Soon after I returned from the service I signed up as a member of the Ottawa County Farm Bureau. When they came out with their own insurance company I received one of their charter policies for my car and truck which continues to this day. It wasn't until after we were married that we participated in the health insurance of Blue Cross Blue Shield. We were a member of the Spoonville Community group of the Farm Bureau for a few years participating in various activities on the County level. The nominating committee placed my name on the ballot for director to run against an incumbent who was popular with some and controversial with others. As a result I won the election at the yearly membership meeting. I always felt that I won as much on negative votes of the incumbent as I did favorable votes for me. The by laws allows a person to serve two three year terms before retiring. After my first three year term I was re-elected for another term and chosen chairman of the board of directors. We were having a building program for a new office building at that time and I became building chairman as well.
As chairman of the board it was my duty to act as master of ceremonies at the annual meeting to which we would have in excess of three hundred members present.
Our speaker of the night was to be a young "up and coming" Congressman that represented Kent and Ottawa counties in Washington. Little did I know at the time that I was introducing a future Vice President and President of the United States. Gerald Ford. During my tenure as chairman of Ottawa county Farm Bureau I had many contacts with Congressman Ford an became well acquainted with him even having my picture taken and put in the Grand Rapids Press with him. After many meetings he knew me by name. It has now been over thirty years since that time and he has been through so much notoriety meeting dignitaries around the world that I doubt very much if he would remember me now. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Farm Bureau and the Community group program.