Helping Vermont


	October 17, 2008 *NEWPORT NATIVE DONATES $225,000 TO INDOOR RECREATION OF* *ORLEANS COUNTY* "Newport City native Fran Azur and his wife Melanie Gefert Azur have donated $225,000 to IROC as part of the renewed capital campaign." Phil White, Chairman of the IROC Board of Directors stated, "They have done well in their lives but remain committed to their home town community." "Their generosity is truly inspiring." March 13, 2008 *AZURS DONATE $95,000 TO VERMONT CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY* "You guys are STARS. Not sure how I express our gratitude adequately. Your 2008 donation of $41,000 following your $27,000 donation in 2007 and $27,000 in 2006 is truly appreciated." Steve Hafif Executive Director July 25, 2007 *AZURS DONATE $60,000 TO NORTH COUNTRY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WELCOME CENTER* "After reading an article last week about Vermont's North Country Chamber of Commerce and the newly planned Welcome Center ground breaking being delayed, Fran and Melanie Azur, owners of Vermont Highland Cattle Company, decided to act now to recharge local fund-raising to help make the building a reality" stated Tod Pronto, the Chamber's Executive Director. June 7, 2007 *AZURS DONATE $45,000 TO OLD STONE HOUSE MUSEUM* "Newport native Fran Azur and his wife Melanie donated $45,000 to pay off the mortgage on the Samuel Read Hall House which will become a center for education at The Old stone House Museum, announced Orleans County Historical Society Trustee Kerm Smith. January 20, 2006 *A NEW PLAYGROUND AT NEWPORT TOWN SCHOOL* "The goal of a new playground has become a reality." "A generous donation of $30,000 from Fran and Melanie Azur, along with fundraisers that yielded $9000 brought the project to life." December 9, 2009 *AZURS DONATION TO BRIGHTON FIRE DEPARTMENT* December 5, 2009 *GIFT DONATION FOR LOCAL CHILDREN* Fran and Melanie Azur of Newport Center donated more than $3,000 for gifts purchased at Wider Than The Sky and The Woodknot Bookshop. The local stores reduced prices so more could be purchased, said organizer Patricia Sears, executive director of Newport City Renaissance Corp. December 16, 2009 Newport, VT VERMONT HIGHLAND CATTLE COMPANY ANNOUNCES A DONATION OF BEEF TO NEEDY FOOD SHELVES December 18, 2008 *VERMONT HIGHLAND CATTLE COMPANY DONATES TO 'TOYS FOR KIDS' AND LOCAL FOOD SHELFS* "Programs like these epitomize the Vermont character of neighbors helping neighbors," stated Fran and Melanie Azur, owners of Vermont Highland Cattle Company. "It is an important part of our corporate and personal mission to be good neighbors in our Vermont communities", said the Azurs. "We are pleased to be a part of that Vermont tradition." August 29, 2008 *FIVE OENSU ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO GET FREE BEEF* "Ray Edwards, Sales Manager for Vermont Highland Cattle Company, said the Company will donate 2,000 pounds of meat to schools in Coventry, Newport Town, Troy, Jay/Westfield and Lowell over the 2008-2009 school year." Reported Christopher Roy of The Newport Daily Express. "The meat donation comes with an educational component for the students." Edwards said. "The beef is coming from farms that the children know and can make a connection to." May 21, 2008 *NATIVE SON PAYS FOR NEW CLOCKS IN COURTHOUSE TOWER* "Fran and Melanie Azur, owners of Vermont Highland Cattle Company, wanted to make a noticeable improvement to Newport City's downtown." "So they decided to pay for four new clocks in the Orleans County Courthouse tower" noted Patricia "Trish" Sears, CEO of Newport City Renaissance Corporation. August 24, 2009 by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications *HARNESS RACING HAS BIG DAY AT BARTON FAIR* Fran Azur, a native of nearby Newport, Vermont, first saw harness racing at the Barton Fair in the 1950s and though he now lives near Pittsburgh, he never forgot where he came from. He now owns top open class pacers Noble Falcon and Blueridge Western and he and trainer Kevin McDermott arranged to ship the two geldings to Barton for an exhibition race, along with their respective regular drivers Brian Sears and Tim Tetrick (top drivers in North America). "Just to do something for the fair," was Azur's motive, and he provided $16,000 in purse supplements for the two day meet, where horsemen, largely hobbyists, orginarily compete for purses less than $1,000. He also underwrote promotional costs for the event. Azur has a home near Barton and also owns several businesses in the area, including a Scottish Highland Cattle farm. Azur flew Tetrick and Sears to Barton in his jet for the day, and the two drivers spent hours greeting horsemen, fans and signing photos. Kim Brooks, who coordianted the event at Barton echoed McDermott's sentiments. "We can't thank Fran Azur enough and we're already talking about what to do next year. He wants to find a way to help support the horsemen who race here regularly." April 11, 2007 *AZURS DONATE TO NCUHS TRIP TO EUROPE* "A canceled fundraising dance due to weather conditions left the British literature classes of North Country Union high School trip to Europe in jeopardy of being canceled," stated NCUHS teacher Cheryl Currier. "The Azurs graciously offered to make up the missing funds." January 22, 2009 - Newport Daily Express *COMMUNITY FOOD SHELF* "During a time when the needs in our community are so great, NEKCA would like to recognize the generosity of the Vermont Highland Cattle Company for its significant contributions to the community food shelf and to the 2008 Toys for Kids of Vermont Toy Drive." Laura Jacoby Director NEKCA Parent Child Center North March 2, 2009 *Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Donation* I would like to thank the Vermont Highland Cattle Company and Fran & Melanie Azur for their very generous support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Your commitment to giving to the community has moved the LLS one step closer to finding a cure for blood cancers! Your contribution will go toward funding research for innovative treatments, as well supporting patients and families living with these cancers today. Thank you so much for your generosity. Melissa Team In Training – Hike Program, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society September 23, 2009 - the Chronicle *Ball field fix is fully funded* A generous outpouring of donations enable the Fix Our Field committee to exceed its fund-raising target. That was the announcement committee coordinator and the Lake Region Union High School Board's Albany representative Marybeth Whitten told her colleagues on Thursday night. "Less than a week after our story appeared in the Chronicle we have received pledges totaling $15,500," Ms. Whitten said. The money will go to fixing Lake Region's baseball field. Several local businesses quickly pledged money and will receive banners to display on the ballpark fences. The target of $12,000 to complete the first phase of the project was raised in one fell swoop when a single donor contacted Ms. Whitten. Fran and Melanie Azur of Newport Center, on behalf of their business, the Vermont Highland Cattle Company, pledged the full $12,000 to help the group reach its goal. The company recently acquired the old Comstock building in the Orleans Industrial Park, and was eager to make a gesture to support a noble community cause, Mr. Azur said in his email to Ms. Whitten. March 17, 2009 - The Newport Daily Express By: Laura Carpenter, Express Staff Writter Donations Allow Youth to Enjoy Free IROC Memberships Indoor Recreation of Orleans County (IROC) recently received several generous donations allowing more area children to have a free membership. On Town Meeting Day Coventry residents voted to pay $4,095 for Coventry children to have a one-year IROC membership. The next day Vermont Highland Cattle Company owners Fran Azur and Melanie Gefert donated $13,785 to pay for memberships for the children of Newport Center, Troy, Lowell, and Brighton. “Melanie and I are happy to participate in IROC’s Youth Initiative. We picked these four towns because we have farms in Newport Center, Troy, and Lowell and we have just invested in the plant in Island Pond,” Azur wrote in a press release. VERMONT HIGHLAND CATTLE COMPANY ADDITIONALLY HAS ADDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THESE VERMONT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS United Christian Academy Area Agency on Aging of Northeast Vermont Lowell and Newport Volunteer Fire Departments Newport City Renaissance Corporation Local Communities sports fundraisers

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