Commissioner Michael Obuchowski of the Vermont Department of Buildings & General Services presents Ross Stevens with the grant award
NorthWoods new bunkhouse received an added boost in the form of a grant from the Building Communities Grants Program of the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services. Conservation Service Corps Director Ross Stevens gathered with Governor Shumlin, state legislators, community leaders, and grant awardees from around the state for a December ceremony at the statehouse in celebration. The grant to NorthWoods provides $15,000 toward the construction of the 20-person bunkhouse, which received initial funding from the Canaday Family Charitable Trust, and is slated for completion in 2014. Sited in the Spitzer Demonstration Forest at NorthWoods, the bunkhouse will be an integral part of NorthWoods’ Forest Stewardship Institute, enabling the organization to offer intensive training programs for landowners and professionals and extended study opportunities for student groups. The Building Communities program was created by the Legislature to assist nonprofits, municipalities, and economic development agencies with capital projects that bolster service and facilities in their region.
NorthWoods is also pleased to announce a grant through the Vermont Community Foundation’s Northeast Kingdom Fund to enhance employment readiness training as part of our summer Conservation Corps program. With leadership development and on-the job training already key objectives of the Corps program, the new job readiness initiative completes the package by enabling NorthWoods to provide evaluation, feedback, and guidance as part of the hiring process. The Conservation Corps is a first job for many local teens, and we offer our sincere thanks to our neighbors and community members who underwrite the Northeast Kingdom Fund for partnering with NorthWoods to help local youth enter the workforce with the skills they need to succeed.