Service Array:
Individual Skill Development and Enhancement
I grew up in South Central Minnesota, on a hog farm. My childhood was filled with farm chores. I was an ambitious outgoing kid and was always willing to take on new challenging responsibilities. My mom was the home maker. I spent many hours with her planting a large variety of vegetables in the garden. It was from her that I learned that there are many rewards from putting in work.
I spent my childhood exploring the grove of trees that bordered our farm, I discovered the true greatness that nature and the outdoors offered. It was through this love for the outdoors that led me to build my lifelong friend group that I still have. We played sports, fished, hunted and had each other’s back while growing up.
The bust cycle of farming came full circle for my dad in the late 80’s. The stresses of the Farm Crisis became too much to bear. My family structure suffered. My dad lost all the hogs. My dad put up walls of silence, isolation and denial. My mom was forced to work to make ends meet. My parents were constantly arguing. My relationship with my sister unraveled as she moved onto college. My entire life flipped on its head. This is when I found alcohol.
It was my buddies’ dads that filled in as father figures in my life during this hardship. It was these men who stepped up who helped me understand that setbacks do not define who you are and guided me in the direction of a technical college. I graduated college and landed a career job in the trade. At the age of 23, I was able to start putting back together the broken pieces of my life and eliminate alcohol from my life.
I have witnessed first-hand the importance of doing life together with good people while volunteering with Kicking Bear Ministries. We all need guidance, support, encouragement and companionship. When you surround yourself with good people you can easily discover your strength, talents and gifts. Healthy relationships produce better lifestyle choices and countless opportunities to be successful. Outdoor activities like hunting, fishing and hiking are great activities to build oneself physically, mentally and spiritually. The outdoors also provides many new adventures while building friendships. Many times, we need a friend to just listen and other times we need one to help guide us.
This individual is an Independent Contractor through Well Built Humans.