|
|
Dear Friend, As we find ourselves in the middle of November, the anticipated approach of Thanksgiving provides a seasonal invitation to take inventory of that which we—as individuals and an organization—are grateful for. During this month of thanksgivings, we wanted to share with you an individual who we are especially blessed to serve alongside. At this year's earlier Celebration of Carolina Values event, we got to publicly thank one legislator in particular for his exceptional dedication to advancing NC Values this past year. Representative Dean Arp (R-Union) was awarded our “Legislator of the Year” award, for his passion for parent’s right to know legislation and his tireless work advancing the Human Life Nondiscrimination Act this past legislative session. Rep. Dean Arp is someone who has worked to advance our values since he was elected to represent Union County's District 69 in the North Carolina State House since 2012. Some background on Rep. Arp:
For the past 3 years, Rep. Arp has worked on
legislation that gives parents the right to know what
their children are learning in public schools. With schools pushing
controversial—and downright harmful—material on children, the
strategic value of partnering with someone like Rep. Arp who
has experience serving on a school board, is invaluable.
Furthermore, this year, he was an outstanding spokesman and
primary sponsor of the Human Life Non-Discrimination Act
banning abortion on the basis of race or Down Syndrome (the bill
currently awaits a veto override).
Since the beginning, Rep. Arp has been an ally of the NC Values Coalition, and he has gained a lot of clout and respect from his colleagues for how he conducts himself. And having known him since the start of his service in the NC House, I understand why: He always has a smile on his face, and like any good engineer, a firm foundation under him. Just check out his acceptance speech at the event, and you'll see exactly why we cherish his partnership: "I think this is one of my highest joys because of the friendship and the values that you do Tami, and your organization. We all want our life to count for something, and to work hard, and to be found faithful. And to be honest, when I decided to run I had this picture that Raleigh is a dark place and there's no Christians up there or anything. Let me tell you, God has a remnant and a light and is gonna accomplish it with His sovereignty; His people; and His way. Tami, you and your organization, and all the wonderful people (volunteers), are that light I found in my life. Together we can do it God's way and in God's time. Thank you tonight for this tremendous honor." —Rep. Dean Arp  As we look back at our first 10 years of service in public moral witness, by God's grace, we recognize it has been the ear and aid of legislators like Rep. Arp that have enabled much of our organization's success in the public square. If you support our work developing relationships with legislators and advancing your values, would you consider making a needed end-of-year donation of $25, $50, $100, or more today?  Sincerely,
Tami Fitzgerald North Carolina Values Coalition
|
|
