courtesy photo
Andee and Allie Ackerman of Hardwick were mentioned in Gov. Phil Scott’s annual State of the State address.
MONTPELIER — Hardwick sisters Andee and Allie Ackerman were featured in Gov. Phil Scott’s annual State of the State address on January 4.
The governor opened his speech with a long list of challenges that the state faces: an aging population, insufficient affordable housing, funding for healthcare and education, climate mitigation, and IT infrastructure.
He then pivoted to the positive side of the ledger, saying “My friends, I’ve now spent about 20 minutes talking about the significant challenges we face. There’s no doubt, we have a lot of hard work ahead. But there’s also a lot of good things happening.
“I’m optimistic about our future because of the people of Vermont.”
One example of good things that are happening that the governor mentioned included the Ackerman sisters’ efforts to help a business that was affected by last summer’s floods: “in Caledonia County, eight- and 10-year-old Andee and Allie Ackerman started their own business, a lemonade stand, giving every single penny of the $700 they made to help the Hardwick House of Pizza.”
“This is “Vermont Strong,” said Scott. “It’s the incredible resilience found in our sense of community.”
The Ackerman sisters set up their lemonade stand on Brown Farm Road in Hardwick on July 12 and 13, 2023.
The girls’ parents, Jimmy and Sara, were in the news last year, as well, receiving the Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year award. The award, presented annually by University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont Dairy Industry Association in cooperation with the New England Green Pastures Program, recognizes a farm that epitomizes overall dairying excellence.
