Ray Silverstein did not grow up in McDuffie County, neither did he marry someone who did. But he thinks Dearing is the place to be.
"I came for a visit two years ago, and liked the area so much that I moved here," he said. Even though he's new to the area, Mr. Silverstein has been a frequent visitor to Dearing Town Council meetings, where he asks questions and offers suggestions during the public input time. Now, Mr. Silverstein is running for a seat on the Dearing Town Council.
"I want to hear from the people of Dearing, to see what they think and the direction they want the city to be heading," he said. "I want to be a councilman to help the people."
Mr. Silverstein moved to Dearing from New Jersey, where he retired from working in the banking industry. Prior to that, he said he was a deputy sheriff in Ocean County, N.J.
These days, he said he is enjoying "country living" and is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Thomson.
"Now, I help seniors in Dearing, take them to the VA hospital in Augusta, take them shopping, fix their computers," he said. "That basically takes all my time."
Mr. Silverstein said he's experienced driving people around. During a brief stint in the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s, he was a driver for a four-star general.
"It was the easiest job in the world. He didn't go very many places," Mr. Silverstein said.
Mr. Silverstein also said he graduated from Newark Business College.
