Article Contributed on: 10/21/2008 3:09:25 PM
Karen Wilde is running for State House District 40 and answered a questionnaire for YourHub.com. To read all of the candidate questionnaires,
click here.
Name: Karen Wilde
Seat you are seeking: Colorado State House of Representatives, District 40
Age: 55
Family: Widow; 1 adult daughter (married); 3 grandchildren; 3 brothers in Oklahoma plus cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, aunts, uncles. (Both parents are deceased.)
Occupation: Senior Professional Research Assistant/Program Coordinator
Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Your Web site:www.KarenWilde.com
Favorite local place to hang out: Home
What do you like most about living here?: The mountains, the people, the Bronco sunsets, the climate, the opportunities.
Interests & hobbies: Movies, spending time with my grandkids, sewing (almost never happens these days).
Favorite TV show: Grey's Anatomy and channel surfing.
Favorite Web site: Yahoo to check email and read the featured updates on the Yahoo homepage.
People who inspired you (and how): My mother. She was taken from her parents at 8 years old to attend government boarding school. At boarding school, she was punished for using her first language instead of English. She raised four children (each a year apart: 3 birthdays in July, 1 in May) by herself (no child support or welfare) as a factory worker. In her later years suffered through the complications of diabetes because of inadequate health care. As a senior citizen, she had medicare coverage; however, she died from complications of diabetes. She was always courageous and loving in spite of the many challenges and trials in her life.
How you have contributed to the community: National Kidney Foundation Board member, Chair of Denver Indian Family Resource Center, Aurora Historic Preservation Commission, small business owner, employee of Anschutz Medical Campus.
What are the biggest issues facing your constituency now: My constituency includes both suburban and rural areas that have different needs. I will look at these needs from different perspectives, realizing that both communities have many of the same issues with different impact. The economy, employment, housing, healthcare issues, roads, water, rising utility costs, private property rights, family preservation, and impacting this all...the need for a stronger voice in the legislature.