Growing up in the Vesper/Pittsville area on a second-generation cranberry marsh, and attending school in Wisconsin Rapids, I developed deep roots in my community. After graduating from Lincoln High School, I embraced the military lifestyle and moved to Fort Campbell, KY. Once that chapter came to a close, I returned to my hometown to start a family.

I was fortunate to spend a decade as a stay-at-home mom, cherishing those early years. H...