Today I have a little story to tell you about a serendipitous event last year that led to the fulfillment of a life long dream. The dear gentleman (in every sense of the word) I had the great privilege of supporting his last few years at CH, Bud Ahearn, had a bit of a problem with his heart in April of 2009. One of his procedures was done so quickly that none of his family had time to get here so I went over to Sky Ridge in the afternoon to sit with him a bit. (If you read this, Bud, you were sleeping so won't remember it.) When I left the hospital there was a woman in the lobby with a large jewelry table (Silpada) and something caught my eye so I stopped to look and chat with her. Somewhere during the conversation she mentioned she also taught piano and I said, oh, I've wanted all my life to play the piano, never had a chance and still would love to do that. (Gary had bought me a used piano a couple of years ago.) Well, I bought something from her and when she called back to check with me, asked if I was really interested in learning to play because she had a spot for an adult. After about 30 seconds thinking of all the reasons I shouldn't and couldn't right now I said well...yes! So for the first time in my life I sat with a piano teacher and had the great joy and challenge of practice. Long story short, I stuck with it and today can actually play Pachelbel Canon in D and Fur Elise - not perfectly, of course, but at least recognizably. Now the second part of this story is just as good.
The day I walked into Kathlyn Gogarty-Baines' home (piano teacher) there was this absolutely gorgeous painting hanging over their sofa that drew me like a magnet. When I commented on it Kathlyn said "It's by my husband, Dix Baines" who just happens to be an extremely accomplished and well known artist. So every day I got to go for a lesson I was also exposed to the art gallery in their home. In the spring they had a fund-raiser for their daughter who also happens to be a LaCrosse star and I put an entry in for a raffle and won a beautiful photo by their OTHER daughter (who is a professional photographer) of a waterfall near Hanging Lake at Glenwood. I believe in passing blessings along so someone else who attended the Water for People fundraiser event this year is now the lucky owner of that. But this year they had another Lacrosse fundraiser, I again submitted an entry and look what I won!
This is a large print giglee on canvas of the McPollin Farm, $750 value! I felt like I won the lottery. I've fallen in love with Dix's work and for my 60th BD last year I bought myself my first original, a gorgeous little 5x8 of a fall bridge/river scene. If you're interested in Dix I'll include his website below, he's been commissioned for several really large projects and at least one of his paintings is hanging in the Broadmoor. But for those of you would-be or are artists (yes, Gwen, I'm talking to you) he also offers group painting lessons in his home at some convenient day or evening times during the week for $15 a session. That would honestly be worth the time just to go and watch and listen to him, I think it's the bargain of the century. Dix and Kathlyn are wonderful, delightful artists so just look at the blessing that flowed from one little visit to the hospital. Here is their website: http://dixbaines.com/.
Well, you know I mentioned Bud earlier and I want to tell you just a bit about him because he's one of those people who leave a ripple effect of goodness that just keeps going. Bud's career profile reads like something from a very prestigious "Who's Who". The first part of his career he served in ever upward evolving positions for the Air Force until he ended up as the Air Force Civil Engineer. When he retired from the Air Force CH had the great privilege of hiring him and he served in such positions as President of our Transportion Group and Vice Chairman of the Board. Bud's real passion, though, is leadership development and at his retirement event last year we heard story after story about how people's lives had been changed because he has the gift of connecting with individuals at a heart level, teaching them the things that really matter, and then encouraging and mentoring them as they begin their upward spiral. I have seen Bud give the same attention to high school age people as he does to his distinguished colleagues and he has inspired and motivated so many, including me, to dig deeper, think more critically, care more deeply, and work harder. Those lessons, in turn, are passed to others so when I say that Bud has had a global effect I truly mean it since he's worked all over the world. His honors and distinctions literally take up pages and they haven't stopped yet. Bud was recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering, an honor awarded to very few professionals - he will be inducted in October. And, although Bud is retired now, he continues to serve as both a representive and ambassador for our company as he serves and attends his professional society functions and teaches in universities. I would count him among the top ten most influential people in my life, and there's another blessing - thank you, Bud!
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