Politics is not for everybody.
It was not for Ethel mayor-elect Gwen Sims until she felt the desire to help the town of Ethel get back on its feet, so to speak.
“I have lived in Ethel since 1982 and when we first moved here, we had two grocery stores on Main Street, a branch of the Merchants & Farmers Bank, a café, a saddle shop and a small hardware store. Now we only have a quick stop and a glass repair shop, and that’s it on Main Street in Ethel,” she said. “I don’t want to see Ethel die because I love living here.
When I first came to Ethel and we looked at a house and bought it, I felt like I was coming home even though I wasn’t born here.”
Sims is focused on growth.
“I just want to see Ethel grow again and I want to see things coming back. We need more businesses and we need more people. And I would love for us to get some kind of manufacturing type business here,” she said.
Sims, 60, was born in Sturgis, Michigan, and was married to Dennis Sims until he passed away in July of 2015.
She helped run her husband’s trucking business and worked at H & R Block before heading back to college, obtaining her degree in secondary education when she was 40 years old. She retired from teaching after stints at McAdams, Thomastown and Leake Central.
Sims has two daughters, Stacy Costilow and Jennie Watkins, and a step-daughter, Laura Roggero who lives in Michigan. She has nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
“My kids graduated from Ethel High School and my grandkids graduated from Ethel High School with my last one graduating this year,” said Sims.
Although the position of Mayor is technically part-time, Sims insists she will be a full-time Mayor when she takes office on July 3.
“I have experience dealing with small businesses from my time working with H & R Block and also with my experience of running my husband’s trucking business. I think I could work with people to get them to come to Ethel,” said the Mayor-elect. “I see where I think I can make a difference and I am a go-getter and I don’t mind hard work, I just want to see Ethel come back.”
