To Ms. Pleasant Rowland.

This is to thank you for your great and generous contribution to Aurora. The village has been rejuvenated and re-invigorated by the many projects you have undertaken for the benefit of the village.

You have made Aurora a model to emulate. It is especially important when we consider that most of upstate New York towns are a series of ghost towns on the verge of poverty.

Most industries have moved to other states where a more favorable tax is imposed and there are less regulations and control.

It may seem to you that your efforts have not been recognized and appreciated. Be assured that the majority of Aurora citizens are very much aware of the difference you have made.

Unfortunately, in any community, there are always a group of dissenters who make up for their lack of numbers by being the most vocal and negative. Many of them had their minds established long before you came on the scene.

There were those who had issues with the college and they decided to be antagonistic toward anything related to the institution.

Their narrow world allowed them to develop more anger and louder dissent. Their antagonisms have fed upon each other's.

Their common hatred continues to grow and fester.

Please know that none of this has anything to do with you or with the college. Angry people are loud and vicious.

It's too bad that a tiny village can't agree to get along with different opinions. How can we expect the world at large to settle its ethnic and religious differences, if we can't settle our own issues in this small village?

Aurora is a very much better village because of Pleasant Rowland and what she has done to upgrade the facilities.

George Peter

Aurora