Candidate for
Council Member; City of Lemon Grove

Dear Friends, and Neighbors,

Lemon Grove is a genuine, caring community. The charm that gives Lemon Grove that small town feeling comes from the people who live and work here, you! You are involved with our schools, churches, businesses, community planning and service organizations.

Dona and I have worked and played alongside you from the time our children, Rick and Tommie Lynn, were attending Monterey Heights Elementary School, Palm Junior High, (now Palm Middle School) and graduating from Mount Miguel High School. My desire to serve our community grew during those years. (1957-1973)

As a Korean War vet, I bought the house we still live in on the G.I. Bill. Our experiences as a young family mirror those of families today. Friendships that formed then -- whether in business, our schools, sports, Old Time Days and volunteer activities -- have remained and deepened over the years. Before and after Lemon Grove became a city, we established a family history of community involvement to help make Lemon Grove a productive, happy, healthy place for kids, families and seniors.

Dona and I both advocated and worked for the incorporation of Lemon Grove as a City. It took hundreds of volunteers, both adults and children, dedicated to working long hours over several years toward a common goal. "Good things come in threes" + on our third attempt, in 1977, we won city-hood for Lemon Grove. Today, we are known everywhere not only as "The Little City That Could," but as the city with the "Best Climate on Earth" with the Biggest Lemon In the World!

Here's one example of the warm "small town feeling" generated by local residents through neighbor-to-neighbor projects: For years our huge palm tree was decorated at Christmas time. Neighbors soon joined in and our street rapidly became a symbol of holiday cheer that attracted visitors far and wide.

Children brought by their parents or relatives came back with their own children in later years to stroll amid the lights and decorated trees, chat and enjoy some hot chocolate.

That kind of camaraderie of knowing and interacting with neighbors is the backbone of neighborhoods and community. It enriches the connections between individuals and fosters goodwill between neighbors.

Today the City of Lemon Grove is a microcosium of the world. In an area of 3.2 square miles I have mentioned we have over 8000 households with over 22 plus languages spoken in our school district. We have over 24,000 in population.

In making decisions while serving as your Councilman, I tried always to state the truth, ask myself: is it fair to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better friendships and will it be beneficial to all concerned?

My promise to you has remained steady over 50 years of community/public service a continuing commitment to: community, tradition, stability and looking to the future...

I served in all these areas from 1960 -2010....

Lemon Grove Little League Los Tores Pop Warner Football Founder, Sky Grove Pony League Helix Colt League Lemon Grove Education Foundation Lemon Grove Planning Commissioner Charter-member, Lemon Grove Senior Volunteer Patrol Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce Lemon Grove Rotary Paint lemon Grove Plant Lemon Grove Operation Downtown Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program Life -Member Lemon Grove Historical Society Life-Member Lemon Grove Friends of the Library Chairman of the Library Task Force Chairman of Our Library In the Park Committee Vice -Chairman of the San Diego Trolley Inc. Board Member, Metropolitan Transportation Development Board (MTDB) Executive Board Member, Metropolitan Transportation Development Board (MTDB) Board Member, Metropolitan Transportation System (MTS) Executive Board Member, Metropolitan Transportation System (MTS)

CURRENTLY SERVING AS:

Chairman, The Accessible Service Committee for the Metropolitan Transportation System (MTS) Board Member, The Lemon Grove Independent Citizens Oversight Committee for Modernization the Lemon Grove School District Schools and Building the New Lemon Grove County Library.

This new library will be built at the Lemon Grove Middle School site. It will include the Lemon Grove Friends of the Library Bookstore!

Board Member, Hoover High School Alumni Association

Board Member, Hoover High School Hoover Foundation

I am on call to answer your questions, hear your concerns and suggestions and to help solve problems together. My direct line is 619-466-8631 tndclabby@aol.com http://www.tomclabby.net