Friday, November 15th ~ 7:00 PM
The Cafe @ Thetford Academy
The 2019 Geography Bee celebrates its eight year of competitive fun for the Thetford Community. Three-person Youth and Adult teams answer multiple choice questions relating to the Geography of a given topic. This year, our questions are drawn from recent spring and fall programs, which focused on the timeless and timely theme of 'Migrations'.
In the spring, our programs featured speakers on the Abenaki, the Underground Railroad, and Vermont's long history of outward migration, dating almost to the state's founding. Our fall programs looked at migration into Vermont in the early 1900s, as the state attempted to promote our bucolic character as an enticement to re-populate dwindling farms and villages. We then went waaay back, exploring with Gudrid, a Viking woman who traveled numerous times from Iceland to the North American continent, around the year 1,000. Though not specifically a Vermont story, Gudrid's tale gave new appreciation to just how mobile folks were a thousand years ago, with only oars and sails to propel them.
Which brings us to the Geo Bee. We say that funds raised by the Bee go towards collections care at the Hughes Barn Museum. This year, that's expecially significant, as our damaged Barn has prevented us from opening this year, as we'd planned. Repairs and rebuilding is currently underway by Arcadia Restorations, LLC, to get the building back to a useable state. Doing this right -- honoring the original construction methods -- takes time, expertise, and money. While most of this damage will be covered by insurance, some will not. Geo Bee proceeds will help to meet this unexpected expense.
How can you help? Join us on the 15th with your teammates and give the Bee a try! If you're a community-minded sort but would rather participate behind the scenes, consider being a sponsor. Spectators the night of the Bee are welcome, as well. In any case, please join us for a fun evening and a worthy cause. Thanks!
