I met Susan Schoon in 1982 when we were both volunteering at a summer camp for children with muscular dystrophy. She was 16, I was 14. Susan is in the front row of this photo, wearing a lanyard and cap. I’m in the back row, third from the left. From the moment we met, we were inseparable. And we still are.

That’s why I understand hard work, commitment, and the power of something as simple as a poster to change lives. Every summer in East Texas, we made sure those kids had more fun than a barrel of monkeys. But in the end, they changed my life far more than I changed theirs.

I loved Martindale long before I moved here—that’s why I chose to make it home. Last year, making my first campaign posters and knocking on doors gave me the chance to meet so many neighbors, make new friends, and connect with the people who make this town special. And just like before, a simple poster changed me forever.

We don’t all agree on everything—sometimes not even on the color of the grass or the sky. But what matters is that we listen, talk, and work together to make our town the best it can be. I still believe in Martindale—do you?