When I was growing up I had the advantage of a great public education. This helped give me the foundation to go on to help better myself, my church family, my community, and my state. I had the fortune to be raised in a loving two-parent family. My dad was retired with one year of college, and my mom retired with a third-grade education. From the effort of my parents—and others—it takes for childr
en to grow strong and healthy. I’ve been a Sunday school teacher and a basketball coach, and I have seen firsthand how caring adults can transform children’s lives—and the reverse is often true, too. I was born in Alamance County, North Carolina, and moved to Wake County in 1958. I started first grade in 1964 and graduated from Apex Sr. I started my career in the US Army in 1977 and had many assignments in many parts of the world. I retire from Fort Bragg in 1997. I attended Fayetteville State University and learned that education is a powerful tool that requires hard work and sacrifice to earn all that it has to give. I received my B.S. from the University in 2001. Throughout the past two years, I have come to realize that our political system is failing the people of Cumberland County, as it is failing the people of Cumberland. The current political leadership seems paralyzed by distrust and self-doubt. Powerful voices tell us that there is no hope and that good schools, jobs, and a clean environment are impossible. We are told that these things do not matter, are not worth fighting, for and, most definitely, not worth paying for. If you and I tolerate this inaction, we are in danger of consigning our children to a bleak future—to life in a county that will be Cumberland in name only. I have met with thousands of people across this great county. I encourage all of you who wish to restore the ideals and values of our home to join me in my journey toward a brighter future for the people of Cumberland County, North Carolina.
