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guest post – meet the parent v.III

05.05.2014 By: Eliza, MiniBury Founder

While we adjust to life as a family of 5, a few local bloggers kindly agreed to keep MiniBury readers entertained with tales and adventures from their own lives. Today Faith Gong introduces us to a new series called “Meet the Parent.” Faith writes the bi-weekly “Faith in Vermont” column for The Addison Independent, and The Pickle Patch blog. She lives in Middlebury with her husband, their four daughters, and an over-anxious labradoodle.Meet the Parent icon

MEET THE PARENT: Jamie Gaucher

Welcome to the third installment of “Meet the Parent!” There are a couple of reasons why I’m excited about today’s profile:

  1. Jamie Gaucher is a father. Fathers are parents, too, and he’s the first to be featured in “Meet the Parent.” His wife nominated him to be interviewed. I love everything about this!
  1. Jamie and his family are a perfect example of why I wanted to do “Meet the Parent.” I met him and his wife, Elizabeth, when our daughters were in a week-long gymnastics camp together last summer. The Gauchers had recently moved to Vermont, and I wanted to be warm and welcoming. I was also trying to feed a six-week-old baby, contain a two-year-old, and convince my four- and five-year-olds that I was “watching” them do gymnastics. I promptly forgot all the Gauchers’ names, although I continued to see Elizabeth around town and greet her with a vague, “Hi, how are you?” Now, I will never forget their names again!

Jamie GaucherSo, here is Jamie Gaucher, a father and Middlebury’s Director of Business and Development and Innovation. (Seems like a good person to get to know, right?)

WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY? 

My wife Elizabeth is studying for her MFA in Creative Nonfiction and my daughter Clarin is a Kindergartner at the Mary Hogan School.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

 Middlebury.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN VERMONT?

Exactly one year!

HOW DID YOU END UP IN VERMONT?

I wanted to expand my career in economic development as well as to raise my child in a healthy, education-oriented community. I had looked in various other places, but when the Middlebury opportunity came up it was the clear win. I am the Director of Business and Development and Innovation for our town.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH CHILDREN? 

My daughter loves the ECHO Lake Aquarium in Burlington, Fire and Ice Restaurant where she can serve her own local milk, and movies at the Marquis. Her all-time favorite thing has to be Ilsley Library, though. Anything there, she loves.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE “FAR-FLUNG” ADVENTURES TO DO WITH CHILDREN?

The coast of Maine with its rocky beaches, and the big city experience of Boston.

WHERE WOULD WE BE MOST LIKELY TO FIND YOU AT 10 AM ON A SATURDAY? 

Dance class via the Middlebury College Performing Arts Center, or reading the Addison Independent and contemplating another pot of coffee.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT RAISING CHILDREN IN VERMONT? 

Explaining why it took 5 years to bring her to this great place!

HOW DO YOU SURVIVE SNOW DAYS?

Getting outside for sledding, snowballs and bright pink cheeks; inside for puzzles, and making homemade pizza dough.

WHAT BOOKS DOES YOUR FAMILY ENJOY READING TOGETHER THESE DAYS? 

Laura Ingalls Wilder and anything about science or nature.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A PARENTING “MUST-HAVE?”

A library card — make it one for each person in your family. My daughter loves checking out her own books.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOURSELF AS A FIRST-TIME PARENT? 

“Don’t underestimate how hard it will be, and don’t underestimate how amazing, fantastic and magical it will be.”

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO AFTER YOUR DAUGHTER IS IN BED? 

Watch all the Academy Award nominated movies I haven’t seen yet. 

YOUR DAUGHTER IS WITH A SITTER! WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE “ADULT FUN” ACTIVITIES? 

Holding hands around town with my wife; intimate dinners.

Thanks to Jamie, and to Elizabeth for nominating him! If you think your co-parent would make a good “Meet the Parent” profile, feel free to nominate them, too! Simply contact me at faithgong@gmail.com.

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Eliza, MiniBury Founder

Hello, I’m Eliza. I founded MiniBury in 2012 because I had a hunch that I wasn't the only parent in Addison County missing fun family friendly events. I love the challenge of finding and sharing information about our community to other parents.

Upcoming Events

Jun
26
Sun
4:00 pm Foodaroo @ Middlebury Marble Works
Foodaroo @ Middlebury Marble Works
Jun 26 @ 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Presented by Middlebury UndergrounD (MUD), Foodaroo unites the state’s most talented culinary artisans and beverage makers, with an emphasis on Addison County and Chittenden County vendors and farms. From food trucks to brick-and-mortar operations, this [...]
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27
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10:30 am Toddler Play & Read @ Lawrence Memorial Library
Toddler Play & Read @ Lawrence Memorial Library
Jun 27 @ 10:30 am
Visit with librarian Marita in this small-group setting for the opportunity to connect with your library community.
1:00 pm Engineering / STEM challenge @ P... @ Platt Memorial Library
Engineering / STEM challenge @ P... @ Platt Memorial Library
Jun 27 @ 1:00 pm
Come to the library for an engineering challenge — think hurricane-building, octopus movement, a penguin-egg relay race — geared toward kids ages 5 and up.
5:00 pm Music Mondays in Bristol @ Bristol Town Green
Music Mondays in Bristol @ Bristol Town Green
Jun 27 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Head to the town green for food, music and community (weather permitting). Food and bar open at 5 p.m.; live music from 6-8 p.m.
5:00 pm Tween/Teen Projects @ Platt Library @ Platt Memorial Library
Tween/Teen Projects @ Platt Library @ Platt Memorial Library
Jun 27 @ 5:00 pm
Head to the library in Shoreham for a project (bracelet-making, role-playing, escape room) designed for tweens and teens to do together with their grown-ups.
5:30 pm Family Sewing Group @ Ilsley Library
Family Sewing Group @ Ilsley Library
Jun 27 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Kids of all ages are invited to bring their families to Stitch in Time, a weekly open sewing group at the library.
Jun
28
Tue
9:30 am Pre-K Art In The Garden @ Ilsley Library Garden
Pre-K Art In The Garden @ Ilsley Library Garden
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Join a children’s librarian in the garden for drop-in art activities.
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29
Wed
9:15 am Drop-In Storytime With Miss Tricia @ Ilsley Library
Drop-In Storytime With Miss Tricia @ Ilsley Library
Jun 29 @ 9:15 am – 10:00 am
Children ages 5 and under and their caregivers enjoy stories and songs with Miss Tricia!
9:30 am Vergennes Playgroup @ Vergennes Congregational Church
Vergennes Playgroup @ Vergennes Congregational Church
Jun 29 @ 9:30 am – 11:00 am
Addison County Parent Child Center and Evergreen Preschool are excited to announce they will be starting their playgroup again. Come join the fun every Wednesday for the month of May at the Vergennes Congregational Church.
9:30 am Virtual Mama Group @ Zoom
Virtual Mama Group @ Zoom
Jun 29 @ 9:30 am
Meet other mamas in this virtual gathering led by Middlebury mom Angela Scavo. Email Angela for the meeting link.
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