Week 5: Mr. Rowe

It’s been a busy week! Over the past 5 weeks, I’ve learned so much about Friends of Parkside, and especially about my mentor, the one behind it all. I learned how Mr. Rowe was a resident of the Village of Parkside, and it was his mother who he took after later in life. His mother was one of the co-founders of FOP, and it was her work that inspired him to take care of the community he grew up in. Aside from FOP, Mr. Rowe’s interest in research has led him to serve as a co-principal investigator, co-investigator, community research associate, and consultant on many funded projects. From all of this, it is clear that Mr. Rowe is passionate about everything that he does, and in times of hardships (such as the impact of the pandemic), Mr. Rowe tries to turn the tables around with whatever he has. This spirit is reflected in the team at Friends of Parkside, as well as the residents that I’ve had the pleasure to work with. I’m grateful to have such a passionate and positive mentor, and I am looking forward to learning even more about him and Friends of Parkside as the last few weeks approach!