Cottage Hospital “Any Which Way” Event Fields 70 Runners

By Bernie Marvin

They’re off and running the Cottage Hospital Any Which Way Walk and Run 5K race that began at the Woodsville Elementary School and wound its way through Woodsville streets last Sunday morning, May 17, 2026. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin 

Woodsville, NH - The 6th Annual Cottage Hospital Any Which Way 5K Run and Walk was greeted early last Sunday morning, May 17, 2026, by a warm sun and clear skies, much to the event organizers’ approval after a stretch of drizzly, below seasonal temperatures.

With nearly 70 participants in the 5K event, many other families of walkers lined up at the 802 Timing Company’s start line at 9 AM to hear Jakub Kubkowski’s air horn signal the start of the event, which took runners and walkers through the quiet morning streets of Woodsville.

There were some good times logged this year. Liam Genereaux, age 31, paced his run that brought him over the finish line at just 19:22, followed by Jake Danis, age 16, at 19:24; Matt Cote, age 36, at 20:02; Jason Chester, age 44,  with 20:56, and the top female runner, Christa Ferguson, age 36,  at 21:15.

Other top females included Rylynn Hambrick, age 14, at 22:11; and Rachel Stanton, age 39,  at 24:07. Top male runners included W. Lang, age 9, at 26:00; B Sawyer, age 12, at 28:04 and P Hunter, age 12, at 28:08.

In a course-side interview prior to the race, Cottage Hospital CEO Holly McCormack told The Bridge Weekly that this, the 6th year of the event, saw a very robust sign-up with quality runners from throughout the North Country and beyond.

She said Cottage Hospital, an independent hospital and one of just two in the North Country, has had a good year, with successful job recruiting and popular hospital programs.

She said the race is a fundraiser for Cottage Hospital’s Operating Room renovations, an ongoing project that also promotes local wellness initiatives while providing important funding for several infrastructure programs planned throughout the hospital.

Ms. McCormack said this is the sixth race she has entered during her years as Chief Operating Officer at the hospital. She said that as she looks around the sea of runners and walkers, she recognizes many faithful participants who have also attended every event each year.

The race this year, as it has for many years, kicked off from behind the Woodsville Elementary School, where there has always been ample parking for the event in front or behind the building at the junction of Routes 10 and 302.

The timed event got underway at 9:00 AM sharp for runners, and the family walkers followed that group The route is 3.1 miles long and includes several interior Woodville roads and streets, ending about 20 minutes later at the finish line located at the rear of the Woodsville Elementary School playground.

Several strong local organizations assist in sponsoring this event. Companies and groups such as DJ Kev’s DJ Service, WYKR Radio 101.3 FM, the Cottage Hospital Auxiliary, The Brick Store, Northcountry Healthcare, and many others.

 Running in the recent Cottage Hospital Any Which Way 5K run & Walk were these participants from Little Rivers Health Care; kneeling, left to right are Jackie Gilmour, Rebecca Partington holding Raelynn Partington, Lisa Pearson and Amanda Regis. Standing, left to right are Dr. Stephen Genereaux, Bri Aila, Brandon Partington, Dr. Fay Homan, Tracy Thompson, Liam Genereaux, Rick Evans, Owen Davies (standing behind Tracy and Liam.) The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin 

Left to right are W. Lang and A. Roy as they run the 5K Any Which Way event sponsored by Cottage Hospital last weekend. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin.

Cottage Hospital CEO Holly McCormack at the finish of her 5K race last weekend in Woodsville. Holly has run every one of the six 5K races the hospital has produced. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Little Rivers holds Legislative Town Hall session in Fairlee

By Bernie Marvin

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Attending a recent Vermont Legislative Town Hall at the Fairlee Town Hall were, left to right, Representative Michael Tagliavia, Representative Rebecca Holcomb, Senator John Benson, and Representative Jim Masland. Standing at right is Little Rivers Health Care CEO Andrew Barter who offered opening remarks and also moderated the meeting. Barter said the health care organization, based in Bradford, plans to hold similar forums across their service area. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Fairlee, VT – The Little Rivers Health Care, with offices in Bradford, Wells River, East Corinth, and Newbury, sponsored another Legislative Town Hall meeting at the Fairlee Town Hall on Monday, March 30, 2026.

This is not an unusual effort for the Bradford-based health care center, as it remains a busy site across its four locations, with high growth. For instance, between 2016 and 2021, Little Rivers Health Care experienced a 78 percent increase in patient visits, prompting major expansion efforts.

The recent legislative session in Fairlee was scheduled for a one-hour program and included local Vermont legislators and area residents. Legislators there included Representative Michael Tagliavia, Orange 1 District; Representative Rebecca Holcombe, Windsor-Orange 2 District; Senator John Benson, Orange District, and Representative James Masland, Windsor-Orange District 2.

Offering a welcome and making opening remarks to the attendees was Little Rivers Health Care CEO Andrew Barter at 9 AM. About 20 residents attended the session. Fairlee Select Board member Peter Berger also offered other remarks.
CEO Barter told The Bridge Weekly at the conclusion of the Fairlee Town Hall Legislative Session that he and the staff were "very pleased with the turnout and the level of engagement. The discussion reflected strong community interest in access to care and the future of local health services, which is exactly what we hoped to foster."

The programs:
Little Rivers Health Care has created an active schedule of public programs, including Town Hall sessions and advocacy and formal testimony, according to information available on their website and during the meeting.

The programs address a wide range of subjects, from rural healthcare challenges such as access to care and rising healthcare costs. About an hour was scheduled to hear from legislators who offered a summation of bills and legislation that are now or have been under consideration for action in Vermont.

Those four legislators concentrated their comments on several different subjects that headlined the meeting, including health care access and the workforce, housing and land use, education funding, and the State of Vermont budget and investment priorities.

Little Rivers Health Care is a not-for-profit, community-based, federally qualified health center. They are dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive primary care for individuals and families, regardless of ability to pay, in accordance with specific federal guidelines. Little Rivers Health Care works hard to meet the community's unique health needs, with a special focus on the medically underserved.

According to their online information, their service area includes the Vermont towns of Bradford, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Groton, Newbury, Norwich, Orange, Ryegate, Strafford, Thetford, Topsham, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Fairlee, and neighboring towns of border communities in New Hampshire.

Among many community legislative programs, town hall sessions are included, similar to the one held on Monday, March 30, 2026. These events allow community members to hear from and question local legislators on regional issues. Participating legislators often include regional personnel, such as those who were at the front of the room in the Fairlee Town Hall, to speak to visitors.

Discussions held usually center on health care affordability, housing challenges, and the future of community health in rural Vermont. And there is regular participation by Little Rivers Health Care leaders in the Vermont Legislative Day, where they visit the State House to meet with lawmakers, often alongside the Bi-State Primary Care Association, to advocate for the vital role of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). 

The staff at Little Rivers Health Care also provides expert testimony to the Vermont Legislature on specific public health initiatives, such as Food as Medicine, where Clinical Quality Director Maureen Boardman and other staff have testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee regarding the Little Rivers Food Farmacy, which uses nutritious food to manage chronic diseases. Also, 3SquaresVT Advocacy, with Little Rivers Health Care, is participating in 3SquaresVT Awareness Day to help legislators understand the impact of food access programs on the local community. 

Little Rivers Health Care also participates in broader state legislative initiatives designed to stabilize and improve rural health: Blueprint for Health, a state program that funds "Self-Management" workshops (such as those for diabetes or chronic pain) and integrates mental health services into primary care.
And also, the Stabilization Program: Little Rivers Health Care has been part of discussions and reporting regarding state-funded sustainability approaches for community providers facing financial pressures.

20 years of growth:
Little Rivers Health Care has a dynamic history and was founded in 2003 by a group of citizens and healthcare leaders who wanted to maintain the medical services needed in the rural areas they now serve.
Little Rivers Health Care included several local practices in its family, one of the first being the Wells River Clinic, which was originally opened in 1951 by Dr. Harry Rowe. As the business expanded from its base office in Bradford, offices in East Corinth and Newbury were added over time.
In 2022, they launched a dynamic major capital campaign, "People you know, the care you trust," which sought $6.2 million for facility expansions. They recently celebrated 20 years of service in the area and completed extensive renovations at the Bradford clinic, with additional dental and health access centers in Wells River, which opened in 2025. As of 2024, the center has provided nearly 45,000 patient visits to over 7000 community members, and Little Rivers Health Care employs over 100 people.
CEO Barter said that Little Rivers Health Care plans to hold similar forums and to rotate locations across their service area to ensure broader community participation."