Historic Victory: Abby Arpano Breaks Barriers As Newest Ashburnham Select Board Member

Abby Arpano becomes the fifth woman ever on Ashburnham's Select Board and marks the first time two women serve together.

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Article by Marilyn Orange of Ashburnham

Arpano for the win!

After a hard-fought campaign that ended when voters hit the polls last April, Ashburnham Select Board candidate Abby Arpano beat three-year incumbent Bill Johnson by a vote of 291 to 273.

Abby’s win brings with it two historic firsts for the women of Ashburnham; she is the fifth woman to ever sit on Ashburnham’s Select Board, and this is the first time two women have ever sat on the board together. (Arpano will be joining the three-member board with Rosemarie Eldridge-Meissner).

Abby was sworn in on April 27th at Town Hall with her campaign coalition standing proudly in attendance. Her success comes after vigorous campaign efforts (no one can say she didn’t put in the work). From door knocking and face-to-face meet and greets, to hosting a successful paint night and a rolling rally, she won over the voters of Ashburnham.

Abby’s dedication to her town combined with her tenacity to promote transparency within our local government, proved to be what the voters wanted. Arpano says she will work tirelessly to hear residents’ concerns and be a new voice for Ashburnham during her tenure.

Bio:

A life-long Massachusetts resident, Arpano has been living in Ashburnham since 2009. She works in the corporate event industry and is presently employed as an Account Manager at Unbridled in Waltham, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In town, Arpano has volunteered as a scout leader for the Ashburnham Girl Scouts, she is also a chapter director for The Cure Starts Now, a non-profit organization that raises money to fund pediatric brain cancer research. In 2016, Arpano’s six-year-old daughter Kate – a Daisy Scout – passed away from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a rare, incurable form of brain cancer.

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