On a chilly weekend in November volunteers gathered at the Glover Town Hall for the the WindowDressers community build. Over five days, 50 volunteers and program participants built more than 180 window inserts to upgrade the winter comfort level of 30 homes.
photo by Liz Steel
Earlier this year, volunteers from the Glover Energy Committee and the Greensboro Energy and Climate Action Committee visited the homes of each community member that had signed up to participate in the program. Windows to be fitted with window insert frames were measured to provide accurate sizing for them.
photo by Fan Watkinson
On the first day of the event, volunteers and participants assembled insert frames using pre-cut and drilled wooden sticks delivered from the WindowDressers factory. Then followed a production line, with different stations set up around the hall. Each day, community members were assigned to a station, given a demonstration and trained so they could complete the task.
Some added double sided tape to the frame, others stretched the plastic film over the frame to stick to the tape. Some sealed the edges with extra tape, while others tightened the plastic using a heat lamp.
photo by Liz Steel
Adding foam weather-stripping was the final station, together with a tab to allow the insert to be easily installed and removed.
“There are a lot of moving parts and everyone is critical to the success of the program,” said Jack Sumberg, a long-time Glover resident who has been with the WindowDressers program in the Northeast Kingdom for the past six years. Other experienced volunteers from Glover included Mariel Hess, Ann Craven, Sara Gluckman, Dave Olsen and Angela Daniels.
photo by Liz Steel
Anna Kehler and Fan Watkinson coordinated the program for Greensboro, supported by Bill Slocum, Liz Hatch and Holly Cook.
Community members from Northeast Kingdom towns of Barton, Glover, Greensboro, Hardwick, Orleans, North Troy, Walden, West Charleston and Westmore signed up to participate in this year’s program.
photo by Liz Steel
Community members who sign up for window inserts volunteer time to help assemble the inserts if they are able.
There is a sliding scale fee based on income-eligibility and the number of inserts requested.
Warren and Irene Hill, who have lived on The Bend Road in Greensboro for the past 40 years, participated in WindowDressers last year, helping to assemble, then installing window inserts in their home. They said they were impressed with how cozy their home felt and, as their primary heat source is an outdoor wood furnace, it meant less trips outside in the cold to feed the furnace.
photo by Liz Steel
They decided to participate again this year by adding more window inserts. Irene said, “The inserts do make it slightly harder to see out the windows, but it beats having to pull across the drapes to keep the drafts out, so we still get the natural light.”
Mark Sublett is restoring a 1900s antique house in Orleans. He moved to Vermont to escape extreme weather events in Florida. Sublett was concerned that his home be as resilient as possible and, through Efficiency Vermont, found out about WindowDressers. He had high praise for the program, saying “It was easy to sign up and have my windows measured. Last winter I was paying about $600 a month for propane to heat my home, so I am hoping these window inserts will reduce my energy bill. There is also the added benefit that I am cutting my use of fossil fuels, which reduces carbon pollution and helps the environment.”
Reducing fuel bills was a common theme among all the participants at the community build. Glover resident Maria spent the past two years weatherizing her manufactured home. Chomentowski was helping to build the window inserts and rewrapping some of her inserts from last year that had been scratched. “The WindowDressers program is amazing. My window inserts, together with other weatherization activities I completed through Efficiency Vermont, resulted in energy bills that I could afford last winter. My windows no longer get condensation on them or feel icy cold to the touch.”
For more information or to sign up for window inserts in 2025 go to windowdressers.org or contact Fan Watkinson at [email protected]
Steel is the chair of the Greensboro Energy and Climate Action Committee
