It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of John Reagan, one of the special friends we made in Wilmington after Tropical Storm Irene. John and Patty owned Dot's Restaurant and were beyond courageous in their effort to rebuild and reopen Dot's in the aftermath of Irene. John's full obituary can be seen here.

We spent a lot of time with them as they struggled to decide whether to rebuild. We and our partners at the Wilmington Fund and others in the community raised significant funds to help close the financial gap in their effort to rebuild. They did indeed rebuild and reopen, not because it was clearly the best financial decision for them, but because they understood how important Dot's was and is to their community. John often said, "We are just the stewards of this place."

I have great admiration for John and Patty, and for the passion and commitment each of them had and have for their community. It is people like them, and the many others we have met along the  way, that really make Vermont this very remarkable place. They bring life and vibrancy to our historic villages and downtowns. They help define what this special state is all about. We are honored that they are so thankful for the encouragement and support we have provided, and we very much appreciate their suggestion that memorial gifts in John's name may be made to the Preservation Trust.

Sincerely,

Paul Bruhn

Executive Director