Hi, I’m Vickie Allison and my husband, Tim Allison, is running to represent the citizens of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in California’s 24th Congressional District (CA-24).

I met Tim on a “ropes” course during a team building activity as part of the Leadership Santa Barbara County Program. He volunteered me to jump out of the tree first and as he now jokes “The rest is history…” From that first “leap of faith” I knew I could trust and depend upon Tim.

I want to introduce myself and let you know why I’m supporting Tim Allison for Congress.

I’m a Californian who loves California as much as my family has loved the state over four generations. I grew up on a grape, plum and peach farm in the Central Valley. My sister, cousins and I picked then packed fruit during the summer. In the winter we pruned and tied grape vines. All of that physical labor motivated me to study hard while attending Fresno City College and UCLA, graduating from Fresno State University with a business degree with an emphasis on Computer Science.

Among my favorite memories from childhood are the vacations that my family spent exploring the beautiful countryside in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. That’s why, after 15 years in the high tech field, traveling across the country and the world I decided to make this area my home. I believe it’s the best place on earth!

The beauty of the landscape is complemented by the warmth, kindness and enthusiasm of its citizens. In Ventura and Santa Barbara counties we’ve felt the devastating effects of recession, plummeting home values and wildfires. But when I think of the many examples of how our fellow citizens worked together and helped one another, I’m proud and thankful.

When Tim and I first met, he was the executive director of an environmental non-profit and an active community leader addressing and solving local problems. As a realtor his professionalism and interest in helping others has also made him successful in his career. He delights in finding the right home for working families, families displaced by the wildfires or first-time homeowners. As a congressman, he will use his organizational skills and his interest in helping others to build a responsive Constituent Services Program to address the needs of local residents.

Tim and I are the proud parents of TJ—our happy, healthy and outgoing six-year-old son. As the parents of a young child we are keenly aware of the need for affordable, quality public education—from preschool through college—that offers enrichment programs, art, and after-school sports and activities. And for our communities, we know how essential public parks and recreation areas are for ensuring a good quality of life for growing families.

As the child of aging parents, I have witnessed devastating illnesses. My father was robbed of the enjoyable retirement he had worked so hard for, instead spending the last 14 years of his life bedridden by Parkinson’s disease and cared for by my mother. Other illnesses that have afflicted members of my family—cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease—make it clear to me that affordable healthcare and prescriptions drugs, better senior care and funding for new therapies such as stem cell research cannot wait. Since the day that I met him, Tim’s passion for helping others and being involved in and engaged with our community has never wavered. I’m confident that he will work hard to introduce legislation that addresses these and other issues that affect our community.

There is a part of me that doesn’t look forward to having a husband/father commuting from Washington, DC every weekend. But knowing Tim will use all of his skills to be an effective public servant—his strong work ethic, Midwestern values, a willingness to listen to all opinions and his desire to help others have served him well in the past and will serve our community and country well in the future.

These are the reasons I’m a proud supporter of Tim Allison for Congress.