If you’ve ever wandered through Paley’s Farm Market, you probably know Renee Wilcox. For thirty years, she has been greeting you with unmistakable warmth—always ready with a smile. Renee grew up in Millerton, but it was in Salisbury that her family found something they’d never had before: a true sense of home. In 2003, she and her husband Bill were living in Millerton, but Bill—a volunteer with the Lakeville Hose Company—was already part of Salisbury life. When the Salisbury Housing Trust finished eight new homes on East Main Street (Dunham Drive), Renee and Bill were the first to sign on.
The story of those houses is really a story about the best parts of our community. Richard Dunham and his wife, Inge, along with the Housing Trust board, poured years of energy and hope into the project. Renee can’t help but light up when she talks about the people who helped her family settle in. Digby Brown came by to install appliances and bathroom cabinets; Barbara Niles spent hours painting; Carl Williams assembled bunk beds for the kids. Rick Cantele, at Salisbury Bank, helped them with their finances so they could qualify for a mortgage, while neighbors arrived at their door with fruit baskets and welcoming words.
For the Wilcox family, owning a home in Salisbury changed everything. The house gave them more than just a roof; it was a dream come true. Renee says, “My son—now thirty-three—was slipping through the cracks at school. He is now an avid reader. The schools have made all the difference.” When Bill suffered a serious workplace injury in 2023, the community they’d come to love rallied around them. Local businesses, friends, and neighbors showed up, offering help in big and small ways. “We are so grateful to live in this community,” Renee says, “I can’t even put into words how much it meant to us.”
But not every family is so lucky. Renee hears all the time from people from all walks of life who are upset that their kids can’t afford to live here. The numbers tell a tough story—sky-high home prices, almost no rentals, and over 100 families on a waitlist for an affordable apartment. The result? We have lost a whole generation of young people in our community.
Renee’s story is a reminder that community isn’t just about geography—it’s about making space for each other. If we want to keep that spirit alive, we need to fight for more affordable homes, more welcoming front doors, and more stories like hers.
Mary Close Oppenheimer is a member of the Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission.
Cella’s paintings are tucked in almost every available space thoughout Little Store Antiques. L. Tomaino
