Labor Day reflections

Instead of filling my mind with the Peace Corps today, I'm thinking of the construction union my dad joined after many years of farming. That union membership turned out to be a long-time blessing for my family. In 1963, my 10 year old brother John became sick and permanently disabled. Hearing of those medical costs, the members of my dad's union voted to increase their own health insurance premiums so that every union member had comprehensive medical coverage. I wonder if I could have continued in college if my young brother's medical bills had not been covered by union insurance.

And today my mother at age 96 continues to have drug coverage through the Wisconsin Laborers at a much, much lower rate than Medicare Part D - all because my dad had the good sense to join a union.

Dad also had a sense of humor, so I'll also write about one of his funny lines. In the summer of 1975 - just before he turned 65 - he was picking cherries, fell out of the tree, broke his arm, and was unable to work. He chose to retire but he would always tell people that he fell out of a cherry tree and decided to retire just before he hit the ground!

He would indeed be proud to know that I'm joining the Peace Corps.