Newsletter #19:
"Maple Time"

DATE: May 2, 2024

Friend --

Are you a fan of flapjacks?

As an outspoken pancake pundit, the Geauga County Maple Festival is one of my favorite events each year.

Forget Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Buttersworth (or whatever they’re being called these days) — corn syrup has nothing on authentic maple syrup made right here in Geauga County.

There were many events to attend during the festival — and many voters to meet.

First, I had the honor to attend the 2024 Maple Hall of Fame producers’ breakfast. Congratulations to Paul Newman, the 2024 inductee!  I learned the mild winter has made for a difficult production season, but you wouldn’t know it based on the large crowd and sampling of delicious award-winning syrups.

Flanked by my daughter, I volunteered in the Geauga County Maple Festival Maple Syrup & Candy Display Shack. People came by with questions about the award winners and what values the winners’ bottles went for at auctions. More on that in a moment!

Also, I had a blast supporting my husband and son in the Geauga County Maple Festival 1-Mile Sap Run. My eight-year-old ran a blistering fast 7:08 mile and my husband managed to huff-and-puff his way across the finish line with him!

This was my first year bidding in the Geauga County Maple Festival award winner syrup auction.

It was a record year for the auction, with the highest syrup bottle going for $4,100! 

This was great news for the Festival, which receives the proceeds from the auction. (But it was bad new for me, as I got outbid on all three syrups I tried to win.)

But what’s the point of a maple festival without a steaming stack of fresh pancakes?

Eating pancakes at “Pancakes in the Park” while wearing my pancake earrings — isn’t this what a maple festival is all about? 

(Sadly, I left my pancake t-shirt at home!)

But April wasn’t all maple-flavored fun.

With an invitation from my friend, Representative Sarah Fowler Arthur, my husband and I had the honor to attend Governor Mike DeWine’s State of the State address. 

(We were joined by Ashtabula Commissioner Casey Kozlowski and Representative- Elect David Thomas.)

Governor DeWine focused his remarks on the need to prioritize the educational, emotional, and physical wellbeing of children. These needs are what inspired me to get involved in politics in the first place — putting an end to mask mandates in Geauga County schools.

With April behind us, we continue running forward to the November finish line.

Now that I am the Republican nominee for Geauga County Commissioner, our campaign is squaring off against my Democrat opponent in the General Election.

The November election is only 187 days away — and Geauga voters have a clear choice.

As you know, I entered politics to fight for families. At a time when government mandates were overriding parental rights with the forced masking of school children, I joined the Board of Health to restore sanity.

My Democrat opponent, however, believes COVID lockdowns and forced masking of children did not go far enough. In this, I could not disagree with him more.

I believe we must learn from the failures of big government — not repeat them.

Unfortunately for Geauga County Republicans, my Democrat opponent got onto the ballot unopposed and unscathed. For our campaign, I had to overcome an expensive primary and endure many attacks, which has left our campaign cash-strapped as we start this new leg of the journey.

I appreciate everyone’s support bringing us to this point — and to we need to start raising funds to do it all over again in November.

To help our campaign replenish our resources to win the November General Election, will you make a donation of $25 or more to defend our freedoms and paychecks?

Thank you for all your support.

For Liberty!
Carolyn Brakey

P.S. The Geauga County Maple Festival was a great opportunity to meet voters and enjoy maple syrup in its many forms.

With April behind us, I continue moving forward to the general election and speaking to voters about our campaign to protect paychecks, defend freedoms, and defeat dysfunction.

My Democrat opponent, meanwhile, has a proud history of supporting lockdowns and mask mandates.

To keep our momentum building, will you chip in $25 to help our campaign keep Geauga free this November?

Thank you to all who have donated time and treasure for their support.

We will keep moving forward to victory.