First Post

I wanted to start my first blog post by telling a little about myself , where I lived, and how I ended up moving to Rocky Hill.

I was born in Angola, Indiana on June 6th 1969 when my father was due to take his final exams in his last year of Engineering School. Needless to say that even with my arrival he was allowed to finish studies and we moved to Rochester, NY where I spent a few years of my life until 2nd grade.

Later we moved to Lubbock, Texas and braved the tornadoes, dust storms, and tumbleweeds. It was tough moving after making friends in NY especially when some of the people in the south still didn't like "Yankees" in their state.

After a few years in Texas, we moved to Torrance, California. This was by far the toughest and most materialistic place I grew up. If you didn't have the latest in Op (Ocean Pacific) clothing and a tricked out BMX bike it was that much tougher fitting in. Needless to say my parents couldn't afford much of either and I grew up there riding a Huffy Pro Thunder BMX bike I bought with my paper route money and some not so cool clothing. But I managed to eventually make friends and find my niche in the California middle schools.

Most of my High school years were spent in Binghamton, NY where I attended Union Endicott High School . New York had a big football program and I ended going out for the football team where I gave it 100% and hit the sled as hard as I could to impress the coaches in the 90 degree August heat and humidity. I used to come home completely exhausted. As one of the smaller players, my resolve never wavered and I gave it everything until the last practice of the season. I never got to first string as a starter, but I played in games and gave it my all.

In the middle of my junior year of high school, I was uprooted again and we moved to Andover, CT . This had to be my toughest move because friendships are pretty well cemented and it's tough trying to make friends with only one and a half years of school left. Most kids were planning for their junior prom. I was just trying to make new friends. However, the people at RHAM were friendly and I was able to blend in very quickly. I was disappointed they didn't have football, and the art department was lacking (I almost pursued a career in art BTW).

My junior and senior years were busy. I worked three jobs trying to earn money for a car because my parents believed that a car wasn't a necessity and if I wanted one I had to pay for it myself. One job was milking cows on a farm. The other was washing dishes and serving food. The third was unloading wicker trucks and working fairs and swap meets on the weekends. Getting up on Sunday at 5am was rough when you were up on a Saturday until 2am washing dishes but I managed. My transportation was an old 1975 Kawasaki KZ400 motorcycle that I rode year round. It was cheap. It got me where I needed to go, and it served its purpose of getting me to work and back.

I continued to live in Andover until 1995 when I met my wife Cindy Klewicki for the first time and we started dating. If the name Klewicki sounds familiar, it is. Cindy's grandfather moved to Rocky Hill in 1955 with his wife Lucille and they built a home on Old Main Street where where they raised three kids. Cindy's grandfather was a police officer in town and eventually made detective. A plaque with his name on it still hangs in the lobby of police headquarters.

Unfortunately, Cindy's grandparents passed away just before we were married in 1998. This left an empty house that needed some updating and we were asked if we wanted to purchase the home. We did and over the last 13 years we've gone through the whole home and made it our own while still keeping the look and charm of the original house.

My wife and I have grown our roots in this town and we've met a lot of people. We like the charm of Old Main Street and the proximity to shopping and services. We've both invested time as volunteers to make the town a little better for everyone. We were heavily involved with the dog park committee and our efforts were acknowledged with a plaque hung on one of the fence sections.

I decided to run for Town Council because I believe I have a lot to offer the town of Rocky Hill and I want to make Rocky Hill the town that everyone in Connecticut wants to live in. If elected, I plan on giving the same effort and dedication I did in Binghamton, NY when I played for the foot ball team. Nothing less than 100%.

I told my story about my moves across the country because I feel it's important to let the voters of Rocky Hill that I had to face change and was forced to meet new people numerous times as a youth. While at the time it was difficult, I believe it has made me a stronger and more adaptable person in my adult life because of it. I've lived from coast to coast attending different schools and interacting with a lot of different people.

This year marks my 16th year living in Rocky Hill; by far the longest time I've lived anywhere in one place in my life. I hope in the upcoming election, voters make their decisions based on the person, what they have to offer, and their work ethic instead of the party.

I'm ready for the challenge and ask for your vote.