STRIVE with Hugh Gilmore on Ethics and Values
Hugh Gilmore presented Morals, Ethics and Values at the STRIVE meeting held on March 15th at MHS. Hugh spoke about his background growing-up in Granite Falls during the depression and his high school days and involvement in activities and sports. He contrasted his experience in a senior class of 40 with MHS with over 600 students and the great opportunity he had to be involved in both school and community events.
He graduated from Minneapolis College of Business and worked after graduation in business but he felt called to go into the ministry and because of his involvement at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church went on to Augsburg and then the seminary for eight years to become a minister. Hugh served in many churches including Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior for 17 years. After retiring he went back to Mt. Olivet to help out on a temporary part-time basis and he is still helping out some 20 years later! He has been married for 52 years and told the STRIVE kids that all of his kids attended MHS and have been successful in life.
Hugh told the students about the Rotarian’s 4 Way Test and his commitment to those values in life. He said, “We all live by a set of values and standards even though we may not have written them down.” He emphasized the importance of being truthful in life so that people can count on you and your word. “Adults make many choices that affect their futures and the lives of other.” Hugh talked about the destructive decisions the some famous people have made in the last few years in cheating people out of millions of dollars and how their decisions have ruined their lives and that of others. “The good news is that many companies are now starting to train their employees on ethics,” says Gilmore.
Hugh talked about the many types of struggles people and families are going through as he works with them at Mount Olivet and how we all are faced with ethical situations and decisions each day in our lives. Hugh handed out a discussion sheet on “Ethics and Morality” and the students and mentors broke into small discussion groups to discuss the challenges they face and how to cope with them.
Here Hugh is pictured with STRIVE Student Joe as they chat about Joe’s interest in entering youth work and the ministry.
(Story, photo and posting by Steve Frazier)