Nancy Townsend after receiving her second dose of the vaccine. Townsend, who is 84 years old, said she is excited to be able to see family members again. “I’m trying not to let myself get too optimistic, but I do feel a bit of relief,” she said.

Nancy and James Pike, 84 and 73, respectively, after receiving their second dose of the vaccine. The Pikes have 38 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren and have been married 54 years. “I want to live to keep seeing my grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” Nancy said.

Georgia Guertin after receiving the second dose of the vaccine. Guertin is 83 years old and said the most difficult part of the last year was not being able to go anywhere. “I’m not one to stay put,” she said.

Bruce Welch, 75, after receiving his second dose of the vaccine. “I have emphysema, heart troubles and I’m fighting cancer,” Welch said. “I didn’t dare to be around anybody. I just went to the grocery store and to my doctors appointments. In the summer I rode my motorcycle on country roads. It was really one of my only pleasures.”

David Burley, 55, after receiving his first dose of the vaccine. Burley didn’t have an appointment that day, but then he heard from a friend that there were open spots, so he rushed to sign himself and his wife up. “It is the most excited I’ve ever been to get a shot,” Burley joked.

Richard and Charlene Hall after receiving their second dose of the vaccine. The couple, who are both 73, said one of the things they are looking forward to being able to do again is going to church on Sundays. “I really miss that,” Charlene said.

Gail Smith after receiving her second dose the vaccine. Smith, who is in her 70s, said over the past year she has noticed how the pandemic brought people together. “We came together as a nation during this because everything changed. It was another life-altering event and it has touched each and every one of us,” she said. “I see God in this. If God wasn’t in it so many more of us would’ve passed away and we wouldn’t have had a vaccine so quickly.”

Gloria Tourigny, 94, after receiving her second dose of the vaccine. Tourigny’s daughter drove her to the appointment. “She is my lifesaver,” she said about her daughter. Tourigny lives in an apartment building with a few dozen other people who have now all had their second shots. “Now I can sleep at night,” she said.

Justine Pettersen, 21, after receiving her first dose of the vaccine. Pettersen works at Waterboro Town Hall and said her boss got a call that there were extra doses left over so she rushed down. “I had no idea I was going to get vaccinated today,” Pettersen said.

Patrick Walsh, 71, after receiving his second dose of the vaccine. Walsh said the hardest part for him was finding an appointment to get vaccinated. He started trying at the end of January and finally was able to book an appointment for his first dose on Feb. 25.

Chhorn Aun, 65, after receiving her first dose of the vaccine. Aun’s daughter drove by the fire department and saw the sign for the vaccine clinic so she went in and got her mother on the call list. An hour or so later, Aun was able to get vaccinated with one of the last doses of the day.

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