To the Editor:

I’m writing to you to voice my support for Rachel Gilker’s run for Voorheesville School Board.

My name is Christopher Dutkiewicz and I’m a Voorheesville resident with two children in the Voorheesville school system. I work for the Research Foundation for the State University of New York; I’m a professional musician and the current president of the New Scotland Soccer Club.

I met Rachel five years ago when I began coaching her sons in soccer with Kiwanis and the New Scotland Soccer Club. She has always had a sweet, calming manner with the kids she encounters. I feel like this is a product of her kindness and her genuine care for each one of them as young people.

Over those five years, I have found Rachel to be smart, organized, and extremely detail-oriented when taking on challenges. She is a very community-driven person who believes in this village and the school system.

She helps in our community whenever it’s needed, which includes raising a large amount of the funding necessary to make the new playground a success while she served on the playground committee. She has been running a wonderful program at the elementary school called the Good Eats Program, which introduces the kids to try various vegetables they might not know much about. She also offers to help with the soccer club whenever we’ve needed it as well.

Rachel presently stays very involved in the board of education meetings and would be a quick study to catch up on the business of the board. Rachel’s life experiences, education, and community perspective make her a fantastic choice to add to our school board.

I firmly believe that she will represent us well and I trust her to be seated at the table making decisions that are in the best interest of our children and our school as a whole. Vote Rachel Gilker for Voorheesville School Board.

Christopher Dutkiewicz

Voorheesville