Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, a Springfield, Vt.-based mental health agency that serves Windsor and Windham county residents, has started a new intensive outpatient program for people with substance use disorders.
Participants must be able to travel to Springfield, Vt., to participate in the program, according to a news release from the nonprofit organization. The program, which people can enroll in for a minimum of 10 weeks, includes group sessions, one-on-one support and “a focus on wellness skills, mindfulness, coping strategies, relapse prevention, and navigating relationships during or after substance use.”
Visit hcrs.org/contact to get in touch with providers for more information.
Vermont’s Working Lands Enterprise Board has awarded the following Upper Valley farms money to invest in their businesses: Free Verse Farm, Chelsea, $13,909; and Sunrise Organic Farm, White River Junction, $13,158.
The Hartford Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers for the 45th Annual Quechee Balloon Festival, which is scheduled to take place Friday, June 20, through Sunday, June 22, at the Quechee Green.
Activities include selling tickets, assisting vendors and greeting attendees. Volunteers receive free admission to the festival and T-shirts. Visit https://quecheeballoonfestival.com/volunteer/ for more information or to sign up.
Multiple Upper Valley nonprofit organizations are hosting races this spring. Here’s a look at some of them:
19th Annual Steppin’ Up 5K Walk and Fun Run to End Violence: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3. Claremont Middle School, 107 South St. Form a team or participate as an individual, then run or walk the route through downtown Claremont.
Proceeds benefit Turning Points Network, a Claremont-based nonprofit organization. Register and set up fundraising goals at secure.qgiv.com/event/steppinup2025.
BarnArts 12th annual Race Around the Lake 10K/5K: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, May 18. Silver Lake State Park, 20 State Park Beach Road, Barnard. Includes a 10K and 5K race, along with a 5K option for walkers. Sign up at barnarts.org by April 30 to get a free race T-Shirt.
After-race activities along Silver Lake include a free lunch for all racers, live music and an award ceremony. $25 to $50. Proceeds benefit BarnArts youth programming.
11th Annual Sullivan County Humane Society Save a Stray 5K: 10 a.m., Saturday, June 28. Haserlat Memorial Park, Corbin Road, Newport. First 100 paid participants to sign up will receive a free event T-Shirt. Prizes awarded to top finishers.
Pre-registration is $25; children under 12 free; same day registration fee is $30; children under 14 free. Proceeds benefit Sullivan County Humane Society.
Register at sullivancountyhumanesociety.org/Save-a-Stray-2025.
The Ottauquechee Natural Resources Conservation District and Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance will co-host a free horse nutrition workshop from 4 to 6 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at Green Mountain Horse Association (5491 South Road, South Woodstock).
Experts will discuss how to assess hay, pastures and tips for storing feed. Registration is required at HayForHorses.eventbrite.com.
The Windsor Public Library is looking for stories, reflections, memories and poems about town for “Celebrating the Stories of Windsor,” a community storytelling project. People of all ages who have lived or currently live in Windsor — or work or worked there — at any point in time are welcome to submit pieces with a 2,000 word limit by Thursday, May 1, by emailing librarian@windsorlibrary.org.
Visit https://windsorlibrary.org/csw for more information.
Donations
The Windsor Public Library will begin accepting book donations in May for its June book sale. People may bring quality used books — which library director Barbara Ball sums up as “If you wouldn’t give it to a friend, please don’t give it to the library!” — to the St. Paul’s Church parking lot, located at 27 State St., on Wednesdays (May 7, 14, 21 and 28) from 4 to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays (May 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31) from 9 to 11 a.m.
All books must be accepted by volunteers. Leave textbooks, Readers Digest books and encyclopedias at home. Contact the library at 802-674-2556 for more information.
Business and nonprofit hires
Natalie Strout joined Health Care and Rehabilitation Services’s Hartford location as a community outreach specialist in April.
Carine Abbott, of Claremont, has been hired as the branch relationship manager at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust’s Lebanon locations on Hanover Street and Heater Road. Abbott was previously employed as a district manager for Rent-A-Center.
Board appointments
The following Upper Valley residents have joined the Upper Valley Business Alliance’s board of directors: Jeff Acker, founder of HP Roofing and president of Resoreze, a remediation company based in Hartland; Kerry Artman, executive director of the Carter Community Building Association and Witherall Recreation Center in Lebanon; Emmanuel Ajavon, associate director of business leadership programs at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College; Brian Moses, general manager of the wholesale division for Britton Lumber, a wholesale building materials distributor in Fairlee; and Samantha Davidson Green, executive director of Junction Arts and Media, a media arts and cable access television station in White River Junction.
Email nonprofit and business news items to biznotes@vnews.com.