Our new member, Walt Grady, has lived in Fort Collins for 28 years. He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. Prior to Fort Collins, he lived with Marti, his spouse/partner, and two children, on the coast of Maine for fourteen years. Walt says, “ I have been married to Marti since the bicentennial of our country. We have two adult children, Ryan (38) and Jessica (35); both live in the area. Marti and I have two granddaughters. I served in the Navy where I had the honor of being in the first class of women becoming Navy pilots. Afterwards, I worked in business start-ups (technology) and non-profits (serving people with disabilities) until 2021. I have always had a passion for supporting people facing significant challenges, especially discrimination. My first real job out of school was working for the Pennsylvania Human Relation Commission where I investigated a high school refusing their girls basketball team use of the high school gym.”
Walt joined Rotary to be part of a community of kindred spirits in service. He says, “I’m an eternal optimist… the cup isn’t just half full, it’s overflowing. I believe the best is yet to come. “
Walt has a whole list of interests and hobbies. They include: hiking, biking, bike touring, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, back packing, stargazing for shooting stars, and listening to what Mother Nature has to say. And for indoor activities they are music performances of almost any type, reading history, group discussions of controversial subjects, and listening to stand-up comedy.