Dear Editor:   

I would like to congratulate Heather Sinclair on her re-election. Anyone running or serving in any public office deserves credit. It is not for the faint-of-heart with so many diverse opinions in a community. So, best wishes to Heather and other school board officials as they work to tackle difficult issues and new opportunities for the school.  

Also, sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone who voted for me. As a first-time candidate, I was honored to get your vote.  

I went into 2026 with one primary misogi  - the word that means having one annual goal that is daunting and even a bit dangerous to accomplish. That goal is to climb Mt. Katahdin, Maine’s tallest mountain, this summer   

When a school board seat came up for grabs this year, I decided to add one more misogi to 2026. Of the two, the campaign was the scarier one.  

Katahdin just requires bulking up leg strength. Running for office demands bulking up on more elusive strengths like an open mind, deep listening, minimizing the “animal spirits” of  ‘othering’, and especially humility and levity.  

So, while Edgecomb residents were divided on candidates and issues, I hope we can all agree that this quote on campaigns is very funny.

 “We stand today at a crossroads: One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other leads to total extinction. Let us hope we have the wisdom to make the right choice.” —Woody Allen 

Do run for office sometime. Win or lose, despair or extinction, you’ll finally knock on the door of that neighbor you’ve been meaning to meet for years! 

Maureen Heffernan 

Edgecomb