I have been retired from the engineering world for several years now, and I have two children & three grandchildren who inspire me with their wit & goodness. My wife of almost 38 years passed away five years ago, so I have decided that I should do as much as possible to make up for the loss to society of this wonderful woman, as well as several other great women in my family who had abbreviated lives. I have found a lot of solace in efforts that help others, hence I have been putting some time in with the Blount County SPCA Barn Renovation project to create a safe haven for abused/neglected animals. I also drive one morning a week for Meals on Wheels. I have recently been to the Volunteer Expo, where I signed up for a couple of other volunteer groups as well. When I am not out volunteering in the community, I get a kick out of writing letters to the editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel by taking conservative viewpoints to task that I believe adversely impact society, such as a reluctance to raise the minimum wage.