My wife Barbie and I retired to Key West in early 2012. I grew my beard. That’s where and when we discovered the Hemingway Look Alike Society.
I had a 38-year career as an Army Warrant Officer helicopter pilot and a 27-year career as a corporate pilot for Bunn Corp in Springfield, IL. If those numbers don’t seem to add up, it’s because most of my military career was flying in the Army Reserves and National Guard.
Barbie worked in the fitness industry and owned a Curves for Women Fitness Center. She was a dynamo who could workout with her girls all day long!
After retiring, we lived on a sailboat at Boca Chica NAS for a couple years, then moved ashore into a little townhouse in Key West. Life was good, but I was a little bored and the flying bug was still there.
I came out of retirement and flew Trauma Star medevac helicopters for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office as Chief Pilot, then Director for almost 4 years. Retiring for the third time in January 2020.
We moved to Daytona Beach in 2021 for health reasons and sadly, Barbie lost her battle in 2023. We had 27 wonderful years together.
Over the many years, the Hemingway Look Alike Society became family for us. We enjoyed the look-alike contests and really enjoyed the less stressful mid-year gatherings.
I’m a little slow sometimes and it took me a couple years to figure out that HLAS is a brotherhood and sisterhood of like-minded souls determined to do some good in the world with scholarships while, at the same time, having fun. Lots of fun! I’m hooked and think a lot about how I can help the organization while joining in on the fun!
2024, my winning year, was bittersweet. My biggest supporter wasn’t there. But many of my best friends in the world were there for me! It’s difficult to describe the high I felt having them around me to celebrate! I was happy to tell them to their faces that the slaps on the back, the hugs and their emotional support had been life-changing and life-saving for me.
The Hemingway Look Alike Contest is the friendliest contest I’ve ever seen. It is much more than a look-alike contest and the ongoing joke is that Hemingway himself couldn’t win his first year. It took me 10.
While the competitiveness is there, anyone and everyone will gladly give you tips and advice on how to do better. “Always wear a nametag, wear khaki, eat the mike, set yourself apart, tell ‘em something they don’t know, speak from the heart.”
Now I’m Papa 2024 and a judge in future contests. Winning was a surprise and a bit of a shock. The first hour or so after hearing my name called is still a bit of a blur.
I hope to do a good job for HLAS in whatever capacity. The Papas before me have set the bar pretty high. Especially on the “having fun” part!
Стильные советы по подбору необычных видов на каждый день.
Заметки стилистов, новости, все новые коллекции и шоу.
https://chutpatti.com/read-blog/34035
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