Karen Heck

[5] In the 1980s Heck worked for the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program in the areas of family planning, reproductive rights, and universal health care.

[4] In 2000 she co-founded, together with Lyn Mikel Brown and Lynn Cole, the Hardy Girls Healthy Women research organization.

[6] Among her accomplishments were the formation of a committee that initiated improvements at Waterville Robert LaFleur Airport, and Community Convergence, a question-and-answer forum for city residents.

Heck also launched, supported and endorsed the recall of her successor to the Mayorship of Waterville, Nick Isgro, a conservative Republican.

The recall divided the community and ultimately failed, despite an angry outburst from Heck at a City Council meeting.