Dear Everyone –

Five years has passed since we lost Tilly. Unimaginable and at times it feels like yesterday and at others a lifetime ago. Both ring true. I still hear her voice every day and I don’t imagine, or want, that to ever change. The one thing that has shifted is a preference to celebrate her birth day rather than her last day. This happened gradually as I found ways to be grateful for the time we did have with Tils. This is a slow and everchanging process that I don’t anticipate ever actually ends. So, while you never know what will feel right down the road, I’ll say today that future remembrances are more likely around her February 3rd birthday.

There are a few things we’ve done to memorialize Tilly and many of you have already participated in them or helped make them possible. Thank you remains insufficient for the support you have all provided.

First is the Tilly Trail, located on the Trail Around Middlebury (TAM). This one-mile section of the TAM is located in Weybridge, not far from where Tilly lived. It is best accessed from the northern TAM trail head parking lot off Morgan Horse Farm Road. After this was in place for a bit, a Little Free Library was installed, to commemorate Tilly’s love of reading. Adding books and hearing from folks who have taken or left books has been a source of joy.

An endowed scholarship has been established in Tilly’s name at Union College, where both Cort and I attended. This will provide financial support to incoming first year students with a preference for Vermonters. A student entering Union this fall will be the first recipient. Cort accomplished this with his college roomate, Tad Lee, and my college roomate, Julie Holunga.

Most recently, we have set up a scholarship in Tilly’s name that will go each year to a graduating senior from Middlebury Union High School. It will be awarded this year for the first time and in perpetuity going forward thanks to the good folks at the Vermont Community Foundation. If you know a graduating senior, please encourage them to apply by emailing tillyboulangerfoundation@gmail.com and I’ll send the short application.

There are lots of Tilly stickers out there on cars and I cannot tell you what it means to me when I see them. You can usually find stickers in the Little Free Library and I will always mail them if you send me your address.

If you are interested in supporting either scholarship –

·       Union College Scholarship – Donation · Union College · GiveCampus

·       Middlebury Union High School – Checks to the Tilly Boulanger Foundation, 2642 Weybridge Rd, Weybridge VT 05753. Any donations received will go to the Vermont Community Foundation in aggregate as they cannot be accepted from individuals. You can also donate directly at https://tillyboulangerfoundation.org/ - please drop me a note with your name, address as only part of a name comes through with these and I’ll want to thank you. This is a 501 ( c) 3.

Now go and get after this life.

With love for each of you –

Stacey