Comments:
I worked in high school at J.M. Fields, but having missed so many events during my school years, I quit my job in order to go to the beach with my class. After not doing anything a few months I put in a application at MCG (Now GRU) and I got hired for $2.10 and hour, so I took it. At that time my Father gave me the best advise he had ever given me, " Mike they have a great retirement). Well who at 18 is thinking about retirement right. Well I worked there 25 years and never missed an hours pay cause they offered so many benefits for vacation and sick leave I was paid a 40 hour week for 25 years. Then, they started talking about early retirement if you had 25 year and I made it by a few days, so I turned in my paperwork and they gave me 5 years so I retired at 43 years old with a 30 year retirement plan. That was in year 2000, So in Oct I will start my 16 year as a retiree. To supplement my income I started a photographer business in 1985 and I just brought my 30th business licences this year, it it has opened a lot of doors for me. I have been able to meet hundreds of entertainers and even a President. I have enjoyed it greatly. I currently work with the Metro Spirit (Weekly Paper 15 years) and the Columbia County (Monthly glossy 11 years) and that keep me as busy as I want to be I also freelance for a private club for 22 years. With all that said, I have never missed a deadline and have never been fired or laid off a job. But, I could not of done this without the help of my parents. My Father passed in 1988 at 58 years old and that is how old I am now, But I fondly take care of my ageing Mother who is 80 years old and I'm going to move her in with me in July. So, one thing I learned at ARC is work ethic, maybe not so much spelling :). I also serve on two Boards CIS (Communities in School about 10 years) and out gold is to raise the graduation rate in Richmond County which is about 55%. Then in 2002, I helped create The Palm House in Athens GA which is a drug and alcohol treatment center and a sober living community. I'm just trying to go thru live and live as healthy as I can and treat people with respect that may not of had the same opportunity's as I. I have been able to travel some in the USA, but I have spent time in Ireland, England, Ukraine and Italy and I have made friends all along the way.
