To the editor:

My wife and I are recent Bristolians, and we want to say thanks for the wonderful and welcoming community we’ve found here. The tree lighting, and Christmas celebration this past weekend were fabulous.

We enjoy the easy familiarity neighbors share at events like these (and the porch fest, the fourth, etc.), and have come to love the unique culture and friendly spirit of this beautiful town.

We’ve witnessed countless demonstrations of Bristol’s warmth and character, like: a citizen offering to get a coffee for the policeman posted on the chilly evening of the tree lighting; the delightful guard at the town beach gate; our accommodating and good-humored harbormaster; health care providers that call back, Charlie, who waters the lamppost flowers all summer; a police log that is right out of the Andy Griffith Show (that’s good policing!); our efficient post office; friendly locally-owned shops; countless blessings, thank you Bristol. We think of our town when hearing the lyric from Scarlet Begonias that goes, “...strangers stopping strangers, just to shake their hands…”

Keep it up Bristol, you’ve got something very special here; something unbreakable by the fabricated divisiveness and rancor that periodically stirs up the country. We feel privileged to be part of this living exemplar of the best of America. 

We do have one quibble however…well, actually, we don’t, but we’ll write back if we can think of one.        

Deb and Chris Allen
Hope Street