I am fortunate to have a father who made time for me while I was growing up. Like a lot of fathers, he may never “go down in history” nor did he make a lot of money, but his quiet and steadfast love for his family combined with his humble acts of helping others, caring for the community, a deep faith in God, encouraging me to always do my best and his strong patriotism are priceless gifts that influence who I am and what I do to this day. Now that I (and my very helpful husband) are raising three children, I am keenly aware of these values he instilled in me and try my best to teach them by example.

In this world of hype and celebrity, many young men and women (and older, too!) are searching for role models. Many of us are lucky to have role models within reach who inspire us. Moms and dads are the most obvious heroes for us to emulate. This publication is happy to shine a spotlight on moms, dads and other overlooked heroes. Hence, the annual essay contests, stories and photos of East Cobb residents that contribute to our quality of life are happily published in the EAST COBBER. The people featured in this edition — from William Lester, the EAST COBBER’s Dad of the Year (see page 8) to the high school Valedictorians (see page 10) to our local PTA leaders (see pages 12-13) — all are excellent examples of role models right here in our own backyards, within our reach. There’s a lot of “good” we can learn from our parents, friends, and fellow East Cobbers. I hope after reading this edition, like every edition, you will not only learn a little bit more about what is going on in our community but also be inspired by the people that make East Cobb such a great place to live!

Happy Father’s Day! Have a great summer!

JUNE PUBLISHER’S NOTE: SUMMER IS FOR DADS AND OTHER LOCAL HEROES

Reprinted from EAST COBBER’s June/July 2016 issue