and draw and do something fun.”

The community room, located in the police station, is open to the public. Garner’s art is scheduled to be on display until mid-August.

For more information about displaying art, contact Whitcomb at [email protected]

Williston-based Therapy Dogs of VT unleashes its mission

By Luke Baynes

Observer staff

Dave Mott receives a surprise visit from Micro, a trained therapy dog owned by Therapy Dogs of Vermont founder Steve Reiman. (Courtesy photo by Steve Reiman)

There was a time when Therapy Dogs of Vermont founder Steve Reiman considered giving up his vocation.

He was tired. It was becoming too much work. He had other things going on in his life.

A visit to a hospital with his German shepherds Lily and Jordan changed his mind.

When Reiman and the canine half-sisters entered the hospital room of a 14-year-old girl, she was motionless from a brain aneurysm that had rendered her comatose. Reiman took the girl’s hand and placed it on Lily’s head. He saw her fingers wiggle.

Then Reiman told Jordan to get on the bed with the girl. Jordan complied and put her head on the girl’s chest. The girl then lifted both her arms and hugged Jordan. It was the first substantial movement she made on the road to full recovery from her aneurysm.

Reiman said the incident brought tears to his eyes.

“Here was something that two dogs could do that doctors and nurses couldn’t,” he said.

Twenty years since its founding, TDV is still going strong, with 287 certified therapy dog teams in 137 sites across Vermont and into New York, New Hampshire and Quebec.

Although the group trains dogs of all breeds—with the exception of wolf hybrids—requirements for qualification include a minimum of one year of age and six months with their current handler, an absence of dog-to-dog aggression and a social personality.

Executive Director Bob Uerz, a Williston resident was the only paid staff member among the 200-plus volunteers, said that unlike the service dog concept—in which dogs are assigned to people in need—both therapy dogs and their owners are trained and certified.

“The thing about Therapy Dogs, which is different from other types of service dogs, is we’re really focusing on certifying teams,” Uerz said. “The word ‘dog’ is prominent, obviously, but it’s really the person—the handler—as well as the dog itself that we certify.”

Uerz said the group’s mission statement, while verbose, is apt.

“Our mission is maybe a little bit long, but it’s: ‘Touching hearts, bringing joy, offering comfort and enriching lives with our certified therapy dogs,’” said Uerz. “That kind of encompasses all the different venues that we’re in right now, and we hope to be expanding to new areas all the time. One area in particular is working with returning vets.”

Although TDV has yet to establish a significant foothold with military veterans, it has for several years been working with the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library in Williston on a program that promotes youth reading by having kids read books to therapy dogs.

“The idea is if you’re reading to a dog instead of a person, kids will be less nervous,” said Library Director Marti Fiske.

Youth Services Librarian Jill Coffrin said the “Reading with Frosty and Friends” program, which began with Williston resident Cathy Messina’s dog Frosty sitting with kids for 10-minute reading sessions, has snowballed into a weekly phenomenon during the school year.

“It’s been really, really a great thing,” Coffrin said.

Williston resident Nancy Kahn, whose 3-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel Sophie has been a therapy dog since she met the 1-year age requirement, remarked with amazement on the joy animals can bring to those in need.

“I enjoy going out with her and seeing how happy it makes people,” said Kahn. “It’s amazing to me how a dog can light up a room or help a kid.”

Kahn’s sentiments recall another story shared by Reiman.

During a hospital visit, Reiman and Lily encountered a young girl stricken with cancer. Lily, per her usual jovial personality, presented a Frisbee to the girl, but was continually rebuffed.

The next week, when Reiman and Lily returned to the hospital, they were told by staff that the girl had been waiting all week for Lily’s arrival.

After playing with Lily prior to receiving radiation treatment, the girl was told that she could bring a Polaroid picture of Lily into the treatment room.

Reiman said he overheard the girl tell her mother: “I told you all along I wanted to die. Now I want to live.”

For more information, visit www.therapydogs.org, email [email protected] or send snail mail to Therapy Dogs of Vermont
P.O. Box 1271,Williston, Vt. 05495-1271.