Hospital Fair Day 2025 - Grace Cottage Hospital

75^th Hospital Fair Day – August 2, 2025, Townshend Common, 9 am – 3 pm

I am really looking forward to Grace Cottage Hospital Fair Day this year. In these challenging times, the thought of the Fair brings me peace and hope.

I feel at peace working with hundreds of volunteers who share the same vision of community-based healthcare that is greatly needed in our rural communities. I feel peaceful when I hear children laughing at the Fish Pond and running around the Common. I enjoy the sound of adults laughing while they catch up with old friends and enjoy each other’s company. It is this that brings me peace during stressful times.

Fair Day also brings me hope for the future. In the collaboration of putting together Fair Day, I see a dedicated community of Grace Cottage employees working closely with volunteers. It illustrates, for me, that Grace Cottage is such an integral part of Townshend and its surrounding towns. I have hope that we will weather the healthcare challenges our state faces. I know that we will continue to support our hospital and family health practice to thrive for the next 75 years!

Now is the time to join in this community effort and find your peace and hope for the future. Leading up to Fair Day, there are many ways to be a part of it and support the Fair. You can volunteer to help with a booth and enjoy the camaraderie. You can donate items to the Fair’s variety of booths or the auction. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact me or Helen Holt at gracecottagefair@gmail.com. The proceeds of this year’s Hospital Fair Day will go toward the construction of a much-needed new primary care clinic building.

From now through mid-July, we are looking for helpers and donations for the many booths:

Art: Framed art is very popular at the Fair, watercolors, acrylics, oils, pen & ink drawings.

Books: Fiction or nonfiction books in good condition. Paperback or hardcover are welcome. No textbooks or encyclopedias, please.

Cars/Trucks/Motorcycles/Boats: These “big toys” always generate a lot of excitement and provide a tax write-off to the donor.

Furniture: The auction seeks items in good condition to be vetted by the Foundation Department at Grace Cottage. We cannot accept mattresses, fitness equipment, computers, large, or upholstered furniture.

White Elephant: Dishes, bric-a-brac, kitchen items, glassware, baskets, toys, sporting goods, and Christmas decorations are all welcome.

Jewelry: Fine or costume. Necklaces, rings, watches, bracelets. Also, accessories such as hats, belts, handbags, scarves, and wallets.

Plants: Annuals and Perennials. Want a volunteer to dig them from your garden? If you live nearby, we can arrange this.

We will welcome back Brian Tebow of Heart Felt Antiques of Bennington to head up our Auction.

Live Music will play throughout the day by the ever-popular groups of Ralph Sherman and Friends, Luminous Crush, and The Buzzards.

This year, we will have a special 75th anniversary quilt for the raffle made by a local quilter.

I look forward to seeing you, hearing your laughter, and enjoying our collective peace from community in this, our 75th HOSPITAL FAIR DAY!

Connie Holt, Fair Day Co-Chair

Hospital Fair Day Traditions

A tradition began 73 years ago, and it has been vital to Grace Cottage’s patient care ever since. The first Hospital Fair Day was held on Saturday, August 5, 1950, organized by the Grace Cottage Hospital Auxiliary, with a healthy mix of fun, fellowship, and fundraising. Thanks to the love, loyalty, and dedication of so many volunteers and fairgoers over the years, this event continues. Grace Cottage relies on the proceeds from this annual event.

In the photo albums below, you can reminisce about past Hospital Fair Days and see some of the babies born here across the years.

Thank you for continuing to support the Annual Grace Cottage Hospital Fair Day!

Grace Cottage Babies

If you were born at Grace Cottage, send us a current picture and tell us your birth year, and we’ll add you to our virtual Birthday Baby Parade with our beloved Stork (don’t tell anyone, but it’s Dr. Timothy Shafer!)

Roll over the photo to see the name and year. Use right and left arrows to scroll through the photos.

Calvin Nystrom Jr 1949 — Calvin Nystrom, Jr. - 1949

Linda Wolf - Dot Brooks Masengale — Linda Wolf - 1954

Linda Wolf, born at Grace Cottage in 1954, with her mom, Dot Brooks Masengale

Betsy Walker Miller 1959 and Bonnie Walker Stevens 1959 — Betsy Walker Miller and Bonnie Walker Stevens 1959

Twin sisters Betsy Walker Miller and Bonnie Walker Stevens, 1959

Diane Litchfield Smith 1959 — Diane Litchfield Smith - 1959

Alesia Litchfield Fletcher, 1961 — Alesia Litchfield Fletcher - 1961

Stephen Brown 1965 — Stephen Brown - 1965

Alison Bills Brown, 1967 — Alison Bills Brown - 1967

Chad Greenwood 1973 — Chad Greenwood - 1973

Eric Nystrom, 1973 — Eric Nystrom - 1973

Andrew Nystrom, 1976 — Andrew Nystrom - 1976

Doughty Patrick - Grace Baby 1967 — Doughty Patrick - 1967

Megan Greenwood Richardson 1977 — Megan Greenwood Richardson - 1977

Sheena Ann Smith, 1981 — Sheena Ann Smith - 1981

Rachel Schmidt Jones 1990 — Rachel( Schmidt) Jones - 1990

George Sprague, 1991 — George Sprague - 1991

Kristen Schmidt Gouger 1992 — Kristen (Schmidt) Gouger - 1992

Mark Gunzinger

Mark Gunzinger, born at Grace Cottage in 1954. Eating lunch at the Ritz in London…

Reminiscing

We want to reminisce with you. We’re posting videos and photos of past Fairs. If you have photos or videos from past Hospital Fair Days that you’d like to share, e-mail them to info@gracecottage.org, and we’ll add them to the album.