Impact Maker Interview 1

We have a lot to learn from others that are trying to build their communities and their woodpiles. Today’s interview picks another person we’ve identified as giving back to their community in some way and tries to learn from them. My questions are in bold, their responses are in black.

If you know someone you would like to nominate for an interview, please drop me a note with a brief story about why that person should be featured.

Today’s Interview: Wayne H.

Tell us about yourself, where you live, and your family.

My family and I have lived in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, for just over 20 years. My wife and I both grew up in the St. Cloud, MN area. We have two daughters – one who just started college at North Dakota State University in Fargo, and the other is a sophomore at Kennedy Secondary School in Fergus Falls.

What makes your community special?

Where to even begin? When my wife and I came up to Fergus Falls for the first time after I accepted my job here, we weren’t sure that we’d stay long. Growing up in a larger community, we figured we’d move on to bigger and “better” things before too long. It didn’t take us long to fall in love with Fergus Falls however, and we decided that this would be an amazing place to call home. The community has a beautiful downtown, a thriving arts scene (for a relatively small city – wow!) and is a great size to get around without having to always rely on our vehicle, as we like to walk and bike. Fergus Falls is also surrounded by a natural environment that people from across the Midwest visit for the vast recreational opportunities.

What do you do to make your community better (volunteer, donate, etc.)?

I’m very active and involved as a volunteer in the community. I’m the Board President for the Otter Tail County Historical Society, and serve on the Boards of Directors for Pedal Fergus Falls (a local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group) and the Fergus Falls Downtown Riverfront Council. I serve on the City of Fergus Falls Planning Commission, and previously served a term on the Fergus Falls City Council. Our family are members of too many local organizations to list here, which we donate to and/or volunteer for regularly.

How do you impact others with your work/vocation?

As a certified professional transportation planner, most of my work focuses on Safe Routes to Schools programs and other ways to make the communities in my region more walkable and bikeable. I find it very satisfying to work on making our communities safer for the most vulnerable users of our transportation networks. In particular, the Safe Routes to Schools programs strive to make it easier and more fun for kids to walk and bike to school. One of the great benefits of the program is that it can give kids the confidence to continue walking and biking throughout their life.

Tell us about how you build your family up for success?

My wife and I have encouraged our daughters from a very early age to be curious, independent, thoughtful, kind, considerate, and to always be open to trying new things.

What have the results been?

As they’ve grown, they’ve developed into smart, strong young women. They’ve both been very active in extracurricular activities in school, ranging from sports to chamber orchestra.

Talk about the event, organization or activity you’ve been involved in that made the biggest impact?

It’s hard to choose, but Pedal Fergus Falls has done some pretty amazing things in a very short amount of time. The organization has only been around for four years, and in that time Fergus Falls went from having little to no conversations about people being able to walk and bike around town, to being recognized nationally as both a Bicycle Friendly Community and a Walk Friendly Community – one of only three with both designations in Minnesota.

Who or what inspired you to give back of yourself?

I’ve thought about that question a lot over the years and haven’t really been able to point to anything specific that got me headed down this path. I’m sure I’ve been inspired over the years by a variety of influences, from family to friends, to teachers and professors in college. Even watching PBS programming like Mr. Rogers as a child was probably more influential than I’ve ever realized!

What has been the biggest obstacle for you personally in trying to be a community builder, and how did you or do you hope to overcome it?

For me, not being a native of Fergus Falls had been an obstacle. In a small community it can be challenging to break into the existing networks. My approach was to simply get involved, and also listen a lot early on. You can learn a lot and get to know people, which gives you more credibility when the time comes for you to get to work.

What legacy do you hope to leave?

I feel like I’ve already accomplished the biggest one, which was for my daughters to become the amazing young women that they have become. On a broader scale, it would be great if I left my little corner of the world as a better place for people to get around by walking or biking.

What advice to you want to give someone trying to build their woodpile?

Get involved! Everyone has something to contribute and can play a role in making their community a better place to live. You don’t need to run for city council; it can be as simple as picking up some trash next time you’re out for a walk or smiling when you pass someone on the street. Leading by example with small, simple actions such as those can be contagious 😊

Any questions you would like to ask our Woodpile community?

What’s your favorite thing about your community?

Feel free to leave comments or questions for Wayne in the comments below. If you want to catch future Impact Maker Interviews, please follow us at your favorite social media link at the top right of the page, or leave your email in the box to the right.