Thank You

Dear Friends and Supporters,

The last seven months have been quite a journey. Last Tuesday we lost the election, but in my eyes it was a tremendous success given the exceptionally high standards that we brought to the race and the Blacksburg community. The Mayor, Councilors, Councilor-elects, and countless community members have shared with me the gratitude they feel for the honor and energy our campaign brought to the table. It is said that we raised the bar for elections in Blacksburg. After the results got in last week, I stood up to speak to the Council-elect and their supporters about how their passion and devotion has inspired me over the course of the campaign. Before I could get a word out, however, they honored me with a standing ovation. I feel truly blessed to have been so recognized and would like to share this ovation with those who contributed to our campaign.

My deepest gratitude goes out to those contributors. Every handshake, every minute volunteered, and every cent donated—from every smile to every word of encouragement—I am indebted to all of you because without this support, our campaign would not have been possible. I would especially like to thank Kyle Gardiner and Graham Owen for their contributions, which considerably enhanced the quality of our campaign. Their devotion, skill sets, and countless hours of hard work allowed our campaign to maintain the high standards to which we held ourselves. They were nothing less than the arm and leg of this campaign.

Ever since making Blacksburg my home, I have aimed to make a positive difference in our town. I am proud to be a community organizer and am greatly appreciative of the incredible feedback I have received in this time, especially in the last few weeks. My friend, Chris Cox, honored me by devoting a column in the Collegiate Times to the campaign and what we strove to accomplish. In his own words, he states that, “The belief that one can make a difference is called efficacy… Bryce Carter deserves my vote because he does not need to be convinced of his own efficacy—he lives it.”

I will continue to devote myself to the Blacksburg community, striving every day to benefit the lives of fellow citizens. Recently I have been placed on a subcommittee of the Mayor’s Task Force on Climate Protection and Sustainability. In addition, I have been working on the Blacksburg Climate Action Plan, in which we’ll be laying out a roadmap towards the reduction of the town’s emissions. By the end of this semester, I intend to finalize the creation of a Student Advisory Committee that will work directly with the Town Council and the Town and Gown Relations Committee. In the first months of 2010, I will lead community events such as a joint effort between Virginia Tech and Blacksburg to participate in Earth Hour. I will also explore the resources necessary to upgrade the town’s website utilizing new interactive technologies that will promote direct democracy from the comfort of your own home.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone for their support; we couldn’t have done it without you. I now invite you to join me in working to make Blacksburg a stronger, more cohesive community as we move into the future. Indeed, this is just the beginning.

Warmest regards,

Bryce Carter