“After raising our kids in Maine, we decided to move back to the Upper Valley. With the kids gone, we were open to trying new things and we had such good memories of living here when we were first married. It is hard to get a new foothold in a community when you don’t have kids to anchor you, especially in a pandemic. But I believe that community feeling will come with time. It’s funny how much things have stayed the same since we lived here 27 years ago. A lot has changed, but we are still able to do the things we loved to do back then, like walking and hiking. We’ve really been enjoying the rail trail. I have walked from Lebanon out to Mascoma lake. I want to get bikes and bike the trail; it’s a wonderful way to wind down at the end of the day. I also like to do day trips on weekends, exploring the different towns in the region.
One person that inspires me is my husband. He is a rock for me. We are opposite in many ways, so we really support and balance each other. He is very driven; I remember when we met how I admired his hard work and how he enjoys life. My father was also one of my heroes. He was a Green Beret, and put himself through law school on the GI Bill, so a very hard-working person. He was brave and always fought for the underdog. Those traits about him were very important to me growing up. Like my dad, I am driven to serve others.
I am a volunteer coach for the Dartmouth swim team. One of the things that drives me as a coach is not necessarily developing the best athlete but using athletics to help young men and women develop into the best person they can be. The concept of servant leadership is important to me—being a leader no matter what your position is. You don’t have to be team captain or a senior to help those around you to become the best that they can be. I think it’s important to convey how sometimes you must put your personal wants aside for the needs of the team. That’s one of the reasons why I enjoy coaching; I can pass on this important value to young adults.”
– Betsy Perron, Lebanon, NH
