SIDNEY — Janet Garrett, Democrat from Lorain County, is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Ohio’s 4th Congressional District and will be in Sidney as part of a 14-county tour all day Wednesday, March 9, to share her vision for Ohio with local officials, business leaders, union representatives and others.

The public is invited to hear her speak at a luncheon at the American Legion hall that day at 11:30 a.m. Food will be ordered from the Legion menu.

A former public school teacher and teachers’ union president, Garret has been on the front lines fighting for children, families and professional teachers for more than 35 years.

A long-time political activist and volunteer, Garrett is running now “because people in this district have needs that are being neglected,” she said. “Congress needs to protect average Americans and promote policies that ensure fairness so everyone has a chance to succeed.”

She holds both a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in special education from Kent State University. She taught first grade, learning disabled students, preschool special needs children and kindergarten for 35 years. She was on the executive council of the teachers union in Oberlin for 20 years and served as its president.

“I chose early childhood because that is the time when a teacher can have the most profound impact on the lives of children. I loved teaching to the last day, and view my entering into politics as a continuation of my wish to have a positive influence in the lives of my constituents,” she added.

Garrett also served as a Peace Corps volunteer on the island of Ponape in Micronesia, teaching fifth- and sixth-graders in 1977-78. She has three grown daughters and lives with her husband, Michael Garrett, in Oberlin. Additional information can be found at janetgarrett.com.