Mark your calendar! The Cabot Planning Commission invites you to create a vision for the future of Cabot on Monday, September 13. Dinner at 5:00, meeting begins promptly at 6:00 at the Willey Building.

The Cabot Planning Commission has invited Bill McMaster (University of Vermont Extension) to facilitate a discussion and group activities that will lead to the creation of a vision to serve as a guide for the Cabot Town Plan.

The evening will include a brief background on the Town Plan and the Cabot community and feature highlights from the recent Cabot Community Planning Survey (download complete survey results here [ http://www.cabotvt.us/Documents_Library.html], or review a hard copy at the Town Clerk’s office.)

Full community participation is crucial to the success of this event. We hope to see you there!

Child care will be provided. Please RSVP by September 5 with number attending and child care needs to cabotplanning@gmail.commailto:cabotplanning@gmail.com> or call 472-1810

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Some of you may know about the death in Afghanistan of young Tristan Southworth of Walden. The wake was held last night at the Hazen Union gymnasium. We didn't know Tristan or his parents, Julie and Michael Southworth, or his younger brothers, Robert and Matt, but the death of this young soldier was a powerful reminder of what so many young men and women and their families are sacrificing.

We were impressed but not surprised at the display of flags at the Walden Town offices as we came onto Rt. 15. All along the way to Hardwick there were flags displayed on lawns - small flags set into flower pots or larger ones grouped next to the highway. Flags were set along the route to the school in Hardwick.

We got to the gymnasium at about 5:30 and met a couple leaving. The woman spoke to us as though we were acquainted, telling us we were "in for a long wait." Almost apologetically, I told her we didn't know the Southworths but felt we should come, and she replied, "They're all there and they'll appreciate that you came."

The sun was still hot and the line stretched nearly to the end of the sidewalk. I got in line while Fred took a picture of the crowd outside. There were men and women in uniform, an honor guard of veterans standing at attention at the entrance of the gym and people handing out bottles of ice-cold water to the people in the long, barely moving line.

One member of the guard, a veteran with an oxygen tank strapped onto his back, sat next to the building with an ice pack on his neck, recovering from the heat. By the time we were entering the gym, he was back standing at attention with his comrades, holding one of the big flags. Like so many others who were braving the heat, he needed to be there. Mostly people in the line were silent, and as people came out of the gym there were acknowledgements, hugs and words of comfort.

Inside the gymnasium where Tristan Southworth had played basketball during his high school years, it was surprisingly cool. Large fans spun high in the framework of the gym and as our line inched ahead we watched as others filed past the family - grandparents, Tristan's brothers and finally, his mom and dad, and the flag draped casket. Each responded graciously to the words and hugs and handshakes to those ahead of us, then to us, and all who came after us, a long sad line of people showing respect and caring.

It had taken us about an hour to pay our respects. Outside, the line was longer than before and we knew there would be people still in line well after eight o'clock. The funeral is being held at the gym today, at 10 a.m., and again, there will be a large crowd. A community grieving the loss of a fine young man and in support of his family.

We're saddened by this and mindful of the many other young men and women who have gone before, in this war and so many others. We wish for peace; but until that happens, we must have strength to endure the hardship, the pain, the sorrow. I hope the Southworth family may know that strength.