Douglas graduate completes Navy's Nuclear Power Program

Garrett Wanket, 19, was a 2004 graduate of Douglas High School and a Johnson Lane resident. He completed Navy boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill., in October 2004 and went on to Nuclear Field A School in Goose Creek, S.C.

He graduated in February 2005. Wanket proceeded to Nuclear Power School still in Goose Creek, S.C., where he graduated in September 2005. Then on to the Navy Nuclear Power Training Unit where he learned how to qualify as a mechanical operator for a nuclear propulsion plant. Wanket graduated on March 3. His next duty station is to the USS George Washington nuclear powered aircraft carrier based in Norfolk, Va. Wanket will be home on leave the month of March and hopes to visit with old friends from DHS.

By the way, Garrett, is our son and we are very proud of him.

My name is Lisa Welch and I am the new writer for The Record-Courier for the Johnson Lane Journal. We moved here from San Diego nine years ago, after my husband retired from the Navy after 24 years of service. We wanted to get out of the "city" and to be closer to my parents who live in Fish Springs. I wanted my children to grow up with some farming and animal experiences. So we bought a house out here in Johnson Lane. We have raised chickens, crested ducks, rabbits, turkeys (they were so delicious, but too much work), pygmy goats and dogs. Each year we have a big garden. We harvest lots of grapes, zucchinis, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, garlic, potatoes, chilies, pumpkins, gourds, watermelon, cantaloupe and so on. I spend a lot of time in the fall canning salsa, jam and relish. Our family loves to go camping. I'll write a lot more about our favorite spots this summer.

Please contact me if you have information you would like other Johnson Lane residents to know about. I will be happy to write about any issue that is appropriate for the newspaper.

n Lisa Welch can be reached at 267-4033.