For more than 60 years, Paul Hartshorn has been in service to our community. That is the entirety of his adult life.
I don't know Paul well, but we attend the same church, I know and respect two of his adult children, and I took the minutes for the Waitsfield Select Board for a few years where I got to see him in action.
If I had been in the select board decision-maker's seat, my decision, or at least my thought process, would often have been different than Paul's. However, he was the one willing to serve in the seat and for that I am entirely thankful. Paul cares about our town's history and about older folks, folks on fixed incomes and folks who grew up here that are finding themselves priced out. The theme I noticed is how much Paul cares for Waitsfield and its residents.
Very few of us will ever work as much or as hard in our lifetimes as Paul works. Despite being In his 80s, Paul is not fully retired. As a dairy farmer, a sugarer and a logger, his work has never been easy. He was not serving his community because he had nothing else to do. My guess is that Paul was serving his community because serving his community is who he is.
Thank you, Paul, for your past years of service on the Waitsfield Cemetery Commission, Waitsfield Elementary School board of directors, Harwood Union High School Board directors, and the Waitsfield Select Board. Thank you also for your continued service on the Waitsfield-Fayston Fire Department, at what I believe is 62 years and counting. My guess is that the list I have given is incomplete. I am also guessing that my politics and Paul Hartshorn's are fairly different, however, there is one thing I don't have to guess at. I am quite sure there are very few humans who will give as much to their community over the span of their lifetimes as Paul Hartshorn has given to, and will continue to. give in service to Waitsfield. As a resident of Waitsfield, I thank Paul for his service and I hope that every other resident does too.
Laura Caffry
Waitsfield
