Letter to the Editor: 'Voices Can Be Heard and Changes Can Be Made'

To the Editor:

I recently attended the in support of my friends' enthusiastic Playground initiative and to vote in favor of the town of Hamilton to allocate existing funds towards the building of a new playground.

My friends, Emily Sumner and Holly Regan, have been volunteering their time to improve the playground at Patton Park, a beautiful park at the epicenter of our town. They have created a thoughtful and thorough campaign of what the playground at Patton Park could be - complete with age appropriate play structures, safe surfaces, picnic tables, benches, and gardens. These improvements will create a destination for everyone - not just children - in our community to enjoy all the while, raising the majority of the funds from private and corporate donations.

The Patton Park playground initiative has gotten very positive support from Hamilton Town Manager Michael Lombardo, the Hamilton Board of Selectmen as well as the new director of the Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Department Sean Timmons. Town Meeting's vote to approve a $5,000 appropriation for this playground was approved.

It’s been six years since we’ve moved to Hamilton and this was my first time attending a Town Meeting. With young children, the demands of a busy life have gotten in the way and I figured I’d just make it to the next one. Plus, would my opinion really matter anyway? Now, I believe it does.

After speaking at the meeting in favor of the new playground (something that our town desperately needs), I realized that seeing democracy in action is inspiring; voices can be heard and changes can be made.

I hope everyone can take a few hours out of their hectic lives and experience what I did and attend a town meeting. There will be an issue – no matter how big or small - that will affect your life in this community in some way.  I also would like to ask you all to consider donating to this cause - the Patton Park Playground initiative. The money that was allocated from Town Meeting is only 5 percent of the total amount needed.

Tax-deductible donations can be made to Town of Hamilton (specifying Friends of Patton Park on your check’s memo line) and sent to , Finance Dept, 577 Bay Road, Hamilton, MA 01982.

Further inquiries can be emailed to friendsofpattonpark@yahoo.com.

Thank you,

Nancy Littlehale

Bridge Street

Hamilton