Dear Editor:

Ask around, and you will hear a multitude of things that make this area special. From our beautiful, rugged coastline and the maritime history entwined with it, to our vibrant communities of local businesses and organizations, there is much for which to be thankful here. But for those who make this place our home, we know it is our ingrained sense of community, our duty to each other, that sets places like this apart. We know that, in times of need, we can count on each other.

Representative Holly Stover embodies this commitment to community. She has spent not just the past four years as our Representative serving this region, but an entire career working for the people of Maine at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. On top of that, Holly has a long and in-depth history with a number of local non-profits that support the people in our area, keeping her close to the pulse of what our communities need.

Holly is an active advocate for all of us. She knows well the issues that matter to small towns like ours, and has the experience to turn that insight into results. As our representative, Holly has helped to protect our children and our industries, support our seniors and our families, and has brought her in-depth understanding of this area to bear for us in Augusta.

It is a no-brainer: vote for Holly Stover for State Representative in the Democratic Primary on June 14. We must keep Holly Stover.

Tory Paxson

Boothbay