Local Republicans doing good!

From the Laconia Daily Sun (5/3/08 ):

Faith Tobin, one of the people who worked on the April 26 community auction that raised funds for the family of Melanie VanTassell, confessed to being somewhat dismayed about the only story about the event that appeared in the Daily Sun this week.

In yesterday's edition there was a short story about how Selectboard Chairman Andrew Livernois had bought a box of old dinner plates at the auction and confessed to being disappointed when he got it home and discovered that some of the dishes were broken. The twist was that Livernois later went online and discovered that the plates that were still in one piece were worth more to eBay collectors than what he'd spent on the entire box.

Livernois was joking about the outcome of the situation at Wednesday selectmen's meeting in the town office building.

But Tobin sad the event, which rasied almost $5,000 for a family that lost their home in house fire in February, was so much more.

In her role as Sanbornton's Overseer of the Public Welfare, VanTassell has made many friends in the community and last wee, Tobin said, the people of the town had a chance to respond to her personal difficulties – which they did with a passion.

“It was really fun,” she reported “Everyone had a great time”.

Tobin's husband, State Representative Bill Tobin, ran the auction, and “he moved at a really fast pace so people really enjoyed it,” she said

The Tobins worked with Selectmen Steve Ober and his wife Karen, former selectman Patsy Wells and Mona Smith to organize the event held in the Old Town Hall. The Tobins and members of Boy Scout Troop 82 helped display the books and other items that were sold. Wells organized the sale of donated food items.

What especially impressed Tobin was how people gave despite their own financial hard times.

“People were bringing in handmade items like quits or paintings, things that meant a lot to them,” she said. “One man brought in a beautiful handmade inlaid cribbage board. Some people baked great desserts which were auctioned off. They all wanted to do it for Melanie. It was a great community outpouring.

“Everything was given with such love and heart-felt feelings,” she add. “some of the businesses are suffering but they donated gift certificates and items. I wish you could have seen it. Older people were coming in in tears, bringing things were were worth a lot of money and saying, if it doesn't sell, give it to the family.”

The job of a public welfare officer can be a difficult one but VanTassell has always handled it with an enthusiasm and optimism her neighbors appreciate. It was in that spirit of given that Sanborton responded to her family's needs last weekend.

Good people doing good things deserve to be appreiated.  Well done!