Rather than a commentary on a particular subject, for this editorial I’ll touch of a few items of special interest in today’s Addison Independent.
First, a tip of the hat to the work done by two of the county’s retiring legislators: Sen. Claire Ayer and Rep. Dave Sharpe, D-Bristol. Rep. Sharpe received accolades in a previous Page 1 story, and on today’s front page (as well as last week’s surprise announcement) we cover Claire’s accomplishments and praise from fellow legislators and colleagues. It’s no small feat to serve in the Senate for 16 years, and to have had such a key role in the health care debate and transitions currently underway. Please take a moment to read the story to grasp a better appreciation of the work she has done on your behalf.
Second, we have more photos in this issue of the annual Middlebury Maple Run, which was held this past Sunday on its 10th anniversary. The event brought over 750 runners to town, involved dozens of volunteers plus the Middlebury Lions Club to cook a pancake breakfast and involved dozens of EMT and first responders, along with traffic control officials, to pull it off. Plus, the enormous effort of two of the half-marathon’s unsung heroes: Sue Hoxie and Andrea Solomon, who have co-chaired the event for the past several years. The run was started by a group of 7-8 local residents who thought the town would benefit from a major run, and indeed it has. While it started with a couple hundred runners at that first event, it quickly reached over 500 and has been hovering around 700 to 850 for most of the past half dozen years.
But it’s a lot of work, and after 10 years Sue and Andrea are turning over the reins to others. Hopefully, they’ll still be part of the planning, but here’s a huge thank-you for all the time and effort they have contributed to an event that brings tens of thousands of dollars of revenue into the community each year — and, as importantly, spreads a good vibe about the town far and wide.
Third, a shout-out to Lux Tierney, a nine-year-old Starksboro resident who, once again, spent her birthday collecting trash on Green Up Day. It’s the fourth consecutive year she has spent part of her birthday picking up trash with her friends, a tradition worthy of the headline and Page 1 story as told by reporter Christopher Ross.
And a special note in honor of Cheryl White, owner of the Valley Voice for the past 30 years who passed away suddenly late last week of natural causes. At just 68, her death caught many of her friends and business friends by surprise and left a deep sense of loss by many. As a competitor in the newspaper business, we have long been on friendly terms, enjoying Cheryl’s bubbly spirit, love of the communities she covered, her passion for what she did, and her endless generosity and thoughtfulness toward others. As she did with many area businesses, she stopped by frequently to chat and catch-up and just spread her enthusiasm for life and having fun. She was, above all, a “people person” who formed close relationships with a broad circle of the Addison County community; a presence that will be sorely missed.
Angelo Lynn