The Little Elephant
 
     A certain person told me at the beginning of this campaign that the people of this County wouldn't vote for me because of my signs ... he said they were "country bumpkin" type signs, not the "modern style" (whatever that is), and the people of St. Joseph County would not relate to them. Well, that statement hasn't deterred me and, as far as I can tell, people like my signs. Maybe it's the history behind them ... at least that's what I'd like to believe. So I thought I'd share a true story; the story behind my little "elephants".

     The story began a long time ago, when my Dad, Neubert Balk, was making his first run for the office of Sheriff of St. Joseph County. Actually it was about 43 years ago! It seems like just yesterday to me, but that's about 1964. Wow!

     There was this gentleman named Mr. Louie Heigel, who was the last of our County's "Justices Of The Peace" (there's a Public Servant that few of us remember anymore). Mr. Heigel was the last person to serve as a Justice Of The Peace in this County, as that office was eliminated. It happened that Mr. Heigel was a Republican and had given some thought about using an "elephant" as a campaign sign. This was also before the Republicans had "modernized" the elephant into the one that appears today as their symbol. Back then they used the more life-like elephant, so it really was the original.

     Well, Mr. Heigel was a good friend of my Dad's, and he knew that he would not be running for the office of Justice Of The Peace again. When he learned that Dad was going to run for Sheriff of St. Joseph County, he cut the sign out for my Dad. He told Dad that he could use the elephant if he would like to and helped him rig it to fit on top of a car or truck. I know, because I was there. My Dad was truly excited and thought that it would be great to use the elephant, so he accepted the offer from Mr. Heigel, and they shook hands.

     That very first year my Dad took his new symbol of his party, cut it out of old sheets of plywood, painted them, put something catch-y on them, and used them to win his campaigns. Of course, I still have a couple of those very first signs. One says: : "BALK FOR SHERIFF" and another says: "STICK WITH BALK". Originally, they were in white letters on a green backdrop. My Dad used those signs in all of his campaigns, until he died. Who would have thought that those events would have stayed with me so many years later, and that I’d be using that little elephant.

     Now is the time for me to come forward and claim this office back for the people who are served by it, because it's time for changes to be made. Changes that will be pro-active, for the benefit of the people of this County, and for the Deputies who work for them. I have always been prepared for this challenge, and it couldn't be more needed.

     At this moment in time, I can’t think of another sign that could better represent my campaign than this little elephant that became my Dad's. I am my own man, but I'm certain that my Dad would be proud of me for using a small piece of all that he was. I'm also happy that I could still use the very same green and white colors that were used all those years by him.

     I am so blessed to have the greatest group of people working with me to get the job done, and we're taking a little more time to give the elephant a new face lift. But it's still the same, original elephant that was cut as the symbol of Mr. Heigel's party, and my Dad's party, as it is today. It's cut the same as it was 43+ years ago.

     How could I change it ... "just cut it out of an old sheet of plywood, paint it, put something catch-y on it, and use it" to win ... . But wait just a minute, are we done with the signs yet? We'll have to wait and see what's coming in the Spring to know that, won’t we?

Thanks,
Brad
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Paid For By The Committee To Elect Bradley D. Balk Sheriff   21116 S River Rd, Centreville, MI 49032  (269)467-6247All Content © 2007, 2008 Committee To Elect Bradley D. Balk Sheriff