My wife Linda and I moved to Bennington from Florida in December of 2014. Talk about a shock: the closing was nearly postponed by a snowstorm! Since then we have come to appreciate the many joys of living in Vermont.
In addition to the activities shown above, I am also an avid runner and a regular participant in the annual Battle Day 5K and other local races. We share our house with five (very spoiled) cats and (maybe) the ghost of Grandma Moses, who lived in what is now our house in the early 1930s. We love the walkability and many activities that Bennington provides, but especially the friendly people we have met. Our love for our new home town is one of the primary reasons I have decided to run for office.
For the last few years I had the pleasure of serving on the Town of Bennington Historic Preservation Commission. It has been great working to preserve some of Bennington's amazing architectural history. I am especially excited about our efforts to raise awareness of the rich history of downtown and the Pleasant Street neighborhood. It has been amazing to interact with the other commissioners, as well as the Town staff, and I recommend serving on one of the Town's boards or commissions to anyone who wants to become more involved.
Although I have been a lifelong Democrat, I have never before taken an active role. This past September I wandered in the reorganization meeting for the Town Democrats. I immediately joined the committee, and became a delegate for the County committee as well. There are some great people in the party and some amazing elected officials as well. I look forward to continue working with them whether I am elected or not. This is simply too critical a time in our nation's (and Vermont's) history to stand on the sidelines.