Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you on the Herndon Town Council this past term. Although I was born and raised elsewhere, in my case the small city of Sheffield, Alabama, the Town of Herndon is my home.

In 1989, my late husband Harvey and I were looking for a home in northern Virginia to raise our family. We fell in love with Herndon and moved to our home in Four Seasons the next year along with our 5-year-old son, Mike. Two years later, we were blessed with another son, Matt. Little did I know that soon I would be a single mom raising two young sons after Harvey, an environmental engineer, was lost in a tragic plane crash while on assignment in South America. Despite the strong urging of family to move back to Alabama, we chose to stay in the place we had made our home.

Both my sons were Herndon High athletes and together we are a wrestling, football family, we are happy to join other Herndon fans in supporting our players at home and on the road.

Starting with land use issues in 1991, I found myself taking an active role in community and civic organizations. Anything I could do to insure the future for my family and neighbors seemed like an important investment. What began as self-interest quickly became a community interest in good land use planning and environmental issues. I also worked successfully with Virginia officials to change state legislation where two bills I initiated were passed in 1996.

Over the past twenty years, I have served on numerous land use committees, the Board of Zoning Appeals and testify at Town Council and Dranesville public hearings on various issues. My commitment to the community includes volunteering with my son’s schools, various non-profits, civic organizations and numerous community events such as Friday Night Live and the Herndon Festival. I have never regretted making that decision to stay here and work for a better community.

Even in these troubled economic times, I see great things ahead for our town if we continue to restore our sense of cooperation and dedication to common purpose.

If I earn your vote in the upcoming Town Council election, I promise to continue to work with my fellow citizens and other elected officials to get back on track and give the next generation of families an even better quality of life in the town that has meant so much to Mike, Matt and me.

Sincerely,
Sheila Olem