Sunrise on Stevenson Road ~ Photo by David Howson

Wow! So far, 2026 has been a brilliant, cold and snowy year! Oh, except for that brief rainy part. As they say, “into each life a little rain must fall”…but the bright sunrise pictured above erases all memory of THAT! Thanks to David Howson, for capturing this magnificence in his own back yard, and sharing it with us!

The Alliance is growing into this new year with many changes and new initiatives! We’ve got a fantastic group of new board members, are developing a new Environmental Action Committee, are working hard on creating a magical America’s 250th celebration, and so much more!

Do you want to be involved? Join our board meeting on the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm. Go here for the updated link to the February meeting, closer to the date, donate to the Alliance, and/or volunteer for an activity of your choice! We’d love to hear your ideas!

DONATE TO THE WESTPORT FOOD SHELF

Thank you for your overwhelming generosity during the holiday season! The need for food continues as the temperatures drop, heating bills rise, and groceries are harder to come by. Please consider donating monetarily to the food shelf here, and/or drop off non-perishable food items at K&D Deli, the Bessboro Shop, McGees Towing and Recovery, Snowfort Books., or JAMBS Coffee. Let’s keep our town healthy and strong!

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS!

We are so excited to welcome the following multi-talented board members to the Alliance! : Evan Beech (Youth Liaison), Steve Vannort, Beck Simpson, Adam Robinson, Dawn Gay and Zach Hobbs. We are looking forward to growing Westport together!

BI-MONTHLY COMMUNITY CHAT SERIES BEGINS TUESDAY FEB 17!

Join us at the Westport Library on Tuesday Feb 17 from 5-6pm for a casual community chat.

Come hear what the Alliance has been working on, share your feedback and ideas, and get to know a few of our board members. Everyone is welcome. We would love to see you there!

WESTPORT’S FACEBOOK GROUP TAKES A NEW NAME

What’s Happening in Westport? That’s the big question! And the answer is: a lot. If you don’t follow Facebook, here’s a synopsis:

1. We, and a group of community volunteers, have always run this group inclusively, meaning we allow posts from nearby towns. We have grown from 3K followers in the past 3 years to 9.2K. We have an enormous reach and lots of activity.

2. Most surrounding towns do not allow posts from other towns, limiting their reach, and keeping their pages purely local and exclusive. In general, their membership and reach is also much lower across the board.

3. The problem here is that it seems unfair to be blocked from other towns when advertising businesses, or even job openings, when we allow others to post on our group. Understandably, controversy and bad feelings have ensued within Westport and between other towns who advertise on our group.

4. The Alliance has decided to no longer have a paid employee as an admin on this group, and instead it will be completely run by community volunteers, for the sake of neutrality. We changed the name from “What’s Happening in Westport” to “In and Around Westport” to reflect the inclusive function of the group.

5. For clarification, here’s a bit of research that illustrates why Westport’s inclusive Facebook Group is actually much more beneficial for business, local information and tourism than an exclusive one:

6. Why a Regional Facebook Group, as opposed to a local-only Facebook Group, Works Better for Local Businesses

   A regional, non-exclusive Facebook group with 9,200 members isn’t just bigger. It works better. Here’s why:

   • Posts in larger community groups get 3–6× more views and engagement, which means Facebook shows them to even more people.

   • In rural areas, 30–50% of customers come from nearby towns, seasonal homes, or visitors—not just one town.

   • People routinely travel 20–45 minutes for food, services, and events. Town lines don’t limit spending.

   • Events shared with regional audiences see 20–40% higher attendance, especially outside peak season.

   • One post in a 9.2K-member group can reach thousands of people in a day or two—instead of a few hundred.

   Bottom line:
   A regional group delivers
   3–6× the visibility, reaches up to half the real customer base, boosts event turnout by up to 40%, and creates more economic impact per post—with zero extra effort.

   Bigger, when done well, isn’t less local—it’s more effective. Go WestportNY!

WE’RE FORMING A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COMMITTEE!

The Westport-Wadhams Community Alliance has formed a new committee to raise awareness of our local environment, support actions that reduce environmental impacts, and encourage participation in eco-friendly activities.

“Westport has tremendous ecological assets, including Lake Champlain, ecologically rich forests, productive farmland, scenic vistas, and the attractive hamlets of Westport and Wadhams,” said Jen Williams, the new President of the WWCA. “We are so pleased to have this new committee to engage residents and the broader community in honoring and protecting these valuable features.”

Some of the suggested initial projects for the committee are:

• Developing and promoting an enhanced “Take it or Leave it” area for free items at the transfer station, to reduce disposal of items people may be able to use

• Hosting green energy/eco-fair events and conducting educational outreach

• Building upon the spring roadside trash cleanup and adding another in the fall

• Scheduling hazardous waste disposal days

• Promoting activities individuals can do like re-using textiles, shoes, and tools

• Encouraging the planting of pollinator gardens

• Supporting creation of a composting program for town residents

Chris Maron, who will serve as the committee’s chair, said “As we develop our goals and the projects, priorities, and actions to accomplish them, we welcome new members from the community to join this exciting new venture to enhance the exceptional quality of life we all get to enjoy here in Westport and the Champlain Valley.”

Stay tuned for our new Environmental Action Webpage!

NOMINATE A TOWN HERO FOR THE NEXT FLOWERS PLUS! HONORARY BENCH!DEADLINE IS FEB 28.

THANKS TO CHAZY/WESTPORT COMMUNICATIONS AND JACOB COOK!

Holiday decorations coming down. Till next year…

Flowers Plus! would like to thank Chazy & Westport Communications and Jacob Cook for once again generously lending their services for putting up and (sadly) taking down the holiday light post decorations on the library lawn. Their willingness to contribute to the betterment of our town is one more reason to love Westport and her people!

FLOWERS PLUS! SEEKS GARDENER FOR 2026 SEASON!

East Branch Organics crew planting lilacs in Westport

Gardeners! Here’s your chance to shine in public!

Are you an experienced gardener eager to contribute to our community this upcoming gardening season? Then Flowers Plus! needs you to help keep our public gardens vibrant May-October and guide our helpers on Volunteer Days.

Estimated work is three hours/week, 70 hours for the season at $25/hr. You must be self-insured, have tools & transport. Excited to dig into the details? Please email flowerspluswestportny@gmail.com with your name, phone number and interest and we’ll be in touch!

GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST JULY 4TH YET!

Join us on July 4th for America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! Invite your friends and family for this major American milestone, and be sure to book any additional lodging you may need in advance. This is truly a moment to celebrate and reflect upon! It’s shaping up to be an action-packed weekend: if you have ideas and want to help make things happen, please contact our intrepid event coordinator Austin Martin at gowestportny@gmail.com (subject: AUSTIN) , or drop in for a chat with him at the front desk of Chazy/Westport Communications, 2 Champlain Ave, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.

This year, fireworks will be lighting up the sky ON the day of July 4th. Please donate to the fireworks HERE, (and scroll down to Community Events.)

Wishing you a February full of warmth, community, and a little extra love!

~the WWCA team

We are YOUR Alliance! Follow our Website, Facebook Page and Instagram. Follow all the happenings on the Calendar, and In and Around Westport Facebook Group. Have a friend or neighbor who would like to know what’s going on in town? Don’t forget to subscribe and forward this email!

-Newsletter Editor: Catherine Seidenberg