Dorothy Duffy

To the editor,

Walt Disney was right; it is a small world!

How amazing it is to be able to reach out and shake the hand of a Romanian, Bosnian, African, Turk and others at a pot luck supper in an New Englandchurch on a winteryafternoonto celebrate Martin Luther's King Day. Guests of Carol Pierce, Chairman of the Laconia Human Relations Committee, the first and only such committee in New Hampshire, were able to do just that recently.

Thank you to our new mayor, Matt Leahy who joined thefun eventinsampling foods — exotic to the natives — and inbreaking bread, a beautiful round loaf dimpled with design, while others talked in sign language or joined Rasim Gusinac's circle of frolicking folk dancers.

Laconia recently welcomed about 30 new members to its melting pot of French Canadians, Irish, English, Asians, Scandinavians - our diverse population. Thank you to the Congregational Church for opening up its doors to this event and thanks tothe wonderful culinary artists who servedthe international fare.

And thank you to the community for your compassionate big heart andgracious acceptance to our newest refugees.

Dorothy Duffy

Laconia