“Rochester is my hometown and sometimes you just love a place because that’s where you grew up. I love the seasons (and that the highway guys usually know how to keep us moving through all the snow and ice). I love living five minutes from the country and 20 minutes from the city. This city is just the right size—big enough so that you can always find something new to do, somewhere new to eat, and new friends. It’s not so big that you feel like a number.

“We have great theater for young (TYKEs and Rochester Children’s Theater) and old (Geva, Blackfriars), amazing music (Eastman), museums of every kind (my favorite is the Strong Museum of Play), and art venues large and small.

“This is an affordable place to live where housing costs are half of what they are in larger cities. We still need to work on the problems of poverty, violence, and education, especially for those who live in ‘The Crescent.’ I am hopeful that the community’s efforts to provide safety, jobs, and education will continue. I’d love to see downtown Rochester thriving again.”