FROM THE DIRECTOR
WELCOME !
What is community ? It can be many things to many people . Community can be the gathering at our town halls , our spiritual centers , our workplace and our backyard .
It can simply be about connecting with people , while others might say it is about progress and forward movement . It can be about civic justice or feeling safe and seen . These are all beautiful concepts about what community is .
One that perhaps doesn ’ t come straight to mind , however it has a long history in relationship to community is the word : hospitality .
Ancient Greece , Rome , Judaism , India , Christianity , Islam , Afghanistan , and even Celtic communities have hospitality as a cornerstone to their communities . It ’ s fascinating and heartening that so many of the communities of the world , different in a variety of ways , all focus so heavily on hospitality as a core value and belief . It has its very roots in our humanity .
The definition of hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host , wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill , including the reception and entertainment of guests , visitors , or strangers .
We believe our Shire communities can become beacons of hospitality , taking on the task of host , spreading goodwill , reception and entertainment to our guests , visitors and strangers .
We hope this travel guide can help meet your needs and answer your many questions about our community . As good hosts we welcome you with goodwill and hope you find our communities filled with joy , fun , adventure and a feeling of hospitality .
Welcome , Matt Harrington Executive Director The Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce
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