Los Montañeros
GSEPuertoRico2010
Los Montañeros
GSE West Virginia - to - Puerto Rico 2010
We are a group from West Virginia Rotary International excited to visit our counterparts in Puerto Rico.
David (middle red shirt) Cooper and his twin brother were born in Charleston, South Carolina while their father was serving in the U.S. Air Force. After retiring from the military, David’s father settled in rural Parsons, West Virginia. David received his BS degree from Marshall University and returned to Tucker County where he worked at the YMCA for sixteen years and later as a manager at a local resort for five years. He is currently the Vice-President of his Rotary Club and President of the Tucker Community Foundation. David enjoys staying involved in local and state politics and served on his local school board for three years.
Josh (far right) Wanstreet’s ancestors settled in the present-day Leopold community of Doddridge County, West Virginia in the 1830’s from what is now Germany. Josh is a teacher and currently resides in Morgantown following college and his enlistment in the U.S. Air Force. He began playing traditional old-time fiddle in 1995 upon experiencing West Virginia’s rich, old-time music community during his summer work at Stonewall Jackson Resort. Josh regularly performs at regional festivals and events including dances sponsored by the Morgantown Friends of Old Time Music. His other hobbies include traveling, camping, and reading non-fiction.
Christina (far left) Parrish is a world traveler who recently spent eight months backpacking throughout South and Central America. She is a business and economics graduate of West Virginia University and has worked throughout rural West Virginia and metropolis Washington, D.C. Christina is inspired by forward thinking people and those who commit their lives to helping others. She loves food, music, and cultures that largely differ from hers. Even though traveling the world is a requirement for her livelihood, Christina’s heart will always belong to the mountains and people of West Virginia.
Amanda (second from left) Lachowski lives along the beautiful Cheat River in Preston County, West Virginia among an extended family of friends and dogs. Amanda coordinates environmental education activities for Friends of Deckers Creek, a grassroots watershed conservation non-profit and serves as the President of the Arts Council of Preston County. She is both an artist and a teacher who enjoys working with young people and local leaders to improve their community through creative partnerships and projects. Amanda is originally from Erie, Pennsylvania and lived in South Dakota, Maryland, and Virginia before finding her passion in West Virginia. She loves experiencing the outdoors, listening to live music, and making art.
Taryn (second from right) Bell lives on Paradise Lake in Monongalia County, West Virginia with her soon-to-be husband and two adored dogs, Zeus and Duke. Currently, Taryn is employed by a Morgantown engineering firm as a GIS Specialist/Stream Monitor. Having worked in the coal industry in West Virginia for the last 6 years, she has seen the many different aspects of coal and how it has been an economic staple of West Virginia culture and way of life. Taryn is a person who loves to travel, experience different cultures, and thrives off of philanthropy, but always loves coming home to West Virginia. She is extremely family oriented and is fortunate to have her parents residing close by. When not working Taryn enjoys gardening, hiking, growing her own vegetables, and making art.