Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Girls on the Run Vermont (GOTRVT), a statewide nonprofit organization for girls in 3rd-8th grade, has announced the launch of the 2024 Rick Hashagen Limitless Potential Scholarship Awards at the last of three statewide coach training events, held at Essex Middle School on February 10. This year’s Scholarship Awards, designed in celebration of the organization’s 25th anniversary, will be presented to two GOTRVT alumni in the amount of $2,500 each, renewable for up to three years, up to $10,000 total each. The application, which details the parameters for qualification, will go live on February 15th.

Vermont Business Magazine The 29th Annual Burlington & Cool Schools Penguin Plunge presented by Community Bank was held on Saturday, February 10th at the Burlington Waterfront. 1,000 people plunged into the frigid waters of Lake Champlain on an unseasonably warm day to show their support for Special Olympics athletes in Vermont. The Penguin Plunge is the largest fundraising event for Special Olympics Vermont, and this year, a record-breaking $675,000 was raised to support sports training and competition opportunities across local and school programs, health screenings, and leadership opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank, with branches in Vermont (NYSE: MTB), today announced $8.2 million in donations to 68 nonprofit organizations across New England and Long Island and Rockland County New York. The announcement is the second round of giving as part of the company's Amplify Fund grant, a commitment by M&T Bank to work with groups dedicated to addressing social issues through a racial equity and social justice lens in low- and moderate- income communities and underrepresented populations. First announced in May 2022, the Amplify Fund is a $25 million philanthropic investment as part of the merger between People's United Bank and M&T Bank. Powered by the M&T Charitable Foundation, the Amplify Fund is a one-time supplemental charitable giving program to provide further support in the legacy People's United communities. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that COVID-19 cases fell to their lowest level since early November and hospitalizations also were down for nearly the same timeframe. However, there were 6 fatalities, which has been about the average since mid-December. The pandemic death total now stands at 1,118 as of February 3, 2024 (the most recent data available). Total reported deaths in January were 28, which is the highest monthly total in nearly a year.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) released the following statement after voting against sending taxpayer dollars to support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bombing campaign in Gaza: “I cannot, in good faith, send more U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund Prime Minister Netanyahu’s relentless bombing campaign in Gaza... The National Security Supplemental also included provisions to address other U.S. national security priorities, including bolstering Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia’s brutal invasion. I unequivocally support Ukraine. I regret that the funding for Ukraine was packaged with the military aid for Israel, which I oppose.”

Vermont Business Magazine The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has recognized Saint Michael’s College for being one of the colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.  Four students from Saint Michael’s were selected for Fulbright awards for the academic year 2023-24. They are currently involved in programs in Thailand, Vietnam, Spain, and Mexico. This is the second time the College has been recognized as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution.  The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international academic exchange program.

Vermont Business Magazine Since 2017, the Cunniff Lab at the University of Vermont (UVM) Cancer Center with support from industry partner, RS Oncology, has been making significant strides to launch a new therapy for the treatment of mesothelioma. Only two therapies have been approved for the treatment of mesothelioma since 2004, which affects about 3,000 people a year in the United States and approximately 40,000 people worldwide. Linked to occupational asbestos exposure, mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer arising primarily from the outer lining of the lungs with a dismal five-year survival rate of only five to 10 percent. Having successfully completed the Phase 1 dose escalation portion of its MITOPE trial (NCT05278975), RS Oncology initiated the successful dosing of the first patient in the Phase 2 dose expansion portion of its United Kingdom multicenter study.

Vermont Business Magazine Barb Asen, Director of Family Caregiver Support at Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA), along with Vermont Department of Libraries’ ABLE Library, has led a team of staff and volunteers to build a partnership with a memory cafe in Scotland. The two groups have expanded monthly “Memorable Times Online” gatherings into a weekly transatlantic Zoom series for people living with mild to moderate memory loss and their care partners. Launched on January 17 and running through April 3, the “Winter Jukebox with Friends in Scotland” convenes on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. for a 45-minute program offering music, memories, and social connection. 

Vermont Business Magazine In 2013, Mali Melaugh received a diagnosis of Down syndrome, which led her family, from Essex, Vermont, to seek support from their community. Now, at the age of 10, Mali is flourishing, and her family has been utilizing their experiences to aid others in similar situations. Seven years ago, they established "Team Mali" and participated in the Best Buddies Bike Challenge. Their goal was to gather funds and raise awareness for the cause. Since then, they have collectively cycled more than 700 miles and have successfully raised more than $100,000 for Best Buddies.

Vermont Business Magazine Thirteen schools from around the state have been recognized by the Vermont Department of Health’s “Asthma-friendly school” initiative for their commitment to asthma-control strategies to support the lung health of their students. Asthma is a potentially serious condition that includes clogging and swelling of the airways that can lead to difficulty breathing, wheezing and coughing. Nearly 9,000 (1 in 12) children in Vermont have asthma, and of those, 61% of have uncontrolled asthma. Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, said the number of new schools participating shows a growing understanding about the impact of asthma on children’s health and ability to learn. 

Vermont Business Magazine Age Well will be participating in the 22nd annual March for Meals. This is a nationwide campaign led by Meals on Wheels America designed to rally around our aging neighbors and protect the essential services that enable so many to remain healthy and independent at home. As the largest provider of Meals on Wheels in Vermont, Age Well provides over 270,000 home-delivered meals annually, addressing food insecurity and malnutrition, combatting social isolation, and enabling independence and improved health outcomes for thousands.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company announced on Monday that, together with insurance agency Hickok & Boardman, they have raised over $185,000 for Special Olympics Vermont, exceeding their fundraising goal of $150,000. The fundraising efforts are part of the Company’s participation in the 2024 Penguin Plunge, which took place February 10th. As part of the event, employees of the Company, as well as agency partners and friends, jumped into the frigid waters of Lake Champlain.