Patel is a council member.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Indian American Sudha Patel, currently a council member of Andrews Town, South Carolina, announced her candidacy for the town’s mayoral post on June 11 at the Andrews Public Library, reported South Strand News.
“When our family immigrated here back in 1980, it was thriving much more than it is now,” Patel said during her official announcement. “We’d like to figure out what happened and do some problem-solving. I’m sure no problem is too big to solve if we put a right leader in charge. I believe I’m that right person.”
According to the previous “Sudha Patel for Town Council” Facebook page, Patel attended Clemon University, earning a B.S. in architecture and environmental studies. Patel subsequently returned to Andrews in 2004 and prepared to assume her parents’ responsibilities in operating the family business, the Colonial Inn Motel, she first began to consider working to improve the community.
“I (was) going to run a business in town, and the town was not in very good shape in terms of development,” Patel told South Strand News. “I just started thinking about how I could possibly assist to help the community.”
Patel, whose family is Gujarati according to DeshGujarat, took her first step toward doing so in 2011, when she made a bid for mayor as a write-in candidate. While she lost that election in the runoff, she managed to get elected to the Andrews Town Council two years later, and is now refocusing on ousting the incumbent mayor, Rodney Giles.
In addition to her work on town council, Patel is involved with a plethora of civic organizations and clubs, reported South Strand. She currently serves in such capacities as: chairperson for the Andrews Heritage Festival Committee and Andrews Town Anniversary Celebration, sitting on the board of directors for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce, and volunteering for the Georgetown County Family Justice Center.