Amy said, “We don’t only rescue dogs from shelters... Because not all dogs are in the shelters, some dogs are on the side of the road. Some dogs are way out in the country. Some people, they don’t want to bring the dog to the shelter, they dump them wherever, in whatever state. People say, ‘Oh my god! That dog’s not from a shelter?’ And I say ‘no, it’s from the side of the road or a ditch, or in a drainage culvert...’ But it’s still a rescue because they are living on the side of the road.”

Jay Van Arman has devoted most of his life striving to give what he can to make Norwich a better community. He is a man who spends much of his time looking to fill needs in his community. He’s driven by his volunteer work with the Norwich Lions Club, and by a desire to give as much as he can to Norwich. Jay shared a piece of advice another local farmer gave him, “Jay,” he said, “you get back double what you give.” Then, Jay continued, “I think there is a lot of truth to that. So that’s why I feel fortunate to live in such a community.”

Usually, however, rescue dogs, in general, are excited to meet their new people, their house, toys, and love. Puppy mill rescues tend to be very shut down when you first adopt them. They don’t understand the concept of love, playing, toys, or humans that touch them kindly.

All miniature pig breeders recommend lots of socialization from an early age in order to have a friendly adult pig. Since he was a piglet, Michelle and Zeb have made an effort to bring him everywhere they go. He loves to go for car rides and visit new places. Michelle and Zeb cater events on the weekends, often either weddings or for local frater-nities, and Dudley usually goes with them. He’s happy to socialize with the people, dogs, kids, and just about any other animal. “We do a lot of catering for weddings. Sometimes the bride and the groom actually request that he comes along,” Michelle said.

In January of 2011, they decided to rent a condo in Lakeland Village as a family, where they fell in love with the snow-covered countryside and decided that having a place in Quechee would be the perfect vacation spot for their family.

Liru, a rather spectacular tiny 3.4-pound male toy poodle, won the first Lebanon Top Dog Contest in 2012 when he was 10 years old. His owners, have taught him to understand commands in four different languages: English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese!

“My favorite part [of being a golf instructor] is meeting so many people and figuring out the mental, physical, emotional, and social aspects that all matter. Everybody is a different puzzle, and you have to put them together,”

Those of us who have visited or read about wild animal rehabilitation centers generally understand that the people behind the scenes are doing some pretty incredible work. The amount of training these individuals have to undergo in order to be able to care for wild animals is intensive. 

Aimee Goodwin, a Norwich local, has been rescuing dogs for many years. The first dog the Goodwins rescued as a family, a German Shepherd named Griffin, is now 14 years old. Now they have three. For many years, Aimee took part in helping transport dogs from high kill shelters to New England and into the hands of various nonprofit rescue groups, foster families, or adoptive families. Recently, Aimee has become interested in working with Animal Welfare Foundation Rincon, in Rincon, Puerto Rico.

Christopher and Andrew Emerson have quite the connection to Quechee. The brothers grew up on Long Island, NY, with their parents Michael (Mike) and Elizabeth Emerson. They skied in Quechee competitively, were accepted into impressive military academies, and continued to both excel in college and ski competitively. I had the opportunity to speak with Elizabeth about her sons as well as her Quechee experience.

Hunter Hall, 30, of Quechee, VT, had a few new experiences this past summer that were pretty amazing, culminating in winning the bronze medal in golf at the Special Olympics World Games in L.A. 

Ian Maccini may not have grown up in Quechee, but he certainly left his mark. He was a competitive ski racer on the Quechee Ski Team and put those skills to good use when he started coaching the Mountain Team in the winter of 2003-2004. One of the most amazing activities Maccini participates in, however, is sailing. Not only is he the Commodore of Providence College’s Sailing Team, but he also races his own sailboat.

Norwich-based dog trainer, Sue Kenney hasn’t always been a professional dog trainer, but she has always been involved with training dogs. It started with raising Guide Dog puppies for the blind. Sue raised Guide Dog puppies since her children were young and would bring them into the Marion Cross School in Norwich. The dogs were even incorporated into the curriculum; students would keep journals about each puppy’s weight, nutrition, and behavior. 

Last spring, Hanover High School welcomed two new members to the school community, Dewey and Lucky, both Labradoodles. Dewey came first, arriving in March for his first day on the job. “It is a unique upbringing,” laughed Justin M. Campbell, Hanover High School’s Principal who kindly squeezed in a 10-minute time slot between meetings to let me question him about the therapy dogs.

The club “embraces everybody, the drama kids, the kids who have never played a sport before…. There are no superstars, the team has to pull together to cross the finish line,” said Reynolds. “Whether they won the regatta (race) or not, it is truly a team effort and creates a bond among students who otherwise might have avoided joining in on any sport.” She said students often say they have gained a lot of self-confidence. It is a transformative experience for many; there are no bench-sitters – everybody rows and everybody competes. Being part of the club gives them a purpose that affects the rest of their lives

Upper Valley golfers had better watch out, there is a new superstar on the green and he’s ready to put you to the challenge! Quechee resident, 11-year-old Matty Du Plessis, is entertaining fans across the world with his incredible golf skills and his YouTube videos. 

In the winter, Bernard works even harder to make Huntley Meadow an enjoyable place. So many people use the space to cross-country ski and play with their dogs, but the snow can grow deep, making these activities difficult. However, with Bernard’s help, a packed-down track is maintained for all to enjoy. I asked him how he ended up providing the grooming service for the town of Norwich, and he told me how a few things had fallen into place to make it happen. His in-laws own a 1971 alpine snowmobile that they no longer use but needs to be run regularly to keep it in shape. When the last volunteer groomer stepped down, Bernard’s in-laws gave him permission to use the snowmobile to help out.

If you’ve ever taken a drive on Rte. 5 South from Norwich, you likely have passed by idyllic Brookside Farm, home of High Horses Therapeutic Riding Program. High Horses has been serving residents of the Upper Valley since 1993. In fact, they were the first program in Vermont that met the necessary criteria to attain “Premier Accreditation” by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International.

One of the reasons horseback riding is so therapeutic for so many individuals, special needs or not, is because it requires learning both physical skills and developing mental connections. As Liz said when I asked her if she had begun to ride since joining the program, “Yes, and I have come to realize how difficult it is… several parts of your body need to be doing different things at the same time, plus you need to be aware of your horse and the surroundings. [It] keeps your mind and body sharp and strong, yet relaxed. Plus, developing the relationship and actually partnering with the horse is a magical feeling.”

The best part of the whole project is that it involves so many local groups. For instance, they have been using the same boxes to hold the bags for many years. Each year they get un-taped, broken down, and put away. Each fall the local Boy Scout troop comes to build them again, tape and all, so the boxes will be ready to hold another year’s worth of generosity from one neighbor to another.