Votes are streaming in for the Post’s annual Great Person contest. Have any of them touched your life? The deadline for getting us your pick is less than a week away. Voting will end on Thursday, Dec. 24, and the winner will be announced in the Jan. 8 edition.

Ann Rashed, a liaison nurse at SMMC Visiting Nurses, nominates Elaine Brady, the executive director of the Kennebunk organization. Elaine has worked for SMMC Visiting Nurses for 27 years. With Elaine’s leadership we are celebrating our 100-year anniversary this year, as a home care agency, initially as The Kennebunk Public Health Nursing, and now a recognized as a HomeCare Elite agency that provides services to all of York County. Elaine has just finished serving as president of the Kennebunk Rotary, and is still a key member. Elaine has been a mentor to me, helping me to grow as a nurse, and supporting me through a personal loss ago years ago.”
Georgette Nelson nominates M. Jamet Dattore of Arundel because, “I am a cancer survivor. Physically and mentally she revived my reason for living.”
Jane Cummings nominates Elaine Fournier
Donna Nadeau nominates Dr. James Georgitis for being, “an excellent surgeon who has operated on so many people to renew their health.”
Jackie Rose nominates Edie Lamberts, who is the “best neighbor, best friend, best cook and so kind to my son and I. Jackie says she is an older mom who adopted her son and Edie is often taking her son golfing as well as to school. Edie “never says no even though she is busy. I want her to know how much we love and appreciate her.”
Gail and Brett Nagy nominate Laurie Lord of Good Works Employment Services for going “above and beyond to help people. She has been most influential in Brett’s life and helped him and others in a caring manner. She is supportive and if she can’t help you, she will find someone who can. She encourages you to be the best you can.”
Tony and Nancy Viehmann nominate Rev. Ruth Merriam of the Church on the Cape in Cape Porpoise. “Her cheerful welcoming manner combined with sermons worth listening to fill every seat, every Sunday. Ruth also has a wonderful sense of humor and her smile brings much joy to people young and old. Ruth is actively involved in service organizations such as KEMS and the Cape Porpoise Fire Department.
Nancy Berkowitz nominates John Middleton as a representative of the more than 100 local volunteers of the Seashore Trolley Museum operating department, “for extending a warm welcome to thousands of visitors from Maine and all over the United States and the world  each season.  From May through Prelude, week after week, in all kinds of weather, these volunteers have volunteered thousands of hours in order to demonstrate the role street cars played more than 100 years ago.”
Margie Baron nominates Bonnie Sylvestre. “I can only imagine how many people Bonnie helps out on a daily basis, she goes above an beyond to help lessen the effects of today’s economy. We have many “business” relationships on both the east and west coasts, and none have ever come close to Bonnie’s caliber of care.”

To vote, please use the ballot located next to this story. We ask that each person votes no more than once, but that a ballot can be used for more than one person. For example, if you have four people in your household, they can all vote – just note it on your ballot, with an individual signature indicating each person.
Voting needs to be done with the official ballot and may be sent to or delivered to our office. We will not accept ballots by phone, email or fax.
You can make photocopies of the ballot to allow more people to vote, however we hold people to the honor system that a single person can vote no more than one time.
If you have questions, please call Ward Peck at 282-4337 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.