Things I learned while campaigning for Board of Education

My Top Highlights and Lessons from Running for Board of Education:

1. Being told repeatedly, “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.” A constant reminder of both patience and persistence.

2. Taking a tumble while door knocking at Turner Hill, those stairs are no joke! 🤣

3. Hearing someone say, “Wait… are you her?” and feeling like a local rock star. Who else would it be?

4. Meeting incredible residents and learning about their town stories, including the original co-creator of Sphere!

5. Every door I knocked on led to kindness and patience, no one was ever rude, just willing to listen.

6. Knowing the safety building proposal would fail, based on the conversations I had across party lines. It’s time for experienced voices and fresh ideas, repeating the same bad proposal won’t yield a better outcome.

7. Yes… I fell again while door knocking at Casagmo. 🤣

8. Against all odds, speech disability, being a Republican in a navy-blue town, approaching 60, and running for an open seat, I gave it everything I had through the very last day.

9. Grateful for the Republicans I met who care deeply but feel the need to stay quiet. A healthy two-party system is vital for good governance. Not all decisions made by our town.

10. My husband’s post-election comment: “Can we finally clean the back window of your car?” 🤣 He supported me every step of the way and took on more than his share at home.

11. Time to retire my signature campaign T-shirt! It was faithful, freshly washed daily, and made dressing a breeze.

12. Huge kudos to my running mates for putting themselves out there for the good of Ridgefield.

13. I’ll never stop standing up for what I believe in, even when standing alone.

14. I learned something new at every step, and that’s what this process is truly about.

15. The toughest part? Seeing a few friends go silent during election season. It’s okay, I’ll still show up to help whenever I can.

16. Don’t feel sorry for me, I’m not! Running was the ultimate civics lesson, and everyone should experience it.

17. Count on me to keep sharing breaking news and sounding the alarm when needed, even if it ruffles feathers.

18. The 2027 municipal election will be here soon. We need new leadership on the BOS and term limits in our Town Charter. A stale board serves no one.

19. Deep gratitude to the bipartisan residents who let me place signs on your property, you saw me as a person, not a party.

20. If you want to see change, step up. Our local government needs more transparency and better decision making.

21. Running unopposed? 😴 No fun in that, competition keeps things lively. Make the other side work for it.

22. Everyone has good ideas. Experience doesn’t always equal sharpness, and we’ve got some dull knives out there!

23. Please take time to listen to town meeting recordings while driving, exercising, or running errands. You pay for the decisions being made, stay informed.

24. The Board of Finance needs to start recording their meetings for public viewing. Accountability matters.

25. Now, it’s time to celebrate all that’s ahead, my daughter’s college graduation, my son’s wedding in Mexico City, turning 60, and our 25th wedding anniversary. What a year!