Vermont Parent
Let's just say, this web page has grown. Soon it will be its own website entitled, "Vergennes Area Parent" dot com. Until then, here is where you can find links to local events and resources, as well as opportunities to be active with your children. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can continue to build a strong parenting community. Feel free to email me your ideas.
Vergennes Area Parents Group
Interested in joining the conversation about Vergennes-area events, ideas, and collaborative opportunities? Join the Vergennes Area Parent Yahoo Group by clicking on this link. A local mom monitors the site and will be in touch soon after you sign up. It's a great way to meet other parents and to find out about gatherings, clothing and toy swaps, and efforts to start up a local parent hang out. You can indicate how often you wish to receive email postings. Make sure to include your name and town so that your request to join the group can be approved.For Active Kids
Addison County Independent Community Calendar: This local paper maintains a nice listing of family events in the area.Audubon Events for Families: Dynamic listing of experiential/educational activities for families.
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vergennes: After school and social development programming to those between six and 18 years of age.
Bristol Recreation Department: Events in Bristol, Vermont. There's a whole lot going on!
Catamount Trail: 300 Miles of Cross-Country Skiing the Length of Vermont
Catamount Outdoor Family Center: Summer and Winter programs
Copper Crane Yoga: Yoga classes in Vergennes for kids as well as adults
Find and Go Seek: A wealth of information about things for families "to do and see" in Vermont's Champlain Valley Region.
Jiggety Jog: Creative music classes for parents and children ages infant to four years. Contact Susan Reit at 453-7996.
Lake Champlain International, Inc.: Celebrating Family, Friends, and Fishing.
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum: There's no better place for kids and adults alike to discover, learn about, and experience the history of Lake Champlain. Don't miss the Kid's Pirate Festival every June! Also ROV Shipwreck Tours, rowing programs, and a host of special events.
Local Motion: Everyone's favorite supporter of Vermont trails. In April 2008 they unveiled their amazingly helpful, thorough, and free Trailfinder tool.
Pick Your Own...: We're lucky to have such a wealth of farms where we can pick fresh berries and apples. Check out this link to pick your own site for picking! We're especially fond of what's happening over at the Charlotte Berry Farm.
Rokeby Museum: A National Historic Landmark, this beautiful site hosts a multitude of family events and features over 50 acres of hiking trials to explore. Self-guided hike available.
Shelburne Museum: I'm not joking - riding a carousel is great exercise! So is walking Shelburne Museum's extensive grounds. Also: crafts, a playground, and special events.
Trails.com: This links to a page listing Vermont hikes (with encouragement to join Trails.com for more information).
Addison County Chamber of Commerce: A listing of seasonal events in the area.
Vergennes I.D. Recreation: Pool, tennis courts, skate park, soccer field, fields. To pre-register for swim lessons at the Sam Fishman Pool, contact the Vergennes City Clerk at 877-2841.
Vermont State Parks: News and info on Vermont State Park offerings, with a "Just For Kids" fun page. There are over 50 state parks in Vermont to enjoy with your family. News Alert: Don't bring out-of-state firewood into the parks please.
VOGA: Vermont Outdoor Guide Association's listing of outdoor programming for youth. (Moms should also check out VOW, Vermont Outdoors Woman.)
For Active Parents
Audubon Events for Adults:A changing list of events and opportunities to get out.
Events at the Vergennes Opera House:
The center of Vergennes' business and cultural life, the Opera house hosts many events for all ages. Back by popular demand (and the new Executive Director Jackson Evans) Friday Night Flicks are a favorite monthly event featuring classic films. See events calendar for info on this and other current events.
LCMM Community Rowing Gigs:
Great summertime fun and exercise. Fee.
Vergennes Area Parents Yahoo Group:
Get involved, stay involved! Join this parent community for communications on a host of local goings-on.
Parent Date Night
This idea comes from my new friend Katherine, who helped start Toddler Open Gym. She and two other families take turns doing monthly "date nights". Every third month, one set of parents watches all the children while the other parents get an evening out. Everyone rotates going out with watching the children, from 5:00-7:30 pm. You could also do dates once every third month and have two sets of parents watch all the kids. Either way, everyone has fun, every date night! Thanks for the tip, Katherine.You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.
-Michael Pritchard
