Solon and Liam Bailey

The Fund is dedicated to "Access to and Excellence in Children's Extracurriculars in Central Vermont" in the boys' favorite activities:

• Reading
• Music
• Soccer
• Conservation and the environment

The Fund is housed at the Vermont Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity in Middlebury, Vermont.

Donations to the Fund may be sent to:

The Solon and Liam Bailey Memorial Fund, c/o The Vermont Community Foundation, P.O. Box 30, Middlebury, VT 05753

Capital Soccer Camp Scholarships

Two students attended a week of soccer day camp with Capital Soccer in Barre with tuition scholarship support from the Fund during 2010.   During 2011, four students will participate in the camp.

Buck Lake Camp Scholarships

Four students each from BTMES and Barre City Middle and Elementary School attended the Buck Lake Conservation Camp for a week during the summer in 2010 thanks to scholarships provided by the Fund.  Solon greatly enjoyed his week at the camp in 2009 and came home a budding expert in conservation laws and lore, and an enthusiastic target shooter.  The camp was similar in many ways to Boy Scout camp, which both Solon and Liam loved.  The Fund is repeating these donations during 2011.

Piano Scholarships

Three piano students in Central Vermont will have a portion of their piano instruction paid for during 2011-2012 by the Fund.  The Piano Scholarships are for students showing passion and talent for the piano who otherwise may not be able to continue their lessons without scholarship assistance.

BTMES Instrument Loan Library

The student-led variety show and fundraiser held in May, 2010 at BTMES raised over $3,500 and collected donations of 15 used instruments for the instrument lending library named in honor of Solon and Liam. The Fund contributed $2,000 toward this effort.

The students poured their talent and hearts into their performances.  Having several past BTMES music directors join the show and play along with the students was a treat and testimony to their interest in the mission of the show to make instruments available to all students. 

With all 4th and 5th grade students now required to take band or chorus at BTMES, arranging instruments for families that couldn't otherwise afford them had become a challenge.  Each of the instruments donated or purchased as part of this effort will bear a small plate showing they are part of the memorial lending library.

BTMES and Barre City MES Library Books

In 2010, the Fund purchased new copies of 153 of Liam and Solon's favorite books that the BTMES library either didn't own or of which it could use another copy.  The books arrived there in late March.  They are being shelved together on a separate shelf and now have book plates stating that the books were chosen from Solon and Liam's favorites.  The Fund soon will purchase a permanent shelf to hold the books.  We're told the books are highly popular and that the shelf has been no more than half full since students were allowed to begin borrowing the books.

Liam's biggest favorite, which he reread several times, was Brisinger, part of the Eragon series.  He also loved the Olympians series including The Lightning Thief.  Solon's favorites were the Ranger's Apprentice series and the Quantum Prophecy series.

During 2011, more books from the boys' favorites, plus new books in the series that they loved, will arrive at BTMES.  In addition, the Fund will donate bookshelf with many of the same books to the Barre City Middle and Elementary School.

Pompanoosuc Mills has generously provided two beautiful bookshelves at discounted prices.