My Turn: An appreciation of Carolyn Bottum

By Susan Brooks

To Carolyn Bottum, recently retired director of the Lincoln Council on Aging:

I wish I’d had the opportunity to say goodbye to you in public. Because you were a bulwark to Lincoln citizens, Carolyn, an exemplar of the kind of quiet, behind-the-scenes caring that knits a community together. The most obvious of your contributions to civic life was the expanded array of senior services and activities you made available through the COA, the empowerment of its advisory council, and the creation and cultivation of a professional-caliber and regular online presence for the organization. 

But the magic for me was when fellow public servants lost touch with a senior citizen, we learned to share that information with you, knowing it would be held in utmost confidence, and might add a nuance, perhaps, to your understanding and approach. Thank you for always being there, Carolyn — a level-headed, discreet, and compassionate shepherd for Lincoln seniors (and juniors, too, for that matter). Thank you for your service. It was a privilege and a pleasure to work with you.

Sincerely yours,

Susan Brooks (retired Lincoln town clerk)

”My Turn” is a forum for Lincoln residents to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.