To the Editor:

I am writing in support of Ken Morse, candidate for Maine House District 71. I have known him since 1979.

Ken has always been on the front end of innovation. I remember a day in 1983 when Ken visited me in Cumberland, Maine. He carried a strange silver suitcase into the house, snapped it open, and announced that it was a Kaypro personal computer. I had never seen anything like it: so small, portable, and user-friendly, owned by someone who had built his own dome house from apple crates. Ken has always embodied that rare blend of rural farmer and high-tech guru.

This is the balanced combination we need in Augusta: the sensibility of an apple farmer (which he was), the networking skills of a community organizer (Fedco, Healthy Oxford Hills, Maine Food Councils), the fortitude of a small business owner (Grassroots Graphics for 18 years), the foresight of a technical wizard, and the compassion of a true friend in times of need.

I’ve worked elbow-to-elbow with Ken on many projects. He was a founding member of Fare Share Food Cooperative in 1978 and the lead organizer in our 2001 move to Main Street. He and his wife, Nikki, and I helped create the Norway Arts Festival from the Sidewalk Art Show. He and I were part of the group that started the Alan Day Community Garden in 2009. His recent work on the Community Food Matters council has produced the highly successful Foothills Food Festival, now in its fourth year. For Ken, community has always been a priority and a passion.

Sadly, I cannot vote in District 71, but I encourage everyone who can to vote for Ken Morse: not only rooted in community but also with a vision for progressive change that Maine needs and the loyalty to our local communities that we all deserve.

Lisa Moore
Harrison