I’m writing this letter to endorse Terry Gjersvik for District 27A Minnesota House of Representatives. I’ve known Terry and Dana and their family for over 25 years, ever since their children were very small.

Terry is an excellent candidate to represent us at the Capitol. He is honest, hardworking, conscientious to do the right thing, an involved person in church and the community, and a dependable teacher and farmer with strong values. I respect and admire Terry. He is a the kind of person we need in politics. He is an asset for whichever group he is involved. He never gave up on his special classes of students. They looked up to him as well as the people who know him.

Some of the many areas he is anxious to work on are the high costs of prescription drugs and prohibiting the gag rules that prevent pharmacists from telling consumers the lowest price drug options. He wants to work on passing reforms to prevent elder abuse. Minnesota is the only state that doesn’t license assisted living facilities. Seniors need reform in this to protect them if they’ve been harmed.

Terry will work for critical medical care to be available in rural areas and for transportation to medical centers for the elderly and patients who need help getting there.

Terry is concerned about addressing affordable housing, land use, safe water and lakes, broadband and safe environments, all which are areas to promote aging in place of seniors’ choice. Most seniors prefer to stay in their own homes as long as possible. Family caregivers need more support. Forty million Americans care for older parents, children and relatives with disabilities, spouses, etc.

Terry’s other areas of concern are quality child care and the shortage of child care available, affordable health care, Social Security and Medicare, good jobs with living wages, job growth in our area and preparing students for good futures and real jobs.

Terry’s campaign motto is: Together we work; together we win. That pretty much sums up how he lives his life. I remember feeling very happy and good about it when he told me last spring that he decided to run for this office.

Judy Menssen

Albert Lea