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Dear Fellow Vermonter,
Every year, I look forward to our Summer Celebration & Discussion events for seniors and older Vermonters. A longtime tradition that we had to put on hold during the pandemic, these events are an opportunity for older Vermonters to come together, hear updates from Washington, and discuss the issues facing them and their communities.
This week, some 1,000 Vermonters came out to our events in Burlington, St. Johnsbury, Newport, Bennington, Barre, Brattleboro, and Castleton. Along with some great music and food, we discussed everything from lowering the cost of prescription drugs and health care to the housing crisis, mental health, loneliness, transportation, veterans’ benefits, climate change, broadband, the Supreme Court, the war in Gaza, and more.
I want to thank each and every Vermonter for making it out, and everyone who helped make these events possible, including: St. Johnsbury Meals on Wheels, Meals on Wheels of Bennington County, Capstone Community Kitchen Academy, TRIO Community Meals, Brattleboro Senior Meals, Castleton Senior Center, Hotel Champlain, East Side Restaurant, the Hale Mountain Band, Fair Sparrow, Andrea Otto and Rake Factory Union, The Ukuleles, and musicians Kyle Chadburn and Allison Fay.
These are difficult times for seniors in Vermont and around the country. It is not acceptable to me that, in the richest country on earth, 25% of our seniors are living on $15,000 or less, and that too many cannot afford the health care, prescription drugs, or decent housing they need. We must also address the crises we face in Vermont in terms of the workforce shortages in our home health care agencies and nursing homes.
In other words, there’s a lot of work to be done. Let’s do it.
Sincerely,
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