Dear Sir:

   As members of the Board of Directors of Child and Family Opportunities we want to express how much the death of George Shepard will mean to our agency and the community. George was a true citizen of the area, living his passions and interests. One was as likely to see him singing and dancing on the stage of the Grand as finding him, donned in work clothes, mixing paint in the local hardware store. For those of us who frequented the former Shepard’s Hardware Store, we know the store was an expression of George—practical, simply laid out with everything one would need, yet holding a touch of class.

   For the last 31 years George was on the Board of Child and Family Opportunities, and he served as Treasurer for most of those years. While fiscally responsible—always insuring we spent our funds wisely, he was incredibly generous in spirit and to humankind. He understood the diverse nature of the people of the area and was an advocate for low-income and working families.

   Having spent years of effort planning and fundraising, George was especially pleased with the opening last month of our agency's new Ellsworth Early Care and Education Center, a 12,000 square foot child care, preschool, and Head Start facility. As a tribute to George's long term commitment and service to our agency and the children and families we serve, the board of directors has decided to dedicate to George the "Main Street" of the facility, with its  110  foot mural. A depiction of Shepard's Hardware Store will be the centerpiece of the mural.

   There’s no replacing George. He is sadly missed by us and by so many in this community.

Sincerely, 

Cara Guerrieri, Chair
Walter Kumeiga, Vice Chair
Jack Frost, Clerk
Jim Crotteau, Treasurer
Jane Phillips
Barbara Peppey
Elizabeth Ehrlenbach 
Lori Callnan
Stephanie Page