Guy Piche
Biography: Lion Guy Piche
I was born and raised in Grosse Pointe Farms Michigan. I was given 12-years of Catholic Education which I survived nicely without too many scars.
Graduating from high school in 1965, I was ripe for the military draft and ended up spending four years in the Air Force as a jet mechanic and crew chief. I crewed a F-105 Fighter Jet and an SR-71 Reconnaissance Air Craft which is a basically long for Spy Plane. I spent two years in South East Asia during the Vietnam Conflict.
It was in South East Asia that I saw an old discarded guitar in a white Dipsie Dumpster. Having a roommate that played , I grabbed it and had my roomy given me some basic lessons. Forty Eight years later I’m still at it.
I attended Sacramento State University upon being released from the Air Force. With the GI Bill I was able to complete my BA Degree in English in 1974. I took a job as an Educational Recourse Specialist in Auburn, California working with classroom teachers providing resources and working with them in their classrooms. I loved the work and I loved the idea of having June, July and August off to play, so I returned to school to secure my Secondary Teaching Credential.
During this time, I met and married my best friend Vivian who is the mother of my four lovely daughters. (And the grandmother of our 6-grand children.)
After securing my teaching credential, I landed a job in Alturas, Ca. It was the year that Proposition 13 was passed and school districts were laying off teachers throughout the state. I was lucky to get the job. It was there that I was invited to join Lionism in 1978. I liked the idea of having a social outlet while giving back to the community from which I took my living. The Alturas Lions was my first club and I served as president for two years and secretary for two years.
Moving to Redding ten years later, I joined the Redding Breakfast Lions in 1988 and stayed with them until 1995 when I had to switch clubs because of time constraints. My school started school an hour earlier than before and making Lion Meetings was difficult. Upon retiring, I decided to rejoin the Redding Breakfast Club because I enjoy meetings.
I believe in our Motto, “We Serve.” What much of the community doesn’t realize is the amount of good work that services clubs provide and how important it is to be involved. And aside from the daily retirement life of singing songs, reading good books, playing golf, cycling, bowling, laughing, working about the house, solving problems, being a part of Lionism gives additional purpose to life.
Become a lion!
Lion Guy
Published July, 2016