Cayce, SC 09/07/2021 (Paul Kirby) – Longtime Cayce resident Karen Dawkins has filed to run for Cayce City Council in District One. She has been a vocal member of the community for years advocating for some of the more established residence of Cayce who’ve called the city home for decades.
Dawkins is also an advocate for tenants who live in Cayce. In her eyes, whether you own your residence in Cayce or simply rent there, you are an important part of the fabric of the area. She feels everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally by the community and government. “In Cayce, there should be a place for everyone whether they rent or buy. No matter their social or economic realities, Cayce can be a great place to live, work, and raise a family. If we say we are an equal opportunity city, we should welcome and try to accommodate everyone who chooses to live here.”
Dawkins said during a recent interview she, “knows the importance of caring for people.” She began her journey in the field of nursing thirty years ago. In her work she has been an advocate for patients and families when they were unable to advocate for themselves. She has also been driven by her passion for people and has spent many years supporting patients. Now, she feels she has the time to use those important skills helping her neighbors.
Because of her training and experience, Dawkins says she is inspired to give a voice to all the citizens of Cayce District One. Her goal is to equally represent everyone, listening carefully to their concerns and ideas, and to work diligently to help them find solutions if necessary for any type of challenge they may be facing. “If an animal has knocked over your trash, that may seem like a minor issue in the grand scheme of things. To you, while you’re out there picking it up, it’s a big deal! I believe the city should react with whatever resources are necessary to help you alleviate the problem so that it doesn’t happen again.” She went on to say, “This is obviously just an example. Often, problems are much more complex than this, but the city should still focus on those and try and see them through. We shouldn’t leave problems unaddressed or inactive. Every issue eventually needs to be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.”
In a recent interview, Dawkins said that she was glad to see Cayce growing in some ways but wants to make sure the city focuses on good growth while maintaining the infrastructure and services that are already in place. “I’m all for improving the quality of lives of our citizens by investing our city’s time and some of our resources on the arts, developing good business partners, having nice eateries, exciting night life, and developing community building events however, I think it’s important that we also focus on our established residents and their problems first. Often, it seems as we’ve been so focused on these other issues that we’ve forgotten that any existing issue facing a resident of Cayce should be of great concern to our government.”
She went on to say that most people want to be heard and see that they’re receiving a value for their tax dollars. “We have some great city services now but there’s always room for improvement,” Dawkins concluded. “If elected, I plan to listen carefully to the citizens’ concern and then work to make a difference if there’s a solution the city can either provide or help facilitate.”
Karen and her husband Dwayne live on Michaelmas Avenue where they have raised their five children and have two grandchildren. They also own other property in the city. Dawkins is the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran and says she, “understands the struggles our honored citizens are facing.” In her spare time, Dawkins enjoys reading, visiting with friends, day trips, and interacting with other residents of Cayce.
She says she has met and spoken with so many unique people in her 30 years residing in Cayce. She’s always taken and interest and worked hard to improve the lives of all residents of the city. “If you’ll elect me to serve as your council representative, I’ll always call you back and be prepared to listen to you. Once I understand your issue, I’ll do everything within my power to see that this is addressed. Above all, I’ll make sure that I stay into contact with you so that you know where we stand together as we work on your concern.”
If you would like to share your voice with Karen, she may be contacted by email at KarenDistrict1@gmail.com or by telephone at (803) 609-4797.
