VACE+ Insurance discussion and more in this newsletter!
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Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Read on for:
CEDRR December Mixer | VACE+ Info Session |
Membership Spotlight | What's New in Rutland County | Made at The MINT | Career Hub | Upcoming Events
CEDRR December Mixer Hosted by HFCU
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region's (CEDRR) December Mixer will be hosted by Heritage Family Credit Union (HFCU) on Tuesday, December 9 from 5-7 p.m.
This annual event is a favorite for many! Join us for Mixer Bingo for a special prize, celebrating local organization with thousands of dollars of donations from HFCU, a 50/50 Raffle to benefit WSYB's Christmas Fund, food from The Cluckin' Cafe, and a hot chocolate bar with Speakeasy Cafe including toppings such as marshmallows, candy cane shavings, cookie crumbles, cinnamon, and more!
The address for the Ron Hance Operations Center is 24 Allen Street in Rutland City.
Do You Offer Your Employees Dental and Vision Insurance?
Learn About the VACE+ Insurance Program and Take Advantage of This Great Benefit for CEDRR Members!
We are excited to invite you to an upcoming Informational Session highlighting the VACE+ Insurance Program, an exclusive benefit available to all CEDRR members.
The VACE+ Insurance Program offers access to high-quality, competitively priced employee benefits designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses and sole proprietors. Whether you're offering benefits of the first time or looking to expand your current program, VACE+ provides a streamlined way to deliver value to your employees while helping you attract and retain top talent.
Join us in the Casella Learning Lab at The Hub CoWorks, 67 Merchants Row, Downtown Rutland, on Thursday, December 11 from 5-6 p.m.
What you'll learn:
- Overview of the VACE+ program and how it benefits CEDRR members
- Current offerings including Dental and Vision Plans
- Additional plans, such as:
- Life Insurance (Term and Whole Life)
- Accident Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Short-Term Disability Insurance
- Pet Insurance (with a 15% discount and a unique CEDRR landing page)
This is a great opportunity to learn how you can enhance your employee benefits package with options that are both affordable and designed with our members in mind.
RSVP by Monday, December 8, to Chrispin White at chrispin@rutlandeconomy.com.
CEDRR would like to thank the following businesses for renewing their membership:
A ribbon cutting for Marble Village Apartments in West Rutland on Monday, Nov. 17. Photo by Greta Solsaa/VTDigger
West Rutland Welcomes 24 New Affordable Apartments
Cornerstone Housing Partners is celebrating the completion of a new $13 million, three-story apartment building in West Rutland that aims to expand affordable housing options in the community.
Three vacant and blighted properties were cleaned up and redeveloped to create the Marble Village Apartments. Located at 430 Main St., the new housing is within walking distance to restaurants, a pharmacy, the town's school, post office and library, as well as a grocery store. It’s also on a bus line.
The mix of one- and two-bedroom units, along with studios, will enable the housing nonprofit to accommodate a variety of low-to-moderate income tenants, some of whom were expected to move in before Thanksgiving, said Cornerstone CEO Mary Cohen.
Construction Nears Finish Line for Killington's Lift Upgrade
Ski season started early in southern Vermont, but the Killington Resort is operating without one key piece of infrastructure as it replaces its Superstar Express lift.
The resort began the $12 million project this past summer to upgrade the quad lift to a six-pack configuration.
The construction forced organizers to move the FIS World Cup out west this year. The competition typically takes place over Thanksgiving weekend at Killington and will return next year.
Arwen Turner, Executive Director of Come Alive Outside.
Rutland's Arwen Turner Welcomed to Vermont Land Trust Board
The Vermont Land Trust is pleased to announce the addition of three new trustees to its Board: Sam Burr of Bristol, Lizah Makombore of Burlington, and Arwen Turner of Wallingford. The nonprofit’s Board guides its mission to protect, steward, and restore the farms, forests, and community spaces that define Vermont. The new trustees bring expertise in agriculture, sustainability, and community engagement.
“Our trustees play a vital role in shaping the future of land conservation in Vermont,” said Tracy Zschau, President and CEO of the Vermont Land Trust. “Sam, Lizah, and Arwen bring invaluable insights into how conservation intersects with farming, recreation, and community wellbeing. We’re incredibly grateful for their commitment to our mission.”
Arwen Turner is the Executive Director of Come Alive Outside, a Vermont-based nonprofit that builds collaborative community systems to connect individuals, families, and entire communities to the health and wellness benefits of outdoor spaces. A passionate advocate for outdoor equity and inclusion, Arwen is also the co-founder of Thicket Adventure, an outdoor apparel company creating high-quality, true plus-size gear for larger-bodied adventurers.
Arwen brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and fund development, having led initiatives across the U.S. and abroad.
Call for Applications - Artist Development Grants
The Vermont Arts Council is now accepting applications for its second and last round of Artist Development Grants for fiscal year 2026. These grants support artists at all stages of their careers. They can fund activities that enhance mastery of an artist’s craft or skills or that increase the viability of an artist's business. Funding may also support aspects of the creation of new work when the activity allows the grantee to accept a rare and important opportunity. The maximum grant award is $2,000. The grant is offered two times in the fiscal year. Applications are drawn randomly.
**Application Deadline: Jan. 25, 2026**
How is Vermont's Child Care Impacting Your Business?
In 2023, Vermont passed a child care law called Act 76, which includes over $100 million in annual public investment. The funding, which is partially paid for by a new 0.44% payroll tax, is going directly to child care programs to help them expand, and to families to help make child care more affordable. We’re in the second full year of implementation, and Building Bright Futures, the organization tasked with monitoring Vermont's child care system and policies, wants to hear from you. How is Vermont’s child care system supporting your growth as a business and supporting your workforce? Your input will be used to inform state agencies, the legislature, and other stakeholders regarding what's working and what needs improvement. Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous, although we may quote specific excerpts without identifying you.
Drought Survey Remains Open Until December 15
In response to ongoing and worsening drought conditions across the state, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) has launched a 2025 Agriculture Drought Impact Survey to understand its effects on Vermont farms. This year's drought is the third consecutive season farmers have suffered severe weather impacts, including frost and floods, and now drought. Many Vermont businesses, still not fully recovered from the 2023 and 2024 frosts and flooding, are once again facing uncertainty and impacts.
VAAFM is asking Vermont's agricultural producers to participate in the 2025 Agriculture Drought Impact Survey. The purpose of this survey is to capture the scale and location of drought related impacts experienced throughout the state in 2025. The survey will remain open to capture information on loss and damages until the deadline of December 15, 2025.
Casie and Brendy Hardin-Tidwell, featured in the episode and one of our most recent Real Rutland families to relocate. Photo from Brave Little State's Instagram.
Recognizing Rutland
If you missed the November 20th edition of the Brave Little State Podcast, you should go back and check it out.
The piece is titled, Vermont's "ugly child": The story of Rutland's reputation and it hits ALL the feels. We were so excited that some of our newest residents got a feature, along with the Real Rutland program as a whole - thank you to Steve Costello, concierge volunteer extraordinaire! The episode explores the story of the Rutland that we know and love as well as some darker moments in our history. The tone is ultimately full of hope and enthusiasm for the wonderful things to come and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to play a part in that journey.
Discount at The Hub CoWorks and Upcoming Events
Hot Desk Discounts for Select Killington and Pico Passholders
The Hub CoWorks offers a 20% discount on Half-Day, Full-Day, Weekly, and 10-Day Passes to passholders of The Beast 365 All Seasons Pass at Killington Resort and My Pico K.A. All Seasons Pass at Pico Mountain.
To take advantage of this offer, select the "Grab a Day Pass" button on our homepage. The various options for pass holders will be available to add to your cart.
Please note: To confirm eligibility, passholders will be asked to show the order confirmation email for their season pass when checking in here at The Hub CoWorks.
Upcoming Events at The Hub CoWorks
Downtown Rutland Partnership Jingle Bell Shop
Thursday, December 11, 2025, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Streetside Conference Room at The Hub CoWorks, 67 Merchants Row
The Hub CoWorks will host a Maker's Market in the Streetside Conference Room as a stop on this year's Jingle Bell Shop coordinated by the Downtown Rutland Partnership. The Hub will also serve as a check-in spot on Merchants Row, where shoppers can pick up their bags and tasting glasses.
Buy tickets for the Jingle Bell Shop here →
Financial Features with By The Numbers, LLC and M&T Bank
Wednesday, December 17, 2025, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Streetside Conference Room at The Hub CoWorks, 67 Merchants Row
The Hub CoWorks continues our Financial Features Lunch & Learn series, highlighting financial institutions and organizations throughout the Rutland Region.
Join us in the Streetside Conference Room at The Hub CoWorks on Wednesday, December 17 at noon, as By The Numbers, LLC and M&T Bank share insights around depreciating business assets and business credit cards.
Lunch will be provided. Our Financial Features series is free to the public, but registrations are requested. RSVP here →
Support for this series is provided by the Vermont Small Business Development Center and Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region.
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region's Career Hub features full-time jobs across Rutland County that provide a salary higher than the Vermont living wage.
Project Engineer
Otter Creek Engineering is seeking a Project Engineer to join their team.
Floating Restaurant Manager
Donuts of Rutland is seeking a Floating Restaurant Manager to join their team.
Lead Accountant
Community Care Network is seeking a Lead Accountant to join their team.
View Rutland County career opportunities & post your position →
Finding Calm in the Holiday Chaos
December 5 | 12-1:30 PM | Virtual | $10-50
As year-end demands build and holiday obligations pile up, it’s easy for stress to take over. Join Dee Dice and Kasey Corsello of Mindshift Business Accelerator™ for a restorative, practical workshop designed to help entrepreneurs stay grounded rather than burned out. Presented in partnership with Common Capital and CWE, this 90-minute virtual session will give you tools to navigate one of the busiest seasons of the year with clarity and calm.
Intellectual Property: Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
December 8 | 6-7:30 PM | Virtual | $10
As you grow your business, you build value in its name, logos, trademarks, and bylines. They can be as valuable as your business reputation and profit levels.
Attend this workshop and learn:
- Whether you need protection for your intellectual property
- If so, which methods are appropriate to your situation?
- What processes are involved?
- How much you can do yourself, and at what point a lawyer might be needed?
- The timelines involved
VBCC Virtual Session: Impact Gap Analysis
December 10 | 10-11 AM | Virtual | Free-$49.87
In this session, we’ll guide you through the key steps for certifying under B Lab’s new standards, focusing on:
How to conduct a gap analysis between your current business practices and B Lab’s new standards, using B Lab’s platform
How to identify high-impact improvement opportunities in your business
Identifying and collecting supporting data and documentation
How to assign clear roles, responsibilities, and timelines for closing gaps—so progress doesn’t get stuck
Whether you’re preparing for your first certification or re-certifying under the new standards, this session offers both education and tools you can apply to improve your impact in real time!
