5 Kernels of Corn

Every year the President of our company gathers the entire office together and reads us this story.  He is a great man, and a dear friend.  It's become one of our company most endearing traditions.


Everyone loves Thanksgiving, but do we all know the real meaning behind the holiday?  


On November 11, 1620, the Mayflower dropped anchor in a natural harbor on the inside of the northern tip of Cape Cod. There it stayed. The location was not the Pilgrims’ first choice; they had planned to settle near the mouth of the Hudson.

The area where the ship made landfall had belonged to the Patuxets, a fierce tribe that took intense delight in murdering anyone who would dare invade their territory. A sickness, however, had wiped them out, leaving their land free for the taking. (Other Indians, fearing “bad spirits,” would have no part of it.) The Pilgrims didn’t even have to clear fields for planting. They were alread there for them.

The nearest neighbors were the Wampanoags, a civilized tribe ruled by Massasoit. The chief and his people accepted the Pilgrims and helped them. Squanto, a lone survivor of the Patuxets, made his home with this new inhabitants and taught them how to survive in this new and challenging land.

Although the bounty of the summer of 1621 brought a time of heartfelt gratitude (the first Thanskgiving), the Pilgrims’ obligation to repay the backers who had financed their voyage left them dangerously close to starvation. Food stores had all but disappeared.

At one point, a daily ration of food for a Pilgrim was 5 kernels of corn. With a simple faith that God would sustain them, no matter what, they pulled through. History records that not a single one of them died from starvation that winter. Not a one.

The harvest of 1623 brought a surplus of corn, so much that the Pilgrims were able to help out the Indians for a change. So joyous were they that they celebrated a second Day of Thanksgiving and again invited Massasoit to be their guest.

He came, bringing with him his wife, several other chiefs and 120 braves. All sat down to a feast of 12 venison, 6 goats, 50 hogs and pigs, numerous turkeys, vegtables, grapes, nuts, plums, puddings and pies. But, lest anyone forget, all were given their first course on an empty plate.

They were each given 5 kernels of corn to remember the hard times.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fresh Set of Eyes

Have you ever faced a problem at work where no matter what you did, you simply couldn't solve it?  In my office, we implemented a rule mandating that more than one person must review a mail piece before it goes to press.  The reason is that the author has looked over the piece so many times, he or she simply can't see what may be a glaring typos to a fresh set of eyes.  When my staff is preparing a budget for the coming year, I review each one with them and offer an outside perspective.

Kane County is facing a similar issue.  We have had a lot of long standing incumbents trying to look over the same problems.  This poses difficulty in creating "new" solutions, when many of those involved have been stuck on these problems for over a decade. In the 19th District, I will be replacing an incumbent who has served on the Board for 20 years.  A dear friend and outstanding leader Jackie Tredup will also be retiring from the 22nd District, with Doug Scheflow prepared to carry on her work.  Jeff Meyer is challenging 10 year incumbent Deb Allen in the 17th District.

In 2012, Elgin Township will offer a fresh set of eyes to review the problems facing our county government, and with the new perspective will come new solutions.  While I am hesitant to use the term "change" due to a certain inept President using it for his campaign slogan, let's just say Kane County is ready for a different perspective.  The Elgin Township Republican meeting tonight turned out a great deal of strong candidates that just might offer those fresh set of eyes we so sorely need.

Avoid Distractions

As we continue forth with the campaign season, voters all want two things: Answers and Solutions.  Understandable.  Democracy is all about the educated voter selecting the candidate that best matches his or her own views.  It is without question your duty as a voter to know the issues and make an informed choice.  But what are the issues that matter most in this election?


Without question, the single most important issue in the coming election is the dire state of the economy.  Every single candidate seeking office should be talking about getting people in our community back to work.  We should all be advocating lower taxes, allowing more people to regain control over the money they earned.  From the day I announced my campaign, I promised to freeze the tax levy, while working towards lasting reductions.  


Unfortunately, you are going to see a lot of candidates try to use what are called "wedge" issues, designed solely to form a distinct division among different classes of people and demographics.  Why do they take this tactic?  Well, I suspect because most of these candidates are on the wrong side of the economic policy.  Many are the same folks who supported the failed policies that got us into this mess in the first place.  They want to distract the voters from the important issues, because quite frankly they cannot win on those issues.


We deserve better from our candidates.  We deserve better from our government. Stay focused and on message.  

The Time is Now

As we continue to walk precincts and meet with homeowners, the campaign is continuing to hear the same basic message: Our government is failing us.


We all know that Washington and Springfield are a total mess.  Everyone is feeling the pinch.  Here at home, Kane County is giving us the perfect opportunity to exact some real reform.  For the first time in 8 years, our county will have a new Chairman.  Every County Board member is up for election.  If ever there was a chance for the voters' collective voice to be heard, its the 2012 Election.  


When my wife and I discussed the possibilities of running for County Board, we carefully weighed all the pros and cons associated with seeking public office.  With my first son on the way in December, I new that our lives would be forever changed.  We have been blessed.  We have wonderful family and friends, I am employed by one of the greatest men I have ever known, in a career that I enjoy.  Life was good.  But I know that for many people in our community, life is not so good.  Our community needs help.  It needs leadership.  We need to get back on track so that future generations, like my son, still want to call Kane County home.  People have asked why I would choose to run with a baby on the way.  I explain that it is because of my son that I feel compelled to run.


As a candidate for the 19th District and a voter just like you, I'm excited about the possibilities that this election will create. Hopefully you feel the same, and join me in turning the page in Kane County.  The time is now.