Correspondent Carter honored by Easton, newspaper

By Debbie Smith  
Special to the Star-Herald
    EASTON — After approximately two and a half decades of serving as the eyes and ears for the community, Eldora Carter made the decision earlier this year to retire from her duties as correspondent for the town.
    To honor her for her dedicated service, town officials, in collaboration with staff from the Star-Herald, held a luncheon retirement party August 13, at the Odd Fellow’s Hall in Easton. There were 45 friends and relatives on hand to wish Carter the best of luck in her retirement years.
    Those joining the guest of honor included: Carter’s husband, Clair Carter; Easton Town Manager John Hangen; Hillary Trainer, director, Recreation Department; JoAnn Johnson; Mark Hewitt; Jeanne Pelfrey; Vera Cullins; Rena Richardson; Rogena Thomas; Ida Doak; Helen King; Nina Trask; Ezalee Smith; Avis Hume; Glennis Craig; Edith Fuller; Jackie Bradley; Pastor Vaughn Martin; Debbie Smith; Phyllis Nadeau; Ruth Ladner; Tyler Clark; Arlene Ladner; Cheryl Carter; Julie and Cole Carter; Travis and Sheri Carter; Fern and Sheldon Hull; Cheryl Clark; Marjorie Niblett; Liana and Paul Demerchant; Rollie and Freida Dionne; Dottie and Duncan Beaton, joined by their granddaughter; as well as Mark Putnam, editor, and Kathy McCarty, staff writer, both from the Star-Herald.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
    TOWN HONORS CORRESPONDENT — Easton Town Manager John Hangen joined others from the community who gathered August 13, to honor Eldora Carter, who retired recently after more than 25 years of service as news correspondent for the town. Carter was presented with a plaque signed by town officials recognizing her for all she’d done to promote Easton as a place to work and live.
    Hangen expressed gratitude for all Carter had done over the years to promote the community as a place to live and work.
    Hangen said he took it upon himself to figure out just how many words Carter had used over the years, coming up with the answer, “From a mathematical point of view, Eldora averaged 34 column inches a week, multiplied by 52 weeks in a year, that averages out to approximately 53,000 words a year.”
    “Imagine how much talking she had to do to get that. Now take that number, and multiply it by the number of years she served as correspondent. That comes out to roughly 1.8 million words in her career,” said Hangen. “She’s a ‘millionaire’ and she doesn’t even know it.”
    Hangen then presented Carter with a plaque signed by city officials, including the selectmen, recognizing her efforts in keeping the community informed of the town’s important milestones and the many other events that she helped track for posterity.
    He said it wasn’t easy to plan the luncheon, given Carter’s inquisitive nature.
    Putnam said it was people like Carter who make weekly newspapers succeed at a time when larger papers are struggling to survive.
    “Weekly papers have a secret — correspondents like Eldora who keep the local news at the forefront,” said Putnam, continuing with Hangen’s mathematical theme, “if a picture paints a thousand words, if you do the math (given all the photos Carter contributed with her columns), Eldora’s taken dozens.”
    Correspondents make life easier for staff at the Star-Herald, explained McCarty.
    “I don’t know what I would have done without you, Eldora. Thanks to your dedication. You were always willing to help,” said McCarty.
    Carter was also presented gifts from the newspaper for her many years of service.        Hangen said many reporters are known for their catch phrases, and Carter was no different, using Eldora’s own words to sum up the retirement party.
    “A good time was had by all,” said Hangen.