About The Civic
The Civic Standard is a non-profit organization dedicated to building community and collaborative good times centered in the town of Hardwick, Vermont.
The Town of Hardwick supports the mission of the Civic Standard. In the recent past, The Town granted their request for ARPA funds knowing they would continue their mission of bringing community together. Their most recent partnership involved staffing and organizing meals for the Emergency Shelter during the July floods. We believe in their mission and there is no hesitation by The Town that their efforts will benefit the entirety of the Hardwick Community.
– David Upson, Hardwick Town Manager
About The Civic
WHAT WE DO
The Civic Standard is a new name for a project that has been developing for many years. It is a mobile cultural center that exists in various forms and places: as live performance at the local opera house; karaoke night at the Legion; a community-built carnival midway at the town fair; free soup nights run by high school volunteers; open call band practice; and much more.
Our programming is collaborative: we connect unlikely partners in order to build events that are both common and extraordinary. This is an ongoing project of participation, mutual helpfulness, and construction that is never finished.
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Culture is made together, not packaged and delivered.
If you would like to join us, you can. It's that simple.
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If you would like to get in touch with us, stop in during open hours, or email us at: thecivicstandard@gmail.com
Click here to learn about our Safety Policy and Procedures. Click here to learn read our Accessibility Statement.
People want to gather with their neighbors, both the ones they know and the ones they haven’t met. But in an increasingly divided world, we are rarely in rooms with people unlike ourselves, particularly without spending money. Our mission at the Civic Standard is to provide many ways for the people of Hardwick to do just that. We believe that the very best culture is made from the inside-out, and we work with our neighbors to build cultural events that are of interest to us.
Examples of our past events, and events still to come, include Bingo at the Grange Hall with live jazz piano, mystery dinner theater at the Legion, Trivia at the diner, neighborhood bonfires, community meetings, swaps, and old time music jams.
Our mission is to make events where everyone is welcome, and everyone comes. It is a simple idea but a timely one, and we believe the Civic Standard could become a blueprint for like-minded projects far and wide.
WHY IT MATTERS
who we are
This project was founded by Rose Friedman, Tara Reese, and Erica Heilman. It is supported and sustained by a board of directors and a volunteer base of hundreds of members of our greater community.
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Our board of directors is: Lauren Antler, Mike Donofrio, Tobin Anderson, Kelly Nottermann, Lynn Delaricheliere, Jesse Upson, Danielle Livellera and Natashea Winters.
HILLARY ABBOTT
Financial Manager
Growing up in the lavish, muggy hills of Vermont, Hillary never really knew what she wanted to be. Fast forward 42 years and, well, she still doesn’t. But it seems she enjoys bookkeeping and financial madness enough to have landed herself a few related gigs. At the Civic, you’ll find her in the back corners of dark rooms, pouring over receipts and muttering to herself. She lives in Hardwick with her humans, her dogs, and an uninspiring assortment of farm animals.
JUSTIN LANDER
Head of Design
Justin Lander is a comedian, musician and designer. At the Civic he handles graphic design, event creation, set design, and whatever else is needed to. Outside of the Civic Standard he tours puppet shows with Modern Times Theater, performs charity auctions and plays the bass in a variety of musical projects.
TARA REESE
Founder
Tara Reese is a co-founder of the Civic Standard. She is a cook, artist, event producer, and mutual aid organizer. She creates collaborative and unexpected gatherings in which to share food, experience, and grow a shared understanding. She lives in Walden with her son and a small herd of sheep.
MIKE DONOFRIO
Board Member
Mike Donofrio lives around here, plays bass, practices law, rides bikes, and generally tries to be helpful. He was drawn to the Civic because connection is the key and the Civic is all about it, in a really good way.
JESSIE UPSON
Board Member
Jessie Upson has crafted a mix of work that supports her preferred lifestyle—one that prioritizes slowing down, contemplation, wandering in the woods, being with family, and creating art and relationships. She helps deliver babies, waits tables, reads tarot, and runs a business with her sisters in the farmhouse where she grew up in Craftsbury. Jessie now lives with her family in Hardwick. She was drawn to The Civic Standard for its expansive ideas and the permission to create.
ANNIE HOUSTON
Civic Theater
Annie Houston is a descendant of generations upon generations of tall and witty Vermonters. She's a lifelong lover of laughter, creating stories in her head, and devising ways to bring people together. Annie has built a career in public service, first in the cultural sector and more recently education. She grew up in Craftsbury and now makes her home high on a hill in Walden.
HILARY MAYNARD
Future Makers
Hilary Maynard is a career learner and teacher, having been an educator in a variety of contexts since 2001. The throughline in all of her work is facilitating moments for youth to realize themselves in community with others, near and far. Her work at The Civic offers youth opportunities to explore and advocate for their futures. She lives in Craftsbury.
BECCA PERRIN
Volunteer, Swap Shop
Becca is a thrift hound, natural fiber enthusiast and local food nerd. She has been hacking and rearranging garments since her early teens in the indie sleaze era, when she was always too tall to fit the styles of the day. Since then she has been passionate about quality fashion for all, and lives by the motto "use it up, wear it out, swap that sh*t, or do without". She lives on a little homestead in Craftsbury with her husband and two cats.
CHRISTINA SACALIS
Volunteer, Craft Collective
Christina Sacalis is a hand-weaver, textile-designer, hand-mender, design-junkie and avid thrifter. She co-created The Mending Circle, now The Craft Collective, as a way to weave together community through craft. When not at her loom, she can be found at local rummages or playing disc golf. She lives with her family at the end of a horrible driveway in Cabot.
HAYLEY WILLIAMS
Volunteer, Swap Shop
Hayley is a wanna be Hardwickian, who currently lives in Craftsbury. She owns a tiny house which she shares with her rescue dog, Luna. She works at the Center for an Agricultural Economy & spends way too much time at Front Seat Coffee. She enjoys supporting (and being supported by!) the Civic Standard in more ways than one.
MARIA AMADOR
Communications Manager
Maria Amador is a writer and recent graduate of Dartmouth College. She was born in Cuba and raised in Miami, FL, and never expected to end up loving rural Vermont—but she does. Her dream is to listen closely, write true stories, and live alongside at least 7 dogs. For now, she lives in Hardwick with her partner, and she wants to hear what you have to say.
HELEN SHER
Operations Manager
Helen Sher is a recent graduate of Smith College and a long time lover of Vermont. She is an avid emailer, spreadsheet maker, and organizer of both community events and Google Drives. She is a theater and dance maker and currently lives in Hardwick.
TOBIN ANDERSON
Board Member, Civic Theater
Tobin (M. T.) Anderson is a local writer for children, teens, and adults, author of books that have won various awards including the National Book Award and the L.A. Times Book Prize. His children's novel, Elf Dog & Owl Head, won a Newbery Honor. He has written nonfiction pieces for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate, and Salon. He lives down the road from Hardwick in Calais.
DANIELLE LIVELLARA
Board Member
Danielle Livellara is a Human Design business consultant, bookkeeper and money medicine guide. She's one of those strange folk who love to talk about money. When she's not wondering if she's got enough firewood put up for the winter, she's singing with her new band, Lake Party. She lives in Woodbury with her plant friends.
NATASHEA WINTERS
Board Member, Treasurer
Natashea is a public health social worker who has dedicated all of her professional career working for and alongside nonprofits. Her current work encompasses program development and evaluation. She and her family moved to Vermont in 2020 and call Craftsbury home.
RAY LEWIS
Volunteer, Music Instructor
Ray Lewis is a lifelong musician and a sugarmaker by trade. After taking a 30-year detour from his music career to start a family and a farm in Walden, he’s back playing, learning and teaching music. You’ll catch him watering plants at the Civic, playing guitar, banjo and fiddle at the old-time junket, leading free music classes, and encouraging others to live out their musical dreams.
TOM MURPHY
Civic Theater
After trying his hand (and other body parts) at ballet studying with the NYC Ballet, then
spending two years as a professional acrobatic skier in winter, and street performer in summer, Tom Murphy settled on being a slapstick comedian. He has won several awards on the
International stage and taught students around the world how to fall funny. After 49 years of
globe hopping Tom is settling down in Waterbury Center with his partner, where he is 10
minutes from groomed x-c skiing and 25 minutes from the Alpine lift.
LINDA RAMSDELL
Extraordinary Volunteer Book keeper
Linda Ramsdell grew up in Craftsbury and founded The Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick in 1988. After selling the bookstore in 1988, Linda became a bookkeeper for many area businesses including the Center for An Agricultural Economy and Craftsbury General Store. Linda is currently working to organize Headwaters Community Trust and translating a series of middle grade mysteries from Norwegian to English.
JEANNE SEGRETTO
Volunteer
Jeanne Segretto Miller is an enthusiastic volunteer at the Civic. Jeanne is a local teacher, musician, homesteader and community organizer and loves being in service to these things. Jeanne’s love of community and food has made her a guest cook for community supper. Jeanne and her sons Will and JD are frequent visitors to supper and enjoy staying connected with neighbors.
ROSE FRIEDMAN
Founder, Executive Director
Rose Friedman is a theater maker, director, community organizer, and performer. She co-founded and directs the Civic Standard, and tours original shows to unlikely rural regions as Modern Times Theater. Rose studied at the Moscow Art Theater and New School University, and toured with Bread and Puppet Theater for over a decade. She lives with her family in East Hardwick.
ERICA HEILMAN
Founder
Erica Heilman produces a podcast called Rumble Strip in East Calais Vermont.
LAUREN ANTLER
Board President, Civic Theater
Lauren Antler is a comedian, storyteller, writer, arts administrator and producer. A graduate of Barnard College and Teachers College Lauren has spent her 25 years in the arts including TV production, theater, circus, non-profit administration and as an entrepreneur. She lives in Montpelier with her family and crochets cowls.
KELLY NOTTERMANN
Board Member
Kelly Nottermann is a writer, farmer, and weird human being. A graduate of the University at Buffalo, Kelly has spent her “professional” years as a reporter, storyteller, advertising copywriter and now a communications director. She lives in Hardwick with her family and a pile of chickens, a fish named Blub Blub, a Guinea pig, a corgi, and a lot of cows, pigs and sheep.
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SARA HEDRICK
Volunteer, Civic Theater
Sara has volunteered in several Civic productions. In her working life she is seasoned geospatial analyst who has built a
career working in the public sector. She has an interest in fiber arts. In her free time, she is always finding something to get up to. She lives in Woodbury.
ANDREW MAY
Grant Consultant & Civic Theater
​Andrew May is the founder of consulting firm Wild Branch Sustainability Strategies, LLC, where he coordinates grant writing and strategic planning efforts for The Civic Standard. He is a Researcher with the University of Vermont, and is working to complete a Ph.D. in Sustainable Development Policy, Economics, and Governance. Andrew enjoys all forms of music, outdoor fun, and spending time with his wife and two cats.
KENT OSBORNE
Volunteer, Civic Theater
Kent Osborne played an un-frightening gorilla in the Garage of Doom and helped write the game show Change Your Life for which he also provided sound effects. A born follower, Kent loves carrying chairs and boxes. Outside of the Civic, Kent writes and storyboards cartoons for TV and lives in Hardwick.
LESLIE ROSS
Volunteer, "Shut Up and Write"
Leslie Ross moved to Hardwick in 2024, relocating from New Orleans where she learned about Shut Up and Write. She is working on her first novel. Her favorite authors are Henry James and Sophie Kinsella.
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VAIVA VELZIS
Volunteer, Afterschool Hang
Vaiva Velzis is an organizer, educator, poet, and sound artist, dedicated to creating inclusive spaces where young people feel seen, valued, and supported. Now in their second year as Hazen Union's Community School Coordinator, Vaiva draws on experience in harm reduction, mental health advocacy, and holistic student care. Grounded in a love for myth, play, and the more-than-human world, Vaiva seeks to bring joy, curiosity, and imagination into all they do. They are currently building a cabin with their partner in the woods of Walden.
