Garth Dano gave young man direction, purpose

Despite my best efforts to restrain myself from becoming involved in Garth Dano's campaign, the slanderous attacks made against him has compelled me to share my testimony about his character.

I met Garth while playing baseball at Big Bend Community College. Garth knew that I had struggled to find direction due to the lack of a strong male figure in my life. As a result, he became like a father to me.

I believe his wisdom about this was largely influenced by his own father, Harrison Dano.

I was truly a lost soul. I had not graduated from high school and my greatest accomplishment to that point in my life was passing the GED exam to be eligible to attend BBCC. Instead of just being a mentor to me, he decided to integrate me into his family and treated me like his son.

He has since taught me the values of hard work, personal responsibility, and what it means to be a person of integrity. These values combined with his everyday reassurance have allowed a lost kid who didn't graduate from high school to obtain an associate's degree from Big Bend Community College, a bachelor's degree from Gonzaga University, to play professional baseball for the Oakland Athletics, and to become a PGA Professional. All of these accomplishments pale in comparison to the daily encouragement he has provided to constantly improve in my most important job as a husband and a father.

Reading these attempts to assassinate Garth Dano's character is just that - an attempt. Garth Dano's character will always be intact.

Gordon Corder

Spokane