Ted Terry

I have spent the last decade of my life in public service... I know what you are thinking - what does that even mean?
Let me speak a bit about where my experience comes from...and why I take very seriously the role of a public servant in our community.
I was raised to give back to my community and country. As a fifteen year-old I experienced a service focused church mission trip, called the Appalachian Service Project, which sought to help the poorest of the poor. For five days, a group of 30 youth and chaperones, rose every day at 6 am, from our sleeping bags on the floor of a local elementary school in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. Together we build a new roof for an elderly woman and installed for a family of five their first indoor toilet and shower. Giving back to our community, I learned, starts with the basics.
I got my bachelors degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida, and my first real-life experience came while I worked my way through college as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Gainesville Health Care Center, a rehab, dementia and long-term care facility. I typically worked double shifts (16 hours) on weekends, which involved complete and total care for the residents with nearly everything –– whether that meant helping them eat, dress, bathe, do activities or just socializing throughout the day. This was a humbling experience, and it changed me in a profound way –– instilling in me a deep respect for our elders, our parents and grandparents who rebuilt this country, from the depths of the Great Depression. It is my firm belief that our elected officials should be champions for creating a community and culture that respects and honors our elders. Learning from them when we can, and caring for them when in need.
During college I continued my passion for service and developed my leadership skills as the President of the Food Science and Human Nutrition Club and the College Green Party. I also worked as a campus organizer for Floridians for All, a group that campaigned statewide to raise the minimum wage by $1 an hour. Around this same time, the new Mayor of Gainesville, Fl was elected. She put together a task force of community members on key issues to lay out a vision on the future of the city. I was the only college student asked to participate in this committee and in my zeal for progressive change in that city, I presented a 5 page report on what the city could do t