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Thoughts On Plymouth Old Home Day

A letter to the Record Enterprise editor:
As the weather began to turn this week from Indian Summer to the brisk days of autumn I found myself reflecting on the summer about to pass.
Six years ago, my children and I were blessed with the opporunity to move to Plymouth from a large city in Massachusetts. While I immediaetly endeared myself to the quiet and the beauty of the surrounding mountains, I had no idea at that time how deeply I craved the sense of community that I have discovered here. While recollections of this past summer were colored with many trips to Wellington Beach and the local ice cream stand, the most memorable day by far was Plymouth's first Old Home Day.
I intended to write a letter of appreciation and praise for the event from the moment my family and I returned home, but in typical mother fashion, my life was swept up in a whirlwind of preparation for the upcoming school year. So, while some time has now passed since that remarkable summer afternoon, I feel motivated, even obligated, to express my feelings of appreciation for this fund-raising / community-building event.
In years past, I have oftentimes observed that while the benefits held for the Bridge House have generated the funds necessary for the shelter's survival, these gatherings also seemed to highlight the evidence of the social gaps between those being assisted and those willing to help. The celebration held this year was inclusive, rather than exclusive, and I think this is what made it so wonderful. It created an oportunity for everyone in our community to come together in a mindful way and enjoy the company of our families and neighbors.
Some of my most vivid memories of this day are those of my three year old son, his face exuberant as he smashed a rack full of plates at one of the game stations, others include the sight of his father emerging from the tug of war pit covered in muddy water but laughing none-the-less.
Most of all, this event was a good opening for a conversation between myself and my older children about the issue of homelessness and the importance of realizing that this is not an issue that is a world away from us. It also helped me think about the fact that being a part of a community means embracing all of its members, not just the ones we identify with at any given time.
In closing I want to thank everyone who made that day possible - the face painters and the hula hoopers, the cooks and the tractor drivers, the area businesses and the numerious volunteers who came together with the spirit and generosity that made this day possible. I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the handful of people that took a vision of something great in their own minds and turned it into a day we could all come together to enjoy.
Bridget Regan
Plymouth