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December 2021
NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM
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Aside from the superficial dif- ferences, Raymah and Ms. Claus are very much alike.
They both love the holiday sea- son. Raymah’s joy of the holiday season grew with her experiences as a child. She was raised in Bris- tol (her dad worked at IPC and her mom cooked for the school’s lunch program) and recalled the town’s winter carnivals. Diving in a sawdust pile seeded with pen- nies is an especially vivid memory. Other important recollections of the holiday season are evoked by Christmas celebrations at a farm- house in Penacook. The house, owned by Raymah’s grandpar- ents, was home to Raymah’s ex-
tended family, including her aunt and uncle. All the relatives gath- ered for food preparation, fol- lowed by feasting and gift sharing. It was, in Raymah’s words, “an exciting time for kids.” Focusing on “kids” comes naturally to Ray- mah. She has two of her own as well as three grandchildren. (All five offspring have grown to adult- hood). Loving “kids” prompted Raymah to give serious thought to becoming a school teacher, but she chose not to pursue that ca- reer path. Raymah’s current role as Mrs. Claus exemplifies her life- long enjoyment of children.
The classroom’s loss has been the town of Bristol’s gain. Ray- mah has worked as an assistant to town officers and as an office
manager for 26 years. Her work demands a comprehensive knowl- edge of the laws related to town governance, the technical details of processing tax returns, numer- ous other documents, and the “people skills” needed to interact with residents. Raymah is a certi- fied town clerk, which means she is required through coursework to stay current with all the state and federal regulations pertaining to her position. As a testament to her competence and popular- ity, not long ago, her colleagues throughout the state voted to have Raymah serve as President of the New Hampshire Tax Collectors Association as well as the Town Clerks Association. She has en- joyed being President of both
organizations. Perhaps the most meaningful affirmation of one’s work comes from close colleagues. Christina Howe, Bristol’s Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector, has worked closely with Raymah for six years. She shares here an inti- mate insight about her colleague. “Raymah is always there for you. She is a loving, hard-working per- son. I couldn’t choose a better person with whom to spend my workdays”.
As Raymah and I came to the close of our conversation, I asked her this one last question. Would Santa’s wife like being called Mrs. or Ms. Claus? Straight-faced, she responded that Santa’s wife, being very traditional in some respects, would prefer Mrs. Claus. My
story’s subject then paused. She smiled and added, “You know, it’s not what you’re called that’s important; the important thing is how the kindness you hold in your heart is revealed, how it’s expressed by your consideration of others.” After our meeting, while walking along a dark street, somewhere in downtown Bristol, I found myself reflecting on those last words. My thoughts were in- terrupted by an unexpected gust of wind accompanied by what seemed to be the jingling of sleigh bells. And, at that moment, it came to me that those last words were meant to be a special gift for me and for the people of Bristol as well.
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