A headline's meaning was never more apt and poignant. With the death of Zeke Kassel last week, a collective pall befell the town. The Champlain Valley Union High School student was killed in a car accident on his way to school Friday morning on the Shelburne Hinesburg Road, barely over the Hinesburg town line. Left behind, in tandem with life's unanswerable questions, is a community's shared sadness and the unfathomable grief of the young man's family and friends.

More than 7,000 visitors to Shelburne Farms last year learned about the history, buildings, programs and mission while on a guided property tour, and they heard the whole engaging story from one of the Farms' volunteer tours guides.

Members of Winton House team are jumping into Lake Champlain in the Penguin Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 11 a.m. in support of Vermont Special Olympics and their team member Jesse Campbell. Winton House teacher Mary Beth Harris and teaching assistant Max Ernst spoke in turn about their pride in the students' inclusive team spirit and caring.

From most points in town, we can see that the higher elevations of the Green Mountains have snow cover, but in our own backyards we have spent most of January looking at the cold, hard, brown yards that an almost snowless winter provides. While I'm sure many of our neighbors are pleased that they don't need to shovel, salt, or snowblow, those of us who look forward to a layer of snow for our winter activities have been frustrated.

Word spreadFriday afternoon that for the first time in its 27-year history WinterFest would have to be cancelled. It wasn't so much due to the lack of snow, because there was a plan in place (involving a Hawaiian theme, complete with leis and volleyball) to deal with snowless conditions at Shelburne Farms. The cancellation was more the result of icy conditions at the Farm Barn's courtyard, which would have been the site of many WinterFest activities.

WinterFest at Shelburne Farms is a great way to celebrate the season at Shelburne Farms whether the weather cooperates with lots of snow, or organizers have to get creative with snow-free fun. Whatever the weather, WinterFest is fun with activities and entertainment for every age, from sledding on the hill to cheese sampling and great entertainment.

Middlebury Mystix player, Sally Ober, poses before game time at the 13th annual Face Off against Breast Cancer fundraiser last weekend in Middlebury. The annual event, sponsored by Wind Ridge Publishing, raised over $56,000 for Cancer Patient Support Program's Patient Services and Emergency Fund.

According to Wake Robin resident Rudyard Colter, last year his family and friends "entered into a gentle conspiracy" to surprise Janet, his wife of 68 years on her 93rd birthday. He said he wanted to give her a gift that would "knock her socks off."

It is the second week into January and the ground is still largely bare of snow. Though die-hard skiers may never see a silver lining in a snowless landscape, this is not the case for geocaching and letterboxing enthusiasts. They see an extended season of questing for the hidden treasure troves that are usually covered by snow and ice.

More than half a dozen residents of the Woodbine Road and Juniper Ridge neighborhood attended the Planning Commission meeting on Jan. 12 to voice their concern about a "shed" approved by the Zoning Administrator and erected at 466 Juniper Ridge.

Stamps sporting a cow, an eagle, two roosters, and a centaur, from the collection of weathervanes at Shelburne Museum, will be available at the Shelburne Post Office starting Monday, Jan. 23. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps, which feature photographs taken by Sally Andersen-Bruce. These stamps will be issued in a First-Class Mail large coil format.

In contrast to the histrionics in Washington, the State House is abuzz with work not politics. OK, maybe 90 percent hard work, 10 percent politics. I took some time on Friday to visit the 14 House committees to give you a picture of activity there.

Early into the Selectboard meeting last Tuesday, Jan 10, nothing less than a request for a ballot item to amend the US Constitution came before the Board. Lousie Ransom stood before the Selectboard to make the Board aware of local petitions being generated to urge Congress to reverse the Supreme Court decision granting "personhood to corporations."

The state's brightest and most articulate high school students converged at Champlain Union High School Saturday morning to debate the benefits of a college education. More specifically, "Does the cost of a college education outweigh the benefits?"

With the fast approach of Shelburne's annual Town Meeting, March 5 and 6, there are a number of deadlines of which residents should be aware:

The volunteer Friends of Shelburne Dog Park Corporation are looking for like minded community members to be involved and support the park by becoming a member of the Friends. Dues for membership in the Friends of the Shelburne Village Dog Park Corporation is $25 for the year.

In addition to local independent retailers, other area businesses also make significant charitable contributions to the community. For example, Gregg and Beth Beldock of the Bullrock Corporation, parent company of The Lodge at Shelburne Bay, allocated nearly $100,000 in donations last year.

Oops! In the Jan. 12 Shelburne News' front page article entitled "The generosity of Shelburne retailers" it was stated incorrectly that Michael Lash was on the board of the Visiting Nurse Association and the Visiting Nurse Foundation; it should have read that Michael Lash was formerly on the board of these organizations.

"There are too many women and families touched by breast cancer," stated Wind Ridge Publishing's Holly Johnson when asked why her company supports Face Off Against Breast Cancer, a charity hockey tournament held annually in Middlebury. "I've been a hockey mom ever since my twin boys started skating at age five. When the opportunity to sponsor this important fundraiser came along, I jumped at the chance to get involved and to show my support."

Shelburne Charlotte Hinesburg Interfaith Project, the three-town organization that raises funds at its resale shop to make grants to projects that benefit their neighbors and communities, is ready to make another round of grants. Applications from non-profit organizations in the towns for projects from large to small are due by Jan. 31.

Members of Shelburne's Girl Scout Brownie troop #30060 listen to firefighter Matt Callaghan's presentation on fire alarms. The girls went to the 911 call center at the police station and to the fire station on Jan. 5 to learn about the 911 process and preventing injuries as steps toward earning their First Aid badge.

Part of what makes a community thrive is how well it preserves and supports its unique culture. Much of the fabric of that culture is composed of its Little League teams, farmers' markets, schools, recreation, art and music programs, social services, its environment and architecture. Many of Shelburne's existing programs and events are supported thanks to frequent generous contributions from local businesses.

The One World Library Project, located at the Lawrence Memorial Library in Bristol, has planned the grand opening of its Kid's Kiosk featuring new books for children about cultures around the world. The celebration will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon, and includes a reading by Vermont author and Shelburne resident Alison James of her highly acclaimed book "The Drums of Noto Hanto."

December was a disappointing month this year for those of us who look forward to a fresh blanket of snow to accompany our winter recreation. My plan was to write about cross country skiing on the new trails in the Upper LaPlatte River Natural Area. However, this did not come to pass since we lacked any snow to ski. Downhill skiing in the area was suffering from the lack of snow as well. So, instead of getting out on our skis last month, we laced up our hiking boots and walked several of the trails in town.

There is still an opportunity for residents to participate in one of the four working groups for the Regional Planning Commission's Environment, Community, Opportunity, Sustainability (ECOS) Project.

For as many as 30 years, Charlotte Shelburne Rotary has donated turkeys to ensure that local families have a traditional feast at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In this era of lightning bolt changes and technological awe, I Pads and apps, this writer questioned whether things are still the same in the North Pole. How does Santa do it?

'Tis the season to unplug our computers and lay down our pens, as Shelburne News publishes this final edition of 2011. We are grateful to our advertisers for their continued support as we bring the news of Shelburne to all of our readers in 05482. It's our pleasure to serve you and this wonderful community. Happy Holidays!

I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute (along with Doug Merrill of the Pedestrian Paths committee) to this column and highlight the many natural areas and resource concerns of Shelburne's parks. Recently I completed a management plan for Shelburne Bay Park for the Natural Resources and Conservation Committee and some of the unique natural history features of the park seem a logical choice for my first topic.

The holiday season has arrived. The days are short and our calendars are full with all of the special occasions that the holiday season brings: shopping, parties, decorating, concerts to attend, etc.

Beer nuts and brew-aficionados have reason to rejoice this upcoming holiday and New Year's season: Matt Cohen, former brew master of Vermont's nationally known Magic Hat Brewing Company, has decided to implement the creative entrepreneurial spirit that Magic Hat entertained and open his own brewery - Fiddlehead Brewing Company - just across from Shelburne Vineyards on Route 7. Cohen's Fiddlehead Brewing Company conveniently shares space with building owner John Koerner's planned pizza parlor called Folino's.

Ted Koppel, former anchor of ABC's "Nightline" and a special correspondent for NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams," interviews former ABC News Foreign Correspondent Barrie Dunsmore of Charlotte about his new book "There and Back" at the Newseum in Washington D.C. Sunday, Dec. 11.

As Americans look for more meaningful ways to give this holiday season, the American Red Cross is offering its Holiday Giving Catalog (www.redcross.org/gifts), which includes a variety of symbolic gifts that support its humanitarian programs.

On Sunday, Dec.11, the parishioners of St. Catherine's of Siena Catholic parish welcomed a new family to their midst. At noon, Father Michael Deforge blessed the parish's new crèche, as well as more than 25 crèches belonging to parishioners.

Former ABC News foreign correspondent Barrie Dunsmore will be at the Flying Pig Bookstore Thursday, Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. to speak and sign his new book "There and Back."

Believe it or not, the holiday season is almost here. Amidst all the things needed to be done— holiday shopping, cooking, and decorating—it's important to take time out to help others so they can enjoy the holiday season as well.

Last Friday's lunch at Shelburne Community School was a little salty, but it wasn't because of the food. It was because Food Service Director Peg Meunier was retiring after 25 years at SCS and this was her last working day and school lunch.

Helping and Nurturing Diverse Seniors (HANDS) is pleased to provide both a delivered meal and a sit down dinner on Christmas Day during the 7th Annual Holiday Dinner for seniors.

The American Red Cross, Northern New England Blood Services Region will hold a blood drive in Shelburne at the Town Center on Dec. 14 from 12 to 5:30 p.m.

Shelburne photographer Paul Boisvert and his wife Ellen McShane joined friends and fans and Wind Ridge Publishing on Tuesday evening Nov. 29 at the Ice House to celebrate the release of Boisvert's new book, "Burlington ~ A Sense of Place."