It is my pleasure and honor to announce my candidacy as a Republican for State Representative in the new Carroll County District #6 serving Tuftonboro and Wolfeboro.
A little bit about me: I’m a military wife, a mother, a grandmother, a caregiver, an educator, a farmer, a coach, a servant, a friend, and a neighbor. I’ve never been a politician, so I hope you will all bear with me as I take up this journey.
My husband Bill and I moved to Wolfeboro 27 years ago. We looked at surrounding New England states but decided that New Hampshire values were a perfect match. We still live in the only home that we have ever owned.
We raised our four daughters on the farm we built from the rocks up. We chose to homeschool our girls, and they were active on Kingswood athletic teams, an experience that we value highly. As the years have gone by, we have come to cherish the friendships and community that we have nurtured here. Now that the girls are grown, it is time to give back to the community that has meant so much to us.
We want to thank Katy Peternel for this Op-Ed.
Please direct yours to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
My empty nest coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, and that made it challenging to find ways to get involved, but I did find them. I have taken on work as a gardener, yoga instructor, and most recently, caregiver. In 2020, I volunteered as a greeter, absentee ballot opener, and relief ballot clerk for both the primary and general elections. I currently serve as a town-employed ballot clerk in Wolfeboro, a position that gives me great pride to be part of our town and state. I am also a member of the Wolfeboro Agricultural Commission.
Seeing what is going on in our country and reading about state issues, I turned my attention to state legislation. I began with online registration of my opinions on legislative bills this term, which in turn led to testifying on bills and learning more about the state legislative process. I have attended committee hearings, executive sessions, and recently a full eight-hour House Session. Comparing bills and legislation to the US and NH Constitutions has been fascinating.
In October 2019, I visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. The museum is on the site of the motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Upon leaving the museum, humbled by the immensity of Dr. King’s sacrifice, I turned to my daughter and said, “I hope that we also will know when it is time to stand up and do the right thing.”
For me, that moment is now. After two years of watching our basic rights of life and liberty erode rapidly, along with common decency, I can no longer be silent. I’m choosing to be part of the solution. As I go forward on this journey, I look forward to meeting with people in both Tuftonboro and Wolfeboro and talking with you about the issues that concern you. I hope to win your vote for State Representative serving Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro so that together we can keep New Hampshire the Live Free or Die State.
Katy Peternel Rock Farm, Wolfeboro
