U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) visited Pike County Friday and engaged in a meet and greet at Julia’s Restaurant in Troy at noon.

Shelby said he always looks forward to coming home from Washington for face-to-face meetings with his constitutes. He is committed to visiting all 67 counties each year.

“I make these visits every year, even when I’m not running,” said Shelby who is “running” this year. “It’s always good to come back to Alabama and break bread with homefolks. And, it’s important to me that the people I serve have access to me. That’s why I’m here today – to meet face-to-face with the people of Pike County.”

Shelby has served the people of Alabama in the U.S. Senate for 30 years and made more than 2,000 “home” visits during his term of office.

The senator took time to shake hands and visit with the lunch crowd at Julia’s and, to a one, the diners thanked him for his dedication to the people of Alabama.

“Senator Shelby takes time to visit all 67 counties each year,” said Troy Mayor Jason A. Reeves. “He does a lot for us and we are blessed to have him working for us in Washington.”

Pike County Probate Judge Wes Allen said Shelby’s conservative values serve the state well and he expressed appreciation for the senator’s hard work in Washington.

Tammy Powell, retired Alabama Extension coordinator, said she was there because she wanted Shelby to know that, as he prepares to run for another term of office, there are many issues of great concern facing the nation – “our safety and small businesses.”

“And we all need to be concerned about agriculture,” she said. “There are so many legislators in Washington who are so far from farm that they are forgetting about who takes care of us and not just about our three meals a day. But about our entire farming community that sustains us as a nation.”

Donna Horn, chair of the Pike County Republican Party, and Shirley Reddock, of the Pike County Republican Women, joined several other members of the PCRW in welcoming Shelby.

Horn said Shelby has a long conservative voting record to which the people of Alabama can relate.

“It is an honor to have Senator Shelby here in Pike County,” she said. “He always makes himself available to us. We appreciate his conservative record and his service.”

Reddock said Shelby’s record in Washington is good and she is confident that he will continue to work hard for the things that are important to all people.

“We know that Senator Shelby will keep pressing for the President to do the right thing for all of us,” she said.

Shelby was first elected to the Alabama State Senate in 1970 and went on to serve four terms in the United States House of Representatives before being elected to the U. S. Senate in 1987. He has four Republican challengers in his bid for a sixth term in the U.S. Senate.