Editor:
Calling all Chathamites! Join the annual Chatham Earth Week’s townwide cleanup on Saturday, April 25. Over 30 different local organizations — scouts, church groups, businesses, environmental and civic groups — are participating this year. The Chatham Conservation Foundation (CCF), which organizes this event, is encouraging neighborhood associations to gather for the morning or afternoon to help make Chatham’s streets and beaches sparkle. 
Please join us. Contact CCF for more information.

Linda Nixon
Chatham

Editor:
If you walk a conservation trail, participate in a nature walk, attend Brewster Conservation Day, or admire the view of Windmill Meadows, you are seeing the results of something that is easy to overlook: volunteer work.
Brewster Conservation Trust runs on volunteers. Not just occasionally, but constantly. Behind nearly every preserved property, every maintained trail, every educational program, and every successful fundraising campaign, there are volunteers giving their time, energy, and expertise because they care about the land and the well-being of Brewster.
BCT volunteers serve on boards and committees, monitor properties, lead walks, pull invasive plants, build trails, staff events, write newsletters, take photographs, help with mailings, organize files, plant gardens, and pick up trash. Some volunteers give a few hours a year. Others give hundreds. All of it matters.
Land conservation is often measured in acres protected or trails opened. Significant results, yes, but made possible only because people decided to show up and help. For BCT, the small, steady efforts of our volunteers have driven our success, adding up to over 40 years of natural resource protection, 1,700 acres of conserved land and five miles of maintained public walking trails.
Volunteering for BCT is a generous act, yes, but also an optimistic one. It is a belief that the work we do now — planting trees, protecting wetlands, maintaining trails, preserving open space — will matter years from now, even if we don’t personally see all the results.
Which is why Brewster Conservation Trust is proud to join in the celebration of April as National Volunteer Month — and even prouder to say thank you. Thank you to our many unsung heroes, quiet stewards, and dedicated volunteers who help BCT keep the Brewster community scenic, healthy, and forever sustainable. You are not just helping an organization. You are protecting landscapes, water, wildlife, and the rural character of Brewster.

Charlie Sumner, president
Brewster Conservation Trust

Editor:
What a hootenanny! Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) would like to thank everyone who made the Meet Your Local Farmers event such a rollicking community success on March 28 at the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School. HCT and the Orleans Farmers’ Market hosted and organized the event, which drew more than 2,000 people and over 50 farms and farm-supporting organizations from around Cape Cod.
Great food and great conversation were the headliners at the event, where attendees had the chance to purchase amazing Cape-grown produce, meat, fish and locally-made products — everything from pickles to cider donuts! A special thanks goes out to Wayne Naus and the Art Ensemble of Cape Cod who provided spectacular jazz music that had the crowd grooving. Several musicians in the group are members of the award-winning Monomoy Regional High School Jazz Band, and they sounded great!
This was the first year that Meet Your Local Farmers was held at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School and we are grateful to the school’s staff and students for their amazing support. Their cheerful efforts made setup and cleanup a breeze. Special thanks to Cape Tech’s SkillsUSA Chapter Coordinator Peggy Reilly-O’Brien and students Zana’e Barrett, Gabriela Freitas, Bailey McMakin, Jake Pillarella, Chris Morin, Kendra Burke, Evangeline Sorbello, Eden Vaught, Judson Hayward, Frannie Mendoza, Josh Cole, Dylan Desmarais and Daniel Handville.
We would also like to thank our generous event sponsors, which included Agway of Cape Cod, The Cape Cod Chronicle and Cape Cod Five. The Meet Your Local Farmers event was a great way to support local agriculture, swing into spring and celebrate our great community. Many thanks and see you next year!

Eric Williams
Director of Communications
Harwich Conservation Trust

Editor:

I would like to thank the directors and officers of the Friends of Chatham Waterways for their commitment to educate homeowners in Chatham about the unfortunate effect of applying pesticides and fertilizers to their lawns.

Many second homeowners have moved to the Cape from parts of the U.S. that have heavy, brown soil, and most likely they have had natural green lawns. Unfortunately many of them have bought into the scam that having a “green” lawn on the Cape is somehow advantageous. FCW is on a mission to educate homeowners that not having a “green lawn” on the Cape is advantageous. Our soil is basically sand. In order to have a “green lawn” one has to keep it green artificially. Pour water on sand and what happens? Pour pesticides and or fertilizer on your lawn and what happens? A natural Cape Cod lawn helps to feed our wildlife, birds and insects. Leaving leaves, yard waste in a pile and grass cuttings on your yard supplies habitats for insects and smaller critters. These insects feed our birds and other animals. Our birds are disappearing and their natural habitat that protects them is disappearing.

Please consider the advantages of committing to a natural lawn. No need for an irrigation system, no expense for chemicals and fertilizers, no need to mow every week. Less toxic chemicals in the air and on one’s lawn. Not only can children and pets play outside at any time, but our wildlife will be protected as they cannot read those little, yellow warning signs to stay off.

Please consider making a “H2O Pledge.” Sign onto the FCW website and click on “Water Pledge.” To help get started one can also purchase “Guidelines for Cape-friendly Landscapes” from Association to Preserve Cape Cod.

Ginny Nickerson
Chatham 

Editor:

I’m writing to express my heartfelt appreciation to you for hosting the third No Kings rally on your property. Hosting the rally was no small thing. 

There is always a risk in taking a stand, in sticking up for the oppressed and the disenfranchised. People with power don’t like having their flaws pointed out to them and often respond with intimidation, bullying or violence. Indeed, the Chatham UU has experienced such things in the past. It is understandable that there may have been some trepidation amongst board members about taking such a public stand by hosting the No Kings rally.

However, in what is turning out to be a rare act of courage among places of worship on Cape Cod, the UU chose to do the hard thing. They didn’t have to. But by doing so they reminded Cape Codders who they really are — a small but mighty community of courageous and civic minded people who don’t shy away from doing the hard things necessary to defend the UU’s core principle of protecting the inherent worth and dignity of all people.

We are at a time in history where violations to our Constitutional and human rights by our own government have reached heretofore inconceivable highs, or lows as the case may be. Staying silent, neutral or apolitical in these circumstances is tantamount to complicity. Taking a stand is the right thing to do. It is called “walking the walk” and the Universalist Unitarian Meeting House in Chatham did just that and I thank you for it. 

Martha Lewis Hicks
Chatham

Editor:

The Harwich Affordable Housing Trust manages town funds for creating and preserving affordable housing, yet many residents still struggle to find homes they can afford. Harwich currently has roughly 328 affordable units — about 5 percent of its year-round housing stock — far below the state’s 10 percent target, leaving a gap of about 330 units. In an effort to close this gap, the housing trust risks supporting the wrong type of housing that doesn’t fit Harwich’s communities. Many proposed projects may not actually serve local families, while larger developments often prioritize higher-income residents.

Although local preference exists — sometimes as high as 70 percent for initial rentals — the system is still a lottery. As a result, many units go to nonresidents, leaving Harwich families without options.

A citizen petition to amend the Harwich Affordable Housing Trust would require town meeting approval before any trust funds are used for private developers, including unfriendly 40B projects. I support this petition and reject the notion that it will slow affordable housing development. Housing projects already follow a long regulatory process, and requiring town meeting approval for trust funds fits naturally into that time line. This petition ensures town funds are directed toward housing that genuinely benefits Harwich families, including firefighters, teachers and other essential workers. Town meeting review allows residents to ask questions, weigh the impact and approve only projects that align with our community’s needs.

Projects like Pine Oaks Village 4, an unfriendly 40B development that overrides local zoning, proceeded despite the developer stating it would happen regardless — yet $1 million in town funds was still committed. If voters had a say, these funds could have been directed to projects that truly benefit Harwich families.

The housing trust can help ensure future developments work for both developers and the Harwich community. This approach gives Harwich a real chance to close the housing gap and build homes that truly matter.

Pat Switchenko
Harwich

Editor:

As a social work student and a veteran, I am watching the military escalation in Iran with great concern. If our troops are deployed, will we be ready to take care of them when they come home? If we use our last military incursion into the Middle East as an indicator, we are most definitely not.

The numbers are damning. In the 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention report, Veterans Affairs found that 18 veterans commit suicide daily. Since 9/11, over 30,000 veteran and active-duty troops have committed suicide compared to around 7,000 having died from active combat. This is a national failure.

Every day, our veterans face chronically underfunded mental health services, month’s long wait times and a culture that views psychological injuries as a weakness. The problem runs deeper than months-long wait times. Veterans have faced a system that resists recognizing veterans combat injuries as service related, placing the burden of proof on the veterans themselves. As someone who has personally navigated the VA system, I have experienced the bureaucratic barriers that prevent veterans from getting the care they deserve. The VA is not equipped to handle another wave of service members scared from combat. Our service members deserve better than the broken pipeline that has failed so many veterans before them.

Congress needs to act now, not after the next generation of service members have returned from war. Increasing funds for community based mental health programs and expanding VA telehealth services to better serve rural areas would be a meaningful start. I urge our residents to contact their legislators and demand to be proactive rather than reactive. Our service members are willing to sacrifice everything for this country. The least we can do is be ready for them when they get home.

Brandon Lopes
Harwich
The writer is a social work student at Bridgewater State University and a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Editor:

April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. The key goal is to raise community and individual awareness through education, advocacy and action. Your reporting of local, newsworthy content that aligns with this national goal is commendable. The allegations of child abuse and trafficking as outlined in the March 12 article “Select Board Questioned Over COJ Suit Allegations” acknowledged some of Shawn DeLude’s actions as president of the nonprofit “Rock Harbor Truth” (RHT). Thank you for shining light on important questions that require answers.

The article states, “After 50 years, many survivors continue asking important questions. Are appropriate authorities fully investigating these claims? Are children being adequately protected? Is there transparency and accountability where it’s needed?” As Mr. Delude mentions, children continue to reside inside COJ, born to parents who made the choice to become members, but who are often separated from the care and love of their own parents. This raises other questions. How can we each support child abuse prevention and ensure the psychological well being of children who remain? Who oversees the safety and educational competence of homeschooled children, inside closed communities? Who gives COJ residents support, skills, and confidence if/when they decide to leave, like many have done? Instead of feeling cast out and shunned, RHT can offer a kind hand, services and encouragement on a path to independent living. Often PTSD symptoms, including suicidal ideation, emerge that require well trained experts in debriefing from religious communities.

One way to help is to donate charitable contributions through Rock Harbor Truth’s website or Facebook page. Stay informed of progress. Another is to become aware of foundations you may be supporting such as Arts Empowering Life, Inc. in Brewster, as mentioned in the article, allegedly built by COJ boys “subject to forced labor and trafficking.” More will come to light as the Ortolani lawsuit unfolds. 

I applaud the Chronicle for following up with Mr. DeLude after the Orleans Select Board meeting on March 4 to get details to the public. Not mentioned was the development of an informative podcast series called “Cult on the Cape,” hosted by a survivor. DeLude’s “Rock Harbor Truth” mission, outlined so clearly in Episode 22, can be heard by anyone willing to know more. 

Fittingly, as April is child abuse prevention month, some residents kicked it off with a “Walk for Truth” at Rock Harbor on April 3. It was a call to gather concerned citizens to support the exposure of ongoing abuse in our communities. I will remain committed to supporting safe, nurturing environments for children across the Cape while advocating for truth telling by continuing to listen to “Cult on the Cape” podcast episodes for a deeper understanding. RHT’s safe platform enhances transparency in our communities, while helping to create collaborative community action steps to prevent child abuse, going forward. 

Carol Biondi
Brewster

Editor:

As Harwich prepares for its annual town meeting on May 4 and 5, many citizen petitions will be on the warrant. These petitions represent ideas brought forward by residents to improve our town or address local issues. On the town meeting floor, each proposal is presented, followed by spirited — sometimes heated or emotional — debate among registered voters. A vote is then taken.

If the article passes, the petition is no longer just one person's idea. It has been "birthed" into the collective will of the people and becomes part of our local legislation. If it fails, the community has spoken, and that is how our democratic process works.

When a petition involves money or the building industry, I have observed over many years that some opponents resort to character assassination of the petitioner rather than debating the merits of the idea itself. This is a classic tactic, though I am not suggesting it will necessarily occur in Harwich this year. Still, it raises a real concern: If intimidation or personal attacks become common, will residents continue to step forward with petitions? Such behavior harms our civic process and distracts from honest discussion of the issues.

Harwich has a wonderful tradition that helps restore perspective after two evenings of intense debate. The final article on the warrant is the "Herring Fisheries" report. Its meaning can be interpreted in many ways, but it serves as a neutral, grounding conclusion. Like the herring that return each spring, Harwich residents go back to our everyday lives — only to gather again next year in the spring to do it all over again.

We must hold tightly to our town meeting form of government. Both the state and county levels are showing increasing interest in limiting local voices, particularly our right to shape our own zoning laws. Preserving open, respectful debate at town meeting is essential to keeping Harwich's democracy strong and vibrant.

Sally Urbano
West Harwich

Editor:

It has been a year since the horrible Wellfleet Marina fire. Although it's long overdue, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support from family, friends, coworkers and the entire community! We are thankful beyond words.

Kris and Ken Viprino
Brewster

Editor:

John Whelan’s article “Chatham on Foot” in the March 26 issue mentions the Atwood House Museum “is in the process of rehabilitating the Stallknecht Murals.”

These murals were completed in the 1930s and ‘40s by Alice Stallknecht and placed in the Atwood House Museum in 1977. The murals include images of Christ as a fisherman and white men in all sorts of trades, including sea captain, sailor, business man, lobstermen, masons, teachers, etc.

 What these murals do not depict are any women engaged in occupations, or the presence of any minorities, or anyone of a faith other than Christian.

 While it is doubtful that the murals were historically accurate even when they were completed, they are certainly not representative of the diverse town that Chatham has become. I suggest that during the rehab of these murals, a small plaque be developed and attached next to them when they are re-hung, noting they represent the 1930s and ‘40s concepts of their artist, and then go on to describe how Chatham has grown and changed since that time.

Chatham now encompasses a plethora of ethnic, racial, cultural, religious and sexual identities that creates an amazing, dynamic, heterogeneous community. 

Roz Diamond
Eastham

Editor:

As a person who currently serves on the Chatham Health Board, is a volunteer member of the Chatham Garden Club and holds a shellfishing permit, I have a particular stake in the health of our town's land and water resources. That is why I am writing to ask my fellow residents to come out on May 14 to vote for Randi Potash for the Chatham Select Board.

Randi has lived in Chatham since 2014 and has spent time doing the complex work of local government. She chaired the zoning board of appeals, served on the human services committee, and represented Chatham at the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates as both Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

These aren't resume lines; they're years of learning how Chatham actually works.

What strikes me most about Randi is that she understands the link between good governance and a healthy environment. On the ZBA she reviewed applications with close attention to wetlands, groundwater and coastal impacts. She supports moving forward on sewering the town, with clear communication to property owners about what that process involves. For those of us who depend on clean water, whether for drinking, for our gardens or for harvesting shellfish, that kind of forward-looking thinking matters enormously.

Randi is a board certified attorney and mediator, which means she knows how to listen, find common ground and move things forward even when people disagree. That is exactly the skill the select board needs.

Joanna Kale
Chatham

Editor:

You spend a lot of ink on the “No Kings" program.

Perhaps you should share with your readers who financed this well-organized, well-orchestrated, brilliantly promoted endeavor on the national level. Not just the umbrella organizations with innocuous names, but the numerous, interconnected layers below them.

I suspect many well-intentioned but misinformed participants — and perhaps even your staff — would be repelled by the philosophies that motivate this philanthropy, along with other, far more insidious undertakings.

A lack of curiosity is unbecoming journalists, or public advocates.

Frank Duesel
Brewster

Editor:

I have known Randi Potash for several years, and strongly support her candidacy for Chatham Select Board member.

Randi has years of experience volunteering in a multitude of capacities in service to our town and community, including as Chatham delegate (and chair) to the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates and chair of the zoning board of appeals. She is a professional mediator, with extensive experience in bringing people together and finding solutions. She is knowledgeable about the many issues and challenges that confront our town. And she is incredibly hard working, engaging with the community to seriously consider all points of view, always with the objective of achieving the best result for Chatham.

Frank Sherer
Chatham

Editor:

On Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m. at the office of the Harwich Conservation Commission, the developers of Pine Oaks Village 4 will meet with officials to confirm the boundaries of 10 wetland resource areas, fragile parcels protected under the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act. Residents can review the site plan at the concom office and can attend the public hearing in person or participate remotely by calling 508-430-7538

Certified notices to abutters living within 100 feet of the 10 parcels do not specify the type of each wetland feature and they seem timed to arrive during the long Easter weekend, when town officials are away. This leaves just days for us to learn what we can about those parcels and to plan how best to protect our neighboring vernal pools, vegetated wetlands and the things living in them.

Pamela Kendall
North Harwich

Editor:

Bruce Semple, who’s running for Brewster Select Board, is a man of integrity with a strong work ethic. I know Bruce through the Barnstable Amateur Radio Club where he now serves as the club’s president. Bruce is an expert leader who is admired and appreciated by club members. He’s always ready to roll up his sleeves and tackle the hard jobs.

Bruce is also an expert problem solver, and I’ve never seen a better team player. He communicates clearly, does what he says he’ll do, and always has a positive attitude. Those skills will be valuable as a select board member. Bruce will bring a lifetime of leadership, great maturity and a love of Brewster to the select board. 

Don Arthur
Brewster