5 month old Male Kitten available
Cooler weather is coming! Then you will love a warm healthy, playful, affectionate 5 month old kitten purring on your lap! If you are interested in adopting or know someone who is interested please contact Ada Sue Diamond at 442-5865.

Announcements for the week of July 25th
BIRTHDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS this week Friday, July 30th - Lorna Cheriton This week at Second Congregational Church Today: Following worship, please join us for a time of fellowship and refreshment in Webster Hall. SWA Prayers for our churches - Today - The Pawlett Community Church. 5 p.m. Sunday Supper Flyers with School supplies on sale during this week will be on the table in Webster Hall. If you are not able to make it to the stores, donations are accepted and Pat or Trudy will do the shopping for you. Thank you. The Fellowship committee is asking for help with the refreshments for our Sunday fellowship time. Please sign up on the chart in the front of Webster Hall. There are plenty of opportunities to sign up to read scripture. Please sign up on the sheet located on the wall outside the office door. Statements of Giving through June 30, 2010 are available in the lobby on the buffet table. If you would prefer to receive the statements as an email attachment, please let Michelle know, and it will be changed for future statements. Looking Ahead: Next Sunday, Rev. Tom Steffen will be leading communion and worship, with Scott Erickson sharing his faith journey. Monthly Fellowship Luncheon will be Wednesday, August 4th at noon in Webster Hall. Please mark your calendars to join friends for lunch, conversation, and companionship. If you would like to help by bringing a loaf of sandwiches, a salad or dessert, please sign up or see Jane Norrie. Sunday, August 8th will be our “Second Kids’ Summer Camp”. Starting at 10 am through @ 11:30 am, hosted by Meredith Lee-Clark. Please make sure the kids dress for outdoor activities. We will be hosting the Global Village Habitat Team on Wednesday, August 11th for dinner at 6pm. We are providing the food and fellowship. Please see sign up sheet in Webster Hall. Sign up to either help with set up, bring in a main dish, salad, or dessert, or to help with clean up. The sheet is located on the bulletin board with the Sunday supper sign ups. Thank you. Do you have flowers in your garden? Please sign up on the flower chart in Webster Hall or speak to Jan Fabricius, then bring them in to share for a Sunday in August. Thank you. Are you looking for a kitten? Ada Sue Diamond has had a 5 month old male kitten “appear” at her house last week. He is healthy, playful and affectionate. If you are interested in adopting or know of someone who is, please contact Ada Sue at 442-5865. Looking way ahead: The September Open Door will be published by August 24th, please get your articles and announcements in by Sunday, August 22nd. Thank you.

Rev. Tom Steffen and Dr. Dundas to be honored by SVHC
BENNINGTON - In September, Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is honoring two individuals, a physician, and a community member, for their efforts to advance the health system’s vision of healthier communities. The honoree for SVHC’s Health Care Leadership Award is Dr. Richard Dundas and the Reverend Thomas Steffen is the recipient of SVHC’s Distinguished Community Service Award. For the awards, SVHC sought nominations from the public, the physician community, health system employees, and SVHC’s board of trustees. “We’re proud to honor Dr. Dundas and Rev. Steffen,” said Thomas Dee, the health system’s president and CEO. “Both of them have made lasting contributions to the health of SVHC’s community through their leadership and commitment. While it was difficult to pick just two nominees to honor, the achievements of Dr. Dundas and Rev. Steffen are outstanding.” Dr. Richard Dundas is an internist who has practiced in the Bennington area for more than 30 years. He was a physician for Union Carbide (Eveready) for many years. Dr. Dundas also was instrumental in developing many services at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) including the Intensive Care Unit, the Echocardiography Department, Nuclear Stress Testing, and Cardiac Rehab. Dr. Dundas has always exhibited a high level of personal and medical professionalism, kindness, and caring for his patients and the community in general. His dedication to the Bennington community is most evident when visiting the Bennington Free Clinic. Dr. Dundas saw his dream become a reality with support of the Interfaith Council in 2009. He had a vision to provide high-quality medical care to all who needs it, regardless of their ability to pay, and to help them navigate the complex medical system. He acted on that vision and has made sure that everyone in the Bennington area now has access to affordable health care. Rev. Thomas Steffen has also shown great commitment and support of SVHC’s mission and vision over the years. For 29 years he served as the minister at the Second Congregational Church in Bennington and retired in 1994. Steffen has always been very active in the Bennington community. Rev. Steffen served on the SVHC board of trustees, a voluntary commitment, for 22 years from 1984 to 2006. He also has served as chair of the board. Rev. Steffen was instrumental in the SVHC’s search for a new CEO in the early 1990’s, acting as chair of the Search Committee. Today, Rev. Steffen remains active with SVHC. He is a Trustee Emeritus on SVHC’s board and a lifetime member of the SVHC Auxiliary. Rev. Steffen continues to offer his generous support to SVHC whenever and wherever it is needed. SVHC will present the awards at the SVHC First Annual Harvest Ball on Sept. 11. The event will take place at the 1768 Hubbell Homestead at Colgate Park. All proceeds will benefit Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, contact PJ Venti in the SVHC development office at 802.440.4024. SVHC is a community-based, not-for-profit health system that exists solely for the benefit of its community. SVHC has a vision to make the communities it serves the healthiest in the nation. To find out more, visit www.svhealthcare.org.

The Memorial Scholarship Fund
has been set up in Ian Nicol's name. Please make checks payable to Ian S. Nicol Scholarship Fund and mail them in care of Laura Ashbrook, 205 Washington Avenue, Bennington, VT 05201. Bottle drive continues...please bring your bottles and cans to Foster's Bottle Return on Benmont street and tell them it is for "Ian Nicol memorial scholarship fund". Please remember to remove the pull tabs from the cans before you return them to Fosters. The pull tabs are being collected to make bracelets. The proceeds from the sale of the bracelets will be put into the scholarship fund. Thank you.

Summer Church
We will be having two summer camp-type experiences this summer. Meredith Lee-Clark will be leading the second camp on August 8. These camps are from 10-11:30, so wear clothes appropriate for outdoors and active participation. Nursery care for 5 & unders will be provided every Sunday during the summer, and children are welcome to join us in worship, with activity sheets and books available.