Joel D. Wells

For about ten years (03-12), my wife Jackie and I divided our lives and time between Africa and the USA. We worked as Missionary's living in Jeffery's Bay South Africa, working there and also in the nation of Malawi. We developed an educational tool called the PAL - Portable Academic Lapdesk. We moved back to Spokane in 2012 to start our own non-profit. Check it out at www.lapdeskpal.com Along with working full time until I can retire we also take teams to Malawi once a year and distribute lapdesks to rural schools that literally have nothing.

I still love to hunt and fish. I have taken several deer since moving back but haven't gotten an elk in years but I have taken an African Blesbok and Mountain Reedbok. I do a lot of my hunting today with the camera and love doing African Safaris which we try to do every year.

what's new with me is our work in Africa. It has brought some true fulfillment to my life as I know we are changing lives of teachers and students in Zambia and Malawi.

I worked construction around the NW for many years and finished my career at Kaiser Mead. Then I took advantage of a one year opportunity in South Africa that turned into 10 and will be a part of our lives for ever as we travel back and forth. I retired from my career as an Ironworker in 2019. Life just gets better and better.

Scott Eymer was running for ASB President And part of his campaign strategy was handing out buttons. They were entitled, "What's an Eymer". I still have one of the silly buttons.

Lynn Russell and I are still close friends as was the late Steve Moran. My good friend Ken Austin past away several years ago.

Well, Coach Stone, of course. He was the wrestling Coach and in those days, wrestling was my sport. He helped me grow up and mentered me along the way. He was a great role model for me to follow.

Ok, the Bucket List, was that a great movie or what? First of all I do have a Bucket List - do you? Some items on my list are: Visit more of the continent of Africa and more of Europe; climb Kilimanjaro, go on a family cruise with all the kids and grandkids and go Moose hunting with my son Dale.

I have seen Victoria Falls 9 times, been on multiple safari's, and got a speeding ticket by driving too fast on the freeway in Botswana in the donkey cart zone. I have been in 22 countries and would like to get to a lot more.