I was recently privileged to have the opportunity to run for probate judge of our county. While we were unsuccessful in this attempt, we made many new friends, and were reacquainted with old friends, and we wish to thank all those persons who cast their previous vote for us.

My wife, Tracy, and I wish to express our sincere thanks to all who graciously helped us in this campaign. Each of you mean a great deal to both of us. We ran, as we desired to give back to our community, that we love.

During the course of this campaign, we received a great deal of financial support for this endeavor, and are fortunate to have funds remaining after the campaign. After a great deal of prayer and reflection, Tracy and I have decided to use such remaining funds in a way to make a difference in our community.

As many of you know, I have been involved with the local and state Civitan organizations for the past few years. Civitans are dedicated to assisting special needs children and adults with developmental handicaps.

About a year ago, we heard that Christian City was building a new children’s home for the orphans who resided on their campus. This will result in the availability of the four existing cottages for other uses.

Christian City has agreed to renovate these cottages, which are about 4,800 square feet each, at a total cost of $420,000, including furnishings. These structures will then be used to house, in a campus-like setting, young adults who have developmental disabilities.

This will allow Christian City to house 24 to 30 such individuals in a safe and secure setting, with each residence having its own house-parents. These special needs adults will have ready access to health care, job opportunities, education and other training in a totally safe and secure environment.

The Line Creek and the Fayette County Civitan clubs have each previously donated the sum of $2,000 to this project. The Georgia District Civitan Foundation has matched each of these donations making a total of $8,000.

In addition, these two clubs, the Georgia District of Civitan International and the Foundation, jointly sponsored a golf tournament this past April which raised approximately an additional $26,000 for this project.

Too often citizens of our great country make disparaging remarks regarding politicians and our government, I believe that it is time that we worked together to make all citizens proud of our country and our government to truly be “we the people” once again.

To such end, Tracy and I have decided to donate all remaining campaign funds to this project. We also invite all other candidates, office holders and politicians to do the same.

Hopefully, this will get the entire community behind this project, and other citizens and businesses will desire to participate in this project as well, thereby allowing the project to quickly attain its goal of $420,000.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and for your support of Tracy and me, as well as for your support of this important project.

Steve and Tracy Kiser

Peachtree City, Ga.

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