So how does a mom, who happens to blog, get involved with a recall campaign that makes front page news?

First off, let me say, I am not an angry or vindictive person (though maybe those would be good qualities to pick up). Nothing that motivates me is based on hatred, it is based on right from wrong. My motivation also stems from the motto, “lead by example.” I want my kids to know that sitting back and waiting for the next person to do something doesn’t work for this camper. Say, for example, a neighbor has a crisis. I will go over and just start helping by doing what needs to be done and say, “Let me know when you need something else.” I am not the type of person that stands around and says, “Just let me know if you need something.” Or when a friend’s husband is deployed and she is totally stressed out, I just go and pick up the kids and keep them for 24 hours. Certainly, I am not one to seek out trouble or drama, who needs that? Life is hard enough as it is. Am I clear on how I am now? Capiche?

Back to how I got involved with the recall. The week I was hosting a huge fundraiser for Soldiers’ Angels, was the very same week the Toys for Tots scandal made the news. I fielded phone calls all that week wondering where any money I collected would be going. Answer was, 100% of the proceeds would pay for shipping costs or buying items for the intended project – no overhead. Maybe I should have taken official action then? I put up an e-petition at that time and realized people were afraid to put there name on it. People started e-mailing me that Mayor Price needed to go but that they were fearful. Fearful of your own local government when soldiers are losing their lives to fight for our freedoms? There is something tremendously wrong here.

The next scandal, “The Causeway Incident” became headline news about the time I put my son in PRIDE camp, which teaches pre-teens & teens about being responsible citizens. EVERYONE in Mandeville was talking about our great city and we became the butt of many jokes.

Next came the audit and that sealed the, “Greta, you can’t sit back and watch this go on anymore. Mandeville is the city where you chose to settle after you stopped moving around as a military family. You have enough guts to do the right thing and enough organizational know-how to get this thing off the ground. How can you sleep at night if you wait for the next person to do something? What message are you sending to your children? This is important and your are not the only disturbed and embarrassed Mandeville resident. Corrupt business as usual is not the way things should be done and should not be tolerated.”

Yep…and the rest is history in the making. Signatures will start being collected Thursday night in front of City Hall. I know I have done the right things behind the scenes by helping organize this petition and as far as I am concerned, we have already won just by getting the petition out there. Mike and Rodney the chair and co-chair and the rest of the group are just people like me and you, “Concerned Citizens of Mandeville.” We are not people who want to complain behind closed doors, but take action. I hope you join us!