Remember to vote – it’s your duty and an honor

67

To the Editor:

 

Today my absentee ballot arrived and I anxiously filled out the papers. Also answered the four addendum questions. I feel as though this may be the last presidential election I will be voting in. I’m 76 and my health is declining…
I remember the day I was sworn in as a voter for the first time.  I was 21 at the time and now the age is 18 to qualify to vote.

I began working for the town of Westborough at age 18 as a clerk for the Board of Selectmen and waited those three years for the day I would be sworn in as a voter, thinking how proud I would be and knew everyone was rooting for me. On that special day, I walked across the hall to the Town Clerk’s office where Annie Dunne, the then Town Clerk, swore me in with a few other employees watching and smiling. I think Esther Jewett, the assistant Town Clerk; Olive Lambe in the Welfare Department; and Patsy Carroll were there. These people were town hall associates who I adopted as my family, and they all treated me as if I were their own child.

It was a special time in my life with Tom Green, Helen Stone, Marion Franz, Charlie Wright, Fill Walsh, Elizabeth Burke, the Town Accountant, and Bill MaGahey, to name a few. I was close to everyone in the town hall and even had visions of one day being the first woman to serve on the Board of Selectmen.  However, that was soon shelved when I realized I didn’t make enough money to support myself and be a selectman too. Years later, I was glad to see Paula Skog and Kristina Allen become selectmen. I also saw a three-man board become a five-man board.

After seven and half years, I felt it was time to pass the torch and gladly turned in my resignation, leaving the way for changes. I had a big send-off, too, with a testimonial dinner at Indian Meadow Country Club. I was leaving to go to Florida to start a new life and new adventure at the age of 25.

Time sure flies and before you know it, the Nov. 8 presidential election will be here. Remember to vote….

 

Sincerely,

Joan Antonio

Westborough

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