I am writing to express my support for Chip Curry to represent Waldo County in the Maine State Senate.

I first met Chip when he advised on challenges and opportunities with the AmeriCorps program through the Maine Commission for Community Service.  When he made a two-hour trip to my office for an early morning meeting to provide guidance on staffing challenges, he arrived with his usual positive “can-do” attitude. 

He listened well and left having built relationships and offered solutions that worked.  I have remained impressed since then with his work ethic, integrity and dedication as I have grown to know him in his work at URock and his community volunteer activities.

As an education professional, I am particularly excited about Chip’s understanding of the lifelong education needs of Waldo County residents. This includes raising the state contribution to K-12 schools to the 55% level mandated by the people of Maine, so that high quality rural education doesn’t mean ever-increasing local property taxes.

His vision extends to the needs of adult learners for a community college in Waldo County that will help the many residents who need easy access to education that will lead to higher wages in high growth fields such as health care, and our heritage industries such as ship building, farming, fisheries, and aquaculture.

Denise Pendleton lives in Belfast