Civic Engagement

Vermont nationally ranked as Peace Corps’ top volunteer-producing state

VCF Staff — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Vermont tops the 2012 list of states with the highest per capita number of Peace Corps volunteers, says a report released Dec. 12. There are 45 currently-serving Peace Corps volunteers who call the Green Mountain State home, making it the number two Peace Corps volunteer-producing state in the nation on a per-capita basis, with 7.2 of every 100,000 residents currently serving in the Peace Corps.

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Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy pushes bill to address Citizens United ruling

VCF Staff — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:55:00 +0000

The U.S. Senate faces another showdown over whether to debate a bill that would require more campaign finance disclosure in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is one of the sponsors of DISCLOSE Act, which stands for Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act.

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Nearly a year later, and volunteers are still cleaning up after Irene

VCF Staff — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:51:00 +0000

The Rozalia Project for a Clean Vermont estimates that the shores of Lake Champlain and major river watersheds in Vermont have 3.8 million pounds of trash and debris. Much of this is a result of the 2011 spring flooding and Hurricane Irene. Rozalia Project and the VT Dept. of Labor are teaming up to get rid of that harmful trash and debris--with the help of many volunteers.

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Local men, women answer the call to fight fires

VCF Staff — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:27:25 +0000

Fire departments in many Vermont towns are getting smaller, as older firefighters retire and younger men and women are too busy or disinterested to replace them. That’s not the case in Waterbury, where would-be volunteers often have to put their names on a waiting list. Nor is it the case in Stowe, where it's not unusual for sons and daughters to fight fires alongside their parents.

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Vt. debates letting parents say no to vaccines

VCF Staff — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:25:00 +0000

For much of this year’s legislative session, Vermont has been embroiled in a debate over whether to end the “philosophical exemption” — essentially, a right of refusal for parents who want to enroll their children in school or child care without immunizations. The list of shots called for by the state Health Department and the federal Centers for Disease Control number roughly 20 by the time a child enters kindergarten.

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Attention Vermont 17-year-olds: You can vote

VCF Staff — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:21:52 +0000

If you are 17 and will turn 18 by Nov. 6, we have some good news for you. You can have a say in which candidates should be on the Nov. 6 election ballot. This is true for the first time in Vermont.

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UVM Among Top 2012 Peace Corps Volunteer-Producing Universities

VCF Staff — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:24:00 +0000

The University of Vermont ranks No. 5 on the 2012 top Peace Corps volunteer-producing colleges and universities in the category of medium-sized institutions. There are currently 42 undergraduate alumni serving overseas. Last year, UVM had 34 alumni volunteers and was No. 13 in the 2011 rankings.

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Irene a defining moment and opportunity for Vermont Legislature

VCF Staff — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:01:13 +0000

Tropical Storm Irene has been a defining moment in Vermont history, House Speaker Shap Smith told his Democratic colleagues during their annual caucus to plan for the upcoming legislative session. The speaker reminded lawmakers of the importance of listening to their constituents, even if they didn’t agree with them.

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Volunteers come out to help Irene victims clean up

VCF Staff — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:30:44 +0000

Vermonters answered Gov. Peter Shumlin’s call to help their neighbors recover from Tropical Storm Irene during "VT Clean Up Day," which came two months after the most damaging flood to hit the state in recent memory.

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Onion City in Bloom

VCF Staff — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:29:02 +0000

Over the past few months, Winooski has launched a rebranding campaign, complete with a design-forward new logo and community-building events. These efforts, along with a retooled farmers market, are in part the work of the reenergized Winooski Community Partnership, a downtown business organization aimed at making the city an attractive, vibrant urban center.

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