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Manager's Moments pg 6Golf Classic pg 5July 2025 Message

2Q uote for the Month"This July, let the same spirit of independence that built our naon inspire your work. Strive for excellence, lead with integrity, and build your business with the same courage and dedicaon that truly makes America great." – David Chen, President, United Manufacturing GroupGet Ready for the 2025 WHA Get Ready for the 2025 WHA Annual Convenon!Annual Convenon!Get ready for the most ancipated event of the year! Join us August 18–20 at the fantasc Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, WA for the WHA Annual Convenon!Prepare for an unforgeable experience packed with:• A dynamic speaker lineup on August 19th, guaranteed to inspire and inform.• Exclusive sponsor perks you won't want to miss.• Incredible networking opportunies! Hit the links for a round of golf at Camas Meadows on August 18th, or enjoy an excing day of salmon shing on the Columbia River on August 20th.But that's not all – you can also make a dierence! Support our mission by donang to or bidding in our silent aucon (conveniently via app!), the thrilling live aucon, and the bucket rae. Help us reach our goal of 40+ donaons! All proceeds benet WHA scholarships and hardwood iniaves.Explore Excing Vancouver, WA!While you're here, take some extra me to discover all that excing Vancouver, WAhas to oer! From vibrant In this issue:* Upcoming Events* Quote for the Month* Outlook* Golf Classic* Manager's Moments* Hardwood Federaon Update* Scholarship Winners* News* MovaonNo. 676July 2025WHA Board of Directors - OcersTeana Larson, HUB Internaonal Insurance PresidentLouie Guyee, Northwest Hardwoods Vice PresidentVernadel Peterson, Northwest Hardwoods TreasurerAaron Blumenkron, Goby Walnut Immediate Past PresidentWHA Board of Directors - Board MembersSco Clark, Hardwood IndustriesAdam Duplisea, Nyle Dry KilnsMarlin Langworthy, Cascade HardwoodsSco Leavengood, OSUMike Lipke, Trillium Pacic MillworkBrad Michael, JoeScanRyan Peterson, Northern HardwoodsDennis Sanders, Patrick HardwoodsDavid SweitzerSecretary/ManagerPO Box 1894Bale Ground, WA 98604Ph: (360) 835-1600Web: www.westernhardwood.orgEmail: wha@westernhardwood.orgUpcoming Events July 8, 2025WHA Thermally Modified Wood WebinarregisterJuly 9, 2025WHA Board Meetingwha@westernhardwood.orgJuly 18, 2025WHA Sternwheeler Dinner Cruisewha@westernhardwood.orgAugust 18-20, 2025WHA Annual Conventionwha@westernhardwood.orgOctober 1-3, 2025NHLA Annual Conventionhttps://nhla.com/convention/nhla-annual-convention/

3downtown aracons to scenic waterfront views, there's something for everyone. Plus, make sure to sign up for the Show Your Badge Program at hps://www.visitvancouverwa.com/meengs/desnaon-services/dining-deals-vancouver for exclusive dining deals and discounts around town!Don't miss out on this incredible blend of professional development, fun acvies, and community support. We can't wait to see you there!Register now - and consider becoming a sponsor—packages include free registraons, year-long ads, and high-prole exposure! www.westernhardwood.org/2025OutlookInterviews with West Coast lumber providers reveal a consensus of healthy domesc operaons. One company representave noted a signicant improvement in business compared to six months ago. This view was corroborated by another source, who proposed that a constrained supply could be a contribung factor. Lumber sales in California remain steady say one contact there, with increased order fulllment aer a period of quotes. White Oak is a top seller for this domesc-only supplier to ooring companies and distributors, who report stable business, possibly beer than six months ago. Another California lumber spokesman also reports consistently strong sales, parcularly for Ri White Oak. While customers express tari concerns, it hasn't impacted orders yet, though pricing increases are ancipated.An Oregon-based lumber company reports increased domesc sales and order frequency over the past month, surpassing levels from six months ago due to higher demand and ghter supply. So Maple is their top-selling species. They sell to furniture, ooring, cabinet, and millwork manufacturers, who are also seeing improved sales. Taris on shipments to China, especially for Cherry, pose a signicant challenge.Western Hardwood Western Hardwood AssociationAssociationAnnual Convention Annual Convention GrowingGrowingthetheFutureFutureDIAMONDDIAMOND SILVERSILVERBRONZEBRONZEBRBREAKFASTEAKFAST2025 SPONSORS2025 SPONSORS2025 Annual Convention Sponsor Opportunities$5,000 - $5,000 - DIAMONDDIAMOND $3,000 - $3,000 - GOLDGOLD $2,000 - $2,000 - SILVERSILVER $1,000 - $1,000 - BRONZEBRONZE $1,000 - Meeting app sponsor$2,000 - Welcome reception sponsor$2,000 - Lunch SponsorSign up now!

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52025 WHAGolf Classic

6M anager's Moments Dave SweitzerSecretary/Manager, WHAGrowing the Future: WHA 2025 Annual ConvenonMark your calendars for August 18–20, 2025, and join us at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, WA, for the WHA 2025 Annual Convenon! This year’s theme—Growing the Future—captures our commitment to innovaon, educaon, and the strong community that powers the hardwood industry forward.This annual event brings together woodland owners, industry leaders, researchers, and professionals from across the Northwest and beyond. It’s a chance to share knowledge, build relaonships, and chart a course for the future of hardwoods. Whether you're managing mberlands, advocang for policy, or manufacturing wood products, this convenon delivers the tools and connecons you need.Our speaker lineup is packed with mely insights:Dr. Yunxiang Ma of Michigan Technological University will share groundbreaking research on using northern hardwoods in cross-laminated mber (CLT)—a key to unlocking new markets and advancing sustainable building pracces.Dana Cole of the Hardwood Federaon will bring the latest policy updates from Washington, D.C., helping us stay informed and engaged.Mike Snow of AHEC will explore the big picture—taris, trade wars, and global trends aecng our industry.John Holte of Roseburg Forest Products will focus on residuals markets and maximizing value from wood chips.Ben Deumling of Zena Forest Products will oer a praccal update on forest policy changes in Oregon.Dana Spessert of NHLA will share updates on the RAHC and NHLA’s evolving role.William Smith of Daring Creave will demonstrate how AI tools can transform the way we create, communicate, and innovate.The WHA Annual Convenon is also a great opportunity to network with peers, enjoy the beauty of the Northwest, and support the next generaon—with all proceeds helping fund scholarships for forestry students.Whether you're here to connect, learn, or lead, you don’t want to miss WHA 2025. Let’s shape what’s next—together.Informaon & Registraon:Update from Hardwood FederaonDana Cole, Execuve DirectorJune 2025Why Is It So Hard to Pass Legislaon? Polics, Process, and Priories in 2025If you've been watching the news, including your Hardwood Federaon updates, talking to your members of Congress or aended the annual Federaon Fly-in, one thing is crystal clear—passing legislaon is harder than ever. While gridlock in Washington is nothing new, the current polical climate and the speed and exibility of policy development under the returning Trump Administraon, has added even more complexity to an already cumbersome process. The hardwood industry—like so many others—nds itself waing on important decisions while policymakers ght over process and priority.The System is Not Built for Speed: The Founding Fathers did not create a process to move quickly on legislaon. The three co-equal branches of government, the deliberate process required to pass legislaon, the two-party system which allows for minority dissenon (and tools to further slow things down), and the privilege of public engagement all are intended to ensure proposed legislaon has a full review before becoming law. More recently, the rise of social media has created further tensions between the pares.Reconciliaon: Big Promise, Bigger Problems: Reconciliaon—a powerful tool to pass budget-related legislaon with a simple Senate majority—is supposed to streamline acon. But this year’s massive reconciliaon bill, packed with expiring business tax provisions and new revenue raisers, has become a polical lightning rod. Lawmakers are at odds over what stays, what gets cut, and who pays for it. Negoaons have gone late into the night—some running into early morning hours—but progress is slow and compromise elusive.The Budget Bale: Craing and passing a federal budget has always involved sausage-making, but in 2025, it’s more like trench warfare. Deep divisions remain between scal hawks demanding spending cuts and others pushing for expanded investments in economic growth, including infrastructure and workforce development.The NDAA: Defense and Division: Even tradionally biparsan eorts like the Naonal Defense Authorizaon Act (NDAA) are now sources of parsan wrangling. While the NDAA has long been seen as “must-pass” legislaon, this year’s version has become weighed down by unrelated policy riders, culture war amendments, and broader geopolical anxiees.Last year was an unusual year for the Federaon; we acvely engaged on the NDAA in order to get language encouraging adopon of American red oak for use in military truck beds. We also worked to get Cont on pg 8

7SIMPLY BETTERSAWMILL SCANNINGJS-50X6BNEWCARRIAGES & SHORT-INFEEDEDGERS

8some troublesome language out of the bill that would have limited harvesng on federal lands. While the NDAA doesn’t usually directly impact the hardwood sector to this degree, its fate is ed to broader legislave momentum. When even the NDAA stalls, it signals trouble for everything else—including Farm Bill reauthorizaon, export program funding, and rural workforce iniaves crical to our communies.What It Means for the Hardwood Industry: The Fly-In this year could not have been beer med. With reconciliaon negoaons unfolding as our members met face-to-face with over 100 congressional oces and Administraon ocials, we delivered a clear message: our industry needs acon—not delay.We shared real-world stories of how uncertainty aects mills, markets, and jobs. We made the case that internaonal trade policy must support—not strangle—U.S. hardwood exports. We asked for extension of crical tax provisions. And we reminded policymakers that without a funconing legislave process, we all lose.Your Voice Sll Maers: The disfuncon in D.C. may seem overwhelming, but our voices carry weight. Every meeng, every phone call, every email helps break through the noise. Advocacy takes persistence. Most of the me, success happens over the course of many months, or even years. The path forward may be tough, but the Hardwood Federaon’s commitment to the hardwood industry is tougher.So while legislaon is hard to pass—especially now—it’s not impossible. And with your connued engagement, we’ll keep pushing forward.Senate Releases Tax Reconciliaon Language but Challenges Remain: On Monday evening, the Senate Finance Commiee unveiled its poron of the budget reconciliaon bill. Finance is the panel that is in charge of fashioning the tax provisions in the comprehensive measure. The text tracks largely along the lines of what the Hardwood Federaon team expected, with a few deviaons. Provisions in the text of concern to the Federaon are the following:• 100 percent bonus deprecaon/full expensing: As expected the bill not only restores this tax benet allowing businesses to immediately expense 100% of capital investments in machinery and equipment but makes this provision permanent. Recall that the House-passed bill only extends full expensing for 5 years. • Research & Development (R&D) Credit: The Senate’s text restores this tax benet that expired 2024 Western Timber Products Output survey Each year the Forest Industry Research Program at the University of Montana surveys the WESTERN HARDWOOD INDUSTRY. Accurate and objecve informaon leads to an improved understanding of issues facing the industry, as well as its contribuon to the ECONOMIES OF CALIFORNIA, OREGON AND WASHINGTON. The more rms that respond to these surveys—regardless of their size—the beer the resulng data, encouraging decisions that will secure the economic future and prosperity of the West’s hardwood industry. Facility and company data are kept condenal. Informaon is only reported in summary form. The Timber Products Output survey is conducted with support from the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program, Pacic Northwest Research Staon. Forest Industry Research Program | University of Montana | bber.umt.edu/FIR/ | TimberInfo@umontana.edu This instuon is an equal-opportunity provider. Cont on pg 11Cont from pg 6

9Meet the 2025 Western Hardwood Associaon Scholarship Winners!Isaiah Porter-MillsIsaiah Porter-Mills has a profound passion for forestry, a love deeply rooted in his upbringing. His father, a log truck driver, oen took a young Isaiah along on his routes into the woods during school breaks and even before Isaiah started school. These formave experiences led Isaiah to feel like he truly grew up in the woods. His family lives on forested acreage, and he acvely parcipated in their forest management plan, including selecve thinning and logging, during his junior high years. Their home, a log cabin built from local mber, further solidied his connecon to the forest, as he spent countless hours with his father cung rewood and exploring logging sites. Isaiah's father consistently pointed out the "best trees," whether for rewood or for Christmas. Beyond his family's property, Isaiah has also worked part-me at a local mill since he was old enough to be employed.During the summer before his senior year of high school, Isaiah was honored to intern as a Forestry Intern at Vaagen Brothers Lumber, the same local mill. This immersive experience allowed him to work daily with professional foresters, providing him with a rsthand understanding of the daily responsibilies of the profession. He thoroughly enjoyed the work, which armed his career path. Isaiah applied and was accepted into the University of Idaho, where he is currently double majoring in Forestry and Fire Ecology & Management. This year, Isaiah was also chosen as one of the two 2025 WHA scholarship award recipients, a testament to his dedicaon and potenal in the eld.Olivia ChaseOlivia Chase, a member of the Hoopa Valley tribe, developed an interest in forestry during the devastang 2020 re season. Her reservaon, nestled in a heavily wooded area of Northern California, faced an immense threat, and Olivia feared for her community and the land she held dear. As a high school student, she resolved to pursue an educaon that would equip her to address the danger of catastrophic res. Her research into this crisis led her to discover the pracce of cultural burning, tradionally performed by her tribe and many others for generaons. Deeply inspired by her tribe's re culture and the women who uphold it, Olivia decided to aend Cal Poly Humboldt to study re ecology and ecological restoraon.She's learned that current forestry pracces signicantly inuence wildres. To truly address the wildre crisis, these pracces must be reevaluated, and forest restoraon is crucial for safeguarding communies and supporng sustainable wood product industries. Many of her tribe's cultural pracces rely on forest products, and their history demonstrates that responsible stewardship of forested ecosystems is both possible and necessary. Olivia believes her educaon in Environmental Science/Ecological Restoraon and Fire Ecology will provide the skills to heal degraded ecosystems, restore reciprocal relaonships with forests, and foster safe communies and sustainable industry. This year, Olivia was also chosen as one of the two 2025 WHA scholarship award recipients, highlighng her commitment and promising future in the eld.Help make the 2025 annual aucon a great one, connuing to support these forestry students! We need your donaons. Just print the form, ll it out and email it back!

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11in 2022, which up unl that year, allowed businesses to fully write o their R&D costs in the same year in which those costs were incurred. As with full expensing, the Senate also opted to make this benet permanent. The House-passed bill only extended it for 5 years. • Secon 199A: The Senate Finance Commiee’s text, like the House, makes the 20% deducon for S-Corporaons and other pass-through structures permanent. However, while the House opted to bump this number up to 23%. The Senate holds it at 20%.• Secon 179: Like the House, the proposal increases the maximum amount a business may write o certain expenses to $2.5 million and increases the phaseout threshold amount to $4 million.• EBITDA: The Senate mirrors the House approach in restoring EBITDA as the measure for calculang business interest expense. The current standard established by TCJA is EBIT, which is not as generous and serves to make companies less compeve, parcularly in a high interest rate environment.• Estate and Gi Tax Exempon: Like the House, the Senate bill permanently increases basic estate and gi tax exempon amount and the generaon-skipping transfer tax exempon to $15 million.• State and Local Tax (SALT) Deducon: The Senate opted to keep the current $10,000 cap on the SALT deducon, deviang from the House approach which raised it to $40,000.Senate leaders hope to have the combined budget reconciliaon package on the Senate oor next week to align with their goal of passing the bill through the upper chamber before the July 4 recess. That deadline seems like a stretch goal at this point however, as several GOP Senators have voiced concern with various provisions. Leadership also would prefer to avoid a formal conference commiee with the House and so negoaons over the SALT issue and others will be front and center in the coming days. Senate Republicans do not like the House approach to SALT, but the handful of GOP lawmakers in the House from high SALT states have indicated that the $40,000 cap is nonnegoable. The Federaon will connue to closely track this issue and provide support for important business tax provisions..NewsWASHINGTON, D.C. – USDA Rescinds Naonal Forest Road Restricons(June 23, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule which removes prohibions on road construcon, reconstrucon, and mber harvest on nearly 59 million acres of the Naonal Cont from pg 8

GrowingGrowingthetheFutureFutureAugust 18-20, 2025 August 18-20, 2025 Heathman Lodge Heathman Lodge Vancouver, WAVancouver, WAWestern Hardwood AssociationWestern Hardwood AssociationAnnual Convention Annual Convention The Latest from Washington, D.C. Dana Cole, Executive Director, Hardwood FederationWhere Do We Go From Here? Taris, Trade Wars and a World In Disarray Mike Snow, Executive Director, American Hardwood Export CouncilUpdate on Forest Policy Changes in Oregon Ben Deumling, Zena Forest Products, OwnerMTU research on Northern Hardwoods CLT Dr. Yunxiang Ma, Assoc Professor, Michigan Technological UniversityWood Chip & Residuals Markets & Quality - Factors to Maximize Residuals Value John Holte, Manager, Roseburg Forest ProductsReal American Hardwood Coalition & NHLA 2025 Activities and Rules Proposals Dana Spessert, Chief Inspector, National Hardwood Lumber AssocScrappy, Fast, and Creative: What You Can Make with AI Right Now William Smith, Owner, Daring CreativePlus golf at one of Vancouver's premier courses, Camas Meadows and salmon fishing on the Columbia River, and our annual auction!Information & Registration: www.westernhardwood.org/2025Make your room reservations Room block price expires 7/31/25Get your Show Your Badge at Visit Vancouver for things to do and special discounts.

Forest System, allowing for re prevenon and responsible mber producon.She said the outdated administrave rule contradicts the will of Congress and goes against the mandate of the USDA Forest Service to sustain the health, diversity, and producvity of the naon's forests and grasslands. In total, 30% of Naonal Forest System lands are impacted by this rule."Once again, President Trump is removing absurd obstacles to common sense management of our natural resources by rescinding the overly restricve roadless rule,” said Rollins. “This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our naon’s forests. It is abundantly clear that properly managing our forests preserves them from devastang res and allows future generaons of Americans to enjoy and reap the benets of this great land.”This acon aligns with President Trump’s Execuve Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulaon to get rid of overcomplicated, burdensome barriers that hamper American business and innovaon. It will also allow more decisions to be made at the local level, helping land managers make the best decisions to protect people, communies and resources based on their unique local condions.Of the 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas covered under the 2001 Roadless Rule, 28 million acres are in areas at high or very high risk of wildre. Rescinding this rule will allow this land to be managed at the local forest level, with more exibility to take swi acon to reduce wildre risk and help protect surrounding communies and infrastructure.Interior, USDA Forest Service Expand Mental Health Support for Federal Wildland Fireghters and Dispatchers (DOI) On June 19th, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service announced federal wildland reghters and dispatchers now have access to expanded mental health support through a network of licensed providers. As mandated by Congress, the new therapy service is designed to address the unique needs of those in emergency management posions. Wildland reghters and support sta work in dangerous, high-stress environments that can expose them to trauma and cumulave stress, increasing their risk of mental health challenges. The new service provides a network of licensed providers, who have experse in addressing the mental health needs of emergency responders. READ MORE...Supreme Court Nips NEPA – A Good Start - Supreme Court decisions occasionally have far-reaching impacts, but the recent ruling in Utah’s Uintah Basin Railway case was a Doozy, in which the Jusces unanimously hinted that Eagle County, Colorado should mind its own business. County Commissioners there had challenged the Surface Transportaon Board’s approval of the 88-mile rail line, proposed by seven Utah counes as a vital transportaon connecon from the oil-rich region to the naonal rail network. Eagle County joined several environmental industry groups ghng the rail line, marginally suggesng it could impact trac in Eagle County, which the oil trains might pass through on their way to Denver. But the real objecon, highlighted in all the opponents’ legal lings, was that the Board failed to consider the climate change that could result from more oil producon. They claimed it would lead to more oil rening in Texas, and thus more global warming. Walcher, G. (2025). Supreme Court Nips NEPA – A Good Start. Greg Walcher. hps://gregwalcher.com/2025/06/11/supreme-court-nips-nepa-a-good-start/

14Kitas County commissioners have “signicant concerns” over potenal logging rules that would increase the size of buers on non-sh-bearing streams. Commissioners approved a leer last week to the Washington Forest Pracces Board in Olympia that raised nancial worries about the stricter regulaons. Commissioners said the new regulaons, if implemented, would lead to the loss of signicant revenues to counes that rely on commercial mber cung. “Counes, especially rural counes such as ours, rely heavily on the revenues that commercial mber harvest provides,” commissioners said in a June 5 leer to the board. The leer noted that counes receive 4% of the value of the harvested mber as an excise tax, which is shared with schools, as well as re, library, hospital and other junior taxing districts. Harvests on state forestlands also provide revenue. READ MORE,,,Manufacturing acvity contracts at a faster pace in May: The ISM Manufacturing® PMI contracted for a third consecuve month in May, falling to 48.5% from 48.7% in April. Customer demand and output slowed, while inputs started to weaken. Although the New Orders Index contracted at a minimally slower pace, rising 0.4 percentage points to 47.6%, the New Export Orders Index contracted at a faster pace, plummeng 3.0 percentage points to 40.1%. Why it maers: Respondents noted weakening demand, not just from tari-related price increases on domesc consumers, but due to a lack of new orders from overseas customers. Although the pace of decline slowed some as the higher tari rates on China were paused midmonth, new orders are ancipated to weaken further if tari rates revert to the higher rates at the end of the pauses. - excerpted from excerpted from “NAM-Weekly Economic Report - June 9, 2025”| NAM. Naonal Associaon of Manufacturers.: n. pag.Consumer and producer price growth cks up in May, but only marginally: Consumer prices increased 0.1% over the month and 2.4% over the year in May, edging up from the 2.3% rise in April. Meanwhile, wholesale prices grew 0.1% over the month in May, aer declining 0.2% in April, and moved up 2.6% over the year. What it means: Consumer and producer prices are not yet rising dramacally as a result of increased tari rates. Aer the April data showed taris were starng to eat into prot margins, there was some recovery of wholesalers’ and retailers’ prot margins in May. Meanwhile, there were faster price gains for many goods that were oset by lower fuel prices. Recent shocks in the oil market could reverse this trend, though.. - excerpted from excerpted from “NAM-Weekly Economic Report - June 16, 2025”| NAM. Naonal Associaon of Manufacturers.: n. pag.Feeding America's insaable appete for lumber: Motor vehicles and parts growth keeps manufacturing output posive: Manufacturing producon cked up 0.1% in May aer declining 0.5% in April. Durable goods producon picked up 0.4% over the month, while nondurable goods producon decreased 0.2%. Manufacturing capacity ulizaon stayed the same at Wood treatment plant manufacturing, worldwide since 1983.The most environmentally friendly wood treatment ever known!Hydro-Thermo Modication 1-877-785-0274 www.americanwoodtechnology.comAmerican Wood Technology AWT Options: design, fabrication, layouts & accessories• Smallest footprint & simplest installation• Most gentle process available• Most eective heat transfer• Fastest process time & better product quality• Lowest processing cost per board footOur thermo plant designs provide:

1576.7%, remaining 1.5 percentage points below the long-term average.Why it maers: A 4.9% gain in the index for motor vehicles and parts boosted manufacturing output in May, oseng losses in other sectors such as nonmetallic mineral products (-1.6%) and fabricated metal products (-1.2%). Excluding autos, manufacturing output fell 0.3% over the month, highlighng the murky outlook overall. excerpted from excerpted from “NAM-Weekly Economic Report - June 16, 2025”| NAM. Naonal Associaon of Manufacturers.: n. pag.MovateA Ride Through Generaons by Larry Dennis Keep PedalingThe rst Sunday in January, while vising our middle son Barry in Jacksonville, FL, Barry said, “Come on, Dad, let’s go for a bike ride.” The weather was perfect, mid-sixes, not much wind. Barry rode his electric-assist bike. I borrowed my daughter-in-law, Chrise’s. Aer adjusng to the assist, it was great! I rarely used the motor-assist, but it was great to have the boost when I needed it. SAWMILL MACHINERY WOOD DRYING SECONDARY PROCESSING MATERIAL HANDLING WASTE MANAGEMENTSolutions that add value to your products.YOUR FIRST SOURCE FOR LUMBER PRODUCTION.971-271-8070Heicor.com | Monmouth, ORThis county level map of 2024 General Elecon results disproves the urban "red state" legend. There are no "red states." What we have are blue pockets oang in a sea of red. Alaska, which has boroughs, not counes, voted RED but wasn't included in this map. Source: Reddit

16Barry and Chrise’s home is on an inlet of the St. Johns River. Their backyard is like a lile slice of paradise. Our grandson, Augie, loves shing o their dock, sighng manatees, and wonderful birds of prey. Their house, while small, is cozy and conveniently located near Augie’s school and Chrise’s Johnson & Johnson oce. They’re dream - a big home on the St. John’s River. Aer riding for about a mile, we arrived at McGirt Street, the street Barry and Chrise dream of calling home. It’s a stunning neighborhood with mulmillion-dollar houses ranging from 3,000 to 7,000 square feet! Some are new and others date back to the 1920’s. Every home boasts its own unique architectural charm. Barry eagerly pointed out his favorites, the features he admired, homes that had recently sold, and the ones pulled o the market. His research was meculous. As we rode, I realized that this wasn’t just a leisurely bike ride; it was a ride through his dreams.Increase Prots!Adam Duplisea(800) 777-6953 x 219aduplisea@nyle.com www.nyledrykilns.comHardwood Industries, Inc.www.hardwoodind.com“Partners in Success since 1981”Next Generation Distribution

17Barry’s passion and vision reminded me of my journey and the many miracles in our lives that began as impossible dreams. In 1963, Donna Lee and I were only married a year when we moved back to Ann Arbor, MI. With a lile savings and a $500 loan from my brother Bill, we bought our rst home, a small 1,100 square foot, two-bedroom house on Golfside Drive with its wood burning replace and aached garage. It felt like a palace to us. Aer about four years, it was me to move closer to work in Detroit. We sold our lile house for almost 22% more than we paid and bought a red-brick, center entrance, colonial in Detroit. We paid over double the price we bought our rst house for. As me passed and my career progressed, we caught wind of a house owned by acquaintances on Lahser Road in Beverly Hills, MI. It was a dream, an impossible dream. I’ll never forget one evening as the sun was seng, Donna Lee and I standing looking out over ve breathtaking acres, the river running through it, complete with bridge and waterfall. We held hands and dreamed for a moment. Less than eighteen months later, we sold our Detroit house and bought that dream property for ve mes the price we paid for our Detroit house.What I’ve learned from my experiences is that dreams, no maer how impossible they seem, can come true. When I x the dream in my mind, have meaningful plans, work hard, and move forward with faith, miracles happen.Somemes, the simplest moments, like a bike ride or standing on a quiet hillside can spark the ame that ignites the desire required for miracles.My challenge to you is to take a ride on the street of your dreams and let the miracle of renewed belief launch you into places you have never been before.As you form the habit of giving hearelt praise in a low-risk environment at home, you will soon nd it more natural to give praise and encouragement at work. Next thing you know, the people you depend upon will take the iniave more oen and life will get easier for all of you.- Dennis, Larry. “A Ride Through Generaons” The Turbo Charger (27 May 2025): n. pag. Turbo Leadership Systems. Web.