Tom Kowal sent in some pictures and wrote
Hey, Walter -- great to hear from you and the others... takes me back, yup.
My news/olds:
Left Haverford in 67 about a month after I sent my draft cards back, worked 2 years as a CO in a mental hospital in Boston -- lived in a closet at Lenk's place for a while... Moved to southern Colorado in 69 with an anti-war, back-to-the-land, burnt out health care worker and hippie commune... did farming/ranching/construction for a few years, got back into human services in 72 with VISTA, then a community mental health center, bi-lingual education, and aging/senior services. Picked up a few degrees in Community Psychology, Counseling and Public Administration.
Moved to Denver with my family in 83, worked 20 years with State of Colorado's Medicaid and Child Health services, doing legislation and program development for long-term care, new programs, computer systems, procurement and contract management, etc etc. The usual stuff you got to do in the belly of the beast to raise 5 kids, who are now 30 to 21.
Retired in 03, now nearly full-time volunteer with AFSC projects, El Centro Humanitario Para Los Trabajaderos, monthly and yearly meetings, and a few other Quaker-leftie peace and justice orgs. My main focus is on migrant and border issues -- I'll be on the border [no, not with the vigilantes, but in the same areas] and in Mexico a lot of the time this Spring and Summer, so don't know yet if I can make the reunion. Asi es la vida.
My kids [with Constance, now an ESL teacher here, we're good friends] are the main deal, tho.
Matt [30] works for New Belgium brewery [Fat Tire, etc, for you sophisticated ale drinkers west of the Mississippi] producing their bike and music tours throughout the West -- he's a musician and sound tech - check out TheReals.net for his "Americana/Roots" band, which got several local and national awards for their latest CD, "Majestic".
Jeremy [28] is finishing up his teaching degree, and works mainly with at-risk kids in alternative high schools.
Cheyenne [27] sings with The Reals, does midwifery kinds of stuff, and is mom to Romey [2].
Sofia [25] has two kids, Bailey [almost 3 - my daily partner in lots of far-flung operations] and Henry [1].
Joel [21] is the top lift monkey [at 12,000 feet] in Winter Park, erstwhile electrician and musician.
All the kids are as sweet, smart and useful as you might expect if you didn't know their PapaLoco as well as you do.
If I don't make it in May, hoist one for me and tell Curwood I've got his pic from the Farm and Wilderness Camps in Vermont, pre-Westtown. We sure were good-looking kids... I'm still singing and picking the songs we learned there and at Westtown, too. Anybody heard from Russell T. Brown??
We [Annette is my wife's name -- she's spiritual leader/shamanka and CEO of Colorado's association of Community, Migrant and Homeless Health Centers -- married me 10 years ago when I had 5 teenagers, if that gives you an idea of her courage and/or sanity] have plenty of room for Westtonians here in Westminster, close to DIA and downtown Denver.
Adelante, por la Paz y en el luz --
Tom Kowal <tomandannette
comcast.net>
6862 Wyman Way, Westminster, CO 80030
303-428-4816 (home) 303-921-1481 (cell)
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| grandkids Romey (above) and Bailey (below) |
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The Reals [Matt and Jeremy are on the ends, Chey in the center] |
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| me and chey at the MLK Marade, putting a stop to war, racism, exploitation and injustice. |
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| Oh, and sunset from our deck -- mi casa es tu casa -- |
Hey, Walter -- great to hear from you and the others... takes me back, yup.
My news/olds:
Left Haverford in 67 about a month after I sent my draft cards back, worked 2 years as a CO in a mental hospital in Boston -- lived in a closet at Lenk's place for a while... Moved to southern Colorado in 69 with an anti-war, back-to-the-land, burnt out health care worker and hippie commune... did farming/ranching/construction for a few years, got back into human services in 72 with VISTA, then a community mental health center, bi-lingual education, and aging/senior services. Picked up a few degrees in Community Psychology, Counseling and Public Administration.
Moved to Denver with my family in 83, worked 20 years with State of Colorado's Medicaid and Child Health services, doing legislation and program development for long-term care, new programs, computer systems, procurement and contract management, etc etc. The usual stuff you got to do in the belly of the beast to raise 5 kids, who are now 30 to 21.
Retired in 03, now nearly full-time volunteer with AFSC projects, El Centro Humanitario Para Los Trabajaderos, monthly and yearly meetings, and a few other Quaker-leftie peace and justice orgs. My main focus is on migrant and border issues -- I'll be on the border [no, not with the vigilantes, but in the same areas] and in Mexico a lot of the time this Spring and Summer, so don't know yet if I can make the reunion. Asi es la vida.
My kids [with Constance, now an ESL teacher here, we're good friends] are the main deal, tho.
Matt [30] works for New Belgium brewery [Fat Tire, etc, for you sophisticated ale drinkers west of the Mississippi] producing their bike and music tours throughout the West -- he's a musician and sound tech - check out TheReals.net for his "Americana/Roots" band, which got several local and national awards for their latest CD, "Majestic".
Jeremy [28] is finishing up his teaching degree, and works mainly with at-risk kids in alternative high schools.
Cheyenne [27] sings with The Reals, does midwifery kinds of stuff, and is mom to Romey [2].
Sofia [25] has two kids, Bailey [almost 3 - my daily partner in lots of far-flung operations] and Henry [1].
Joel [21] is the top lift monkey [at 12,000 feet] in Winter Park, erstwhile electrician and musician.
All the kids are as sweet, smart and useful as you might expect if you didn't know their PapaLoco as well as you do.
If I don't make it in May, hoist one for me and tell Curwood I've got his pic from the Farm and Wilderness Camps in Vermont, pre-Westtown. We sure were good-looking kids... I'm still singing and picking the songs we learned there and at Westtown, too. Anybody heard from Russell T. Brown??
We [Annette is my wife's name -- she's spiritual leader/shamanka and CEO of Colorado's association of Community, Migrant and Homeless Health Centers -- married me 10 years ago when I had 5 teenagers, if that gives you an idea of her courage and/or sanity] have plenty of room for Westtonians here in Westminster, close to DIA and downtown Denver.
Adelante, por la Paz y en el luz --
Tom Kowal <tomandannette
comcast.net>
6862 Wyman Way, Westminster, CO 80030
303-428-4816 (home) 303-921-1481 (cell)