Ed Simonet introduced Dick Anderson who gave an inspirational talk to our guests, the students participating in STRIVE. Dick is a successful businessman here in Stillwater, Owner of the St. Croix Packet Company (Andiamo Boats), Lowell Inn plus other enterprises in Stillwater. He spoke directly to the students, detailing some of his not so perfect youth and how he struggled but enventually got his life together. He emphazied to the students that without so many jobs available in these times, they must work extra hard, and set goals

Dick emphasized 3 key items, 1^st you must challenge yourself all the time. In 9^th grade he wished that his shop teacher had challenged him rather then just criticize. It is important that every day that you try to do something better. He dropped out of school when he was in 10^th grade and made a lot of bad decisions. His 2^nd  key item was to make good positive decisions. Finally in his life he began to do this when he was 27 years old. He remembers one of his teachers saying to him, “it is within your power to be anything you want to be!” He had a friend in School whom he recently met, who shared his trouble making ways in those days and today he is a very successful attorney.

His 3^rd item is to give back what you have received, it is your obligation. He has been involved in helping kids that have had trouble with the law, doing this for 12 years with 25 kids at a time. He found them to have no purpose, no goals and pretty much down on life. “You, only you, have to make your own choices.