Who Am I?

My family found its way to the Walker area in 1992, after my father’s tour of duty ended with the Air Force and Police Academy.  I had been used to the lifestyle of constantly moving.  By the time I graduated from Kenowa Hills High School in 1996, it represented the longest I had lived in any one place in my life.

Even after college, and early attempts at a career sent me back into nomadic days of traveling, I’ve always seemed to find myself back here.  I have seen this area change drastically from a place where there was next to nothing but apple orchards north of 3 Mile and west of Alpine, to a robust commercial district and rapidly growing community filled with a dazzling array of people and lifestyles.

I was here, playing street hockey in the park behind the same city hall. I’ve walked and biked the almost endless miles of trails that weave through the city. I hung out at the hobby shop (no longer there) on the corner of Wilson and Lake Michigan Drive for hours. I sat in line at midnight in front of the Best Buy in Green Ridge Square (which is still there) for the latest video game system.

This is a city and a community that has been a part of me for almost thirty years.  It hasn’t always been smooth or easy, but time continues to move forward, and the city continues to change with it.  New challenges emerge almost daily, and a new vision is needed to meet those challenges.

This home of mine has given me a great deal. Now, I hope to give a little bit back.