What do you love about Evans?
Evans is the community I have always called home. Having said that, over the course of my life, I have lived in all the districts of Columbia County except the Lakeside District, but we have been in Evans for the last 23 years.
The greatest thing that I love about Evans is it still feels like a small community even though it is getting bigger. When I go to the grocery store, a park, or a concert, I see people I know… not just one or two people, but many people. I also love that it is a very safe place to live and raise a family.
What are a few of your favorite places in Evans?
We have best-in-class parks and recreation spaces that the county has invested in and I’m very thankful for that. With our grandkids, I'm back at all the parks watching sports at many of those spaces. As I've gotten older, I've also had to make sure to exercise, so I walk at Lady A Park and I enjoy it. The canal is also a wonderful place to bike and walk. The Performing Arts Center is a nice addition to our community as well. As a family, we're starting to enjoy that more and more.
Why is it important to invest in the community?
It’s important to me for my children and grandchildren to want to be part of Columbia County. Over the last 10 or 15 years, there has been responsible growth in Evans, and I want to continue that and make sure that my grandchildren have the same kind of opportunities that I've had. My involvement in the Planning and Zoning Commission made me realize how important it is to give back to the community and how important it is that somebody who has our values steps up to serve to ensure the continued responsible growth of our community.
I’m fortunate that both my children are still here, and both are involved in education. We have a great school system and I think our community as a whole works together with the school system and the county to make sure that we are top in that area, and I’d like to see that collaboration continue.
What are a few ways you have invested in the community?
I’m in the insurance business and about eight years ago, I moved my business, ACHS Insurance, to Columbia County as a way of investing back into the community that means so much to me. I am also a board member of The Shield Club of Greater Augusta, an organization that has been around for many years. We step in if an officer is hurt, or in need in some kind of way, by making financial contributions to them or their family. We have also given service dogs to the Sherriff’s Departments in both Richmond and Columbia Counties as well as providing vests and radios for officers in the school system.
A native of Columbia County, Mike Carraway married his high school sweetheart, Sandra, forty years ago this fall. Together, they have two children and four grandchildren, who he says are the biggest joy of his life right now. Mike enjoys being active in the community have received numerous accolades for his service, including being named Man of the Year for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.
