Upper Valley Showcase to Benefit Vermont Refugees

BENEFIT CONCERT 
and you're invited!

Sunday, June 5th, at 3pm - North Chapel Society,
7 Church Street, Woodstock, Vermont

A family-friendly concert of music, dance, and storytelling 

featuring:

Jazz saxophonist Michael Zsoldos & Friends

Wrensong: A Cappella music of the Renaissance--Oliver Goodenough, Director 

Soprano Julie Ness with pianist Henry Danaher: Songs of Remembrance by Debussy 

Folk Duo: Don Ransom & Diane Mellinger

Moving Spirit Dancers: Choreography by Peg Brightman

with pianist Lutie Saul

The Bridgewater Chorus, directed by Marcia Bender

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Reception follows with middle eastern food. 

Donations at the door: $10 and up.

All proceeds support refugees through

VRRP (Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program)

& WANN (Welcoming All Nationalities Network.)

Sponsored by The Upper Valley Interfaith Refugee Support Network:

St. James Episcopal Church

North Universalist Chapel Society

Temple Shir Shalom

and others.

Thank You To All!

A week ago, a team from Woodstock, delivered our truckload of household and personal care items to the Colchester office of the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program (VRRP).  This capped a two-month long process of publicity and the collection and sorting of hundreds of donations to help newly arrived refugees to settle in Vermont.

Norman, our driver!

Unloading in Colchester

In addition to the contents of the 20-foot U-Haul, area residents gave $1000 directly.  Many thanks to the scores of individuals who contributed--people of our region really stepped up to the plate to welcome those forced from their homes and homelands because of violence and oppression.  St. James leaders worked with members of the North Universalist Chapel Society, the Taftsville Mennonite Church, Congregation Shir Shalom and Our Lady of the Snows Roman Catholic Church and received donations from a cross-section of Woodstock and Upper Valley residents.

One of the Colchester volunteers said, “What an impact! Beautiful tables and chairs delivered today. We really needed pots and pans and we got quality ones.”

Happy faces in Colchester....

Another screening of the film, "Welcome to Vermont: Four Stories of Resettled Identities" will be scheduled in the future and the Woodstock group will meet soon to review the experience of these past weeks, and make plans for further projects to support refugees.

Sunday Speakers at North Chapel

On Sunday February 7th, after the service, Sheldon Novick and Kate Barta met with the Refugee Support Group,  in the Social Hall to answer questions and provide some advice...

Sheldon, Kate, Polly and Deeya share coffee and conversation

Moving night...

Last night, all the collected home goods were brought up from the basement of St. James Church, to be moved north to the Vermont Refugee Center.  Small boxed items came up in the elevator on a cart and were loaded into the storage area above the cab of the UHaul....

Larger furniture items were carried up by two strong young men and after awhile, the sidewalk between the church and the truck was filled with items.  Thank goodness it was a clear night.  Headlights helped light the inside of the truck and workers packed it full....

This morning, the delivery went north.  Thanks to all the donors and workers!

Refugee Support Activities at the North Chapel

As part of the 10:00 am Service at the North Chapel on Sunday, February 7th, Sheldon Novick and Kate Barta will provide a reflection entitled "How We Help Refugees and Other Immigrants, How They Help Us."  After the service they will meet with the Refugee Support Group, 11:30-Noon in the Social Hall. 

Sheldon Novick is a retired attorney and teacher of legal history, and the author of several books, including the prize-winning biography Honorable Justice: The Life of Oliver Wendell Holmes. He has taught and written about the history of immigration and citizenship in the U.S., and is at work on a new book on that subject. 

Kate Semple Barta founded the Welcoming All Nationalities Network of the Upper Valley in 2011 with fiscal sponsorship from WISE, Inc.  In 2013, WANN began providing immigration legal services to low income and indigent immigrants in the Upper Valley, and beyond in NH and VT.  Kate is the Director and Attorney for WANN.  Before moving to the Upper Valley in 2006, she worked as an Asylum Attorney for the International Institute of Boston.  Prior to that she was a staff attorney for the Midwest Immigrants' Human Rights Center in Chicago.

Refugee Work Party

Yesterday afternoon, many helpers gathered at St. James Church to sort through all the donated items in preparation for taking them north to Refugee Headquarters...

Lots of towels went into big marked bags to make up bathroom kits.

This beautiful wall hanging will brighten someone's apartment.

There was an abundance of kitchen and bathroom items and many pieces of furniture.  Next step is renting the U-Haul and actually driving the donations up to Colchester....

Another Successful Drop Off...

Sunday afternoon from one to five, St. James Episcopal Church hosted another Drop Off date to benefit refugee resettlement in Vermont...

Two friends of refugees with some of their donated items...

Volunteers took in many items, including two queen sized mattresses and box springs, a dining table and chairs, and four upholstered dining chairs, along with several kits.  

As always, monetary donations are very welcome.  Checks can be made out to VT Refugee Resettlement Program and sent to St. James Church, 2 St. James Place. Woodstock, VT  05091. Thank you in advance for your generosity.