During a 20-year run with General Electric, I was fortunate to spend a lot of time doing business on the road. I remember my first visit to the coast of Oregon like it was yesterday. I needed to do some business down in Coos Bay and decided to take the 101 back to Portland so I could visit a friend who had just opened a restaurant in Depoe Bay. The drive of course was amazing and even though the weather did not cooperate, I could not help but pull over and enjoy the beauty many, many times. My wife had recently passed away following a long battle with breast cancer, both daughters were married off the same year and the timing of this drive was perfect! The dynamic views as well as the few locals I met along the way was quite medicinal for the heart and soul…
Let’s fast forward a few years when it was time for a change, downsize, take the next steps on the journey. The run with GE was coming to a close, I was located down in Southern California and while I will always have a soft spot for the beautiful ocean community of San Clemente, I just knew it was time to move on. With that said, I also knew that an ocean needed to be part of this next step, and the first area that came to heart was the Oregon Coast…
Fast forward again to the wonderful community of Yachats where I was fortunate to obtain employment at the local bank. I was truly blessed to work in this wonderful coastal gem, not only because of its’ beauty, but also because of the people! As far as that beauty goes, I would take my lunch breaks on Ocean Road enjoying the wonderful ocean and viewshed just about every day. The people? Every workday was a true blessing because of the locals as well as the part-time residents we would serve daily. I couldn’t help but get involved in the community through several different fundraising groups and various community organizations including View the Future.
Why View the Future? As is noted on our View the Future website, “It is the landscape that sets the context for Yachats…” …“forested hillsides, picturesque stream-ways clean air and water.” And then there’s the mission of View the Future… “to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural environment, promoting collaborative actions for scientific, educational, recreational, cultural, and economic goals for the benefit of the Yachats community and its future generations.” Enough said!! I have been blessed to be part of this worthwhile organization and look forward to serving this mission for many more years to come.
Editor’s note: Dean shares his experience gained from his banking years by serving as the VtF Treasurer. He maintains and presents financial reports at every Board meeting and has been a valuable resource to the organization for issues related to budget and finance.
