The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 11

THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2000 3B VERMONT DAY CARE: St Albans center might close Dinner and a view "When a center like this closes it just creates panicked parents and more families out there looking for child care with fewer and fewer openings." Susan Richards, child care referral specialist at Child Care Resource in Williston Continued from Page IB day care," Herder-Bennett said "It's pretty devastating to the community," said Tina Mueller of Enosburg Falls, whose two daughters, Catherine, 7, and Sarah, 5, have gone to the center since they were 8 weeks old. Although her daughters will be able to attend a before- and after-school program at their private school in St Albans, she said she heard other parents say they were unable to make suitable arrangements for their children and would have to quit their jobs. Herder-Bennett and Mueller said Little Shepherd was a wonderful place for their children and they would continue on there if it stays open. The Family Center in St Albans, which offers child care support services, received between 20 and 30 calls Friday from parents and other community members concerned about Little Shepherd's closing, director Pam McCarthy said. St Albans Town and St.

Albans City have 11 licensed day care centers and 53 registered home providers, she said. Friday, there were more openings than usual for this time of year for preschoolers and school-age children, she said, which might able to meet its payroll after Sept. 8. Little Shepherd had been losing money in part because enrollment has been lower than expected and because its fees aren't covering its costs, he said. The center has 18 full- and part-time employees.

It is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and serves breakfast, lunch and snack. It charges $105 weekly for infants, $100 for 2-year-olds and $90 for children older than 3. Werpy said he had been reluctant to raise fees because 60 percent of the children receive fixed day-care subsidies from the -state, and their families would have to make up any difference if fees go up.

He said he did not know why enrollment had fallen. The day care is licensed for 97 children but has about 80, with that number expected to drop when school starts, Werpy said. If the center remains in business it will have to raise its fees as much as 10 percent and reduce discounts available to families with more than one child, Werpy said. The center, formerly Snoopy's Preschool Daycare, has been in business for 12 years. Werpy and his wife, Linda, have owned it since January 1999.

make it a little easier for parents to find a new place. Susan Richards, child care referral specialist at Child Care Resource in Williston, said a week's notice is hardly enough time for parents to research options and make such an important decision. "When a center like this closes it just creates panicked parents and more families out there looking for child care with fewer and fewer openings," she said. Werpy said he decided to close the center because it was losing money and would not be RAJ CHAWLA, frr ftfjj Heather Lavigne (left) of Essex Junction and Dave Lafayette of South Burlington enjoy dinner from Beansie's Bus at Battery Park In Burlington along the stone wall. Vt Press group announces awards HALL: Berkshire wants to renovate building Feature photo (daily): 1.

Molly Lamb, Valley News; 2. Margo Smith, Rutland Herald; 3. Adam Pike Riesner, The Burlington Free Press; honorable mention, Amy Thompson, Valley News (West Lebanon, N.H.). Feature photo (nondaily): Robert Eddy, The Herald of Randolph; 2. Trent Campbell, Addison Independent; 3.

Bob Faling, Bradford Journal Opinion; honorable mention, Robert Eddy. News photo (daily): 1. Raj Chawla, The Burlington Free Press; 2. Vyto Starinskas, Rutland Herald; 3. Adam Pike Riesner, The Burlington Free Press; honorable mention, Jennifer Hauck, Valley News (West Lebanon, N.H.).

News photo (nondaily): 1. Robert Eddy, The Herald of Randolph; 2. Trent Campbell, Addison Independent; 3. Trent Campbell; honorable mention, Robert Eddy. Best editorial (daily and non-daily): David Moats, Rutland Herald; 2.

Molly Walsh, The Burlington Free Press; 3. (tie) Jim Fox, Valley News (West Lebanon, N.H.) and Biddle Duke, Stowe Reporter. John D. Donoghue Award for arts criticism (daily and nondaily): 1. Casey Seiler, The Burlington Free Press.

The Mavis Doyle Award (daily and nondaily): Nancy Bazil-chuk, The Burlington Free Press. Sports photo (daily): 1. Raj Chawla, The Burlington Free Press; 2. Vyto Starinskas, Rutland Herald; 3. Rob Swanson, The Burlington Free Press; honorable mention, Christian Wideawake, Rutland Herald.

Sports photo (nondaily): Trent Campbell, Addison Independent; 2. Glenn Callahan, Stowe Reporter; 3. Trent Campbell; honorable mention, Robert Eddy, The Herald of Randolph. Continued from Page IB about $100,000 to bring it up to date. The Town Hall was built for $2,000 in about 1898.

The $100,000 would include insulating the hollow walls; installing plumbing, a septic system and a new heating system; replacing the indoor privy with toilets; and redoing the wiring. Storm windows would be bought for the 7-foot-high windows. The restoration fund has $2,400. Kelly 'and others say reopening Town Hall could provide a gathering point again for this mainly farming community, whose about 1,300 residents are spread out in three population centers East Berkshire, West Berkshire and Berkshire Center. There are no industries in town many commute miles away to jobs in St Albans or Burlington and only a few businesses.

Since the Town Hall closed, most community activities have centered around Berkshire Elementary School, a red brick building with blue doors about a quarter mile away. However, the school has not been able to take the place of the Town Hall as a social center. "A lot of us never went for it; we always wanted the Town Hall," said Stowe, whose own parents and four children attended events there. There seems to be quite a bit of community support for the project, said Robert Archa-mbault, chairman of the Berkshire Selectboard. The $100,000 estimated for the renovations seems like an attainable goal, he said, adding that the Selectboard would support issuing a bond for the repairs.

"It could be a vital thing for the community if it's done right," he said. Jessica Wetherby, 18, of Berkshire Center, grew up hearing her father, Mike Wetherby, talk about the dances and other events he attended at the old Town Hall. She is in favor of reopening it. "It would bring the community back together some, I think, just the whole atmosphere of it," she said. Not everyone agrees.

Todd Forty, 38, a farmer who lives in Berkshire Center, said the cost of the renovation was too high. That much money would be better spent on the school or helping lower residents' taxes. "For $100,000 you could build quite a building vs. renovating something like that," he said. 9) rr I ill I I Jill.

1 1 Laser Printer Copier WATS jto Advertise Your Card, 4 Vvst call Marianne Green 802 660-1824 Cartridge Reman ufactunnz If 7 1 UliblJliLJ. nnw I -1 I Li Li Ll As Low As $46.95 An Environmentally Economically Sound Alternative Free Pickup Delivery Unconditional Guarantee 864-7637 266 Pine Street, Buriington. VT 05401 ESSEX The Burlington Free Press and the Addison County Independent were the top winners in the Vermont Press Association's annual writing and photography awards announced Sunday afternoon. VPA President Susan Small-heer presented the awards at the Champlain Valley Fair. The Free Press won eight first-place awards, including a pair of double winners.

Raj Chawla won for best daily news and sports photography. Casey Seiler won for daily feature writing and also won the John D. Donoghue Award for best arts criticism among daily and nondaily newspapers. The Free Press staff also took first place for best state story among daily and nondaily papers for coverage of civil unions and best local story among dailies for coverage of the roundup of fugitives in Chittenden County. Other first place awards by the Free Press were taken by Andy Gardiner for daily sports writing and Nancy Bazilchuck for the Mavis Doyle Award among daily and nondaily papers.

The Independent, a twice-weekly based in Middlebury, took firsts for sports writing by Andy Kirkaldy and sports photography by Trent Campbell. Campbell also had two seconds and two third place finishes in other photo categories. Jennifer Jensen was third in feature writing for the Independent. The annual journalism competition is open to the 10 daily and four dozen nondaily newspapers that circulate in Vermont. Massachusetts Press Association members judged the contest.

The winners were: Rookie of the Year (daily and nondaily): 1. Bryan Sinquefield, Bennington Banner. Best sports writing (daily): 1. Andy Gardiner, The Burlington Free Press; 2. Matt Crawford, The Burlington Free Press; 3.

Tom Haley, Rutland Herald. Best sports writing (non-. daily): 1. Andy Kirkaldy, Addison Independent, 2. Dave Morse, Hardwick Gazette; 3.

Mickey Smith, News Citizen (Morris-ville). Best local story (daily): 1. The Burlington Free Press staff (Tam-ara Lush, Casey Ross, Emily Stone); 2. Rutland Herald staff (Tracy Schmaler, Caleb Daniloff Frederick Bever); 3. Alan J.

Keays, Rutland Herald, Best local story (nondaily): 1. Amy Kolb Noyes, News Citizen (Morrisville); 2. John Zicconi, Stowe Reporter; 3. Sandy Cooch, The Herald of Randolph; honorable mention, George Tyler, Essex Reporter. Best state story (daily and nondaily): 1.

The Burlington Free Press Staff (Nancy Remsen, Adam Lisberg, Tamara Lush, Erin Kelly, Abbey Duke); 2. Rutland Herald Staff Diane Derby, Frederick Beaver, Heather Stephenson); 3. Jim Kenyon, Valley News (West Lebanon, N.H.). Feature writing (daily): 1. Casey Seiler, The Burlington Free Press; 2.

Alex Leary, Valley News (West Lebanon, N.H.); 3. Sam Hemingway, The Burlington Free Press; honorable mention, Kevin O'Connor, Rutland Herald. Feature writing (nondaily): Chris Dodge, Hardwick Gazette; 2. Pete Hartt, Stowe Reporter; 3. Jennifer Jensen, Addison 863-1500 ext.

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