Dick and Noel Gluck announcing Team Killington results 

Congratulations go our to Dick and Noel Gluck, all of the participants, and the sponsors of Team Killington. Dick and Noel announced yesterday afternoon at a barbecue at their home for this years VT NH "Race for the Cure" Team Killington "Runners" that this years efforts raised over $10,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Great Job!

Thank you Dick and Noel for organizing the Killington community to support the effort to fight breast cancer.

I found my ball...oops!
My drive on the 9th hole at Green Mountain
National was errant, landing at the base
of a large tree 240 yards off the tee down the right side of the fairway. 

It has been a while since my last post. I have been pretty much in hiding for the last 10 days, victimized by a summer cold that turned into a nasty sinus infection. Yeck. But the good doctors at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover New Hampshire gave me some antibiotics and everything seems on the mend.

Last week I actually had 5 rounds of golf scheduled. I succeeded in only playing 2. It was that kind of week. Yesterday, I made it back down to Green Mountain National Golf Course for the Tuesday morning mens quota league. It was not a good day. The picture of my ball snuggled up to a tree on the 9th hole sums up the how the round went...so it goes.

But golf is one of those things, you take the bad with the good. The next shot offers the chance for improvement. The next hole offers a host of new opportunities. The next round is filled with promise and great expectations. And the antibiotics are working...and the sun is out..hmmm...I feel a round of golf coming on...

Keep it in the fairway, and don't forget your sunscreen.

Check Ceremony at the Birch Ridge Inn.
Team Killington member Dr. George Lyons,
team organizers Noel and Dick Gluck,
Innkeepers Mary Furlong and Bill Vines,
and team member Charlotte Lang. (L-R) 

Contribution made to "Team Killington" and the "Race for the Cure"

Innkeepers Bill Vines and Mary Furlong of the Birch Ridge Inn at Killington are proud to donate the proceeds from the first Birch Ridge Sunday Brunch of the 2007 summer season to "Team Killington" and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Each year, local residents Dick and Noel Gluck organize other Killington area residents and guests to form "Team Killington" to participate in the Vermont "Race for the Cure" to raise funds for the Komen foundation. Killington area businesses are enlisted to contribute to the effort by pledging support to the runners trekking down to Manchester for the "Race".

This year, the innkeepers at the Birch Ridge Inn, Bill and Mary, were happy to provided Dick and Noel with a check for $613.45 raised at the benefit brunch held on July 1st. The money will be donated in "Team Killington's" name to the Komen Foundation in conjunction with the 2007 Vermont/New Hampshire "Race for the Cure". This years race takes place in Manchester Vermont on July 29th.

Birch Ridge Inn Staff enjoying
Killington Wine Festival Dinner
Innkeepers Assistant Mickalyn,
Mary, and Chef Stephen Byrne 

The Killington Wine Festival kicked off yesterday for the 6th season with an industry tasting yesterday afternoon at the Killington peak and a gala wine dinner last evening at the Killington Grand Hotel.

The industry tasting was a preview of the "Grand Tasting at 4241", the centerpiece public event of the festival. Approximately 200 wines from all over the world will be tasted Saturday during the grand tasting at the top of Killington mountain, known for being 4241 feet above sea level. Tickets are available to the "Grand Tasting at 4241" for $40 per person which includes your gondola ride to the peak plus wine samples.

Last night saw a new event this year at the wine festival, a Gala Dinner with Dancing at the Killington Grand Hotel. Local chefs Peter Mittendorf of the Lookout Tavern, Claude Blais of Choices Restaurant, Brian Aspell of the Killingon Grand Resort Hotel, and Patrick Boandl of the Inn at Long Trail teamed up to create a tasting menu paired with old and new world wines. Music for the event was provided by the Vermont Jazz Ensemble. Killington does not have a lot of "dress up" events. Kudos go to the ladies of Killington for elevating the style of the evening. They did a beautiful job rising above the "sea of blue blazers" donned by the many of the gentlemen of Killington (myself included).

In addition to the "Grand Tasting at 4241", the Killington Wine Festival will also feature "The Crush", a jazz and wine bar at the Killington Grand Hotel on Friday Evening, a wine tasting dinner at the Birch Ridge Inn on Saturday Evening, and a Champagne Tasting Brunch at the Cortina Inn on Sunday.

Keep it in the fairway, and don't forget your sunscreen.

Killington Town Hall Sign 

In addition to the activities associated with the management changes at the Killington Resort, town government has also started to take actions to address economic issues at Killington.

In response to a June 25th select board discussion on implementing a 1% local option tax in Killington, ostensibly to pay in part for an Economic Development Initiative previously discussed at Town Meeting in March, a group of concerned citizens attended last nights select board meeting to respond to the discussions. The group, who had been solicited to volunteer to study economic development in the town of Killington, requested that the Select Board defer from any conversations concerning raising taxes to pay for the as yet undefined initiative. The group felt that any funding discussion at this point, where the group has not yet been officially convened, was premature at best and polarizing at worst to the process of investigating alternatives to strengthen economic activity in Killington.

In response to the groups request, Dave Lewis, the Killington Town Manager, notified the group that the first official meeting on the economic development initiative had been tentatively scheduled for Wednesday July 18th at 7:00 PM at a place to be determined by the committee co-chairs, Bill Bauer of the Summit Lodge and Chris Karr of the Pickle Barrel Night Club. Stay tuned, as this will get more interesting as the summer progresses.

Wherever you may be on this very warm day in Killington, keep it in the fairway and don't forget you sunscreen.

Slate Gray Junco
guarding the entrance
to the Birch Ridge Inn 

While we were on vacation in Ireland in May, unbeknownst to us, a slate gray Junco took up residence in the rug juniper bushes surrounding the entrance to the inn. When we returned in late May, and all through the month of June, Mary and I watched this little guard bird proudly sitting on top of a light at the end of the walkway leading to the inn. Nothing came in, or went out of the inn without being seen by the Junco's watchful eyes.

For those of you who are not familiar with a Junco, they are birds that look like small sparrows. Their plumage is somewhat monochromatic. The Audubon Society states that Junco's build nests at ground level, generally in bushes or other ground vegetation. They winter in the southern United States along the gulf all the way to Mexico. Their summer range is from Alaska to Canada and along the northern border states of the US.

From our personal experience, the little Junco was quite aggressive. If you interfered with its territory, you were greeted with a series of sharp clicks. Of course, in May and Early June, the Junco had the run of the front of the inn. Other than greeting Mary or I upon our return from a round of golf, the little Junco managed to entertain our guests with its clicks and squeaks from the top of the light, or the peak of the inn's roof. But as we entered the summer season last week, the Junco's territory went through some big changes.

Last week, our restaurant opened for the summer season. Fortunately (for Mary and I) a steady stream of diners and bar goers came to the inn for our re-opening weekend. And of course, we had a benefit brunch for Team Killington and the Komen Foundation last Sunday. On Sunday alone, well over 50 people between guests and staff entered the domain of the little Junco. By Sunday night, the little bird was looking schitzophrentically along the walk leading to the inn, trying to keep watch over it's territory; protecting it from intruders.

When we got up on Monday morning, the little Junco was gone. We are not sure if it fled Killington, or just moved to a quieter nesting place. Mary was disappointed, as she had gotten used to our guard bird announcing visitors to the inn while she was working in the garden. But all things do change. And the little bird's departure did mean that the inn was getting busier, which for us at least is a good thing.

We spotted a Junco in our back yard for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. We are not sure if it is the same one that has held court at the front of the inn the last 2 months, but we hope so. Killington is, after all, a great place to come to and just hang out in the summer.

Where ever you may be, just remember to keep it in the fairway and use your sunscreen.

The flag of the United States of America 

In 1776, the forefathers who established the United States of America declared independence from what they perceived as tyrannical rule from the King of England. To crystalize their thoughts, they published what is now considered to be the founding document of the United States - "The Declaration of Independence". Much of the document lists the grievances suffered by the colonies at the hands of King George. But the core of the document is still relevant as we celebrate Independence Day in the early years of the 21st century.

So as we enjoy our parades, barbecues, fireworks, baseball games, and day off from work, consider for a moment the meaning of "Independence Day" and it's how the principles of the founding fathers of the United States still matter as we pursue happiness and enjoy liberty in our day to day lives.

Excepts from the Declaration of Independence

Happy Independence Day.
Where ever you may be, just remember to keep it in the fairway and use your sunscreen.