I am the eighth of 12 children. Six boys and six girls. We divide into three groups of four and I am the youngest of the middle group. Photos by Gary Porter My dad was a railroad worker and my mom was home with us. At the time, the regularity and frequency of railroad work …
I grew up in a place called Veefkind. It used to be a little bitty rural community with a store, post office, a couple of sawmills, tavern, church, and, of course, the cemetery. It was named after my great-great grandfather, Henry Born Veefkind, who actually built our farm. The home farm went through six generations …
https://vimeo.com/194582427 We met up with a group of amazing Wisconsin women vets at their monthly connection luncheon. The women span generations and served in many different conflicts. It was so fascinating to hear about their varied experiences and also so heartwarming to see how they support each other. Listen in as they talk about what …
I grew up back in the good-ol’-days, in Pittsville, Wisconsin. My dad was a logger and a professional fur trapper. My mother was a nurse. Mom is an angel, and we still talk every day. But my dad and I had a kinda difficult relationship when I was growing up. One thing we bonded over, …
“My experiences in Vietnam had a huge impact on me.” Read More »
Steve: I’d come home and there would be a U-Haul waiting there, and I knew we were moving. There wasn’t any family discussion; we just moved. I think it was mostly around finances—better home, cheaper rent. So we lived in a lot of places around Wisconsin growing up. Photos by Megan Monday I was born in Madison, …
As a teenager, I knew every cop on the north side precinct on a first-name basis. It was hard for me in the holding tank, but I got it even harder when I got home. I certainly had a problem with authority. I didn’t follow direction. As my grandfather put it, ‘That boy’s got smarts, but …
“In the Army I learned respect. I learned integrity.” Read More »
Steve: I was a junior in high school when 9/11 happened. I watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center live on TV in American history class. After that, all my friends were enlisting. It was kinda just the thing to do. Photos by Megan Monday I was already living on my own in high …
“I was into sustainability, he was into working with veterans…” Read More »
My dad learned to fly when I was in high school. He got his pilot license, and he was encouraging me to do it, but I was just too busy, you know, in high school. Photos by Megan Monday “Once I was in college, he gave me a gift of three flying lessons for Christmas. …
“Why would anybody join the Air Force unless they could be a pilot?” Read More »
WISCONSIN HUMANITIES