To the Editor:

“The servant-leader is servant first … It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.” — Robert K. Greenleaf, author of The Servant as Leader

On November 8, Newtowners will have the opportunity to vote for a candidate who has proven his dedication to serving his fellow citizens. Tim Gavin is an Army Veteran, a graduate from Yale with a concentration in ethics and international affairs, and an Eagle Scout.

And if his credentials don’t convince you, meeting him in person will confirm that he is genuine and thoughtful, easily falling into conversations in which he listens carefully to interests and considers how he might address heartfelt concerns.

In simplest terms, Tim Gavin embodies the servant-leader — the kind of leader who exists to serve a mission first, their team second, and themselves a distant third. He speaks of his experience leading an infantry unit in the Army where he learned the importance of humility and of listening to fellow service members to bring together their varied experiences and knowledge to accomplish difficult missions.

These principles of leadership will serve him, and us, well.

Now, more than ever, we must prioritize electing public officials who are driven by a dedication to the people they serve, who uplift our democratic principles, who put aside their own ego, and who are committed to defusing the polarization that is tearing our democracy apart.

Tim Gavin is that person and that is why I will vote for him in November.

Michelle Embree Ku

Newtown