Very Local

Ok. The local, Ipswich Recreation DEPT. is under attack. "The Town Of Ipswich" is trying to cut 100k in budget cuts to go along with the "downturn" of the economy. Now I feel I have an old dog in this fight.

If it were not for the Recreation Department (from refereed to as the RD)of Ipswich, I may have been one of those students of the 90s that at least thought about shooting up my school soley as an act of defiance.

Columbine had all ready happened at this point and not only was I one not to copy cat but I am not at all the type to take ones life unless it came down to me and them, and that would be the only way for me to survive.

Regardless of all that, the Ipswich Rec Department gave me a place to not only be myself, but also gave me the freedom to be who I could truly be without the walls of heterosexuality, homosexuality, and any other sexuality you can think of.

Not only did it give me a place to find my sexuality, personality and life goals, but it gave me the ability to find such characteristics in a non-judgmental, non societal and non economical frame of being.

With out the Ipswich Recreation Dept and all the people that go with it (after the CORI checks) I would not be the Salem State University graduate that I am now!

I have worked for the Recreation Department in the past and have no criminal background whatsoever.

And one of the great things I love about the Ipswich Rec. Dept. is that they never ask for money, nor do they ever run credit checks. Everyone is welcome at their Homework Nights (Which I always took part of and is the main reason I graduated from the Ipswich High School System). I am now happy to admit I have a BA degree in Creative Writing from Salem State University.

If it were not for the help that I received from the Ipswich Recreation Department I may never have even made it to a State College/University. Let alone passed my classes. But the learning that I encompassed at NECC and the homework nights that I got from the Rec Center with my friends allowed me to pursue my degree in Creative Writing.

I feel that anything that I have learned is in thanks to the Ips. Rec. Dept. And if you need me to spell that out for you in a Town Meeting I Will!

To those whom it may concern.

James Christopher Blanken