I imagine life to be like surfing… even though I’ve never surfed, but have enjoyed watching the surfers handle the waves. Life gives us so many opportunities to surf. It seems we fall many times but getting back on that board and be wondered when we catch that wave and ride it in.
Many times we focus on that amazing wave… and forget all the times we fell. Life is a wonder.
Being ready to say ‘yes’ when God sends you a wave… and being humble enough to allow something greater than ourselves to orchestrate magic on our path.
Never in my life had it ever occurred to me that part of my desire to serve others would be in the capacity of ‘Mayor’.
I look back at my journey and see how God methodically through my life experiences created the circumstances that would allow me this opportunity in my life. Oh, how humbled I am by this experience. …and so it is in the month of June 2017 I announced my candidacy for the run of the seat for Mayor in my hometown of Lake Helen.
All odds against me… been in my city for only 9 years and no political experience. The other candidate with, business background, chair to the city planning board and lived 25 years in our city. The issue of “how long have you been here and what have you done” was something people wanted to know. Every year since I moved to our city, I walked in the parade giving out candies to the children, I helped out at other events such as the Christmas ball, and Tour of Homes, I also joined the garden club – volunteered as their secretary and spent 3 years gardening the park. 
I participated and volunteered at many city events such as their clean up day, the 125th jubilee, trunk or treats, movie in the park… just was eager to help and be an active member of our city. I’ve come to understand that it’s not how long you live in a place that makes a difference but the quality of the experience and involvement you have that matters the most.
I had tried the run for commissioner in my zone the year before; the other candidate also had lived in our town for over 25 years, he was well known as the cub-scout master, he was voted in… so, I did see “time lived in the city” as a huge challenge to overcome this time around again. 
We had our first ‘meet and greet’ in our community – these events allow the citizens to get to know each candidate and to ask questions.
I focused my platform on ‘communication’ because it just made common sense to me that ‘communication’ IS a big issue. Families and organizations disintegrate due to poor communication or lack of. I figured we as citizens don’t need our intelligence insulted – we all know we want to lower our taxes, increase tax base, etc yet the road to that starts with communication; as well as being proactive… outside the walls of city hall.
I’ve heard it said many times – ‘People won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care’. To care means sometimes to get out of ones very own ‘comfort circle’, it means to suspend judgement, it means to be the first to say ‘hello’. To me, it means listening with ones heart and not with ones eyes. On the road to city hall I’ve met so many beautiful people – my own neighbors, friends, and people in town – whom with- in such short period of time we’ve collaborated on one project or other.
We are a small city, so keeping in mind the basic needs of our community at a personal level was very important to me. While national issues are important it somehow takes a back seat to pot holes on our roads or a park swing broken. Local city government can be very personal and people do have a voice.
This year we had slim pickings for candidates, and there were only 2 picks for the mayor seat and two for the zone 1 commission seat.
What makes a successful campaign? Who knows?
It’s a combination of things, there is passive campaigning and then there is active campaigning. It starts with campaign signs and postcards, advertising and news coverage; then there is door to door campaigning, meet and greets, waving signs, going to events and making phone calls.
Lots of combination of things along with timing. Listening to people. People talking to people and friends talking with each other. Lots of things make a successful campaign. I even visited our Superintendent of Elections Lisa Lewis to learn about the ballots and the equipment, early voting and the process.
New experiences open us up to new growth and inner development… I thank our former Mayor Buddy Snowden for believing in me and supporting me on my decision to run, I forever will be grateful. Despite the fact that my only background has been in the service field as a former Deputy Sheriff and in the nonprofit sector… nothing but his Faith in me and my Faith in God could ever prepare me for the work ahead. Former Mayor Buddy Snowden made the job of ‘mayoring’ look easy.
I think that the last fourteen days before election day are the toughest. 
Why? Well, you’ve done all the debates/meet and greets, sent out your postcards, all your campaign signs are out there, you’ve worked on your publicity, your social media and still wonder if you’d done enough and … what else can be done? and as much as you want to go and do more… pretty much people have made up there minds.
What is left is – voting day. Hoping that everyone comes out to vote, because in a small town such as ours – every vote counts.
…and on the dawn of November 7, 2017 despite of my own self and desires, I ask God -“Please help our town – may You cast the vote for the person that needs to do the job now. Thank you”
Now, as newly elected Mayor of the fine city of Lake Helen, Florida – I am humbled by the people’s choice and fortunately I am part of a commission team who also cares deeply for our city – I believe together we can continue doing great work for our city. I am blessed, humbled and pray for Wisdom and Grace so that I may serve our community with compassion and strength.
