Tewksbury Election 2022: Board Of Health Endorsements Roundup

TEWKSBURY, MA — With Tewksbury's 2022 town election rapidly approaching, residents are sharing their views on the contested Board of Health race, which features three candidates vying for two open seats.

The election will take place April 2.

The following letters were submitted by residents.

Donna & Joe Gill:

As longtime residents of Tewksbury, it is important to us to have a Board of Health that is accessible and responsive to the public, one that is aware and knowledgeable about Tewksbury’s concerns, relative to current health and public safety issues. A Board that demonstrates the understanding and willingness to meet the overall physical and emotional needs of all our citizens. A Board comprised of diverse backgrounds and levels of expertise that will work together to meet Tewksbury’s needs.

For all of these reasons, and more, we will be casting our votes for Nicole Burgett-Yandow, NP for the Tewksbury Board of Health. Nicole is a local Nurse Practitioner with 20 years of health care experience, including 9 years of research in infectious disease. Nicole and her family have lived in our community for 13 years, her children attend our schools and she has been involved with committees and causes benefiting all Tewksbury residents. She is a passionate medical professional, an active member of our community and a sound choice for the Board of Health.

We urge you to cast one of your votes for Nicole Burgett-Yandow, NP to the Board of Health on Saturday April 2, 2022

Thank you.

Donna & Joe Gill

Erin Hudd:

Letter to the Editor:

I am writing to express my support for Melissa Braga to be elected to the Board of Health. I met Melissa a few years back at a town event and her approach to understanding and addressing issues when it comes to health resonated with me.

For any Tewksbury residents who are not familiar with Melissa, there are several reasons to support her candidacy. As a registered nurse she approaches health more in a holistic way by helping to identify underlying causes of poor health, rather than just treating a specific symptom. She has worked directly in patient care in a variety of settings and owns a small business. Melissa has great knowledge of both traditional and holistic medicine, but most importantly I see her passion to want to educate and help people work towards their goals and stay healthy. She truly cares about people and their well being.

Melissa wants to address ongoing concerns in our community that have an impact on our health, such as our children’s health. She recognizes the recent struggles our children have endured over the last few years. As a mother to a school-aged child in the Tewksbury school system, it is encouraging to hear a healthcare professional acknowledge that our children are struggling and will continue to struggle due to the impacts of remote learning and social isolation. Further, the seniors in our community also faced significant health challenges and social isolation during the pandemic. These are real issues in our community, and I am confident that Melissa will be the advocate for all of the citizens of Tewksbury.

I strongly believe that Melissa’s healthcare experience paired with her experience as a business owner makes her uniquely qualified for this position. I hope you will join me on April 2nd in electing Melissa Braga to the Tewksbury Board of Health.

Kimberly B. Corn:

I have known Nicole Burgett-Yandow for the past 12 years. We met through the community with our children attending the same day daycare and now together in the Tewksbury public schools. I got to know Nicole personally through these years, and I am proud to call her a friend.

I have always found Nicole to be a very honest, caring, and kind person. She has a very compassionate nature and is very passionate and knowledgeable in her field of healthcare as a nurse practitioner.

You can always count on Nicole to be the calming force in a stressful situation. She is a very supportive friend and never misses the opportunity to help others. Her positive attitude and great energy is contagious to anyone who knows her.

With Nicole's dedication, passion, and motivation, she would bring a wealth of knowledge to the people of Tewksbury.

For these reasons, I highly recommend Nicole Burgett-Yandow for the Tewksbury Board of Health. I strongly believe she would be an invaluable asset to our town and we would all benefit by having her on the Board of Health. We would be so lucky to have her.

Thank you so much for your time in reading my letter.

Sincerely,

Kimberly B. Corn

These letters were produced by residents. The views expressed are the authors' own.