Sharing the Love – 2026 Digital Beacon Awards
The Pick & Shovel in Newport, Vermont, has spent more than 50 years giving people in the Green Mountain State’s Northeast Kingdom plenty of reasons to come inside.
For the past 14 of those years, Tristan Geoffrey has been one of the people greeting them.
Geoffrey, 33, who has Down syndrome, works at the store helping with cleaning and putting away merchandise on freight days. When World Down Syndrome Day approached this March, he asked co-owner Greg Hamblett if The Pick & Shovel would make a social media post supporting him and the cause.
The answer was an easy yes.
“He is a wonderful person and employee, and we love having him around,” Hamblett says. “He is the most caring person you will ever meet and is great for morale.”
The store’s March post encouraged followers to participate in the #RockYourSocks initiative by wearing bright, mismatched socks to promote awareness, inclusion and the celebration of differences.
“World Down Syndrome Day is March 21st! Celebrating the 3 copies of the 21st chromosome!” the store posted.
Newport answered.
The post received more than 700 likes and dozens of comments. Hamblett says many people in the area know Geoffrey, so posts involving him tend to draw a strong response.
“Facebook is a great place for posts like that because everything stays positive and has a lot of reach,” Hamblett says.
The response earned The Pick & Shovel the 2026 Digital Beacon Award category win for Outstanding Community Engagement.
“When I read through the comments on the post, you could tell how deeply it connected with people in the community,” says Hardware Connection editor Doug Donaldson. “Frankly, the outpouring of love got me a little teary-eyed. And when you look at everything The Pick & Shovel does in Newport, you realize this post wasn’t a one-off. It reflects a store that really shows up for its community.”
March 21, or 3/21, represents the three copies of chromosome 21 associated with Down syndrome (Most people have just two.) World Down Syndrome Day has been officially recognized by the United Nations since 2012, and colorful or mismatched socks have become an international way to start conversations about Down syndrome and inclusion.
A Newport Institution
The Pick & Shovel celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, but the Hamblett family’s business history in Newport stretches considerably further back.
The store was established in 1975 as part of the R.F. Hamblett Inc. family business. Tim Hamblett and his cousin Douglas developed the operation, while Tim’s wife, Beverly, established its clothing and footwear department.
Today, Tim’s sons, Chris and Greg Hamblett, run the business.
The family’s commercial roots in Newport date to 1916, when the Hambletts opened the Newport Bakery, home of Lucky Bread, according to remarks made in the Vermont House of Representatives this year recognizing The Pick & Shovel’s 50th anniversary.
What began as a 1,000-square-foot hardware store has grown to about 50,000 square feet across 20 lots. Hardware and building materials remain part of an assortment that also includes clothing and footwear, appliances, toys, bicycles, maple sugaring equipment, lawn-and-garden products, pet supplies and live animals. The property includes a laundromat and Tim & Doug’s Ice Cream, a seasonal stand serving hard-scoop ice cream, creemees (Vermont’s version of soft-serve) and sundaes.
More Than Merchandise
The Pick & Shovel’s community role extends far beyond its assortment. In 2004, it was one of three Vermont hardware stores selected to establish what Efficiency Vermont described as the nation’s first ENERGY STAR Centers, helping customers learn about energy efficiency.
The retailer also remains a visible participant in local celebrations and regularly hosts events at the store.
That history gives the community’s World Down Syndrome Day response deeper context. The post wasn’t an attempt to manufacture a connection online. It began with an employee asking the business where he has worked for 14 years to stand with him, then reached an audience that already knew both of them.
An operation that has spent half a century becoming part hardware store, part general store and part Newport gathering place gave Geoffrey its platform.
And Newport gave him the love right back.
