NOW completes new wastewater system
With the help of a donation from the Mad River Valley Community Fund, the Neck of the Woods Childcare Center (NOW), Waitsfield, has completed installation of a new wastewater system. The new and enlarged wastewater system was required to accommodate more children and is fully connected and functioning. The system was designed with the assistance of McCain Consulting, Clearwater Filtration and installed by Griffin and Sons. NOW currently has 45 children enrolled and is working on hiring additional staff which will enable enrollment to increase to 64 by September.
“We are truly grateful for the continued support from so many in the Mad River Valley and beyond such as the Community Fund and the Mad River Valley Rotary,” said newly-elected NOW board chair Rob Ciappenelli.
Studio 100 Dance and Fitness to open in Waitsfield
Studio 100 Dance and Fitness will open soon on the second floor of the Valley Players Theater in Waitsfield. The studio is owned and will be operated by Alyssa Dybala of Fayston. Dybala will offer classes for children and adults of all experience levels, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, hip hop, and barre fitness.
Studio 100 will offer weekly summer dance camps for children in PK-3 and PK-4, kindergarten through second grade, and third through fifth grade. Registration is open now for the camps, which will take place in July and August. Financial assistance is available through the Mad River Valley Summer FUNd.
Adult barre fitness classes will begin in July, along with a weekly summer dance series for adults on Monday evenings. Kids’ after-school dance classes will be offered starting this fall.
Dybala moved to the Mad River Valley with her family in 2020 from Steamboat, Colorado. She has been dancing since she was 5 and teaching for over 15 years. Trained in ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary dance and a certified barre instructor, she was a member of the Jasper Ballet Company, a soloist in the Southern RI Youth Ballet Company, and performed in the Nutcracker on Broadway.
Summer camp registration and additional information is available on the Studio 100 Dance and Fitness website at https://www.studio100vt.com/. For more information, email
MRV Women in Business to meet May 16
The next meeting of the MRV Women in Business group is Tuesday, May 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Inn at the Round Barn. The guest speaker is Ellen Berrings, the coordinator for the Next Step Program at Harwood. The Next Step Program connects students with local businesses for opportunities to job shadow or intern with the potential for job placement. "During a time where it's nearly impossible to find personnel, it's wonderful to have the opportunity to assist in the development of the future workforce and connect with the community directly," said Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce executive director Eric Friedman.
The Mad River Valley Women in Business group is an initiative of the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce. It is a network of women business leaders who have come together to unite, support, connect and grow. The group began in 2021. There was a surge of new businesses starting, an influx of people moving into the community exacerbating an already difficult housing market, existing establishments were turning over and chamber membership was growing. Much of this change is being driven by women in the community, Friedman said.
The group is facilitated by a leadership committee of women who have stepped up to lead the group. They include: Jenneth Fleckenstein of Clearwater Filtration, Emily Shea from Valley Meade Dispensary, Anna Nasset of Standup Resources, Carolyn Lessard from Mad River Exchange and Farrell Leo of the 1824 House Inn and Barn.
