Morrisville Rotary Club

Present: Susan Bartlett, Mark Cattelona, Phil Chiaravalle, Patti Coultas, Rich Furlong, Becky Gonyea, Davis Koier, Mary Metcalf, Gary Nolan, and Linda Martin

Guests: Greg Stefanski, Laraway Youth and Family Services

There was discussion about the decision last week to have the meeting today (Presidents’ Day) since not very many people showed up. Fines were levied on Tim Sargent and Ted Lambert in the amount of $10 for not attending.

Happy dollars:  Rich, Davis, Gary, Becky, Patti

Susan introduced Greg Stefanski, Executive Director of Laraway Youth and Family Services in Johnson. She said that Laraway has been an important organization in Lamoille County and the State for over 30 years. They are well regarded in the state and they have an exciting new project that needs support.

Greg said that Laraway started as an idea of Rumsey Jesser, an artist in Waterville who invited out of school youth to get off the street and do pottery. Though that was a simple solution to a complex problem, today we know more about supporting the needs of students who have been separated from their families. The issue is more than just with their immediate family, but also their extended families, their friends, schools, and their community.

Laraway helps students with their identify and help them rebuild their sense of community. There are 30 students who live there and go to school. They also have foster kids across Vermont and some at public schools who they work with in a preventative role.  They work with approximately 70 kids, and working with their families extend their work to approximately 200+ people.  The kids they work with are currently in grades 4-12, but they will request a change to their next license to work with children as young as kindergarten aged.

Laraway has 110 employees, both full and part time. Their budget is 5 ½ million. Most of their funds come from tuition from schools, foster care, and Medicaid (2-3 million).

Their future plans is to move out of the told trailers that Johnson Elementary lets them use into a barn and house on the old Hopkins 37-acres farm. This farm was recently purchased. They house was renovated about 10 years ago and the plan is to turn the barn into the school with administrative offices on the 3^rd floor.  They are currently fundraising, with both private and public funds.  They hope to start construction this spring.  Their plan is to have the students work the farm (plants at first) and reconnect with their families through activities (instead of behind a 2-way mirror in a room at DCF.  The farm is ideally located, near the river, trails, community gardens, and skate park.

They are also working to help end hunger in Lamoille County. During the summers they prepare meals for different programs and they hope to provide vegetables in the future.

Submitted by Patti Coultas