Get Your NPR Election-Themed Buttons Today Only!

When you support Vermont Public Radio with a pledge today, we’ll thank you with a trio of these NPR election-themed buttons. Click here to make a pledge, or call us at 1-800-639-6391.

These buttons, with designs chosen by listeners, let people know you’re an informed voter because you listen to public radio. Wear them on your jacket or hat, pin them to your backpack or the bulletin board in your kitchen or office cubicle.

Don’t delay – these buttons are only available today, the first day of VPR's fall membership drive. Your one-time contribution or sustaining membership will help us pay for the news coverage you need to make important decisions this November!

Thank you so much for your support!

The News Is Very Serious Business.

But that doesn't prevent the VPR News team from writing silly songs to entertain and thank our loyal volunteers during our membership drive. We've heard pledge drive-themed songs based on the theme from Three's Company, Do-Re-Mi, and the theme from Gilligan's Island...and let's not forget Mitch Wertlieb's funky beats.



We take our responsibility to provide essential news, information, music, and conversation very seriously, but sometimes we just need to show a little love for the listeners and members that make VPR thrive! Do you have a public radio-themed ditty to share? Let us know and it may make the rounds at our next fundraiser. Also, donations of funny hats are welcomed and encouraged!

DJ Mitch Lays Down The Funk, Yo

As most Morning Edition listeners know, host Mitch Wertlieb can sometimes get a little, well...excited during membership drives. He's the kind of guy whose enthusiasm for public radio and the importance of listener support is so intense that he just can't keep it in.

Which is how he sometimes gets himself in (metaphorical) trouble.

Two mornings in a row, he's brought out his now-famous impression of Grandma Wertlieb, reciting what his grandmother would say if Mitch didn't support his public radio station.

There was also the great Pushups for Pledges incident of 2011. And the now-infamous shower scene from last October. And the beard-shaving fiasco of 2009.

So no one was really surprised when Mitch promised that if we met our morning pledge goal, he'd recite a little rap sent to us by VPR members Diane and William Ferriter of Thetford.

Unfortunately we came up a mere 7 pledges short - but despite, in Mitch's words, his "profound lack of beat rhythm, cadence, and timing," we convinced him to record it anyway. Enjoy!

If you haven't had the chance, we hope you'll make a contribution today online, or by calling 1-800-639-6391. We promise to not let Mitch rap anymore but we can't vouch for what he'll think of next.

Listen to Mitch Wertlieb rap here.

Do You Listen To VPR In The Shower?

Sing along to the Morning Edition theme music? Do a victory dance when the Eye on the Sky forecast is for sunshine? It's okay - so do we. Then we wondered what would happen if VPR literally was with you in the morning - check out this video below!



This morning we're giving away 20 Sangean waterproof radios so you can listen in the shower and never miss a minute of VPR or VPR Classical - all you have to do is make a pledge to be entered to win. Thanks!

Sox Or Yankees?

When you make a pledge to VPR this morning, it doesn't matter what team you root for! That's because we're giving away a trip for two to see the Boston Red Sox vs. the Oakland Athletics on August 8th at Fenway, or the New York Yankees vs. the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on September 24th, courtesy of Vermont Baseball Tours.

The prize includes round-trip transportation, game tickets, a t-shirt, snacks, and on-board trivia with prizes and giveaways.

There will be two drawings - the first winner gets their choice of trips, with the remaining prizes going to the runner up!

And don't forget to listen to Morning Edition this morning for some baseball rivalry, VPR-style between Sox fan Mitch Wertlieb and Yankees fan Peter Biello (pictured above)

The drawing is at 9 a.m., so make your pledge now, and thanks!

VPR Cooks: Chocolate Hummus (No, Really!)

As if a sunny, beautiful Friday morning wasn't awesome enough, this is the first email I opened when I arrived at work today. Win!

Producer/Announcer Peter Biello is our resident vegetarian and is known for sharing his creative, healthy recipes with the Vermont Public Radio staff. (We're also pretty sure he's responsible for occasionally leaving quantities of decidedly less healthy candy in the VPR kitchen, but that rumor has yet to be confirmed...)



Anyway, back to chocolate hummus, which combines two of my favorite foods. It was delicious spread on graham crackers with a cup of coffee - and it's a nice way to enjoy chocolate in a somewhat nutritious form! If you need more detail, you'll find the original recipe here.

And don't miss Vermont Edition today at noon and 7 p.m. when we'll celebrate chocolate and hear from local chocolatiers!

Young Radio Players Take Over VPR Studios

This week, VPR is teaming with enthusiasm from young writers and performers.

The Flynn Center's summer camp program has taken over VPR's Performance Studio. Camp is all week and creativity is in the air. Walking down the hall, you can hear experimental noises creeping out of an open door.

Evidence of their creativity is apparent in the elaborate brainstorm maps posted along the walls. Other evidence of burgeoning brilliance includes: toys, instruments, mysteriously bulging bags and a variety of props.

This crew is here for the week to write, rehearse, and perform a dramatic classic radio play. They are learning how to construct sounds and use their voices in clever ways to tell a story and create a picture with audio. These talented kids are learning from one another and from their instructor; singer, songwriter and performing artist, Jon Gailmor.

Camp culminates with a live performance of their original radio program recorded by VPR's audio engineer Sam Sanders. At the end of the week each child will go home with a CD of their performance.

Book It: Time for the Vermont Edition Summer Reading Show

I am the luckiest substitute host ever! Seems every time Jane Lindholm goes on vacation, I get to fill in for one of the Vermont Edition reading shows, and I admit to having a special fondness for them because, well, I love to read...and to hear what others are reading so I can get a lead on that next great book!

This Friday we're celebrating the summer reading season with a terrific panel of guests including Linda Ramsdell, owner of The Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick, and Bennington College Librarian Oceana Wilson, who won the 2009 national "I Love My Librarian" award, sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the New York Times.

And of course we'd love to hear your suggestions. Whether it's novels, non-fiction, memoir, poetry, science, even the back of a cereal box you found especially compelling, add your favorites here. I've already listed my recommendations, so hop to it...summer may have only just started, but it's short!

We'll also take your phone calls during the program this Friday at noon. You can catch a rebroadcast that evening at 7.

So forget all that nonsense you hear about "no one reads" anymore...prove that books are alive and well and being devoured by readers like you, by contributing to the annual Summer Reading Show on VPR!

VPR Cooks: Our Winning Potluck Recipes

We recently had a potluck barbecue at VPR to welcome summer. Many of us prepared our favorite side dishes to share with the staff. We're a bunch of over-achievers around here, so naturally we decided to make it a contest. While everything was delicious, we voted on our favorites and sharing the winning recipes with you. What's your favorite summer side dish?

Best Side Dish: Gail England's Miniature Stuffed Peppers

20 Peppadew peppers from South Africa - sweet & spicy

1 small can tuna - finely flaked

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp mayonnaise to moisten

Finely chop:

1 tsp parsley

1 Tbsp lovage, celery, or celeriac

3 wild violet leaves

1 Tbsp wild clover leaves

dash of salt & freshly ground pepper

Mix all together and stuff in the peppers. Adding wild edibles adds subtle flavor and lots of nutritional value. Naturally, only use plants that you know well and are unmistakable!

You can also try stuffing the peppers with fresh breadcrumbs or cooked millet, parmesan cheese, freshly chopped basil and oregano, a sprinkle of garlic powder, salt & pepper, or any other combination that suits your fancy.

Best Dessert: Jonathan Butler's Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares

Jonathan says: This is the easiest recipe ever. I'd like to tell you it was Grandma's ol' family recipe handed down through the years, but I got it from a Google search and a few clicks. Check out the comments. I followed some of their tips (like mix the sugar and graham together before blending, maybe use more chocolate and less butter in the topping, etc.). Enjoy!

Sugar + Funny Glasses + Chanting = Pledges

We're almost halfway to the goal for VPR's May membership drive. To keep everyone's energy up and spirits high, we turned to the magical trinity of pledge drive mood enhancement: sugar, funny glasses, and chanting.

Oh, and kazoos. I guess that makes it a magical quartet.



After a breakfast of doughnuts and cupcakes marked "Mandatory for Staff," we got together for a short pep rally. Aside from all the fun and silliness, we also read aloud some comments we've heard from listeners during this drive - which motivates us more than the very largest cupcake or loudest chant ever could. Your passion for public radio and VPR reminds all of us why we do what we do - from producing the news and music that feeds your desire to learn and connect with your community, to keeping our signal on the air and online, to raising the money it takes to provide this independent, community-supported service.

So, thanks. Thank you for listening, for your passion, and for your support! We truly couldn't do what we do without you. If you haven't had a chance to make a pledge yet, I hope you will now.

For more photos of what VPR staffers look like after mass quantities of sugar, check out this slideshow!

Valentines, NPR-Style

You love public radio. Your sweetie does too - so why not show him or her with an NPR Valentine?

NPR developed a series of fun valentines for the public radio fan you love. Download them at our Facebook page or at NPR.org.

Plus, when you make a pledge to VPR this morning, let us know who your valentine is and we'll give him or her a shout out on the air! Call 1-800-639-6391 to make a pledge, or do it online at VPR.net We'll read as many as we can!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Pushups for Pledges

It all started as Mitch Wertlieb, David Warren, and I listened this morning to NPR's story on First Lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign. It's day two of VPR's membership drive and the story inspired us to pump ourselves up to meet the challenge goal of 200 pledges by 9 a.m. So we began doing exercises in between breaks.

Before I could stop him, Mitch was telling listeners that if VPR received the 114 more pledges needed to meet the goal, that we would do a push-up for every one of those pledges.

We are people of our word, so....here's the proof. Thank you for supporting VPR! We'll let you know tomorrow whether or not our arms thank you, too!

VPR Penguins Plunge!

For the fourth consecutive year, a group of brave VPR staffers jumped into Lake Champlain in Burlington to raise money for the Special Olympics! It was perfect plunging weather - partly cloudy, temperatures in the low 30's, and little to no wind. Thank you to everyone who came out and cheered us on!

At left: Ric Cengeri and I take the plunge...and yes, my shirt says "I listened to NPR before it was cool!" Photo courtesy Emily McManamy of the Burlington Free Press.

Right: No running and screaming for us, we public radio people are far too dignified for that sort of thing. Instead, VPR Penguinis Jean Ferguson, Alaina Janack, Ric Cengeri, and Michelle Jeffery march defiantly to the water. Photo Courtesy Steve Ferguson.

Finally, I cannot publish this post without noting (okay, bragging) that I plunged TWICE this year, with VPR and with the Green Mountain Derby Dames, my roller derby league. But VPR still got a shout out on that plunge - my derby name is Susan Slamberg, and my number is 107.9 FM! Photo below courtesy of Karen Pike.

VPR Classical Photo Caption Contest II

By now you may have seen our series of VPR Classical posters online or in your community! Just how do Walter Parker, Joe Goetz, and Cheryl Willoughby come to look so perfect and warm and fun-loving, you might ask?

They don't. Well - not right away. As even the most casual photographer knows, getting the right shot - especially with a group of people - usually takes a bit of time. We eventually got our shot, but not before we got some hilarious outtakes! What a fun afternoon. Check out the photos below, courtesy of the VPR's lovely and talented Ty Robertson.

Then, hop on over to VPR's Facebook page where we're having a caption contest! Add your caption to the comments under the photo, and the caption that gets the most "likes" from your fellow Facebookers wins a new VPR stainless steel travel mug.



























(If you haven't seen the final product, check the posters out here, where you can also download some to post in your community!)

I've Got An NPR Tat And An NPR Tote...

As a fan you may have already seen this public radio hip-hop video floating around the Internet over the last day or so. If you haven't, not to worry - you still qualify as a fan. How big a fan, of course, depends on how many public radio references you catch in the video below.

Check it out and let us know your favorite lines...or make up your own!

Alec Baldwin Says Don't Give.

Alec Baldwin doesn't want you to pledge...or does he? How much do you need to pledge for Robert Siegel to bake you cookies?

What would you do if Nina Totenberg was reassigned to sports, or Terry Gross to Wine Fancy, or Ira Glass to a Spanish pop station? Trust us, listen to these hilarious fundraising spots produced by WNYC and Ira Glass, and learn why you don't want that to happen!

We think you'll feel inspired to make a pledge, so we'll make that easy for you, too. Here's the link, and thanks for keeping VPR's news, music, and humor on the air!

You Know You're A Die-Hard VPR Listener When...

During this morning's fundraising on Morning Edition with Mitch Wertlieb and Jane Lindholm, we got to talking on and off the air about how you know if you're a VPR die-hard. Here were some of our thoughts:

Jane: You know you're a VPR die-hard when you say "Goooooood morning!" along with Mark Breen during the Eye on the Sky forecast.

Mitch: You know you're a VPR die-hard when you not only have a VPR sticker on your car, but also on your home appliances, and sometimes on your pets and children.

Jane: You know you're a VPR die-hard when you can not only pronounce but spell the names of reporters like Sylvia Poggoli, Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, or Snigdha Prakash.

Sustaining Member Carrie of Montpelier: You know you're a VPR die-hard when you can't even conceive of having your VPR Artist Mug collection interrupted by even one mug.

Mitch: You know you're a VPR die-hard when you've perfected your Lynne Rosetto-Kasper impression from The Splendid Table.

Me: You know you're a VPR die-hard when your roller derby name is Susan Slamberg, and your number is 107.9 FM.

How do you know you're a VPR die-hard? Let us know! One sure way is to make a financial contribution. Please make a pledge today online, or by calling 1-800-639-6391. Thanks for all you do!

Listener Picnic Photos

What a day! About 900 people came to the Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock last Saturday for the VPR Listener Picnic! The weather was perfect, the farm was beautiful, the music was fantastic, David Folkenflik was fascinating....and then there's YOU! It is always such a joy to meet and speak with VPR listeners - you make what we do possible! Thanks for making the day a success. Check out a slideshow of photos from the picnic below.



A special thanks again to Monster.com for making the picnic possible, and to the Billings Farm and Museum for being such wonderful hosts!

Join Us At The VPR Listener Picnic, Saturday Sept 11!

This year's Listener Picnic will be back at Billings Farm and Museum on Saturday, September 11, rain or shine, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The museum will be open free to the public and the Teago Fire Department will be throwing their benefit cook out on the premises.

Our special guest will be NPR reporter David Folkenflik. VPR Morning Edition host, Mitch Wertlieb, will interview David about the inside story on covering the media for NPR in New York.

We'll also enjoy live music by Dave Keller Band, Twist of the Wrist, featuring All the Traditions Host Robert Resnik, and Maple Jam, sweet a cappella jazz.

A big thanks to Monster.com for sponsoring this year's picnic. For directions visit the Billings Farm website. See you on the 11th!

And The Winner Is....

Congratulations to Bob Moulton of Duxbury, winner of VPR's Summer Car Raffle! Bob is the winner of a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid from Heritage Automotive Group.

Bob came to VPR on Thursday with his wife, Barbara, and their daughter, Lucy, when he admitted that buying the raffle tickets was actually Barbara's idea. "I was feeling lucky," she said.

They told us that their luck could not have come at a better time. The Moulton's are the owners and operators of Moulton Custom Door of Vermont, and like many small businesses they've been struggling with effects of the economic crisis. Their business takes them all over the northeast, driving their 1996 Toyota T-100 truck. Bob said he had been saving up for more fuel-efficient car, and that they were actually on their way to buy a new (used) car when they got the call from VPR.

Barbara also travels to Quechee once a week to run errands for her elderly mother, and they have a few long-distance family gatherings to attend in the fall.

(At left: VPR's Brendan Kinney, Barbara, Bob, and Lucy Moulton, and VPR's Robin Turnau at VPR Studios)

Bob said his family plans to donate their truck to the Good News Garage. "When you get a blessing like this you have to pass it along," he said. "These days we all have to help each other."

We are so happy for the Moulton family, and so pleased with the success of VPR's first Summer Car Raffle! Thank you for supporting VPR in this new and fun way.