Sen. Jeanne Shaheen speaks during a press conference urging the U.S. Senate to hold hearings and vote on the U.S. Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland outside the Warren B. Rudman U.S. Courthouse in Concord on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. She appeared with former New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick and UNH Law professor Erin Corcoran. (ELIZABETH FRANTZ / Monitor staff)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen speaks during a press conference urging the U.S. Senate to hold hearings and vote on the U.S. Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland outside the Warren B. Rudman U.S. Courthouse in Concord on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. She appeared with former New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick and UNH Law professor Erin Corcoran. (ELIZABETH FRANTZ / Monitor staff)

I wish I could be with you this weekend as you mark the 225th anniversary of the Town of Greenfield.

We come together today not only to observe a remarkable milestone, but also to celebrate a bond that connects all of the residents of Greenfield, past and present. Since gathering at the house of Daniel Gould for the first town meeting in 1791, residents of Greenfield have all worked together to pass on an improved and more prosperous town to the next generation. They began a story – complete with purpose, kindness and fellowship – that you all proudly continue to this day.‎

In Greenfield, we see a commitment to community every week at the Town Meeting House, a building that holds the distinction as the oldest original meetinghouse in New Hampshire that serves as both a house of faith and center of governance. And we are able to appreciate our state’s natural beauty at Greenfield State Park, a 400-acre local attraction that features forests, ponds, campgrounds and walking and hiking trails.

Close-knit communities like Greenfield are a real treasure. Two hundred and twenty-five years after your founding, whether it is revitalizing the historic Greenfield Meeting Place or hosting weekly events at the Stephenson Library, you all continue to exemplify what makes the Granite State so special.

I want to extend my best wishes as you all take time to reflect on Greenfield’s rich history and continue working on your bright future.

Sen. ‎Jeanne Shaheen