Mountain Times – Volume 49, Number 17 – April 22-28, 2020

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theSilverLining 16 • The Mountain Times • April 22-28, 2020 This week’s infusion of hope and positivity. Submitted Author and local physician published a novel about a young doctor who is profoundly affected by her 12-year-old cancer patient. The cover art is by local painter Peter Huntoon. Local physician publishes book, ‘The Intern’ By Brooke Geery Peter Hogenkamp’s first officially published novel, “The Intern,” hit shelves on Tuesday, April 13, an accomplishment nearly 20 years in the making. The Rutlandbased physician actually began the project as a sort of promotional tool for another book he’d written called “Absolution,” on the story-sharing site Wattpadd. “The idea of writing about an interaction I had had during my pediatric rotation (20 years earlier) had been kicking around in my head, and I figured Wattpad would be a good way of getting it out of my head and onto (virtual) paper,” Hogenkamp said. “The Intern” tells the story of Maggie Johnson, a 27-year-old fledgling doctor, whose encounter with a terminally ill 12-year-old cancer patient has a profound effect on her life. The characters are based on Hogenkamp’s own experiences, though it is a work of fiction. “I wrote it serially, one chapter at a time, publishing each chapter as I wrote it. After a few months, the story really took off, and I ended up with almost 60,000 readers. When my agent heard about how popular it was, she had me take it down and revise it for her to sell. But we could never come to an agreement about the story should end, and I parted ways with my agent, wrote it the way I wanted, and sold it to a publisher on my own.” Though the story takes place in Spanish Harlem, fellow Vermonters will recognize the influence of the Green Mountain State in the story. “I am a very proud Vermonter, so I always throw in a Vermont reference or two; in this case, Maggie drinks Green Mountain Coffee, just like I do, and her grandparents have a second home on Lake Champlain. There is also a scene from ‘The Intern’ which takes place at a camp in the mountains, which is based on a friend’s There is a scene from ‘The Intern’ which takes place at a camp in the mountains, which is based on a friend’s camp in Shrewsbury. camp in Shrewsbury, but I had to use the Catskills as the location because of its proximity to Spanish Harlem,” Hogenkamp said. The book’s cover art will also be recognizable to many. It was created by Vermont artist Peter Huntoon. In addition to “The Intern,” Hogenkamp has two more books on the horizon. “Absolution” (Bookouture/Hachette UK, October 2020) and “Doubt” (Bookouture/ Hachette UK March 2021), both of which are contracted and ready to to be published. “Except for the fact that ‘Doubt’ exists only as an outline at this point in time – Yikes!” Hogenkamp admitted. Alongside his medical and writing careers, Hogenkamp is also the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Needless to say, he is a busy guy. “When I started writing 15 years ago, I woke up every weekday morning at 4:30 a.m. (because I had read that John Grisham started this way) to write my first manuscript. That lasted for almost two years; one day I slept in (to 6:30 a.m.) and that was the end of that,” he said. “Now, I write mostly on weekends and my days off from the office. The podcast and the TV show are more recent happenings, as I have more time these days, with all four of my children either away at school or graduated and (sort-of) on their own.” “The Intern” is available now wherever books are sold. For more information on Hogenkamp, visit peterhogenkampbooks.com and his personal blog, phogenkampvt.blogspot.com.
The Mountain Times • April 22-28, 2020 THE SILVER LINING • 17 Connecting kids and books during Covid-19 By Duncan McDougall, executive director, Children’s Literacy Foundation As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, schools, afterschool programs, and most public libraries are closed, and millions of U.S. children are now sheltering at home. A significant portion of these kids, particularly those from low-income homes where books are more likely to be scarce, suddenly find themselves stranded in what educators term a “book desert.” Tragically, at a time when children need stimulating entertainment the most, they lack an opportunity to be inspired and transported by the power of a great book. Even worse, the dearth of high-quality reading material means many children will return to school this September having fallen far behind in their reading skills, and children from low-income families are likely to lag the most. But “necessity is the mother of invention,” and many caring people have devised new ways to connect kids to books in this socially distanced world. I’m the executive director of the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF), a nonprofit that nurtures a love of reading and writing among low-income kids, at-risk, and rural children throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. Our work allows us to witness many creative efforts to make books accessible. Here are just a few examples. Hanging out at the library: As you might expect, the staff at the public library in Springfield, Vermont, are passionate about making books available throughout their community. Unfortunately, the library is closed due to social distancing. Undeterred, every day the librarians now put a few dozen grab bags on their railing, 6 feet apart. Each bag has two books and a DVD with reading levels marked on the outside of the bag. To be safe, bags cannot be opened or returned. One by one people walk along the path, excitedly pick one of the bags, and get a fun surprise when they get home. Feeding body and mind: To ensure kids still have access to nourishing lunches while schools are closed, many schools are using their kitchens to cook meals, and their buses to distribute the food directly to students’ homes. In Bartlett, New Hampshire, school staff members have been including children’s books with the deliveries of food, thereby feeding young bodies and minds at the same time. Young faces now peek out living room windows waiting to see what treasure the bus will bring them today. Door to door service: In many small towns, the public library is the principal source of books for the community, and the local librarian has a personal connection with most of the town’s families and kids. Wardsboro, Vermont is a rural community with 853 residents. The librarian, wearing a mask and gloves, is now depositing bags with new books on the doorsteps of local families so they can still enjoy some reading time together. From behind bars: Prisons are one of the dozens of venues where CLiF offers our free programs. Each year we teach hundreds of inmates how to share books successfully with their children and grandchildren. Shortly after the coronavirus arrived, we worked with prison staff across the “Twin States” to gather requests from inmates about new books they would like to send to their kids. CLiF donated the new books, and last week we mailed some 350 packages with new titles to children who are now more connected to a beloved family member through the power of a book. In this strange and disturbing time, books can be a safe harbor for kids, and a friend when they’re alone. They can also provide stimulation for young minds, and help children maintain their reading skills so they can be ready when schools reopen. I hope these examples inspire you to safely and creatively do all you can to get books into the hands of the children you love. They need them now, more than ever. The health benefits of gardening By Gordon Clark, UVM Extension master gardener As we endure the current coronavirus pandemic, precautions need to be taken in all activities outside our homes. But during such a difficult time, we also should be aware of the singularly profound health benefits of gardening. Many people work in community gardens, where new rules of operation are being formulated for this spring, but such guidelines should not prevent us from enjoying our gardens, at home or elsewhere. Of course, no one needs to tell a New Englander about the benefits of being outside after a long winter, but science is filling in the how and why. Fresh air: Studies have shown that fresh air is good for cleaning the lungs, improving circulation and providing greater energy and vitality. Increased oxygen intake helps boost brain levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter nicknamed the “happy chemical” because it combats anxiety and depression and helps maintain a healthy emotional state and general well-being. Sunlight: While there are obvious risks to too much unprotected exposure, moderate amounts of sunlight bring many benefits. For starters, the UV rays in sunlight are known to kill and suppress germs and bacteria. (Experts say it’s not strong enough to kill the coronavirus, but the overall disinfectant effect is still a good one.) Upon exposure to sunlight, the skin metabolizes Vitamin D, the only major vitamin produced in this way. Vitamin D is essential for numerous body functions, and sunlight has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve bone strength and brain functioning. Not surprisingly, sunlight also provokes the brain to produce serotonin, which is why sunlight is an effective anti-depressant and treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder. (Its relative absence in winter is the primary cause of SAD.) Soil: This is where it gets really magical. Any gardener can tell you that the health of a garden and its plants is bound up in the diverse abundance of microbial life in the soil. Some microbes are bad (pathogens), but most are either benign or, in fact, necessary for increasing nutrient uptake by plants, decomposing organic matter, Recent studies demonstrate that soil microbes such as Mycobacterium vaccae can act as anti-depressants. controlling disease and numerous other basic soil functions. But what if the microbes that make for healthy soil also promote the health of humans who work in it? We know that exposure to soil microbes, particularly in childhood, helps to build a more robust immune system and resistance to asthma and allergies. Recent studies demonstrate that soil microbes such as Mycobacterium vaccae can act as antidepressants as well, activating groups of neurons responsible for producing, Submitted you guessed it, our friend, serotonin. Physical activity: Gardening and landscaping activities provide moderate to vigorous physical activity, particularly when most of the work is performed using hand tools. It’s a form of stealth exercise in which you are lifting, squatting, pushing, pulling and stepping without even realizing it. Gardening provides healthenhancing, weight-bearing exercise that increases caloric expenditure, builds strong muscles and bones and supports balance and endurance. It gets even better. That’s because gardening gives you the opportunity to grow food. Awesome, fresh food. Nothing maintains your immune system and general health and energy like fresh fruits and vegetables, which are most nutritious right after harvest. In addition, kids and adults are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables tended with their own hands. Gardeners can control how their food is grown, often resulting in no or less herbicide and pesticide use. These are challenging times, and it is more important than ever to stay healthy. One of the healthiest things you can do is to grow food in your own garden. So be careful. Stay safe. But by all means, get your gardening on!
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Mountain Times – Volume 49, Number 17 – April 22-28, 2020

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