I am writing today with a letter of thanks to two beings. One is a business, one is a legislator, the subject is the same for each.

Not too long ago, I wrote out a check for $2,000 to Downeast Energy, for my oil bill. It got me to thinking that I never worried last year about whether or not I would get my scheduled oil delivery. I knew I would. I also knew that if I called Downeast, someone would answer, and my concerns would be treated respectfully and generously and quickly by the people at my local Windham office. Sincere thanks to them all.

Many of my friends were not so lucky with their oil companies. When I started to get inklings of panic from them, generally on Facebook, I called Democratic state Rep. Jess Fay (House District 66; parts of Casco, Poland and Raymond) and discovered that she was already on top of it.

Many of my Raymond friends were not even in her district, yet she advocated for every one of them: found them people to help, numbers to call, places to find answers or to help them through the crisis. She also treated each one respectfully, generously and quickly. She didn’t stop then, and she is still doing it, preparing for next heating season. My sincere thanks to her, too.

In this hot season of record humidity, it is easy to forget the coming of winter, but when I turn on the heat in (hopefully) late October or early November, I am counting on Downeast to be there for me. My vote for Jess Fay, on Nov. 6, is for someone I can count on in Augusta.

Jani Cummings

Raymond