Honors, awards, and congratulations
PAWLET—The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards recently named 14-year-old Riley Callen of Pawlet as one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers of 2017. In the eighth grade, she founded an annual hike that has raised more than $250,000 in search of a cure for brain tumors.
The Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees has given the rank of Professor of Humanities Emeritus to three Castleton faculty members: Robert Gershon, John Gillen, and Bob Johnson. Gershon retired this year after 40 years teaching communications, many of them as department chair. Gillen taught English at Castleton from 1970 until his 2015 retirement. Teaching at Castleton for more than 29 years, Johnson originated the professor of philosophy program; he created the $1,000 Robert Johnson Fellowship, bestowed annually on a deserving philosophy major. All three have been recognized with the award of FSC Faculty Fellow.
New life for Lake Bomoseen accommodations
BOMOSEEN—A new name signifies a new beginning, new owners, and new management for the former Edgewater Resort and Trak-In Steak House on the shores of Lake Bomoseen. New owner Neshobe LLC purchased the three-parcel resort from Rosemary Rogers and Bernard Poremski Jr. for $1.9 million, according to a story published in the Rutland Herald.
The new owners are continuing with renovations, but had lodgings open in time to take in guests during the weekend of Castleton University and Green Mountain College graduations, said Eryn Rowe, general manager of the newly named Lake Bomoseen Lodge & Taproom. It has 24 lodge rooms, 14 condominiums, and two guest cottages. The restaurant will be open in late June, serving meals seven days a week; weeklong rentals will be available in July. Having grown up in Rupert, Vt., Rowe is excited to be part of the community, she said. Working with Rowe is Danny Warnecki, at the front desk.
Over time, more renovation will continue, including restaurant expansion to provide more space for entertainment and balcony seating overlooking the lake. Dock space allows patrons to boat in for food and beverages.
New Castleton town offices open
CASTLETON—Town staffers are officially moved into their new town offices as of May 16. Their new digs, on Route 30 next to both police and fire stations, have been a long time coming. They have been in transition since the offices at 667 Main St. closed following the 2011 discovery of toxic mold.
The town debated whether to renovate the old office space, buy something else and renovate it, or build from the ground up for quite a while before voters approved erecting the new structure last year. One of the sticking points had been that the new building — which the offices newly occupy — would be outside the historic village center and therefore removed for the center of economic activity.
The previous town office building is now owned by the Castleton Historical Society. Although the organization purchased the building in 2015 for $75,900, no plans for its use have been announced.
