Paul Haskell, Chair of the Sharon Selectboard was a part of a group discussion on how to use digital mapping and crowd-sourcing tools to solve community problems convened by the Vermont Digital Economy Project. Stay tuned for additional stories of organizations using mapping tools and crowd sourced information to further their missions. (SHARON, VT) Like…
Our visits to Vermont’s flood-impacted communities reveal several compelling stories of how towns used social media to help recover from Tropical Storm Irene. Part of this social media effort was to assist with the dissemination of vital information, organize volunteer efforts, and attract donations to help with the recovery process. Perhaps the most poignant of…
By Mary McClements, Coordinator of Academic Services-Career Training Programs at CCV Blake dropped out of school when he was sixteen and, for several years, tried to make a living on minimum wage which he just wasn’t able to do. He tried to start his own business, but with no real skills, he wasn’t able to…
Vermont’s strength is a direct result of the strength of the community organizations that step up in time of need, or provide ongoing assistance to members of the community in need. While these organizations are often small and cover only a few towns, it is still beneficial for them to have a web presence that…
The driveway to my house, in Ludlow near the Plymouth town border, became a river during Tropical Storm Irene. I have to admit that all of the rain we’ve gotten lately has made me very nervous. As a Tropical Storm Irene victim, I am paying particularly close attention to the flash flood warnings that scroll…
I was recently invited to participate in a panel on Civility for the National Endowment on the Humanities and the Vermont Bar Association, and it made me think of the challenges we see in rural towns in a different light. When the Vermont Council on Rural Development led our “Community Visit” process to one small…
In a bright renovated Town Hall in Bethel Vermont, with sunlight flowing into the room from large windows lining two walls, locals gathered for an evening of celebration. A new free and public Wi-Fi zone, called the Bethel Connection, had just been installed, and members of the town were there to eat some local pizza,…
The Ottauquechee Community Partnership (OCPVT) is a locally funded non-profit organization with a focus on connecting young people to the community, bringing community resources to schools and building positive relationships through youth-adult mentoring. For the past several weeks, we have worked with the organization to integrate digital tools and become more efficient. “As a result…
June 14, 2013 (Montpelier, Vermont.) — On a rainy Thursday afternoon, vendors gathered on the South Royalton green for the third annual BALE (Building a Local Economy) festival, but this year there was an added benefit to the town: a new free Wi-Fi zone blanketed the green and allowed vendors and visitors alike to access…
At the Vermont Digital Economy Project, we know that a connected community is a resilient community. While we’ve been focusing on using digital tools to build networks within a community, it’s just as important for local nonprofits to recognize the power of off-line networks and coalitions. Many communities have a Chamber of Commerce, an organization…