I’ve been asked many times over the past few months why I chose to run for Summit County clerk. Truthfully, it wasn’t even on my radar. I was focused on my family and business and felt I already had enough on my plate until I answered an email from the Summit County Republican Caucus inviting r esidents to come talk about what was happening throughout Summit County. Before I knew it, I felt strongly that I should put my name in the race, and my life took a dramatic and unexpected shift. In hindsight though, the thought of change had begun long before that moment. I had spent a large portion of the last year listening to too many of my friends coming into my store and telling me how they had felt a loss of community in the area that they had loved for so long. It broke my heart as these same conversations continued throughout the summer and into the fall. People told me they felt it was time to make a change in their lives. They missed the feeling of a close-knit community, knowing that they were part of something special, something bigger than themselves. They told me that they no longer knew many of their neighbors. Summit County has been a safe haven for so many people over the years. There’s a peace and stillness that attracts people from all walks of life to make the leap to move here so they can call this place home. I am one of those people. When I met my husband, I wasn’t familiar with this area at all. I grew up in the Midwest and was attending Utah State. He told me that he grew up in the most amazing place ever. I was skeptical because lots of people make that claim. But he was unashamedly right, and I have developed a deep love and sense of responsibility in preserving the ties within our community. So the call for me became clear. I needed to do more, become more involved, and give more of myself to help rebuild what some of my neighbors feel has been lost. The Clerk’s Office is the door that directly connects the everyday lives of the citizens with government. It is all about community. If elected, I pledge to be ready to tirelessly serve you on day one. Each of us has a responsibility and place to serve in our communities. What is your place to help us preserve and sustain it? This weekend, as you remember to honor those that gave their life for this great nation over hundreds of years, don’t forget the farmers, the miners, the ranchers and cowboys who along with their families gave their sweat, tears and broken backs to provide the fruits of what we love today. Because if you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going. Let us pledge to do our part to leave a safe haven for future generations. Have a blessed and safe Memorial Day. Suni Woolstenhulme Oakley The post Why I’m running appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less