Gov. Peter Shumlin will mark the one-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene with a four-day, 22-town tour that will take him to the Vermont communities hardest hit by the storm.
The tour begins on Saturday in southern Vermont, with scheduled stops in Brattleboro, Rockingham, Wilmington, Stratton, and Jamaica. It continues on Aug. 26, 27, and 28.
Shumlin will be presenting officials in each town with “I Am Vermont Strong” license plates, which are being sold to raise money to help Vermonters hit by the storm.
“Vermonters have a lot to celebrate on the one-year anniversary of Irene,” said Shumlin, noting that 500 miles of roads have been repaired, dozens of bridges replaced or repaired, more than 1,000 families have found housing, and flood-damaged businesses have reopened. “But we also need to recognize that many people and communities still need our help.”
Shumlin is calling on churches, town halls, and others to participate in a statewide bell-ringing for 30 seconds, beginning at 7 p.m. on the night of Aug. 28.
Many local communities and recovery groups are planning Irene anniversary events. For a listing of many of those events, and a wide range of information on the ongoing recovery, visit www.vtstrong.vermont.gov.