To the editor:

I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Katie Arrington for Swampscott Select Board.

When talking about Swampscott, a friend of mine often says “if a neighbor is in need, this town shows up.” That’s how I feel about Katie Arrington. When there’s a need for a volunteer at school, on our playing fields, or in our community, she shows up. Her acts of volunteerism aren’t self-serving; she does it because she cares deeply about our town and our residents.

I met Katie eight years ago at a Clarke PTO meeting. Her oldest had just started school and she came to learn more about how she could get involved. For the next five years, she attended meetings and became an officer. She worked collaboratively with the school administration and Clarke parents as well as families from Hadley and Stanley. She listened, she did the work, and eventually she became the president of the PTO. 

Katie told me last fall she was thinking of running for Select Board. lt was something she always had in the back of her mind since seeing her grandmother hold office decades ago. She knows the commitment — hours listening to and helping citizens, understanding what can realistically be done within fiscal and procedural constraints, preparing for, and contributing to committee meetings — it’s a big job with the ultimate goal of doing what’s best for our community. 

Katie’s been raising her hand to help for years and l’m confident she’ll represent all of our citizens as a member of the Select Board. 

Allison Duffy