Ailing Vermont Town Pins Hopes on Mideast Refugees

[yortsed snacilbuper]

RUTLAND, Vt. — They hustled into the church on a biting winter evening, unburdened themselves of scarves and gloves, and settled into pews to sound out words in Arabic.

“Ahlan fii Rutland,” said Fran Knapp, a retiree who lives about 20 minutes away, one of two or three dozen people who have attended a class here on rudimentary Arabic.

Welcome to Rutland.

It was one of many preparations this remote city in central Vermont is making before 100 refugees from Syria and Iraq arrive here over the next year, with the first expected to come later this month.

The plan — born in a time of deep national discord over Muslim immigration and criticism by President-elect Donald J. Trump of Syrian refugees specifically — has divided the city. A vocal opposition group called Rutland First sprang up, as did another effort, known as Rutland Welcomes, to collect donated items, help the new arrivals and watch for job openings that might suit them.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ailing-vermont-town-pins-hopes-on-mideast-refugees/ar-BBxO2Pb?li=AA4ZnC&ocid=spartanntp

[samir.g]

1. They'll definitely improve the complexion

Vermont can use an infusion of melanin.

[HoneyBadger]

2. Really odd to hear Rutland referred to as remote

It is a happening artsy town at the end of a major roadway at the base of the largest ski operation in the northeast. The economy at this time of year is booming.

[handmade34]

3. "remote city in central Vermont"

from where I live, Rutland is a Big City...


I remember back almost 20 years ago when our small town took in Bosnian refugees, my kids and I studied enough to learn how to welcome them... they have all moved on to the big city (Burlington) now, but then one of the young men was smitten by my daughter and wanted to marry her