United Counseling Service's Superhero 5K Raises Money For Teens4Change Program

11:33AM / Saturday, February 28, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BENNINGTON, Vt. — United Counseling Service (UCS)'s 8th annual Superhero 5K and Kids' Dash raised $3,500 for the agency's Teens4Change program, a youth-led program that brings young people in Bennington County together for community service opportunities, local events, weekly gatherings, and skill-building activities.

Funds raised at the UCS Superhero 5K and Kids' Dash will support the group's weekly meetings and events throughout the year, including the annual UCS Bennington Youth Summit, a free opportunity open to Vermont teens.

"Teens for Change represents the best of what community investment can look like—empowering young people to lead, connect, and support one another," said UCS Superhero 5K and Kids' Dash Race Director Joel Stark.

2025 event sponsors are Heritage Family Credit Union (Invincible Level), Bennington Banner and Manchester Journal (Caped Crusader Level), The Richards Group (Guardian Level), JK Adams (Guardian Level), Genoa Healthcare, (Aquaman Level), Bennington Rescue Squad (Aquaman Level), Janitronics Facility Services (Aquaman Level), GVH Studio (Defender Level), MSK Engineers (Defender Level), rkMiles (Defender Level), Turning Point Center of Bennington (Defender Level), Northeast Delta Dental (Defender Level), VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (Defender Level), Coggins Toyota of Bennington (Champion Level), SaVida Health (Champion Level), Taconic Music (Champion Level), and Hill & Thompson (Champion Level).

The 2026 UCS Superhero 5K and Kids' Dash will take place on Saturday, Nov. 7, and sponsorship opportunities are now available at ucsvt.org/events. This year's event will benefit Chickens for Change, a program of UCS that provides an opportunity for elementary through high school-age youth to raise, care for, and sell chickens and eggs in order to promote business, social, and life skills. Registration for the 2026 UCS Superhero 5K and Kids' Dash opens May 1 at ucsvt.org/events.

"We are so excited for our 9th annual race to be held on NOv. 7," said Heidi French, Director of Community Relations and Development for UCS. "Every year the race gets bigger and better. It is truly a community event that would not be possible without the continued support from the Town of Bennington, the Bennington Police Department, the Bennington Rescue Squad, and the Berkshire Family YMCA."

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Fall Trout Stocking in Select Lakes and Streams In Vermont

Staff Reports02:37PM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department continues its new fall trout stocking program this year.

This will mark the third consecutive year that trophy-sized brook trout and rainbow trout averaging 13-14 inches will be stocked into four ponds and one stream in southern Vermont in the fall.

"We're stocking more than 2,000 one-and-a-half-year-old trout between Knapp Ponds #1 and #2 in Cavendish, Lakes Paran and Shaftsbury in Bennington, and East Creek in Rutland," said Lael Will, a fisheries biologist with the department. "This is a great opportunity for anglers to spend time fishing for some really nice stocked trout surrounded by Vermont's amazing fall foliage. And, they can continue right through the winter, catching trout in waters where late season trout fishing was not an option before."

Fish from Bennington, Roxbury and Salisbury fish culture stations will be stocked starting in mid-October to allow for some harvest before the season switches to catch and release only in November.

"Last year anglers shared with us that they loved the fall and winter opportunity created by this late season stocking," said Will. "We're excited to continue these stockings and hopefully hear from more people taking advantage of these new trout fishing opportunities."

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