To the editor:
My friend, Laura Jones Farnsworth, is running for House District 145. This district consists of the towns of Bridgewater, Crystal, Dyer Brook, Hammond, Hersey, Island Falls, Linneus, Littleton, Ludlow, Merrill, Monticello, Moro Plantation, Mount Chase, New Limerick, Oakfield, Sherman, Smyrna, and Stacyville, plus the unorganized territory of Central Aroostook (including E Township).
Laura grew up in Aroostook County. Born in Island Falls, daughter of Rendle and Hazel Jones, Laura lived here until graduation from Island Falls High School. Her family enjoyed nature at its finest, traveling the local waterways, hunting, fishing and camping. In talking with Laura, I asked what continued to draw her back to The County. Her answer was, “I always did want to live here. We owned property in Island Falls for many years and we were here as often as possible throughout my working career. Aroostook County is home to me. It has always been home.”
I get this.
I grew up hearing, “You can take the girl out of Aroostook County, but you cannot take Aroostook County out of the girl.”
Laura is working diligently to help fellow residents find new ways to promote regional assets. She has become involved in helping her hometown find grant monies, plan, set goals, and work together. With Island Falls Town Manager Jutta Beyer, she initiated an economic advisory committee for the community. She has worked to connect and support initiatives from Millinocket to Houlton and believes in regional approaches to services, problem solving and building the economy. She scouted the farmer’s market that now comes to Island Falls on Thursday afternoons and currently is working on a food truck project.
Laura is vice chair of the RSU 50 School Committee, and a representative of the Region II Co-op Board. She updates the town calendar and volunteers with the after dinner clean-up crew at King-Mitchel VFW.
The closing of Mountain Heights nursing home in Patten led her to appreciate the significance of distance and availability of some of the health services our residents require. Taking inventory of existing facilities and services, she is concerned about the degree of unmet need she encounters as she campaigns door to door.
Laura is part of initiatives to improve conditions for camp owners and visitors to Mattawamkeag Lake, to understand the impact of the reclassification of Mattawamkeag River from B to A, and is working toward a regional approach to informational signs for marking historic and recreational features such as Bible Point State Monument.
Last spring Laura told me that she would use her campaign to promote this region and bring attention to our needs. She is doing that. She has been talking with residents for the past 9 months to learn first-hand about the issues that concern us. Let’s send her to the Legislature where she can vote The County perspective and advocate for the residents of 19 small towns, townships and plantations that make up HD 145.
Robin Crandall
Oakfield
