WHY I GIVE THANKS: Early lessons led to a lifetime of service

By: 
Mike Reimer

There are numerous opportunities, blessings and gifts in life, and I try to focus my appreciation on them every day.

I, personally, am most appreciative of being raised in a home of faith. I wish that everyone could have this kind of upbringing. People of faith learn personal strength, independence, humility and kindness. Our community has many people of faith across many denominations. I believe it positively contributes to our cooperation and common sense approaches to our challenges.

I have had people in my life offer me prayer and guidance. Relationships with family, friends, colleagues, neighbors and others have been important to me. The opportunities created through people in my life have been more than I deserve, and I am indebted to all of them.

I am thankful that when growing up I was made to do my homework and chores. I am thankful that I was made to work from a very young age — mowing lawns, shoveling snow and many, many part-time jobs and much volunteer work. Through this, I was able to develop an appreciation for education and am forever grateful that I was somehow able to secure an education. The struggle to support oneself through an education can be very difficult yet very rewarding. There were many life lessons to be learned through that time. The experience of the struggle is something that I will always appreciate, and those life lessons continue to help me now.

I am thankful to be a citizen of our country. I hope that all of us recognize the significance of this gift. The understanding of the freedoms that we have need to be passed down to the younger people. This is our responsibility. I do not believe we can understate the importance of United States citizenship in our lives. I believe that our young people can also understand the sacrifices made for them and future generations by patriotic Americans if we only tell them about our history, including the bad as well as the good. There are many young Americans who want to be patriotic and want to understand the privilege of their citizenship.

I appreciate the communities that I have been able to live and work in. I have a strong regard for the excellence and resiliency of all people, and especially those that continue to live with pain, trauma and challenges. I have a special sense of appreciation for those who are caregivers for their elderly family members, disabled family members, grandchildren and foster children. They are unsung heroes.

I appreciate all of those who work to provide for their families. The people who sacrifice for their children, work hard in their jobs, involve themselves in their children’s lives, protect their families and help their neighbors are our strength. These are the folks who give our community the high quality of life that we enjoy. We need to help all of our younger people to take the responsibility to continue to preserve what we have, including all of those who have made mistakes and are working to improve. We need everybody.

I am blessed to have been able to serve the citizens of Oconto County for most of my career. The stories and life situations of our citizens have offered me a perspective that many do not see. I have great respect for the strength of those who remain kind to others despite their suffering. It is an honor to serve those who come to us. There are many amazing things that happen every day in our community. I am thankful for the things that I have been able to assist with or in some way support.

I give thanks for all of these reasons.


Mike Reimer retires in January as director of the Oconto County Health and Human Services Department, where he has served the county for three decades.

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