To the Editor:

Thank you to all those members of our community who attended Summerfest and the Salute to Phyllis Johnson, Saturday, at the Berne town park. It was a wonderful day filled with friends and neighbors coming together to celebrate the contributions of an individual who, through her dedication, enriched our community and the organizations serving it.

The idea and reality of community is evident in Berne — in the volunteer fire departments, the ambulance, the library board, the Helderberg Senior Services, the Youth Council, etc. But what was also clear on Saturday was the personal fellowship we share.

No matter our differences, we value each other, lending helping hands when needed, and pitching in to support individuals in difficult times. The Salute to Phyllis exemplified our collective personal strength.

I would like to thank all those who came Saturday to acknowledge Phyllis’s many gifts to our community. It was a heartening tribute to a woman of substance, a woman who supported us in times of need, made us laugh, and boggled our minds with her unique approach to life.

Thank you to Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, who presented her with a proclamation; to Sheriff Craig Apple; to Pastor Wendy Cook; to the Berne Reformed Church; the Library Board and Friends of the Library; to the fire companies of Berne; the Helderberg Ambulance; the Helderberg Senior Services; to Melissa Hale-Spencer of the Altamont Enterprise; and to the many unnamed individuals who expressed their love and appreciation for Phyllis.

Special thanks go to Jeff Alexander; Chance Townsend; Dawn Jordan; Anita Clayton; and to the Berne Town Board, which declared July 22 Phyllis Johnson Day.

Karen Schimmer

Berne

Editor’s note: Karen Schimmer is a member of the Berne Town Board and helped organize the Salute to Phyllis Johnson.