Dear Editor:

It’s 5 a.m. Monday morning, and I just dropped my 7-year-old son off at Boothbay Region Elementary School for his Special Olympics ski trip to Sugarloaf. They will be making the long trek to Sugarloaf again tomorrow morning at the same time. Not only are they going this week, but they have gone several times during the month of January for the kids to get a chance to practice before the event.

I can’t thank the teachers and volunteers enough for giving my child and others in the community this opportunity. They are teaching him a skill that he can potentially use for the rest of his life. In addition to skiing, he has had the chance to compete in basketball, swimming and soccer. He is a child that would not seek these opportunities out on his own, but will do them with his teachers and fellow students who have become like a family to him.

So if you see Connie Colby, Rachel Jones, Roberta Blaney, Mary Pawlowski, Earl Brewer or Toby LeConte, please thank them for their hard work and the dedication that they have to these kids in our community. From what I understand, Toby has done this for 40 years, which is amazing to me. She is a true hero in my eyes. My son knows what she expects of him, and although he doesn’t always comply with the rules, he knows he is loved and he feels safe, and that means everything to me.

Betsy Angelico

Boothbay