A Photo Story Initiative
Heart & Soul of Essex is excited to launch a new initiative, Across the Dotted Line: Community Connections in Essex. Until April 12, residents of the Town of Essex can submit a photo that captures a relationship between people who live on either side of the “dotted line” that is the border of the Village within the Town. They may be friends, families, or colleagues. People who have met via a sports team (player, coach, referee), volunteer work (local food shelves, libraries, schools, nonprofits, etc.), a municipal committee, a job at a local business, a recreational activity or a shared hobby.
This community is in the midst of a very difficult and divisive revote, scheduled for April 13, on a plan to merge the two municipalities. The Village of Essex Junction has received a petition from Village residents to pursue separation from the Town of Essex should merger not pass. This initiative is designed to highlight the many relationships across the community that bind all of us together. These relationships will connect our community together, no matter what the outcome of the vote. We are connected by our history, our economy, our social networks, our faith communities, our volunteerism, our landscape, and so much more.
Whether these two municipalities merge or separate, their past and future are intertwined. Residents from across the two municipalities found six values they have in common. Through photos and short stories of relationships across the “dotted line,” residents will share inspiring stories and images of friendships and families with deep connections to Essex and Essex Junction and to each other. The Heart & Soul of Essex sought to ensure that as Essex continues to grow and change, we hold onto what is special about our community and that decisions reflect what matters to the people who live and work here. The photos will help to remind us of the relationships, people, and community that matters to us as we come to an important vote that will shape how we grow and change.