Campaigns are run in a month. Campaigns are not won in a month.
As Campaign 2022 comes to a close, I wanted to share a few final thoughts. All campaigns are stress inducing, exciting, nerve wracking, sleep depriving, inspiring, frustrating and more. I’d add frightening to this year’s list if I’m honest. But it’s done now. The rest is up to you.
In thinking back on the many years I’ve done everything I could to serve our community on council, I thought back to 2011 when I first ran and lost. The community told me, nice try, keep going. So I did. Over those three years, I kept working on community efforts and in 2014 you rewarded me with an extra 929 votes that got me elected, but only just barely. I got the message, yet more work to do. So I did. Then in 2018, I earned an additional 975 votes. Room for improvement, I thought. So I worked even harder. I did some math today, in the last 8 years, I’ve basically earned an extra 5 votes most every week over a 4 year term. Now, I know that’s not really how it works. The only poll that matters is the one on election day. I worked hard over the last 4 years. Quite honestly, as hard as I ever have because there were some very difficult and demanding days, weeks and months. I understood the weight of my responsibility. You understood yours too.
So I want to leave it here. I am so grateful and so inspired by the work of this community. Our social services sector who moved mountains to keep people safe in unprecedented times. Our arts and culture sector who innovated their creative butts off to keep us connected. Our business community’s ability to pivot, re-pivot and pivot yet again with grit and determination to keep things going. To our educators who put the well being of our kids above and beyond the risks they faced. To city staff, my hats off to you. A city never stops, not even for a pandemic. And the work you do everyday delivering essential services to every single household needs to be applauded. My final, and most heartfelt thanks is to our healthcare teams. You got us through. You’re still getting us through. I really don’t know what we would have done without you. I am eternally grateful.
My final ask is that you vote. We have so much to look forward to and most certainly, there will be more challenges ahead.
We don’t say it enough so I’ll go first. I love you Salmon Arm. We’re not perfect, but together, we can get there.
Love,
Lou
Re-Elect Wallace Richmond 