letter to the editor

To the editor

Dawsonville News and Advertiser

November 19, 2010

Let me start first by thanking the Paper and especially the citizens of Dawsonville, Georgia.

Back in 1996 I moved here with my daughter after a long carrier with the Hillsborough County Sheriff. We lived in a small trailer until my wife sold our home in Tampa, Florida. Life was changing for all of us and it was time to think about our little girls’ future. Life in any large city is full of people trying to grab the golden ring but not everyone is willing to put in the time needed.

We started coming to Dawsonville around 1981 or so just looking around, we had property in Murphy, North Carolina but decided we liked the environment here in Dawsonville better. We purchased property here and I started building our second home, it only took about five years. My wife and I both worked at Gold Creek Country Club until around March 2000 when I went to the Sheriff looking for a job. I had applied a couple years before with Sheriff Chester but was informed that my serviced were not needed.

I was hired By Sheriff Carlisle and worked the inmate services in the newly acquired lawn trailer and equipment. I was transferred to warrants after being retrained certified by the state of Georgia. As time went on I slowly became accepted after I lost my city ways and adapted to life in the country. This was the best for all as I learned the true value of friendships from complete strangers and a new life was finely started.

I think that maybe my old fashioned was of doing police work didn’t always set a good example to my benefit. This is one of the downfalls of working a high crime arena such as Tampa, Atlanta and most large cities with unprecedented amounts of hard crime. I think this hardens a person and desensitizes them to life on the job in more ways than one.

After being diagnosed and accepting my fate it was a battle to keep what I had found in Dawsonville. But as fate once again showed, I was surrounding by a choke of loyal people who came to my aide asking how they could help, this shocked me completely and gave me a very welcome home feeling. I don’t know how I can ever show my appreciation to the town’s people but to just be one of you and support you when needed.

This has been hard for my wife Jane and family but I know it could be worst. I have an obligation to you all to return to work healthy and willing to serve the citizens of this fine town.

Sheriff Carlisle has been so gracious and understanding to my plight and I will be indebted to him and all the members of The Dawsonville Sheriff Department who have also supported me devoting their own sick and vacation time to me in order that I would be able to survive during this long period of time. Again this is a family not just a job. Finally to friends who watched me closely caring greatly that I succeeded on the job. Lastly wonderful, caring men and women of the Dawsonville Court House, where not A day went by that I didn’t received a kind word, hug or just a kind look from all the employees’ and citizens just coming through to conduct their personal affairs.

A town that feels and takes care of their own is a dying tradition in our country.

You’re Friend,Mickey Gilbertson