Kickin’ It With The Nuns by Tara Campbell

WINOOSKI, VT - When one thinks of nuns, one thinks habit, floor-length robe, cross, and strict catholic attitude. The Sisters of Our Lady of Providence, and The Sisters of Africa, however, are totally on the flip side.

These Sisters--Sister Pat McKintrick, Sister Arlene, Sister Germaine--to name a few, will shock anyone. At first glance, they portray personas of sweet, tender-hearted, women dedicated to serving their calling from above and devoting their lives to helping those less-fortunate and spreading the message of peace and God’s love around the world. Within a few short hours of their company, one will find perceptions doing a total 180.

Even in their senior years, Sister Arlene, and Sister Germane are spirited, full of life, and the kind of spitfires not found on an everyday basis. While Sister Arlene is sweet, inquisitive, and has a sense of humor that will fill even the emptiest room, Sister Germaine is feisty, quick-witted, and has no qualms about giving her fellow Sisters a few doses of hazing-all within good fun. Sister Pat, the youngest among the trio is bold, sardonic, and a full-fledged joker. With her take-charge attitude, she has earned, affectionately, the status of “The Rebel Nun.”

Through their numerous endeavors, Sister Pat, Sister Arlene, and Sister Germane have developed a close relationship with the citizens of Winooski. Due to their selfless acts of kindness and sacrifice for the people whom they have come to love, the Sisters of Our Lady Providence and Our Sisters of Africa have earned a special place in the hearts of the Winooski community.

Devoted to their vow of helping those less fortunate, over the years, the Sisters have developed several projects that benefit Winooski and in turn create a feeling of family and belonging throughout the community. They have taken a vow of poverty so that they can walk right along side the very same people they have dedicated their lives to helping.

A lot of the projects remain unknown, but some have become popular. Take the Friday Morning Coffee Hour, for instance. Every Friday morning, at the O’Brien Community Center, starting at 9:00 and lasting until 11:00, the Sisters come together to work side by side with the O’Brien staff members to provide a safe place for those who are looking for a sense of belonging. Many of the community come to grab a cup of java, munch on a donut, engage in conversation, and just simply relax among friends.

While Coffee Hour is mostly a social gathering for the elderly, the youngsters do tend to flock towards the free goodies as well. Sister Pat heads the Coffee Hour, with Sister Arlene and Sister Germane at her side. The Sisters receive donations for the breakfast goodies and coffee from companies such as Starbucks, which allows for a win-win scenario. The Winooski area gets a free breakfast on Fridays and Starbucks gets publicity by having its name associated with a charity event.

Residents also work side by side with the nuns to develop a tighter-knit sense of pride for Winooski. Associations such as the Winooski Coalition For A Safe and Peaceful Community (WCSPC) also contribute to these successful Winooski projects. A familiar face that can usually be seen at every Coffee Hour is Kate Nugent, the administrator for the WCSPC.

Kate Nugent would be one of the few who have the closest relationship with the Sisters that exists outside the work place. “I have them over for waffles sometimes. And garden tours. You know, get to know their background. I think Sister Pat is a good personality for me.” Kate and Sister Pat spend much time around each other—Sister Pat is, essentially, Kate’s boss. But the two find a balance between professional and social time, feeding off each other’s attributes. “I think she [Sister Pat] is not afraid to get in people’s faces and stand up for what she believes in. You know, to make things into a big deal if she thinks that they are. She’s not somebody that’s going to let things fly just because it’s going to upset somebody. I don’t think she makes everything a big deal, but I just think she’s very courageous.”

For the last year or so, Kate, Sister Pat, and the other Sisters, have worked together on many of the projects that concern the development of Winooski. Kate is a first hand example of how the nuns can totally flip your perspective in just one meeting. “I think you have to be open-minded. I think one thing is that people tend to hesitate when they find out that there’s going to be nuns around is that they’re going to be criticized, or judged, or feel guilty for—you know—not being pure or whatever. I think that’s really not the case, and that would be the thing that I would tell people. You know, don’t worry about that, they don’t make you feel that way. I think that they’re great and not judgmental. ”

Traditionally, one thinks of nuns as being quiet and demure. But these nuns go against the grain. With enough energy to fill a stadium, enthusiastic attitudes, and a contagious love of live, they make all those within the same vicinity fall under a spell for the same positive outlook. Their sense of humor is what makes gatherings such as Coffee Hour such an enjoyable experience.

The nuns’ influence reaches beyond just the city of Winooski. They welcome all interested parties to be a part of their activities and spread their message of acceptance, peace and camaraderie. Their positive vibes and inviting nature has reached the margins of Burlington itself, expanding as far as Champlain College campus.

The partnership between Champlain College and the O’Brien Community Center provides an opportunity for college students experience the culture of Winooski. Students enrolled in the Ethnographic Writing: Life Stories class, offered during the Fall semester, are required to spend two hours a week at a field site in Winooski. One of the popular choices is the O’Brien Center, where they are exposed to the WCSPC and other organizations. Within their time spent there, they cross paths with the nuns.

Exposure to the Winooski nuns will inspire many, including students, to live life to the fullest, and devote part of their time to bettering the lives of others. The preconceived notions of the personas of nuns will fly out the window within just a few moments of first introductions. Some, like Kate, feel that encounters with the Sisters help within their professional lives as well. “I think it helps you grow, like as a person, in a non-profit career. It helps you become more focused. For me, it has helped me go from being focused on my own work and try to prove myself as an individual, to focusing on being a contact for the greater human good and working together to accomplish things.”

Sister Pat, Sister Arlene, and Sister Germane will turn any world upside down. Even just taking five minutes to set aside preconceived notions will allow for perpetual encounters that promote change. Such as Friday mornings spent kickin’ it with the nuns.

Spectrum Bars Youth from Loitering, Housing Still a Problem by Anthony Carace

BURLINGTON, VT - While Burlington prides itself as a close, tight-knit community, there is no denying that even its most innocent and unassuming citizens are subject to hazards that may sneak up on them. Of these, drug abuse and homelessness are among the most prominent dangers because they are usually unseen by those they afflict. They may strike without warning—perhaps a family is fed up with a child’s outbursts and attitude—and they are usually crippling. Luckily, Burlington has a slew of organizations devoted to helping at-risk and underprivileged youth get back on their feet. At the forefront of this assistance movement, Spectrum Youth and Family Services is one of the most well-known, with a multi-faceted view of how to help those young people who might endanger themselves.

Spectrum’s Drop-In Center, located on Pearl Street in Burlington, is an off-shoot of the main organization, a place for those who do not have a place to go. The tradition has been for kids, ranging from 14 to 21 years old, to use the front stoop as a hang-out spot, a place where they might while away the hours before moving elsewhere. This has not gone unnoticed by Spectrum staff, who have posted restrictions on when and why youth may hang out by the entrance. Spectrum’s goal is to provide immediate assistance, including shelter and food, to youth who are completely at rope’s end in terms of solutions and alternatives to their current lifestyle. However, this goal isn’t always recognized by kids who aren’t even sure what they need to do to get help. “A lot of young people have come to see this as a hot spot to hang out,” said Bridget Everts, drop-in coordinator at Spectrum. “We’re trying to be mindful of our presentation as a community organization.”

Once, kids congregated in front of the Pearl Street Drop-In Center en masse; up to twenty at a time could be seen milling around the entrance, all with the same intent: to pass the time before they are forced to go somewhere else. “That’s not what we’re trying to do here,” said Everts. “We don’t ask questions, but the kids need to know what they want.” Now, one is hard pressed to find young people standing at the doors in waiting, unless they are smoking a cigarette.

Spectrum has delivered stern warning to kids who choose to take advantage of its front door rather than its counseling and housing services. Several signs on the front window of the building serve as notice that loitering will not be tolerated. A young person caught hanging around the front entrance will be denied a bed for three days; if further offenses are accounted for, beds may be denied for even longer. “We’re not trying to drive people away,” said Everts. “Our doors are open to everyone…they just need to come in.” While the effectiveness of the signs might be in question, the resolve of Spectrum is not. Their goal is to allow kids fluid life-transitions after experiencing hardships; they are not simply a place for kids to while away the hours.

“It just sets off some unpleasant feelings for people when they hear kids swearing up and down the block,” said Everts. The Spectrum Drop-In Center is located in between the Chinese food restaurant Fu Da and Parima, on the corner of South Winooski Avenue and Pearl Street. Such an area is frequented by citizens and tourists alike; Burlington Police Department officers don’t have a standing presence there, but they can be called in if an individual becomes disruptive or violent. “We don’t tolerate fighting or violence,” said Everts. “That’s not the kind of place we’re trying to promote ourselves as.”

Kids look to Spectrum’s help for a variety of reasons, noted Everts. Drugs, abuse, or simply because a youth was kicked out of the house—there is no one cause as to why kids turn to Spectrum, and the organization doesn’t ask a lot of in-depth questions when a youth comes knocking. “Our job is to help these kids reconnect with their families,” said Everts. “We don’t point any fingers, and we try to be as un-invasive as possible.”

Where, then, do at-risk youth go if they choose not to enter Spectrum’s shelter? For many, the choices are limited. “It’s hard knowing where they go because a lot of them don’t talk to us,” said Everts. One of the most difficult parts in solving the mystery of youth run-aways and hazards is knowing what becomes of the kids when they’re denied access and entry to Spectrum. “Run-aways can be picked up by the police, but that doesn’t really solve anything,” said Everts. “They’re still without a home.”

Spectrum’s Drop-In Center hours are from 10 am to 6 pm, so there is a limited amount of time that a young person can seek help from the organization. The signs themselves, whose warning appear dubious, may actually be working in keeping kids away from the building when it isn’t open for business. However, the question of where these kids go when Spectrum isn’t there to help still remains. According to Everts, no one really knows. She said there are a lot of place in the city for kids to go, and that makes it difficult to track kids down and, more importantly, check on their condition. If there is a warrant out for a kid’s arrest, it is the responsibility of the police department to deal with the offender. Still, kids and at-risk youth should know that Spectrum Youth and Family Services is there to help; certain rules must be followed, but the goal remains the same—to give the wayward a base they can use to reestablish themselves.

Profile on Trevor Whipple - Chief of Police by Pamela Wheeler

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT - It's hard to find an excuse not to know your local police department when you live in a town whose population is under 20,000. South Burlington, Vermont, most recently the home of the first International House of Pancakes in the state, is also home to South Burlington Police Department located on Dorset St. Chief of Police, Trevor Whipple, has been the resident Chief of Police since 2006 and since then has represented the community in a friendly and personal way.

Whipple, a native of Littleton, NH, joined the police staff in South Burlington 3 years ago. He began his career in his home town around age 16, visiting the local police station and sitting in on dispatch and “ride-along” with the staff of the department. Part of Whipple's job requirements include overseeing and hiring the 47 officers that work in the department. There are 41 male officers and 6 female officers. “Admittedly there isn't much diversity as of right now, but that's something we're working on,” says Whipple.

He began his career in Littleton but soon worked his way into Barre, VT where he was Chief of Police for 7.5 years. In Barre, Whipple experienced the good with the bad, as any police officer is guaranteed to do. He recalls one incident in Barre, right before Christmas when a house fire was called in. As the police officers and fire department stood outside, attempting to put out the fire, they could hear the cries of the people inside, burning to death. Watching tragedy that is just out of your reach to solve is part of the job, says Whipple, “The good far outweighs the bad.”

Located in his office are pictures and newspaper cutouts of stories and family members who have touched the hearts of this small town police chief. One image, a girl named Sydney, became a friend of the family who had been involved in a horrifying car crash. In order to aid the girl in overcoming the crash, Whipple took personal time out of his day to visit her school and help her present the images and story of the crash to her classmates. It's going above and beyond like this that creates sensitivity to the strict duties of a police officer. “People want to become police officers so they can help people, its hearing the ' Because of you, I'm ok' that makes the job worth while. Every day is different,” says Whipple,” It’s like playing the lottery.”

In order to become a police officer, Whipple admits that there isn't much to it. He encourages those interested to start young and maintain a clean background while doing your research. Leadership courses and a graduate degree are encouraged but not necessary to apply for the position. “Really, you just use common sense. Larger departments require more education in your background, but it really just depends on the agency that hires you.”

After spending 30 some odd years in the business, Whipple doesn't plan on quitting any time soon. When comparing his work in Littleton to work here in Vermont, Whipple says it’s hard to compare. “The times are so much different now; it’s hard to base on either size or time.” When it comes to working the force, Trevor Whipple knows what he's talking about. “It's all I know,” he chuckles, “If I get fired, I'm screwed!”

Parking Problems Persist, and Homeless Youth Resist - Commentary by Anthony Carace

BURLINGTON, VT - Every city has its own problems, though such issues cross boundaries and demographics. Burlington is no different from the rest. Predicaments ranging from limited housing to educational crises to domestic violence and bullying in schools all play a role in the development and betterment of the community, though that doesn’t make citizens any less annoyed by their presence. While there is always room for improvement, the possibility of complete alleviation of an issue is highly unrealistic.

Take the public parking situation, for instance. Burlington is one of the most walk-able cities this side of Boston, yet people continue to drive their cars to and from work, school, or the downtown area. Certain folks must drive from surrounding communities, and though CCTA offers buses from towns such as Winooski and Williston, there is nothing like the convenience of one’s own automobile. Unfortunately, there are far more cars than Burlington itself can possibly house; for that matter, there is a limit to residents’ tolerance of those who attempt to park in front of their houses. As for college students, most are forced to pay a fee or a fine if they choose to park in Champlain or UVM lots.

Fines and fees may anger drivers, but they are necessary evils in the battle against car-citizen conflict. Burlington Parking Enforcement has numerous information and website postings about parking regulations and policies, but it is up to the drivers themselves to access this information and deal accordingly. People can certainly park anywhere they’d like, but many factors play into whether or not one is punished for driving into town. It’s best to be aware of zoning restrictions (certain streets are privileged to residents only), where parking garages/lots are located, and the hassles that come with disobeying the rules. Much blame is passed onto those with authority, but drivers need to keep their eyes open to the hassles that come with parking their own way.

Parking problems are a mere inconvenience, however, compared with the horrors of drug abuse and homelessness, especially when young people are involved. Outreach programs such as Spectrum Youth and Family Services try to curb the issue with their Drop-In Center, but a vast array of kids and other young people are forced to call the streets their home. The Drop-In Center acts as a temporary housing site for homeless and at-risk youth; the only problem is that there are limited hours one can stop by and take advantage of Spectrum’s services.

While it is a nonprofit organization, Spectrum is still a business, and it has to close at a certain time. What, then, is the best course of action when facing an issue that literally ruins lives? The answer is that there is no best course of action. Programs and organizations do what they can to keep young people and the general public informed about homeless and at-risk youth, but this problem becomes difficult to pin down when kids disappear altogether. This is not to say that there is a high rate of youth death, but that even though kids may not have an actual home, they do have places to hide out. Worse, many are afraid to discuss their problems and seek help. Spectrum cannot impose its will on those who don’t want to face their problems, but perhaps more can be done to reach out to kids. What those steps include remains a mystery and, for some, a misery.

A State of Fearlessness - Malaika DosRemedios by Emily Cummings

BURLINGTON, VT - "Inspiration is all around you, and in every moment that you stand," says Malaika DosRemedios as she sips her iced coffee and shifts her dark eyes out the window onto Burlington, Vermont's famous Church Street. DosRemedios works as the Case Manager for the Skills for Life Program (SLP), a program federally funded and provided through the Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) that helps individuals and families living in BHA's public housing developments. An alumnus of the University of Vermont (UVM) with a degree in social work, the 25 year old has helped shape the program to become what it is today. DosRemedios has been working with the SLP since its initiation over three years ago.

“I remember looking around when I first came to the community I would be working with and seeing no grass,” recalls DosRemedios. The children of the community were playing soccer on dirt patches and hard concrete. “I decided the first thing I was going to do was start a soccer team for the community,” she says.

With the help of Gary Rodgers, director of Burlington Parks and Recreations, scholarship money was raised and donated to the children. “It’s so important for the community,” says DosRemedios. With the help of Rodgers and others’ donations, DosRemedios was able to provide the children with uniforms, equipment, and even buses to transport the team to a real soccer field for practice and games. Currently the team is undefeated. “It’s really great and it has helped me build a bond with the people of the community,” says DosRemedios. “The parents see what I’m doing for their kids and they think, ‘hmm, what else is Malaika doing?’ and they are more open to trying new things like the Skills for Life Program,” she says.

Malaika DosRemedios has an interesting skill-set. Having spent time studying at the School for International Training (SIT) abroad in East Africa, DosRemedios was able learn to speak some Swahili, as well as have the chance to study some Islam. “We are unique in Burlington in that we have a large population of people who come from Africa. I think it is scary for them when they are trying to start out. Just going to a job interview or even filing out an application can be difficult,” DosRemedios explains. “I think the fact that I speak a little bit of Swahili is comforting to them. They feel less alone,” says DosRemedios.

The trip to East Africa was inspired by her father who passed away when she was only ten years old. "My father is originally from Goa, India and had moved to Zanzibar in Tanzania," DosRemedios explains. "Eventually, to escape the political persecution that was going on in the region, he moved to Vermont. I remember growing up and smelling the foods of India and Africa on the table. Because of that connection with my father, I was inspired to go when I was older. I wanted to learn the language. It was a really great experience. I want to go back," says DosRemedios.

Prior to her trip to East Africa, which she took in the spring of her junior year at UVM, DosRemedios was growing up in Warwick, RI. She knew she wanted to help people in some way, but entered UVM as an undecided freshman. "I wanted to narrow my focus from 'helping people' to something more specific," she says. "At one point I thought I wanted to be a nurse; but then I realized that I wanted to be building relationships with people. I am a social person and I wanted it be more about connecting with people."

Dos Remedios began thinking back to high school and was inspired by one of her counselors there. "She shaped so much of me," she says. "She really helped me my senior year and I wanted to be able to do that for someone else."

After settling into her degree in social work, DosRemedios did her field placement at the Howard Center working with Developmentally Disabled (DD) adults. Her job included home visits where she would help individuals with goal setting and building life skills. Today, as the Case Manager for the Skills for Life Program, she builds off this experience helping individuals and families visualize themselves out in the world accomplishing their goals for life.

Once graduated, DosRemedios returned to the Howard Center for a year. This time, she worked in the Children and Family Division as a Behavioral Interventionist. She began working at BHA in July of 2007. But, DosRemedios is about to switch it up again. "The federal grant for the Skills for Life Program was only for three years," she explains. This means, by July, she could be out of a job. That doesn't slow her down though; she says it's another opportunity.

In three weeks, for example, DosRemedios, an avid marathoner, will be running The Great Wall. Yes, from May 7 -17, she will be in China where she will take part in a 26.2 mile marathon on and around the Great Wall of China. The actual race takes place on May 14. "I can't wait," she says. The trip was inspired by a man she met who told her he had, "just ran The Great Wall." Immediately, DosRemedios was eager to find out more. One year later, she's ready to run it herself. When she returns, DosRemedios will then participate in the Burlington City Marathon.

"It's like something else helps you," DosRemedios says, trying to explain how she is able to run so many miles. "It's really about getting rid of 'I can't,'" she says. For DosRemedios, this isn't just something she tells herself to run 26 miles, she also lives it. In her spare time, between helping and inspiring community members through her work and running marathons, she also teaches yoga at Burlington-Yoga.

"It's all about looking within," says DosRemedios. She takes that idea, and then reaches outside herself. "I don't think about it like, 'oh I have to run 26 miles,'" she says. "Instead, I think, 'this is one step.' I just take it one step at a time and then I look back and see what I've overcome. You literally feel like you can do anything."

Malaika DosRemedios is also currently working on getting her personal training certificate. "For me it's not about that number on the scale, or getting to that perfect size. It's about feeling good about yourself. When you feel good, you look good," she says.

DosRemedios believes in "working on a state of fearlessness." This mantra "fearlessness" is actually tattooed on her left wrist to prove it. Last year, during a time when she was feeling less than fearless, she decided to try skydiving. "I just thought, 'I wanna do that,' so I did," she says. "Why not, right?"

"I'm really grateful for the people throughout my life who believe in me," she says. "I'm so grateful to have these people in my life who've inspired me because without these people I wouldn't be here." DosRemedios accredits a lot of her accomplishments and her confidence to look within to her family, especially her "Nanna." But it's also her innate ability to be open to experiences. “A very wise person in my life said to me, 'you only get one life; be true to yourself,' and that's how I try to live."

Parking Problems Persist, But Officials Working Toward a Solution by Anthony Carace

BURLINGTON, VT - Of the innumerable issues facing Burlington citizens, the itch most can’t seem to scratch is the parking problem. Many Burlington residents regard the parking situation as dire. With such a large amount of people competing for spaces, so few driveways for residents to harbor their vehicles in, and so many students with so little money to pay for a zone pass, finding a place to park can be a struggle. However, it is not as severe as most may fool themselves into believing. In a city that values walking and public transportation as highly as Burlington does, parking is an issue that can be easily remedied.

For those who prefer to go by car, on the other hand, searching for a space can be quite the hassle. The problem stems, at least partly, from the almost 20,000 students who migrate to the city each fall. While most freshmen don’t bring their cars freshman year, many upperclassmen do, and they put considerable pressure on Burlington Parking Enforcement and campus security. Champlain College has specific parking zones for campus residents, yet these continually conflict with Burlington’s permanent residents. It became such an issue that “Burlington residents actually complained to the police department,” said Carl Riden, associate director of Public Safety at Champlain College. Most cities have a first-come-first-served policy concerning spaces that can be occupied, Riden noted. Burlington, on the other hand, has adopted an unorthodox system in which permanent citizens have priority over parking spaces. And while students may purchase parking permits from the College for $100, zone violations are a persistent problem. “We ticket between 125 and 150 people a week,” said Riden.

The resident-only zones occupy a considerable portion of the streets in Burlington, and they have hours set from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., depending on the area; however, there is ample room for Champlain students to park. UVM, on the other hand, has no parking restrictions. Students and commuters are allowed to park wherever they can find a space, excluding lots on the UVM campus. “UVM has always placed more demand on parking availability than Champlain,” said Riden. Indeed, the student and faculty population of UVM far exceeds that of Champlain, so it seems only natural that the University would have a greater need for parking spaces in and around the campus.
The Gilbane Parking Lot, on Lakeside Avenue, offers year round service for those who need a place to stow their car for the day. An added benefit is that the lot offers a shuttle to commute Champlain students to and from campus.

Attendees of Champlain and UVM account for only a fraction of the Burlington parking problem, however. Certain streets, such as South Union and South Winooski, just on the outskirts of the downtown area, are available for whomever to park their vehicles during the day, and there are several garages where people can park for free for the first two hours, after which an hourly fee is added. Unfortunately for commuters who travel to Burlington for work, these spaces fill up quickly. This results in more ticketing and stricter regulation from Burlington Parking Enforcement, an issue that will probably never be fully resolved.

As for Burlington Parking Enforcement, Parking Manager John King says that he sees no real conflict between permanent citizens and those students who have cars and need places to park them. “The real trouble is downtown, where space is somewhat limited,” said King. “You can definitely park on Main Street…just don’t expect to get a space right in front of the business you’re trying to enter.”

While tickets will forever be a punishment for illegitimate parking, King noted that ticketing has gone down considerably in recent years. The ticketing records are kept by fiscal year. “In 2005-2006, there were 84,000 tickets issued, and there were only 63,000 for the 2008-2009 year,” said King. This massive cut in tickets shows that there may be a slight upswing in people’s awareness of the parking issues. Fewer tickets could mean fewer conflicts, as well as fewer cars in the city.

Despite the parking enforcement’s heading of the issues, there is no stopping the winter and its impact on the city’s drivers. Parking bans constitute a huge part of the problem because there are far too many cars and not nearly enough garages for people to stow them in. “There are certain measures people can take to prevent a ticket,” said King. “They can double up in drive ways, and they can even park on the lawns, which they never used to be able to do.” Parking bans are issued well before a storm is due to hit the city, and the media issue notifications well ahead of time; lights are posted on telephone poles that flash when a parking ban is imminent. “People are given plenty of notice…it’s just up to them to pay attention,” said King. Overall, King said he feels the system works “very well.” As with any system, there are always kinks, but the parking situation is constantly monitored and improved.

The citizens of Burlington, on the other hand, have mixed feelings both about student parking and Burlington’s Parking Enforcement, but they remain mostly positive. Eric Mootz, an off-campus Champlain senior, says he has no real problems with the parking in the city except “when I can’t find a space in front of my house. What makes me real(ly) mad is when people take up spaces because...they don’t know how to properly park.” Drivers’ parking abilities and the permission to park anywhere, however, are two separate issues. Chris Donnelly, a Burlington resident, feels similarly to Mootz on the issue of first-come-first-served policy. “That’s the way it should be…whoever gets there first should get the space. There’s enough parking for everyone. It’s annoying if you don’t get a spot in front of your house, but that’s how it is.” Many live-in residents of the city have drive-ways, so there is little issue about finding a space to park for them. For those who are forced to park in the street, however, the battle and the irritation may never end.

The issue is not as severe as many may think, though. Burlington citizens have many options to avoid parking predicaments, and much is being done by Parking Enforcement to make sure the process runs as fluidly as possible. Any questions or concerns regarding zone violations, snow bans, or tickets should be directed to Parking Enforcement, located at the Burlington Police Department.

Build Me Up, Strike Me Down - Commentary by Tara Campbell

Sominazation Disorder. Insomnia. Chronic PTSD. Eating Disorder NOS. ADHD-like tendencies. Crazy, psycho, belong in a loony bin. Don’t talk to that girl; she’ll contaminate you. A social leper. Girl with a disability-yeah, that’s me.

Fall semester was a dark, twisted mess. It was nothing but a cycle of nightmares, tears, and silent screams. That’s all I’ve ever known-sordid, traumatic memories. It fucked me up bad-mentally, emotionally, physically. I was a complete, absolute wreck. A concerned counselor required I go for an evaluation. Why? To prove whether or not I was crazy.

For the past five months, I have been going up to UVM once a week for Trauma Therapy. Two weeks ago, I finally had answers to what has been haunting me for so long. I finally had a diagnosis. A label. I was diagnosed with Somanization Disorder. No, don’t ask me what it is, because I barely understand it myself. But, to make some sense of it, whatever affects me emotionally or psychologically affects me physically. It started developing when I was a kid. I didn’t grow up in a stable, healthy environment, and I have no idea what one is. Hell, why would I? I was an abused kid. It’s not hard to put two and two together. I was never raised with how to accept, learn about, deal with, or interpret emotions. So it gave me a fucked up childhood and a difficult future.

I am struggling to even find any sort of evidence of what is healthy and what is stable, because for the first twenty and a half years of my life, I’ve been floundering. A diagnosis is the last thing I need to deal with. Yes, it confuses me, and yes I wish it hadn’t happened. Some of the only positive effects that come out of it is it offered me some directions, some answers, and a lot of explanations for how I am. The way things are. If there's one thing I hate, it’s being vulnerable, clueless, helpless, and being left wide open.

No, it doesn’t mean I’m fucked up, I’m crazy, or I’m any sort of different person. What it means is it’s just another hurdle I have to overcome, another thing that’s going to test my strength. The disorder also comes from the trauma I have experienced in my life, and in the last nine years, it’s been a lot-so it surprises me I am not a wreck most of the time. Turns out I’m actually stronger than I ever thought, and I am able to function somewhat normally.


I expected to have to carry one label, not six. Having six different diagnoses tends to make anyone wonder if they’re fucked up. I know I’m not crazy, but it’s not something I’m going to advertise to the rest of the world. I made that mistake once. The response I got was “Isn’t that a psychological disease? You’ll be okay. There’s plenty of help outside the professional. You have people who love and care about you. You’ll get better.” Never again. It doesn’t change me as a person. I’m still me.

Junior year has almost ended. It’s been a hell of a ride. You want to know how it feels to be a college student coping with a disability and trying to finish everything on time? It’s hard. Sometimes I struggle to find even one iota of concentration. Some days I just don’t want to do it anymore. Having AD-HD like tendencies makes it difficult to sit still for hours on end, for class after class. My attention gets diverted in the shortest amount of time. I wish I could use my energy to focus. How would you feel if you had to fight a constant battle and grapple with your priorities on an everyday basis? Two words: It sucks.

Receiving this diagnosis wasn’t the permanent form of relief I originally perceived it to be. Instead, it just becomes another chore, and adds another to-do list to my life. Actually, it just becomes yet another secret that I have to hide. Wonderful. I already have enough of those.

Being labeled presents a whole new ballgame. The recommendations for treatment for my disorder don’t guarantee any significant solid improvements. What do they recommend for the labeled kid? Get this: cognitive behavior therapy, education on proper sleep hygiene-i.e. sleep-study, sleep log, regular habits, etc, and learn how to redirect my emotions. Piece of cake, right?

I can’t let this disorder destroy me. I’ve been through much worse than this, so I ought to be able to transition into this new idea of labels without too much difficulty, right? Perhaps. I’ve already proven that I have iron clad self-will when Life decides to bitch-slap me. So, come on labels and disorders, I’m ready to play ball. Hit me with your best shot. I dare you.