A Heartfelt Thank You
Nov 3, 2025
Dear friends and neighbors:
As Election Day arrives tomorrow, the candidates for LIHD Commissioner - Dr. Corey Casper for Position 2 and Heather Arps for Position 5 - and I want to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported their campaigns and helped elevate the conversation about the future of healthcare on Lopez.
Win or lose, we’ve already accomplished something extraordinary together. This campaign has shown what it means to participate in an election with integrity - to stay positive, lead with facts, and focus on ideas and solutions rather than division. We’ve demonstrated that campaigns can be both spirited and respectful, that differences of opinion don’t have to mean disrespect, and that constructive dialogue can bring people together rather than drive them apart. In doing so, we hope we’ve modeled what genuine civic engagement looks like, strengthened the quality of our community conversation, and raised the bar for discourse on our island.
Through that dialogue, we’ve also been able to envision new models of care for Lopez - a collective future that offers greater access for all residents, consistently high-quality care close to home, and a broader range of services so patients can receive most of their care right here on the island. These conversations have reminded us what’s possible when a community comes together around shared values and a common purpose.
The outpouring of support and encouragement - through Facebook and Lopez Rocks posts, thoughtful comments, and countless behind-the-scenes conversations - has been so heartening. Even more inspiring has been the community spirit: every yard sign placed, flyer shared, and meet-and-greet hosted reflected a shared belief that local democracy works best when people care enough to participate with respect and hope.
Whatever tomorrow’s results bring, the real success is the stronger, more connected Lopez Island that has come from this campaign and the dialogue it fostered. Thank you for bringing your energy, creativity, and optimism to the effort to improve health care and good governance for everyone on the island.
With deep gratitude,
Erica Sessle on behalf of
Dr. Corey Casper, candidate for LIHD Board, position 2, and
Heather Arps, candidate for LIHD Board, position 5
As Election Day arrives tomorrow, the candidates for LIHD Commissioner - Dr. Corey Casper for Position 2 and Heather Arps for Position 5 - and I want to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported their campaigns and helped elevate the conversation about the future of healthcare on Lopez.
Win or lose, we’ve already accomplished something extraordinary together. This campaign has shown what it means to participate in an election with integrity - to stay positive, lead with facts, and focus on ideas and solutions rather than division. We’ve demonstrated that campaigns can be both spirited and respectful, that differences of opinion don’t have to mean disrespect, and that constructive dialogue can bring people together rather than drive them apart. In doing so, we hope we’ve modeled what genuine civic engagement looks like, strengthened the quality of our community conversation, and raised the bar for discourse on our island.
Through that dialogue, we’ve also been able to envision new models of care for Lopez - a collective future that offers greater access for all residents, consistently high-quality care close to home, and a broader range of services so patients can receive most of their care right here on the island. These conversations have reminded us what’s possible when a community comes together around shared values and a common purpose.
The outpouring of support and encouragement - through Facebook and Lopez Rocks posts, thoughtful comments, and countless behind-the-scenes conversations - has been so heartening. Even more inspiring has been the community spirit: every yard sign placed, flyer shared, and meet-and-greet hosted reflected a shared belief that local democracy works best when people care enough to participate with respect and hope.
Whatever tomorrow’s results bring, the real success is the stronger, more connected Lopez Island that has come from this campaign and the dialogue it fostered. Thank you for bringing your energy, creativity, and optimism to the effort to improve health care and good governance for everyone on the island.
With deep gratitude,
Erica Sessle on behalf of
Dr. Corey Casper, candidate for LIHD Board, position 2, and
Heather Arps, candidate for LIHD Board, position 5