Dear Residents of Caroline County, Caroline County has always had a special place in my heart. My grandfather served as Post Commander of Fort A.P. Hill and my mother sat on the bench in the Caroline Juvenile Court for six years. Since January 2006, you have offered me the equally great privilege of representing part of Caroline County in the Virginia General Assembly. Representing citizens from Dawn to Ladysmith provided me as a new legislator with an opportunity to learn about the real needs of a growing community, which include investing in infrastructure, putting a priority on economic growth while preserving rural integrity and committing to our future through education so that the children are ready to work the jobs of the 21st century. While much has happened in a short time, there is much more work to be done to keep Caroline on a sustainable path.
Since the General Assembly passed its redistricting bill which means I will no longer represent Caroline, I have been recalling and writing down the events, people and places, and milestones I have been honored to witness and participate in over these last five years. Let me share a few with you in no particular order: dedicating the Dawn wastewater treatment plant; opening of the State Fair of Virginia and Secretariat's birthday celebration; groundbreaking for the new McKesson plant; dedicating the new skate park; visiting Reedy Church, Madison, and Caroline Ruritan club events; breakfasts at Aunt Sarah's for Caroline Rotary; honoring fallen state troopers with highway markers; visiting A.P. Hill; attending a gang awareness forum at Second Mt. Zion Church; fighting rate hikes by Aqua VA; participating in the Bowling Green Christmas Parade with Rob Wittman; driving a car in the Frog Level Parade; enjoying the historic houses of Port Royal, Green Falls, Moss Neck Manor and Mulberry Place; ribbon cutting at the Union Bankshares green headquarters; the Caroline Hunt gala; commending Robert Farmer upon his retirement; creating a scholarship at Caroline high School for aspiring teachers; touring Ladysmith Fire Station; guest speaking at 5th grade graduation ceremonies at Lewis & Clark and Madison Elementary Schools; touring the construction of Carmel Christian's new school building; always working for interchange improvements at Route 207 and I-95; helping constituents with the bureaucracy of state government; and from time to time even golfing at Pendleton and Mattaponi Springs. Caroline is truly an "All-American" place.
Last weekend I attended a kick-off event for friend and Supervisor Jeff Sili. There the guests of the event presented me a plaque thanking me for my service which read "No matter where you go, you will always be our Delegate." I can assure you that the people of Caroline County will always have me as a friend and advocate through this year and into the future. Thank you again for the great honor it has been to be your Delegate for the 97th District. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance in the future.
Chris Peace Delegate, 97th District