Mike
I was born in 1954 in Lake Forest IL, which is a northern suburb of Chicago. I lived in this community with my parents until I went to college. My main interests throughout my childhood and school were outdoor activities, sports, and friends. Once I graduated from high school I was able to attend St. Olaf College in southern Minnesota. I liked living in Minnesota very much so after graduation from college I moved to Minneapolis and earned a Bachelor of Science in Forestry degree from the University of Minnesota in 1978.
That same year I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, but attempted to stay in some kind of forestry work for several years after that. The steady progression of my disability made it difficult for me to achieve steady employment. The extremes in Minnesota weather also became more of a challenge as my disability progressed. Therefore in 1985 I chose to leave Minnesota after completing an internship at Mt. Rainer National Park. I like the climate of the northwest, and after visiting Corvallis I chose to move here that same year partially due to the existence of a state college in the community. I have never regretted that decision.
Once I moved to Corvallis I chose to go back to school to earn a degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. After earning the degree I worked at Oregon State University for about two and a half years until the progression of my MS made it very difficult for me to complete my job duties. I then chose to do volunteer advocacy work for people with disabilities. I find the opportunities for volunteer work to be almost endless. One of my biggest challenges is to limit my participation to my ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the work.
My interests include indoor gardening, outdoor gardening to my ability, going to plays, movies, and concerts, and most of all interacting with my friends while meeting new people. I enjoy the group of people and the activities of Coho ecovillage. I very much appreciate participating in this community.
