How to help

There’s been lots of positive feedback since Donna Flayhan, Ralph Legnini, Ann McGillicuddy and Laurie Osmond announced their candidacy for the School Board, and many people have asked what they can do to help get them elected. Here are ten ideas to take into the weekend:

1) Talk to your friends. Next time you’re in the store and see of one of your neighbors or friends, take a minute to ask if they’re voting in the School Board election and if they’re aware of the issues. To help with this,

2) Carry materials with you. The press release and the Points of Unity are featured below, as earlier posts. Print them out and take copies with you. There will be some proper promotional materials soon. But these all cost money. And so,

3) Contribute to the campaign. The current Board will have you financing a multi-million dollar Bond to create a new middle school out of your taxes while closing another elementary school. In light of the likely increase in your school taxes if that happens, please consider a donation to help with the costs of garden signs, posters etc. We wish we didn’t have to ask for financial help but all these candidates are willing to give up many months of hard work over the next few years to represent us all on the School Board; a few dollars to help with their promotional needs is a small price to pay! We will have information on how and where to send money soon. In the interim, a "pledge" helps.

4) Call your friends. Think of five people who live and vote in the School District who may not know about the Election or the issues involved. Call one of them a night over the next week. Remember, everyone who pays school taxes in the District has a vested interest in the outcome. As you talk to them, be ready to …

5) E-mail your friends. None of us like spam, but most of us like to be kept informed on local issues. Again, think of people who live here, can vote here, pay school taxes here, but maybe are not involved in the local Schools and might normally sit out the election.

6) Offer your garden, or store window, for promotional purposes. If you have a high visibility home or business, we would love to be able to put up either a garden sign or a poster. Nothing gets the word out like getting the word out. If you can help with this, please make yourself known, by response here or contacting one of the candidates.

7) Meet the Candidates. Many of you know the Candidates. Some of you may not. There are going to be several formal opportunities to meet the candidates over coming weeks, and dozens of informal ones. Use the opportunities to ask them questions, offer opinions, share your experiences, or just offer encouragement.

8) Attend the Funraisers. We will be hosting some “Funraising” events in May, which we hope will be entertaining, informative, and also serve to raise some funds. The main event is a kids concert on the afternoon of May 11 at the Bearsville Theater. We are hoping to run raffles and silent auctions and so…

9) Contribute to the raffles/auctions. Again, if you have a store or a business, a restaurant, or you’re an artist of some kind (writer, painter, musician) who can contribute some kind of “prize” for one of our fun-raisers, it will be enormously appreciated.

10) Attach the web address on your e-mail signature. Add www.saveouronteoraschools.com to the bottom of your e-mails (which you can make permanent in your Browser Preferences), perhaps with a message of your own to encourage people to follow the link. It’s an easy and efficient way to spread the word. And best of all, it’s free!

The election is May 20, at the four elementary schools.