Thank you, election poll workers, Democrats, Independents, Green Party, Libertarians, and Republicans for risking your lives to COVID-19 and in some places, also to the threats of violence for doing your job for our Democracy.

Thank you, election officials, Democrats and lone Republicans, those who chose Democracy, Truth and Law over partisan gains and standing up to threats and bulling.

Thanks for the Constitution, Democracy and for Courts of Law that do their work to protect it, as I know what it is to live in a country where they don’t.

Thank you, the front line workers: in health care, retail, postal services, delivery, food industry, transportation, public servants, librarians, teaches, bankers, plumbers, electricians, custodians, caregivers and everybody, who quietly keep our community going.

Thanks for this community that does not foster hate.

Thanks for the family, friends, neighbors and strangers whose kindness made these difficult times easier for others.

And special thanks to all the volunteers in Knox County and to Karen Zola, a quiet woman, who singlehandedly and at her own expense made over a thousand reusable masks and distributed them in our community free of charge to keep us all safe.

May we all be safe and healthy and live to celebrate another Thanksgiving and sort out our differences peacefully.

Please wear masks.

AMEN

Inna Bezborodko lives in Rockland