To the Editor:

On Nov. 6, I had the pleasure of joining an elite group at the Altamont Free Library Election Day Bake Sale in the Community Room in the Village Hall. What an amazing group! Bakers from near and far brought delectable delights to us to sell as a fundraiser for the library.

It was wonderful to join this group of dedicated supporters of the library and our leader, Mary Heidinger, was large and in charge of the group. Early in the morning, she gave us our assignments while greeting voters, friends, and neighbors.

I am writing this because something happened to me on my first Election Day bake sale. Besides selling lots of goodies, I met so many old and new friends, laughed with neighbors, and watched my fellow library ladies and gents connect and reconnect with their neighbors and friends.

I respectfully listened to residents whose views did not reflect my own but who strongly believed in their opinions. I watched some of my neighbors who have become frail and barely able to get to the polls arrive to proudly cast their ballot.

I saw young men and women who voted in their first election cast their votes and leave with a sense of pride and accomplishment. I saw young mothers and fathers bring their children into the voting booth to show them how important it is to have the right to vote.

I look back on that day — a major midterm election for so many reasons for this country — and cannot help but feel pride, and hope, that the real power in this country belongs to each one of us: the voters.  

Linda Cure

Altamont