In 2010 we moved to Vermont after spending our youthful energies in Harvard for 29 years. We embraced our new lives fully and have barely been back until last Wednesday.
Our brief visit gave us a glimpse of a town to be proud of—a town cared for and caring in so many ways. The new elementary school is an architectural jewel, just across the street from the library, which is another one. The pond, much the same as it was before, is well loved. The Common, redolent of happy sledding memories for our kids, is so beautiful.
And of course we had to pick up a copy of the Press, which gave us a closer look. Devens, on which disposition both Mark and I worked, is still an effort in progress, an effort in intertown cooperation, and successful. Reading the suggested warrant article for the Super Town Meeting was a privilege for outsiders like us. We’d be voting for it if we were still residents. Also reported: a highly intelligent policy adopted by the School Committee about censorship of school materials—one I will share with our school committee here in Randolph, Vermont. A well-earned paean to community journalism and request for donations for the Press, which I will honor as best I can. And all the familiar trappings of community, documented under the leadership of Sue and Lisa, to whom we send grateful greetings for keeping the flame alive.
To those who wonder what became of us, we renovated an old farmhouse and established a farm on 10 fertile acres of river-bottom land where we raise food, had sheep, made new friends, and became Vermonters. The perils of climate change came upon us with the huge flood in July and our new community helped us out. It wasn’t as destructive a hit as some people got, though our sheep and our vegetable gardens were swept away. Living on a beautiful little river has a down side in this challenging new century.
We extend a warm greeting and wishes for a fine 2024 to everyone in town. We’re proud of our old town and I say to all of you: Well done!
Josie Carothers and Mark Kelley
Randolph, Vermont
