Celebrating over 30 years...
of growth and change
of growth and change
| Year |
| 1976 |
Graduate high school from Northern Valley in Demarest, New Jersey. Receive a scholarship to play football at
Yankton College, in Yankton, South Dakota.
Yankton College, in Yankton, South Dakota.
| 1978 |
Drop out of college, join the working world.
| 1980 |
Quit the working world. Support my partying habits by dealing drugs. Mostly pot and LSD.
| 1982 |
Do to an out of control lifestyle, I an end homeless and hitch-hike around the country.
| 1983 |
End up in Alma, NE and rejoin the working world
| 1985 |
After being "unhirable", losing two jobs in three years in Alma, I move to Seward, NE.
| 1986 |
After failed suicide, quit drinking and doing drugs. Original sobriety date was the first recognized holiday for
Martin Luther King, jr.
Martin Luther King, jr.
| 1987- 89 |
Named to the Village Board of Trustees for the Village of Tamora, NE to fill out a term of a recalled member.
| 1989 - 91 |
Elected to the Bishops Committee of St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Seward, NE.
| 1992 |
After five and a half years of sobriety, my mind had me convinced that I wasn't an alcoholic, so I reutrned to
drinking.
drinking.
| 1994 |
After destroying my family for a second time, I quit drinking on Labor Day weekend.
| 1994 - 96 |
Served an advisory role on the Board of Trustees for St. John's Lutheran Church in Seward, NE
| 1996 |
First time in my life I moved after cleaning up all my messes. Usually I ran before "s*** hit the fan." Leave
Seward, NE and travel about 60 miles south to Diller, NE
Seward, NE and travel about 60 miles south to Diller, NE
| 1997 |
My first poem is published. Scars That Never Heal was about how verbal abuse can be worse than physical
abuse. The poem appeared in Bob Stalder's Poet's Pen Column.
abuse. The poem appeared in Bob Stalder's Poet's Pen Column.
| 2000 |
My wife, Betty, is diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. Start writing poems about cancer.
| 2003 |
Hold my first fund-raising event and raise over $1,400 for The American Cancer Society. Write the poem Day
One, which becomes my "calling card."
One, which becomes my "calling card."
| 2004 |
Nominated for inclusion into the Marquis Who's Who In America. My first book, Damaged Merchandise, iis
published.
published.
| 2005 |
My name gets listed on the Nebraska Center For The Writers website. The love poem, A Thousand Times, is
turned into a song. My story is listed on government website for voices in recovery. Start a weekly poetry
column, The Poets Quill, which appears every Tuesday in The Beatrice Daily-Sun (NE). My second book, War
Zone, which is the prequel to Damaged Merchandise is published. The poem Men (And Women) of Closter is
part of the Veterans Day program at Closter, New Jersey). At the Spiritual Sisters website, my article Only A
Step-Dad is the featured article for Father's Day.
turned into a song. My story is listed on government website for voices in recovery. Start a weekly poetry
column, The Poets Quill, which appears every Tuesday in The Beatrice Daily-Sun (NE). My second book, War
Zone, which is the prequel to Damaged Merchandise is published. The poem Men (And Women) of Closter is
part of the Veterans Day program at Closter, New Jersey). At the Spiritual Sisters website, my article Only A
Step-Dad is the featured article for Father's Day.
| 2006 |
My story from 2005 on the government's voices in recovery program is expanded. The story becomes
featured for SAMSHA'S National Recovery Month and is shown on their website, pamphlets, brochures, and
other informational material. I become included into the Prestige International Who's Who Registry for
Outstanding Professionals. Shortly after this honor was named a United States Poetry Ambassador. Red
Willow County in Nebraska features my poem Day One in a Relay For Life tabloid entitled HOPE. A mini-bio
about my life and work is shown on the cover. The poems Generations and Let's Get Honest announce
Recovery Month for Asotin County, in the State of Washington. The poem, Scrambled Eggs, wins the Editor's
Choice Award.
featured for SAMSHA'S National Recovery Month and is shown on their website, pamphlets, brochures, and
other informational material. I become included into the Prestige International Who's Who Registry for
Outstanding Professionals. Shortly after this honor was named a United States Poetry Ambassador. Red
Willow County in Nebraska features my poem Day One in a Relay For Life tabloid entitled HOPE. A mini-bio
about my life and work is shown on the cover. The poems Generations and Let's Get Honest announce
Recovery Month for Asotin County, in the State of Washington. The poem, Scrambled Eggs, wins the Editor's
Choice Award.
| 2007 |
Relay For Survivors is used in a fund-raising book for the Cilo, Michigan Relay For Life event. Named a
Recovery Hero by the website Clean And Sober Not Dead. A tee-shirt line is started by the website Serenity
Happens, featuring this website. The musical CD, Purple Power, created for cancer survivors is released. My
Seventh Step article on AA makes the cover of the First Things First Newsletter from the Rock Solid Group of
AA in Ohio.
Recovery Hero by the website Clean And Sober Not Dead. A tee-shirt line is started by the website Serenity
Happens, featuring this website. The musical CD, Purple Power, created for cancer survivors is released. My
Seventh Step article on AA makes the cover of the First Things First Newsletter from the Rock Solid Group of
AA in Ohio.
| 2008 |
Two videos created from Purple Power are shown on the American Cancer website SharingHope.tv. The
Purple Power CD used in the luminary ceremony for the Deerborn and Ohio Counties Relay For Life event in
Indiana. Using the poems Struggles, Our Heroes, and Relay For Survivors as a backdrop, I'm the featured
speaker at a survivor social event in Washington County, Kansas. The poem Relay For Survivors is used to
decorate luminaries in Victorville, California. A Stage IV ovarian cancer survivor uses my poem Celebrate,
Remember and Fight Back to kick-off the Relay in Denison, Texas. I help kick-off National Nursing Home
Week by having an afternoon of poetry for the residents and staff at the Gardenside Nursing Home in
Fairbury, Nebraska. The Freedom Seekers Group is formed. The poem Surviving used in an inner-city school
in Mississippi.
Purple Power CD used in the luminary ceremony for the Deerborn and Ohio Counties Relay For Life event in
Indiana. Using the poems Struggles, Our Heroes, and Relay For Survivors as a backdrop, I'm the featured
speaker at a survivor social event in Washington County, Kansas. The poem Relay For Survivors is used to
decorate luminaries in Victorville, California. A Stage IV ovarian cancer survivor uses my poem Celebrate,
Remember and Fight Back to kick-off the Relay in Denison, Texas. I help kick-off National Nursing Home
Week by having an afternoon of poetry for the residents and staff at the Gardenside Nursing Home in
Fairbury, Nebraska. The Freedom Seekers Group is formed. The poem Surviving used in an inner-city school
in Mississippi.
