On May 30th we farewelled Mike Cloutier after around 8 months volunteering at Sabina. Mike will be remembered for his tireless commitment to planting and nurturing 180 fruit trees (mango, avocado, mulberry, loquat, custard apple, tangerine, pomegranate, Indian water berry, jackfruit, guava…) and for the friendships he developed with many of the children, who will miss him.Mike joined the project in late 2008 as Dan and Amanda prepared to depart, and held down the role of Project Manager until January, then continued as a volunteer, also helping another project part-time. Mike was a smiling face in the dining area and was known for long late-night reading stints, as well as being prepared to eat ‘anything’.
Mike is travelling home to Canada via England, then he plans an extensive trip into the Arctic Circle, before he settles down to a steady job and raises a family (just kidding Mike).
Best wishes for your future permaculture projects and thanks for volunteering with us.
2 comments:
Adios Amigo - thanks for enjoyable times we spent together at Sabina, planning and planting and digging. So many adventures - a memorable one that time we were A-framing through scrub on the shores of Lake Victoria and you had to strip off to your boxers and dance around like a lunatic to get all the fire ants off you! Thanks for nurturing tree that will nuture children for generations to come and best of luck on the next stretch of your journey - don't forget there'll always be plenty of trees for you to come and help tend down here in the antipodes!
Mike - I'll be forever grateful for your energy and passion and for all you've left behind - besides the trees, the swales, and other infrastructure the warmth of your spirit. I'll treasure your freewheeling, passionate, and often funny and poignant reports that document the early days of the food security program. They reflect the passion and the energy on the ground at Sabina and will be a valuable resource to those who follow in your footsteps. Bon voyage Mike; bon courage on life's continued journey. Jan
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