by Neil Richard
The basic idea behind this interview series is to interview local leaders that live, work, or have an important impact on King George County. We have asked various citizens for recommendations on who they see as a local leader. Additionally, we feel that everyone has a story and it deserves to be told. So we want to know their story. As you can see with the questions below, we want to share their story with the rest of the citizens in King George County. If you have somebody you would like to nominate for a future interview, please contact us.
Editor's Note:
Although the list of individuals suggested for this interview series was lengthy, I picked Don as a great starting point because I knew he would be willing to give feedback on how I conducted the interview. Having never been trained in that professional skill, I knew I would be rough around the edges. But I knew Don would help refine and polish the process to make it better for future interviews.
Don Smith, Community Relations Officer, NSWC Federal Credit Union
I began with what seemed like an innocuous statement of "We know your name is Don Smith." Don was quick to add that many people think it's an alias and ask if that's really his real name. Yes, it is indeed his real name. Don is a graduate of King George High School (Class of 2011) but has had little to no formal college education. He did attend The Honor Academy in Texas that focused on character development and leadership. Don is also a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor. Despite what seems like a limited educational resume, Don is clearly intelligent beyond his years. Enough so to give you hope for our future generations.
Don is the current President of the King George County Chamber of Commerce, the President-Elect for the King George-Dahlgren Rotary Club, Board member of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation, an Ad Hoc member of the Rappahannock United Way Day of Action Committee, the previous Vice-President of Downtown Colonial Beach, and is an active leader/teacher/usher at New Life Ministries Church [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation.].
What do you remember about your grandparents?
My dad's mom, Grandma Clara, I would remember her breakfasts. That meant a lot to her to serve, that's how she showed her love. She would wake us up Sunday mornings with a made-to-order type of breakfast. I was a little kid so I didn't understand why it would matter what I wanted but it did, it mattered to her. So she would make it to the T. Scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and a side of sausage links. It was amazing. She was the best cook.
She cleaned houses for a living and I just loved going with her. I don't know the name of the family but I always knew it as Collin's house because that was the name of the kid she babysat. And she would also clean their house. I had some of the best times going with her to this house and keeping him occupied while she cleaned. She would pay me a dollar or two dollars which was the world to me. It meant so much to me, it was like a field trip. I got to eat the craziest foods. We didn't come from a well to do family so when there was granola bars in their cupboard, just sitting there, that they weren't gone, that was just a weird experience. We didn't have those things in our house and if you did you hid them.
My mother's mom, she's always been about the Lord. She was always learning and serving and sharing her faith. My family has a Southern Gospel musical background. Both of my mother's parents were musical and they would go and do singings with my grandfather playing the banjo and my grandmother playing the piano. They would go from church to church and from event to event. But service and hospitality were the big things I got from my grandparents.
I had hoped this question would give a way for readers to see him as a person just like the rest of us. As it turned out, his grandparents had a profound impact on who Don would become and what type of person he is. Don's dedication to service, faith, and family have roots to his childhood.
Do you have a musical background?
I feel I fall on the artistic scale somewhere but for me it's a one-trick pony for that instrument. I do like drumming but it's more of a solo. I don't follow harmony or read music but it's more of a feeling. It's a story or a narrative that lets me communicate when words don't quite work. It's more for me to hear what's happening inside of me than for someone else. It's therapeutic like when I draw or doodle or journal.
What historical events influenced your life the most?
When other people are asked this question, I'm not sure what I say will stand out to them. I was in second grade on September 11th and that was one event but mostly because it was the first time I saw my step-dad so concerned. When I was a kid I didn't like storms but I never looked at the storm to judge how bad things were, I always looked to him to see if he was concerned. So if his face looked concerned, then I knew it was serious. So for 9/11, he had a concerned look on his face and a concerned voice so I knew something was wrong.
Another event was the turning to year 2000 [Y2K]. My mom was upset and did not like what was happening. She felt there was a lot of uncertainty moving forward and she just held me and said we'd make it through.
The earthquake that was here just a few years ago. I was working at Arby's at the time and I was sitting outside and a lady got out of her car and yelled at me because she thought I was jumping on her car. I told her no I wasn't but that I thought we were having an earthquake. And I looked up and the street poles were just making big circular motions.
Hurricane Isabel wasn't a life-shattering moment for me but I remember we lived in Maryland at the time and my sister wanted to go out and play in it. I remember watching the stop sign and it was moving back and forth in the wind.
Outside of work and home, what is your favorite place in King George?
What was my favorite was the skating rink. My buddy lived next door and the two of us would go skating all the time.
Now, I feel like home is my favorite place but I spend a lot of time at church. If you look for me and I'm not at work or home, then I'm at church.
What person, place, or thing do you think is the most underappreciated in King George County?
For people, it's Tim Smith, Director of Parks and Recreation. I really enjoy his friendship and he has a way about him that cuts through the bureaucracy of things. He has a great down to earth approach to business and events. Just a genuine guy.
Another is Chuck Davidson. He has played a significant role in my life, being this mentor figure through the Rotary. He's the kind of guy that when I ask him after a meeting if he has a spare minute, it turns into 30 or 45 minutes. He's just a passionate guy and he has a great sense of humor. I really respect him.
For places, it's Denson's Grocery in Colonial Beach. It took me forever to figure out what that was and why it is so remarkable. I believe his name is Rocky and man, what a great vibe, what a great guy. And the food is phenomenal. It's the hidden gem of the Northern Neck in my opinion.
For things, I would say thank you notes, handwritten thank yous. You could even make it just thank yous. For business connectivity and creating rapport, everyone seems to be looking for affirmations or positive atta-boys. So what I do is give recommendations on LinkedIn. Even if I don't have the time or energy to help you, I do have the ability to take a few minutes to blast you in a positive way. There's no cost to me to do this but it's a great way to get my name out there while helping you. It opens up a whole new way to give and it reinforces that "serve first" approach. That idea that I'm going to be the first one to serve you today. Even if you don't return the recommendation, it's a way for me to grow my character by putting you first in our relationship.
Once again, Don's dedication to putting others before him shows.
Who is your inspiration or mentor?
Bill and Karyn Thompson. They're my mentor because I see them winning in ministry. Winning in family development, discipline, finances, relationships, counseling, passion. There's so many things I could point out. They're the youth leaders for Xtreme Ministries which falls under New Life Ministries which is the church I attend. There is an anointing on their life to disciple and mobilize young people.
When I was 17, I was invited to this crazy event. I'll tell you how I got into this event. I didn't graduate until I was 19 because I failed Kindergarten. Which was actually a strategic advantage. I was the first to hit puberty. I was the first kid to have a beard in my middle school. Most kids might assume that I'm the oldest one here so I'm the stupidest one here. I didn't see it that way. I thought I was the maturest one here, I'm the leader, and I don't have to prove it to anyone. Just ask me my age. I just assumed I was the leader. It allowed me to have this silent confidence. So when other kids were jumping over trash cans or hitting signs, I didn't have to prove myself. There was just this understanding that, well, that's what I used to do when I was a kid. Even though I was only a year older.
So anyway, there was this coffee house in our high school where we had poetry readings. And one girl in particular helped me at a reading and I soon found out that she wasn't going to prom. I thought that this is what young people built their life around, going to prom, so I felt an obligation to ask her to go with me. Not really as a date but just to do the honorable thing.
She said thanks but I'm going to this event and asked if I wanted to go with her. So she flipped it around on me. So this event was called Acquire the Fire. She fund-raised extra money to pay for me to go through Bill and Karyn and it took me a long time to accept that gift. I knew I was broke but you don't have to know I'm broke. I learned when I was young that I don't need to ask for things and I don't need to accept your charity. But when I went to the event, when I was 17, I saw this magical gap. I find out that the young people were running this huge event. They had found out that you start with a hunger and a desire to learn but you transition into service where you apply what you have learned. Then you learn more and you become efficient at leading others to serve. It just rocked me.
They don't call it a youth group, and they get on my case when I do, they call it a youth ministry. Youth group connotates that it's a gathering and it almost becomes a babysitting group. But a youth ministry, it lets you use what you are best at or have a passion for without waiting until you're older. You can use them now. And that's really a tribute to Bill and Karyn's leadership. They always saw young people ministering to young people. Now I'm young people ministering to all people.
If Don's faith wasn't apparent before, it is now. His devotion to God and others is almost painfully pleasant. After my first encounter with Don, I remember feeling shocked that anybody, especially somebody so young, be so focused on helping others. His authentic nature and honesty leaves you feeling like he's putting on a show to win your friendship. But as I've been around him more and more, I've come to realize that I've become too cynical about others and that Don really is that nice of a guy.
What do you see as your ideal vision for King George County in the future?
Young people. There has to be an emphasis on youth. Not because I'm a Millennial. When you compare life to a relay race, there's a very important hand-off of this baton that the young people have been given. We're going to run our race and do our best but you cannot have a relay race unless you take advantage of the hand-off window. There's a very defined space and time where you intersect with the next generation. And if what matters to you is not translated or is irrelevant to the next runner, whatever was important in your life will begin and end with you.
Why that's important for King George is you go invest in businesses that have those entry level positions. Not just because you give them income but because you create an emphasis on developing these young people. We are producing effective, efficient, respectful young people.
There needs to be something for children to do. When there's an activity for children, then there can be activity for family. When there's activity for family, then there's income for business. When there's income for business, there's a resource for infrastructure. So it has this cascading effect. And it may not be popular, but it is so essential, that the family unit is the most essential building block of the community. When there's not resources and activities that help safeguard mom, dad, and children, you begin to have this breakdown. The children no longer have a model for community or authority.
The focus needs to always be on family. That means there are sit down restaurants. That means there are recreational activities. That means we are taking advantage of our tourism. Put the kids on the water. Maybe that means boating lessons in high school. You get your driver's license maybe they can get their boater's license. It's another notch in building responsible and well to do students but also it's another invitation for family focused activities. And that has to have an infrastructure that supports that. That Main Street or Mixed Use Development, we have to be open developing our assets and protecting our assets. And that's a balancing act that every official will dance around. It's very difficult. I hear it again and again, we don't want to be Stafford. And that's a consideration that's fair. As the Chamber President, we represent small business. But you can't negate the fact that there's a big box Walmart that's created a hub. And when you have young people that had to go 45 minutes to Ferry Farm and now they go just a few minutes to Dahlgren, I think that's a win because families win.
I think in King George, the vision we need to capitalize on is we put families first. Which means we back off the red tape for small business, put forward the interest of development programs for students, and we reemphasize the role the church plays in our community.
Again, Don shows his dedication to family and service to others. Though younger than me, he clearly was looking for a way to meet the needs of children while simultaneously solving the needs of local businesses and the community as a whole.
What do you feel are the top 3 issues to address in King George?
From a business community standpoint, broadband. That's a major concern, an ongoing concern.
Water is huge. We need to have this figured out. There's an expense to it and there's a service to it that we haven't quite found the balance of.
The last concern is we need a good answer to when someone comes and says "what is there to do in King George?" The answer needs to stop being Fredericksburg.
What do you feel are the top 3 successes in King George?
The high school is beautiful. I won't make it just the high school. We are making the right investments with our physical assets. The library, the Sheriff's Department, the YMCA, the high school. I think those are applause worthy. Good investments. They are building blocks for families.
We have a lot of natural assets. We are surrounded by two rivers. We're under utilizing the rivers in a big way. But we do have them and that's a great asset.
Also I would say our location. We can just be a gateway to Maryland or to the Northern Neck or to Fredericksburg. But I think there's something to be said about "you have to see King George." I think that's a beautiful opportunity that we have. To be a destination. Right now we serve as a very effective portal but I think we could be a destination.
This is going to sound really odd or off but we have a lot of Sheetz. I know that sounds odd but there's a community there. I'll give you an example. Sheetz and IHOP come to mind. You may not believe this but there are times when I don't want to go to bed. And I don't want to just turn in for the night. I want to do something. And it's later than your average get-together time. And you think Starbucks but they close at 10pm. Sheetz is always open. IHOP is open late. I think those are some really nice assets because there is a community of people that haven't seen their friends and family in awhile. They're staying at a hotel, and we have a nice hub for that, but there's nowhere to go. Sheetz has created a sit-down environment. So I had some friends and they were visiting and we want to keep the conversation going and everywhere else was closed. Sheetz wasn't. They had made to order food. Beverages. Snacks. I appreciate the role that they play. I think it's an asset. At least for the person that lives here, not just the tourists.
What person, place, or thing do you think we lack in King George? What's missing?
I'm going to give it to you. You don't have to put it in.
It's Jesus.
I'm going to tell you why. He's gotten a bad rap as being the instigator of war. As being the absent father. Being the cold, archetypal representation of authority gone wrong in society. So much is misunderstood.
I went to Mexico this summer. I've been a Christian since I was a kid. Been in church my whole life. But something happened in Mexico. Something that has changed my whole approach. I heard a pastor say this once "What do you do when you get a yearbook? Most people look for themselves. And that's how you should read the Bible." You should look for yourself and for what God has for you. What happened in Mexico was a series of events. It started with a preacher who said he invited God into his life during a trip. After his story, I realized I had developed a lifestyle where I was working for the Lord, but I could hardly say I was with the Lord. What has happened since that encounter is I realized I had taken Jesus out of my relationship with God.
Don's faith once again bubbles to the surface. While it is a fixed point in his personality, I wouldn't limit your interactions with him to just faith. He has proven that he's intelligent enough to think of unique ways to solve our County's problems. He has proven that he's compassionate enough to put the needs of others before himself. He has proven that he's honest enough to not only preach these ideals, but also live them. On a personal level, I can see Don fulfilling any role he sets his mind to in the future. From priest to Senator to teacher to business mogul. This young man has restored my faith in the younger generation and given me hope for our community as a whole. And every time I see him, I know I'm going to have a better day because of it. The next time you see Don Smith out and about in the area, be sure to take a moment and introduce yourself. Spend a few minutes talking to him and you'll leave with a smile on your face.
Introduction
The basic idea behind this interview series is to interview local leaders that live, work, or have an important impact on King George County. We have asked various citizens for recommendations on who they see as a local leader. Additionally, we feel that everyone has a story and it deserves to be told. So we want to know their story. As you can see with the questions below, we want to share their story with the rest of the citizens in King George County. If you have somebody you would like to nominate for a future interview, please contact us.
Editor's Note:
Although the list of individuals suggested for this interview series was lengthy, I picked Don as a great starting point because I knew he would be willing to give feedback on how I conducted the interview. Having never been trained in that professional skill, I knew I would be rough around the edges. But I knew Don would help refine and polish the process to make it better for future interviews.
Don Smith, Community Relations Officer, NSWC Federal Credit Union
Basic Biographical Information
I began with what seemed like an innocuous statement of "We know your name is Don Smith." Don was quick to add that many people think it's an alias and ask if that's really his real name. Yes, it is indeed his real name. Don is a graduate of King George High School (Class of 2011) but has had little to no formal college education. He did attend The Honor Academy in Texas that focused on character development and leadership. Don is also a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor. Despite what seems like a limited educational resume, Don is clearly intelligent beyond his years. Enough so to give you hope for our future generations.
Don is the current President of the King George County Chamber of Commerce, the President-Elect for the King George-Dahlgren Rotary Club, Board member of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation, an Ad Hoc member of the Rappahannock United Way Day of Action Committee, the previous Vice-President of Downtown Colonial Beach, and is an active leader/teacher/usher at New Life Ministries Church [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation.].
Personal Questions
What do you remember about your grandparents?
My dad's mom, Grandma Clara, I would remember her breakfasts. That meant a lot to her to serve, that's how she showed her love. She would wake us up Sunday mornings with a made-to-order type of breakfast. I was a little kid so I didn't understand why it would matter what I wanted but it did, it mattered to her. So she would make it to the T. Scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and a side of sausage links. It was amazing. She was the best cook.
She cleaned houses for a living and I just loved going with her. I don't know the name of the family but I always knew it as Collin's house because that was the name of the kid she babysat. And she would also clean their house. I had some of the best times going with her to this house and keeping him occupied while she cleaned. She would pay me a dollar or two dollars which was the world to me. It meant so much to me, it was like a field trip. I got to eat the craziest foods. We didn't come from a well to do family so when there was granola bars in their cupboard, just sitting there, that they weren't gone, that was just a weird experience. We didn't have those things in our house and if you did you hid them.
My mother's mom, she's always been about the Lord. She was always learning and serving and sharing her faith. My family has a Southern Gospel musical background. Both of my mother's parents were musical and they would go and do singings with my grandfather playing the banjo and my grandmother playing the piano. They would go from church to church and from event to event. But service and hospitality were the big things I got from my grandparents.
I had hoped this question would give a way for readers to see him as a person just like the rest of us. As it turned out, his grandparents had a profound impact on who Don would become and what type of person he is. Don's dedication to service, faith, and family have roots to his childhood.
Do you have a musical background?
I feel I fall on the artistic scale somewhere but for me it's a one-trick pony for that instrument. I do like drumming but it's more of a solo. I don't follow harmony or read music but it's more of a feeling. It's a story or a narrative that lets me communicate when words don't quite work. It's more for me to hear what's happening inside of me than for someone else. It's therapeutic like when I draw or doodle or journal.
What historical events influenced your life the most?
When other people are asked this question, I'm not sure what I say will stand out to them. I was in second grade on September 11th and that was one event but mostly because it was the first time I saw my step-dad so concerned. When I was a kid I didn't like storms but I never looked at the storm to judge how bad things were, I always looked to him to see if he was concerned. So if his face looked concerned, then I knew it was serious. So for 9/11, he had a concerned look on his face and a concerned voice so I knew something was wrong.
Another event was the turning to year 2000 [Y2K]. My mom was upset and did not like what was happening. She felt there was a lot of uncertainty moving forward and she just held me and said we'd make it through.
The earthquake that was here just a few years ago. I was working at Arby's at the time and I was sitting outside and a lady got out of her car and yelled at me because she thought I was jumping on her car. I told her no I wasn't but that I thought we were having an earthquake. And I looked up and the street poles were just making big circular motions.
Hurricane Isabel wasn't a life-shattering moment for me but I remember we lived in Maryland at the time and my sister wanted to go out and play in it. I remember watching the stop sign and it was moving back and forth in the wind.
Outside of work and home, what is your favorite place in King George?
What was my favorite was the skating rink. My buddy lived next door and the two of us would go skating all the time.
Now, I feel like home is my favorite place but I spend a lot of time at church. If you look for me and I'm not at work or home, then I'm at church.
What person, place, or thing do you think is the most underappreciated in King George County?
For people, it's Tim Smith, Director of Parks and Recreation. I really enjoy his friendship and he has a way about him that cuts through the bureaucracy of things. He has a great down to earth approach to business and events. Just a genuine guy.
Another is Chuck Davidson. He has played a significant role in my life, being this mentor figure through the Rotary. He's the kind of guy that when I ask him after a meeting if he has a spare minute, it turns into 30 or 45 minutes. He's just a passionate guy and he has a great sense of humor. I really respect him.
For places, it's Denson's Grocery in Colonial Beach. It took me forever to figure out what that was and why it is so remarkable. I believe his name is Rocky and man, what a great vibe, what a great guy. And the food is phenomenal. It's the hidden gem of the Northern Neck in my opinion.
For things, I would say thank you notes, handwritten thank yous. You could even make it just thank yous. For business connectivity and creating rapport, everyone seems to be looking for affirmations or positive atta-boys. So what I do is give recommendations on LinkedIn. Even if I don't have the time or energy to help you, I do have the ability to take a few minutes to blast you in a positive way. There's no cost to me to do this but it's a great way to get my name out there while helping you. It opens up a whole new way to give and it reinforces that "serve first" approach. That idea that I'm going to be the first one to serve you today. Even if you don't return the recommendation, it's a way for me to grow my character by putting you first in our relationship.
Once again, Don's dedication to putting others before him shows.
Professional Questions
Who is your inspiration or mentor?
Bill and Karyn Thompson. They're my mentor because I see them winning in ministry. Winning in family development, discipline, finances, relationships, counseling, passion. There's so many things I could point out. They're the youth leaders for Xtreme Ministries which falls under New Life Ministries which is the church I attend. There is an anointing on their life to disciple and mobilize young people.
When I was 17, I was invited to this crazy event. I'll tell you how I got into this event. I didn't graduate until I was 19 because I failed Kindergarten. Which was actually a strategic advantage. I was the first to hit puberty. I was the first kid to have a beard in my middle school. Most kids might assume that I'm the oldest one here so I'm the stupidest one here. I didn't see it that way. I thought I was the maturest one here, I'm the leader, and I don't have to prove it to anyone. Just ask me my age. I just assumed I was the leader. It allowed me to have this silent confidence. So when other kids were jumping over trash cans or hitting signs, I didn't have to prove myself. There was just this understanding that, well, that's what I used to do when I was a kid. Even though I was only a year older.
So anyway, there was this coffee house in our high school where we had poetry readings. And one girl in particular helped me at a reading and I soon found out that she wasn't going to prom. I thought that this is what young people built their life around, going to prom, so I felt an obligation to ask her to go with me. Not really as a date but just to do the honorable thing.
She said thanks but I'm going to this event and asked if I wanted to go with her. So she flipped it around on me. So this event was called Acquire the Fire. She fund-raised extra money to pay for me to go through Bill and Karyn and it took me a long time to accept that gift. I knew I was broke but you don't have to know I'm broke. I learned when I was young that I don't need to ask for things and I don't need to accept your charity. But when I went to the event, when I was 17, I saw this magical gap. I find out that the young people were running this huge event. They had found out that you start with a hunger and a desire to learn but you transition into service where you apply what you have learned. Then you learn more and you become efficient at leading others to serve. It just rocked me.
They don't call it a youth group, and they get on my case when I do, they call it a youth ministry. Youth group connotates that it's a gathering and it almost becomes a babysitting group. But a youth ministry, it lets you use what you are best at or have a passion for without waiting until you're older. You can use them now. And that's really a tribute to Bill and Karyn's leadership. They always saw young people ministering to young people. Now I'm young people ministering to all people.
If Don's faith wasn't apparent before, it is now. His devotion to God and others is almost painfully pleasant. After my first encounter with Don, I remember feeling shocked that anybody, especially somebody so young, be so focused on helping others. His authentic nature and honesty leaves you feeling like he's putting on a show to win your friendship. But as I've been around him more and more, I've come to realize that I've become too cynical about others and that Don really is that nice of a guy.
What do you see as your ideal vision for King George County in the future?
Young people. There has to be an emphasis on youth. Not because I'm a Millennial. When you compare life to a relay race, there's a very important hand-off of this baton that the young people have been given. We're going to run our race and do our best but you cannot have a relay race unless you take advantage of the hand-off window. There's a very defined space and time where you intersect with the next generation. And if what matters to you is not translated or is irrelevant to the next runner, whatever was important in your life will begin and end with you.
Why that's important for King George is you go invest in businesses that have those entry level positions. Not just because you give them income but because you create an emphasis on developing these young people. We are producing effective, efficient, respectful young people.
There needs to be something for children to do. When there's an activity for children, then there can be activity for family. When there's activity for family, then there's income for business. When there's income for business, there's a resource for infrastructure. So it has this cascading effect. And it may not be popular, but it is so essential, that the family unit is the most essential building block of the community. When there's not resources and activities that help safeguard mom, dad, and children, you begin to have this breakdown. The children no longer have a model for community or authority.
The focus needs to always be on family. That means there are sit down restaurants. That means there are recreational activities. That means we are taking advantage of our tourism. Put the kids on the water. Maybe that means boating lessons in high school. You get your driver's license maybe they can get their boater's license. It's another notch in building responsible and well to do students but also it's another invitation for family focused activities. And that has to have an infrastructure that supports that. That Main Street or Mixed Use Development, we have to be open developing our assets and protecting our assets. And that's a balancing act that every official will dance around. It's very difficult. I hear it again and again, we don't want to be Stafford. And that's a consideration that's fair. As the Chamber President, we represent small business. But you can't negate the fact that there's a big box Walmart that's created a hub. And when you have young people that had to go 45 minutes to Ferry Farm and now they go just a few minutes to Dahlgren, I think that's a win because families win.
I think in King George, the vision we need to capitalize on is we put families first. Which means we back off the red tape for small business, put forward the interest of development programs for students, and we reemphasize the role the church plays in our community.
Again, Don shows his dedication to family and service to others. Though younger than me, he clearly was looking for a way to meet the needs of children while simultaneously solving the needs of local businesses and the community as a whole.
What do you feel are the top 3 issues to address in King George?
From a business community standpoint, broadband. That's a major concern, an ongoing concern.
Water is huge. We need to have this figured out. There's an expense to it and there's a service to it that we haven't quite found the balance of.
The last concern is we need a good answer to when someone comes and says "what is there to do in King George?" The answer needs to stop being Fredericksburg.
What do you feel are the top 3 successes in King George?
The high school is beautiful. I won't make it just the high school. We are making the right investments with our physical assets. The library, the Sheriff's Department, the YMCA, the high school. I think those are applause worthy. Good investments. They are building blocks for families.
We have a lot of natural assets. We are surrounded by two rivers. We're under utilizing the rivers in a big way. But we do have them and that's a great asset.
Also I would say our location. We can just be a gateway to Maryland or to the Northern Neck or to Fredericksburg. But I think there's something to be said about "you have to see King George." I think that's a beautiful opportunity that we have. To be a destination. Right now we serve as a very effective portal but I think we could be a destination.
This is going to sound really odd or off but we have a lot of Sheetz. I know that sounds odd but there's a community there. I'll give you an example. Sheetz and IHOP come to mind. You may not believe this but there are times when I don't want to go to bed. And I don't want to just turn in for the night. I want to do something. And it's later than your average get-together time. And you think Starbucks but they close at 10pm. Sheetz is always open. IHOP is open late. I think those are some really nice assets because there is a community of people that haven't seen their friends and family in awhile. They're staying at a hotel, and we have a nice hub for that, but there's nowhere to go. Sheetz has created a sit-down environment. So I had some friends and they were visiting and we want to keep the conversation going and everywhere else was closed. Sheetz wasn't. They had made to order food. Beverages. Snacks. I appreciate the role that they play. I think it's an asset. At least for the person that lives here, not just the tourists.
What person, place, or thing do you think we lack in King George? What's missing?
I'm going to give it to you. You don't have to put it in.
It's Jesus.
I'm going to tell you why. He's gotten a bad rap as being the instigator of war. As being the absent father. Being the cold, archetypal representation of authority gone wrong in society. So much is misunderstood.
I went to Mexico this summer. I've been a Christian since I was a kid. Been in church my whole life. But something happened in Mexico. Something that has changed my whole approach. I heard a pastor say this once "What do you do when you get a yearbook? Most people look for themselves. And that's how you should read the Bible." You should look for yourself and for what God has for you. What happened in Mexico was a series of events. It started with a preacher who said he invited God into his life during a trip. After his story, I realized I had developed a lifestyle where I was working for the Lord, but I could hardly say I was with the Lord. What has happened since that encounter is I realized I had taken Jesus out of my relationship with God.
Don's faith once again bubbles to the surface. While it is a fixed point in his personality, I wouldn't limit your interactions with him to just faith. He has proven that he's intelligent enough to think of unique ways to solve our County's problems. He has proven that he's compassionate enough to put the needs of others before himself. He has proven that he's honest enough to not only preach these ideals, but also live them. On a personal level, I can see Don fulfilling any role he sets his mind to in the future. From priest to Senator to teacher to business mogul. This young man has restored my faith in the younger generation and given me hope for our community as a whole. And every time I see him, I know I'm going to have a better day because of it. The next time you see Don Smith out and about in the area, be sure to take a moment and introduce yourself. Spend a few minutes talking to him and you'll leave with a smile on your face.
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