After a lifetime in the Lehigh Valley, specifically Whitehall Township, my wife Jody and I will be moving south to Virginia.

The Valley is a wonderful place to live and of course I regard Whitehall as its crown jewel, but the Chesapeake Bay is calling. An avid sailor for over 30 years, I am looking forward to living by the water and spending more time sailing the bay and coastal Atlantic.

The reason for this letter is not to gloat about my retirement (my brother has one of those shirts that says "Na Na I'm Retired and You're Not") but to say thank you.

Since 1990 I have been honored and privileged to serve in local government, first as township commissioner, then township executive and for the past eight years as Lehigh County Director of General Services.

For that I owe a debt of gratitude to more people in and around the county than I can count.

Many who read this will have volunteered for my election campaigns. Many more have helped out in the community when I asked you, still others have been a reliable source of advice and guidance on any number of issues facing our community.

To all who have been kind enough to offer your assistance, support or simply your friendship, whether in a political campaign, as an advisor or as a community volunteer, if I've not said it before or if I've not said it enough, thank you. I am forever in your debt.

Jody and I are products of Whitehall and the Lehigh Valley as are our two daughters. And although White Stone, Va. will be our new home, it is here our hearts will always remain. We will look forward to occasional trips to the Valley and Jody has made me promise to bring her north for a good snowstorm once in a while (go figure).

No matter where we go in life we will always speak well of this community and will always regard it as home.

In your debt,

Glenn D. Solt