Letter to the editor: Thank you to voters for support for 20 years; Lee would serve Sumter well

This is an "open letter" to the voters and children of Sumter County Council District 7. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you for 20 years (Jan. 1, 2005, to Dec. 31, 2024). As your councilman, I greatly appreciated your confidence and trust in me to make decisions that were best for you, our children and Sumter County. I will forever be grateful for this honor.

I am also grateful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Living by His words to "Treat others like you want to be treated," I was blessed to meet many wonderful people who have my same virtues.

One of those individuals is the Rev. Dr. Gloria R. Lee.

Dr. Lee and I are executive committee members of the Sumter Branch NAACP. In this capacity, we work for equal rights, justice and treatment for "all" people regardless of their race or gender.

Dr. Lee has been employed with South Carolina Department of Corrections for 29 years.

In her position as a program reentry specialist, she helps inmates to make positive changes in their behavior and level of education. This is similar to my past employment with the Sumter Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (now Sumter Behavioral Health Services) as a master social worker and executive director. We both have a genuine concern for the welfare of others.

Dr. Lee is a former member of the Sumter School District Board of Trustees. She has a strong compassion to help children, in all grades, to improve their level of education for a better quality of life. As a former substitute teacher and member of the Sumter Career and Technology Center Board of Advisors, I have the same desire to help build a quality workforce for future economic development. Dr. Lee and I both agree that our children are our future.

I highly, without hesitation, endorse Dr. Gloria Rose Lee to replace me as the Sumter County Council District 7 representative. She will be an outstanding addition to Team Sumter.

Your Vote for LEE is a vote for ME. Stay focused.

EUGENE R. BATEN, LMSW

Sumter County Council, District 7