Daniel
Navy, 1986-1992
From the snowy state of Minnesota, Daniel’s service in the Navy brought him to the more temperate climate of Charleston. At the end of his service in 1992, Daniel, understandably, felt no particular sense of urgency to put back on his winter wear. After deciding to settle in Charleston, Daniel utilized the mechanical skills he acquired in the Navy to delve into the metal production industry. Feeling unfulfilled and unstable by the slew of temp jobs he took through an agency, Daniel knew he needed more. “There wasn’t a steady paycheck nor a steady life”. In a turn of fate and help from the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), Daniel was introduced to the Sustainability Institute.
Returning back for a third term, he fits the description “Veteran” in every sense of the way. The VCC has helped Daniel rediscover his sense of responsibility and efficiency as he was motivated to “get to the workplace on time and get the job done effectively”. And it paid off. Six months ago Daniel was appointed as the Assistant Site Manager, and upon completion of his third term he plans jump back on the big yellow bus for technical school. To Daniel, sustainability constitutes “affordable costs and replenishable resources”. Aligned with his wholesome and modest nature, Daniel is passionate about the frequently overlooked fundamentals of life; “learning a good trade and creating a stable future”. In a sense, the Sustainability Institute paired with his role in the VCC have refueled a flame that has always existed within Daniel; ambition. Sustained as a replenishable resource, this flame has the infinite potential of powering a candle, a fire, or a nation. Small but mighty, one might say.
