Old age sneaks up on us when we aren’t watching our birthdays.
About Me – Honest Henry
I retired early to begin a “second life” of service to young children, their schools, and their families. In the 1980s I moved to Lenox, Massachusetts in the rural western part of the state known as the Berkshires. In this area, with numerous small towns and two modest-sized cities in the mountain valleys, an old-time sense of “community” still exists.
The Berkshires provided an ideal setting for my non-profit work serving small children. I created and managed a successful program serving non-profit preschools. The program provided funding for families who could not afford the full cost of tuition for quality day care for their children. By establishing a sliding scale tuition fee based on income and supplementing the schools’ budgets, we made it possible to turn no one away due to their modest incomes. We also supported parenting education, and weekly gatherings of parents with their young children. Teachers in the preschools were also enriched by the program. These deeply dedicated but poorly paid professionals were able to meet on a monthly basis for professional growth, and were given the opportunity to visit other preschools to see them in action. Finally, the program offered small stipends to teachers to develop new curriculum materials. This funding unleashed a tremendous outpouring of creativity and excitement! Other aspects of the program included physical education for the young children led by their teachers.
The major support for these programs was contributions from local businesses, foundations and individuals. For a number of years, things ran successfully on a “shoe string” budget. However, it became impossible to operate year-after-year solely funded by contributions. Eventually the “shoe string” budget snapped, and we had to close up shop.
The goal of my new Mountain Man Insights book, plus the daily newspaper feature as it is published in additional newspapers, is to bring in the earned income necessary to re-establish the preschool program on an ongoing, sustainable basis. We will establish the programs in the entire Berkshires and give thousands of young children a great start in life! Equally as significant, this early childhood educational program will serve as a model for communities across America.
I am committed to contributing all proceeds from Mountain Man Insights to serve children, their schools, and their care providers. Each dollar you spend on Mountain Man Insights books ends up serving children!
With love, Honest Henry
P.S. In all honesty, I occasionally receive a hot fudge sundae bonus from all this, topped with whipped cream and almonds! Well, none of us are perfect.