Letter to the Editor: Vote for Jonathan West

I am writing to support Jonathan West's candidacy for Manchester Selectboard. I met Jonathan when he was a middle schooler in 1995 when I began working as a paraeducator in his classroom, working 1:1 with another student at Manchester Elementary-Middle School. What I didn't realize at the time was I was meeting an exceptional young man who would go on to do great things in his life while also playing a significant role in working for me at the Manchester Parks & Recreation Department.

When I began working for the Town of Manchester in 1999 as the Program Supervisor and eventually Parks & Recreation Director, I witnessed firsthand Jonathan's commitment to achieving and working towards goals and, more importantly, his dedication to his community. Jonathan went from being a camper at our summer camp to being a camp counselor who was loved not only by the campers but also by his co-workers. Even as a young camp counselor, Jonathan worked hard to improve our camp and camper experiences. Jonathan worked tirelessly with our Camp Director, Lorraine Harrington, to make Camp Cowabunga a place children wanted to be during the summer.

After two years as a camp counselor, Jonathan was hired as a Program Assistant in the Parks & Recreation office. He flourished in this role. His work ethic and commitment to Manchester were evident every day. I trusted Jonathan with a lot of responsibility and witnessed firsthand his ability to take initiative and help in any situation. He helped make significant changes to the website and helped reshape some of our youth and adult programs. Jonathan thrived working for the town and was widely respected by his co-workers and patrons. His pride as a town representative was contagious and made those hectic summers work because of his energy and enthusiasm, allowing our team to collaborate so well.

I am confident that Jonathan will bring that same energy, enthusiasm, and initiative to his role on the Selectboard. I urge you to support Jonathan with your vote so Manchester can continue to benefit from the hard work and dedication he demonstrates in everything he does.

Dan Favreau
Manchester