To the Editor:
It is with tremendous regret that we witness the closing of Andrea’s Auto, and face the loss of another Island treasure. No doubt Andrea will thrive, but her departure marks an important juncture in our community history.
I have known Andrea since she was in elementary school along with my children. When I was the director of ACE MV, Andrea, then a skilled mechanic, agreed to teach evening auto mechanic classes for women. These classes were empowering, inspiring, and fun, a gift for all the participants. When Andrea opened her business, it was fabulous to be her admiring customer, knowing the expertise and spirit she put into her work.
It is upsetting to know that as an Island we have not yet responded by providing affordable housing options to our community members who have given so much. More than ever, young people, nurses, skilled laborers, teachers, electricians, doctors, farmers, landscapers — folks who make our Island flourish — are leaving for lack of housing.
The crisis is real, but we are an Island of invincible spirit when it comes to collaborating to find solutions! In the meantime, we send love and gratitude to Andrea Dello Russo, and know she will be a wonderful teacher in Oregon, and wherever she goes! Let this loss be our lesson.
Lynn Ditchfield
Edgartown
