Waterbury Organizations
The following organizations meet for specific purposes within Waterbury.
A River Runs Through It Garden Club (ARRTI)
The organization exists to share gardening techniques, plants, workshops and community enhancing projects within a relaxed and personally enjoyable setting. Each member contributes equally to the ARRTI community of like-minded enthusiasts. To join contact: Faye Parsons (802) 223-5613 .
Children's Literacy Foundation (CLiF)
CLiF is a non-profit organization based in Waterbury Center. Our mission is to nurture a love of reading and writing among children throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. Over the past decade CLiF has targeted two groups: 1) children in rural communities where resources are limited; and 2) children who are at high risk of growing up with low literacy skills. Our 15 literacy programs now serve 13,000 children every year including: children in homeless shelters & domestic violence shelters; children in low-income housing; migrant children; refugee children; children of prison inmates; children in Head Start; children in rural areas where resources are limited. CLiF partners with libraries, shelters, bookmobiles, schools and other organizations to provide these children with new children's books, author visits, writing workshops, storytelling sessions, and other forms of literacy support. CLiF does not receive any state or federal funding. We rely on donations from individuals, businesses, foundations and social organizations. To make a tax deductible donation or for more information please contact CLiF Executive Director Duncan McDougall at 244-0944 or by e-mail (clif@clifonline.org) or visit www.clifonline.org.
Community Awareness Services Team (CAST)
Our mission is to increase awareness of the many services available to community members in need by developing better communication between assisting agencies, including The Waterbury Food Shelf, The Salvation Army, The American Legion and the local clergy that support the Good Neighbor Fund. See the group's web page for detailed information www.waterburyvt.com/org/cast/.
Community Gardens
Several acres of land located behind the library building and above the Dac Rowe playing fields has been worked for twenty-plus years by Waterbury community gardeners. Plots are available and can be reserved by contacting WaterburyCommunityGardens@gmail.com.
Friends of the Library
The Friends of the Waterbury Public Library promote and support the Library and its services. Click here to visit the Library’s web site and learn more about the Friends.
Fresh Air Fund
The Fresh Air Fund is a non-profit group that has been providing free summer vacations to disadvantaged children from the five boroughs of NYC for 127 years. Families in our area have participated for many years, inviting children age 6 to 12 to come and enjoy everyday family life in Vermont. Children can return year after year and form real and lasting relationships with their Fresh Air hosts. Volunteer hosts are needed and everyone is eligible to apply. All you need is an empty bed and a full heart. For more information visit www.freshair.org.
Historical Society
The Waterbury Historical Society, established in 1958, is a volunteer organization that collects memorabilia and written records on Waterbury's history. It maintains a museum on the second floor of the Waterbury Public Library in Waterbury Village, where a growing collection of artifacts of Waterbury's history and early residents are on display. The Historical Society holds quarterly meetings there, which include public presentations, such as slides, on a variety of topics related to Waterbury's history. In 1996, the Waterbury Historical Society prepared a booklet tour of several Waterbury homes.
Revitalizing Waterbury, Inc.
Revitalizing Waterbury (RW) is a non-profit organization committed to the ongoing renewal of downtown Waterbury, Vermont. Revitalizing Waterbury is committed to projects, events and activities that collectively contribute to preserving and enhancing the vitality of downtown Waterbury. We believe our 'Main Street' has a rich history, an authenticity and tremendous assets. Our revitalization effort aims to capitalize on downtown Waterbury's unique qualities and create appropriate, positive changes. Visit www.revitalizingwaterbury.org for more information about Revitalizing Waterbury and to learn how to get involved.
Waterbury Activities and Cultural Committee (WACC)
WACC has sponsored and coordinated a variety of cultural activities and events over the years. In recent years several other organizations have arisen to assume many of those functions. Presently, WACC organizes summer concerts at the lake and sponsors a winter concert by a UVM musical group. WACC's annual Mitch Siegel Art Award is given to a graduating student at Harwood Union High School who has excelled in the arts. WACC also contributes to cultural programs at Thatcher Brook and Crossett Brook schools.
Waterbury Area Senior Citizens
The purpose of the Waterbury Area Senior Citizens Association is to enrich the lives of older persons by providing services and activities that sharpen the minds and improve the physical and emotional health of its members and help keep them active and involved in the life of the community. The center serves meals at a rate of more than 10,000 meals a year to 250 members and their friends in Duxbury, Moretown and Middlesex, as well as Waterbury. About one third of these meals are delivered to the homes of elders who cannot cook and are unable to travel to the center. The center also provides health and foot care clinics, massage therapy, exercise training classes, safe driving courses, income tax assistance, recreation and education programs, excursions, and camaraderie. The center receives some federal, state and town funds to help provide these programs and services, but the seniors themselves are the center’s single biggest source of income, raising more than 32% of its revenues through their own donations, bingo games, raffles, bake and boutique sales and other events. Telephone 244-1234.
Waterbury-Duxbury’s Mentoring Program
The Waterbury-Duxbury Mentoring Program is a school-site mentoring program connects community members with our students. The mentoring program fosters on going one-on-one relationships that focus on the needs of the student. The Waterbury-Duxbury Mentoring Program is currently looking for adults who will spend one hour a week during the school day (8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), on our school grounds, with a child. That hour may be spent running around on the playground, playing ball, talking, reading, crafting, playing games, doing homework or sharing your interests. If you are interested in mentoring or have some leads as to where we can recruit more mentors, please contact Nerissa Edwards at 244-7195.
Waterbury LEAP (Local Energy Action Partnership)
Waterbury LEAP is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to engaging our community in reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources in Waterbury and the surrounding area. Since 2007 LEAP members have been involved in many local activities including: 1) selling more than 2,500 compact fluorescent bulbs for 99 cents each to local community members; 2) arranging for free energy audits from Efficiency Vermont for many local businesses and all municipal buildings; 3) hosting an annual Waterbury Energy Efficiency & Climate Change Rally each April; 4) conducting educational efforts in local schools; and 5) distributing information to local families and businesses of many ways people can reduce their emissions and energy use, and save money. If you would like to join the local Waterbury LEAP volunteers, or if you have any suggestions for potential projects, please contact Duncan McDougall at clif@clifonline.org or call him at 244-0944.
Waterbury Rotary Club
Our centennial project, Rusty Parker Memorial Park, was started in 1982 the year that Rusty passed away suddenly. A Vermont institute born in 1927, Rusty Parker served the Waterbury community unselfishly for over 20 years. He is remembered not only as the voice of WDEV Radio but as the voice of reason in his role as community leader. As a living memorial, the Rotary converted the park into a central and attractive site developed with an eye to increasing community activity. In 2004 a total of 13 concerts were held every Thursday evening in the Park. The Waterbury Community Band also makes use of the Bandstand. The Rotary Club funds scholarships, supports Boy and Girl Scout troops, the community trust fund, Senior center and international projects, and provides books to the library. The club also provides festivities for holiday celebrations and sponsors the annual Home & Garden Show as well as a continually growing list of activities that have become annual traditions. The Club's 32 members meet every Tuesday at 7:15am at the Waterbury Senior Center. Visit www.rotary-waterbury.org.
Waterbury-Stowe Fish and Game Club
The Waterbury-Stowe Fish and Game Club Is located on a 33 acre parcel of land on Route 100 in Waterbury Center, Vermont. The club was established in 1949 and presently the club has 300 members and is very active thoughout the year. The club objectives are to preserve the natural resources, to promote cooperation between landowners and sportsmen, to teach our children hunting & fishing, and to promote hunter education www.wsfgc.com.
Waterbury Tourism Council
The Waterbury Tourism Council is a group dedicated to promoting Waterbury as a vacation and meeting destination. The group maintains a tourism information booth on Route 100 - approximately 1/4 mile north of I-89 that is open 24 hours a day. There are brochures and maps available at the Booth with local lodging, dining, events and attractions information. WTC developed the logo that is now used for the Waterbury web site www.waterbury.org.
