As football great Vince Lombardi said, leaders aren’t born (even in Deerfield), “they are made just like anything else — through hard work.” Coach Lombardi’s words aptly describe Carolyn Shores Ness, who is seeking reelection to Deerfield’s Select Board.

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you no one works harder for Deerfield than Carolyn. I suspect even her opponent, Blake Gilmore, would agree.

Carolyn is a trailblazer with vision and courage. Deerfield needs her because:

Carolyn will continue to work 60 hours a week on town, regional and state panels. She will do spadework for climate resiliency and lobby for rural school aid.

Carolyn will work to balance the budget, with an eagle eye on fiscal accountability and funding. A great example: MassDOT will spend $23 million to overhaul the Stillwater Bridge. This single project will save taxpayers more money than it costs to run the entire town for a year!

Carolyn will work for farmers and continue to keep Beacon Hill aware that our farms feed the state. In a recent coup, Gov.r Maura Healey dedicated $20 million for farm aid.

Carolyn will work in emergencies. She will speed-dial our legislators and coordinate teams. We were rewarded in January when the state awarded Deerfield $1.58 million for emergency road repairs.

Carolyn will work for our health. Deerfielders will line up for her annual drive-through flu clinics, and she will continue to lead the town’s Emergency Dispensing Site program.

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Carolyn will work for seniors. Deerfield is on the cusp of bringing subsidized senior housing to the downtown — without using taxpayer money. She will move that project across the finish line.

Carolyn will work for PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes). She believes that the state should give towns the right to assess payments equal to 25% of the value of property owned by tax-exempt entities because the town needs the money and taxpayers deserve it.

Carolyn provides a woman’s voice on the Select Board. Her leadership is anchored in compassion, collaboration, experience and hard work. On May 6, vote to reelect Carolyn Shores Ness.

Pat Ryan

Deerfield