|
Community, Recreation, and Entertainment
Student Activities
Student Activities Committee
The Student Activities Committee seeks to provide a high standard of quality for student life at Sterling College, by coordinating events, activities, and entertainment for the community. On campus events such as guest lecturers, concerts, contra dances, Earth Day, etc. are scheduled throughout the year. Students can also plan off campus trips such as climbing, hiking, or visits to other towns and cities. The Student Activity fee provides a budget for the Student Activities Committee.
Woodsman Team
This team, forming when there is enough interest, learns competitive skills using traditional logging and camping practices. Training is focused on a spring inter-collegiate competition.
Service Projects
Sterling encourages students to take part in service projects in the surrounding communities. These can be arranged through the Dean of Work.
Pick-up Games
Students are often found playing pick-up games of ultimate Frisbee or soccer on the common, or on the soccer field by the lower student residences. There is also a sand volleyball court located behind Merlin and Madison House.
Our Town & Surrounding Area
Craftsbury Common
With a population of 1,200, Craftsbury Common is a friendly, community-oriented town. The Common itself is often a venue for town-wide events such as concerts by the Craftsbury Chamber Players, the Antique Show, and Old Home Day. Also located on the Common is the Craftsbury Public Library, and Stardust Books, a branch of Galaxy Bookshop, where students purchase their Sterling College textbooks. From May to October there is a local Farmers' Market every Saturday. Down the hill in Craftsbury, there are two general stores for food, movie rentals, and local charm, as well as The Music Box, which offers folk music shows and other programs.
Hardwick
About 10 miles away, Hardwick has restaurants, a laundromat, two grocery stores, the Galaxy Bookshop, and the Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op. From May to October there is a local Farmers' Market every Friday.
Morrisville
A slightly larger town then Hardwick, Morrisville is about 20 miles away and has many restaurants and stores, a hospital, an outdoor store, and a movie theater.
Greensboro
About 8 miles away is Greensboro, home to Willey's General Store, where if you can't find it, you don't need it - a very popular place in the area. The renowned Circus Smirkus is located there, as well.
Northeast Kingdom
The entire area of northeastern Vermont is known as the Northeast Kingdom, a sparsely human-populated area but with great diversity of wildlife and wild lands.
Vermont
Vermont, with a total human population of half a million, is known for its friendly, down-to-earth people. The state features a working landscape of farms, wild lands, and communities. For more information on Vermont lodging, dining, and activities visit Vermont.com.
Recreation
Craftsbury Outdoor Center
The Craftsbury Outdoor Center is well-known for its sculling, running, and nordic skiing camps and facilities. The Center's trails are linked to trails that run through Sterling's property. Students are able to ski on the groomed trails at no charge.
Skiing
Vermont is known throughout the country for some of the best eastern skiing. Sterling is in close proximity to several ski resorts, such as Jay Peak, Stowe, and Smuggler's Notch. For more information about skiing in Vermont, see the Ski Vermont webpage.
Hiking
There are thousands of miles of trails in Vermont! The Long Trail and Catamount Trail, both of which stretch the length of Vermont, are very well known and are maintained by volunteers (such as Sterling students) and by the Green Mountain Club. There are also many hiking opportunities throughout the Vermont State Parks.
Canoeing/Kayaking
There are several lakes, ponds, and rivers surrounding Sterling. Students are often found on Lake Elligo, Little and Big Hosmer Ponds, and the Black River. Remember, we are in the part of the world where the rivers flow north!
Biking
Whether on the surrounding trail network or on the many dirt roads, there are plenty of biking opportunities in the area.
Outdoor Equipment
Rental of the college's outdoor equipment is encouraged, with the following guidelines:
Canoes -- From May to October, if a student has successfully completed the SS105 course or has demonstrated capability with canoes, then he/she may sign out a canoe, PFD, paddle, and foam roof racks for up to three days for flat water trips.
Camping Equipment -- Camping equipment such as tarps, tents, stoves, fuel bottles, bow saws, foam pads, sleeping bags, and sports gear such as snowshoes and cross-country skis may be rented for a fee and damage deposit by contacting the Equipment Manager.
Entertainment & Area Events
Contra dancing
A popular style of dancing in the North Country, contra dances are held every other Saturday in Montpelier (about an hour away). Occasional dances are held at Sterling College as well as the surrounding communities.
Bread and Puppet
Bread and Puppet, located in nearby Glover, is an organization that has performed theater productions with political, social and environmental themes for over 30 years. Anyone is invited to participate in their shows during the summer. B&P also tours throughout the year in parades and does school residencies and special performances.
Circus Smirkus
Circus Smirkus, based in Greensboro, is a summer camp and performance group for kids 8-17. With only a few weeks of rehearsal, the group tours their show throughout New England.
Other events
Vermont Life magazine has an events calendar for the entire state.
Places of Worship
Sunday worship services are held at the United Church on the Common at 10 a.m, the Presbyterian Church in East Craftsbury at 11 a.m., and Our Lady of Fatima in Craftsbury holds services at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. The Craftsbury Friends Quaker Worship Group meets each Sunday in the Sterling College Library. Other denominations and faiths are represented in neighboring towns.
Transportation
As public transportation in the area is limited, all Sterling students are allowed to have personal vehicles on campus, provided that they follow stated parking guidelines. Sterling vans are often used for transportation for events such as contra dances, area performances, and outdoor trips.
Bus, rail and limited air transportation are available in Montpelier, forty miles from Craftsbury Common, or Stowe/Waterbury, at about the same distance. There is also bus and extensive air service in Burlington, seventy miles from the campus. The College will run a shuttle to these terminals at the start and end of all semesters. To defray a portion of the cost of this service, there is a charge of $30 per person for each trip.
|
Project—SARP
