From: Michael J. Kleinhenz
Columbus
A few years ago, I didn’t know who Greg Patterson was. I don’t even think I had accidentally bumped into him until I first met him at the Columbus Foundation for Youth (FFY) when I was paired with him to officiate some youth basketball games. I had no idea that meeting him would leave an impact on my life or that we would become close friends.
I’ve officiated basketball (and football) since 1995 and can attest to the obvious difficulties involved with pursuing such a hobby. To put it bluntly, it’s difficult. Even after playing the games for your entire life, it doesn’t fully prepare you for the rigors of officiating. Greg immediately impressed me after working with him that night at the FFY. It wasn’t because of his profound abilities as an official or his in-depth knowledge of the rules. It was his personality and demeanor that stood out, and it left an indelible impression upon me. He was so pleasant, humble, and easy to speak to. It didn’t matter if the game was a blowout or a close contest, because the results were the same. Greg was there to provide a service to the young kids of his community so they could enjoy the thrill of competition. He was there to live his religion and practice what he believes even in the face of extreme emotion from coaches or parents. He was there to be an example!
I’ve gotten to know him well enough to know that what you see is exactly what you get with Greg, and the pressure of any situation will simply not change that. He is, without question, the type of person we should all aspire to become, and there’s nothing that could keep me from standing by his side.
When he told me of his intentions to run for County Council, it just made complete sense to me. In a time where things around us seem to be turning upside down, and inconsistency seems to be the only consistent thing we can count on, having a person like Greg Patterson compassionately serving the citizens of Bartholomew County is something that will give us great confidence that we are being represented. As far as I’m concerned, the more of an impact Greg can have on people the better. When you’re around him it’s impossible to not feel the genuine nature of Greg’s desire to be a good person, and it helps restore my faith in humanity knowing that there are good people like him out there who are willing to serve. In fact, if you were to ask me to describe Greg in just one word then I wouldn’t hesitate to respond with, “genuine”.
I look forward to witnessing his impact on my community and I am 100% confident that our county will be better off with him serving in a leadership capacity. We deserve Greg Patterson on the County Council. We need him and others like him.
Editor’s note: This letter is paid political content. It is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
