They staged civil rights sit-ins. They burned draft cards. They made love not war. Then they grew up.
But the 1960s idealism that defined the boomer generation did not fade like a favorite pair of bell-bottom jeans. People like aqua farmer Tollef Olson, artist Marsha Donahue and photographers Leo and Dorothy Keeler prove that this ethos has matured and aged well.
All four of these boomers embarked on personal quests to make a difference in the world. All figured that if they didn't follow their individual dreams now, perhaps they never would. Here are their stories.
Journey of 1,000 miles
Tollef Olson, who just turned 51, is busy making the world a healthier place. He recently launched OceanApproved, a one-man operation that harvests, prepares, packages and sells kelp noodles. Though they look like spinach pasta, the noodles are 100 percent seaweed - and delicious, Olson says. Because they are sold frozen, they are easy to store and fix.
Olson hopes the nutritional value and taste - which he describes as sweet with a subtle ocean flavor - will catch on with the public. He also notes that seaweed is a plentiful food source, and harvesting does not disrupt the environment. Plus, sea vegetables are a healthy alternative to grain-based noodles. Food production can be in harmony with nature, says Olson, who uses no fertilizers and who does not clear any land.
He also cultivates rope-grown mussels off the coast of New England in the North Atlantic, a business he started seven years ago. His life and work on the sea reflect his ethics. "They say a journey of 1,000 miles starts with the first step. I try to keep in mind that what I'm doing today affects the quality of life for the next generation, my children," he explains.
Saving the north woods of Maine
Not long ago, Marsha Donahue had a Zen moment: She realized where she wanted to live for the rest of her life. The place? A forgotten paper-mill town in the far reaches of northern Maine, at the foot of Mount Katahdin. Millinocket, whose heyday was a century ago, is struggling for a new identity today.
That's where Donahue comes in. She believes Millinocket is geographically well-placed for a renaissance through eco-tourism. Visitors pass through the town on their way to Mount Katahdin. So, with construction help from her husband, in 2005, the career landscape artist opened North Light Gallery by transforming a vacant warehouse in downtown Millinocket. Her hope is that the gallery will put this small town on the map and inspire interest in Maine's North Woods, which are vulnerable to development as timber companies sell off large swaths of land they've held for decades.
"We were ready for semi-retirement. But this change has brought focus to our lives," she says. "This is our chance to be effective. I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone to take the leap and follow their heart," says Donahue.
Protecting the Alaskan wilderness
Leo and Dorothy Keeler make it their life mission to raise awareness about the beauty of Alaska's wilderness. They sell affordable photographs of wild animals and write interactive children's ebooks featuring their photography as well as poems about the wilderness. Working with the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, they also seek to protect Toklat wolves from aerial hunting. The wolf packs of Denali National Park are among the most famous, most photographed and longest studied wild wolves in the world. Many are so familiar with tourists and biologists that they do not know they should fear hunters. Activists say the wolves have no defense from aerial hunters, who shoot from planes and have a clear line of fire in the winter snow. Dorothy, 55, runs an online community about these wolves that has thousands of members. Both Keelers lobby for protective legislation and use their startling images of wolf families to help people better appreciate the animals.
A sense of duty
Are these people typical boomers? No, but they are not radical exceptions, either. The generation told not to trust anyone over 30 now has many members twice that age whose sense of civic duty and willingness to challenge convention is still simmering within. In a 2005 Princeton Survey Research Associates poll, half of Americans over 50 said they want to give back to their community through careers of service.
Baby boomers are "not going to sit back and put their feet up in retirement," says G. Evans Witt, the polling organization's CEO. Instead, many view it as a time for volunteering or working for a greater good. They are less likely to pore over business plans than find inspiration from within. Some, like Don Quixote, end up tilting at windmills and chasing unrealistic dreams. But in the process they also rediscover a sense of duty and social responsibility that distinguished the generation of their youth.
You can do it!
You don't need to commit your life or career to a social or environmental cause to make a difference. Tap into activism in small and large ways. Here are some suggestions:
- Reflect upon and rediscover issues that interest and excite you. Do research on the Internet and become an expert in the area.
- Exercise your power as an individual. Consider volunteering your time or giving money to organizations you support.
- Walk the talk. If the environment is your cause, for example, make changes in your own life to help. Recycle. Buy low-emissions vehicles, energy-saving appliances, and products with minimal packaging..
- Give back to your community. Check with the local United Way to find out where social need is the greatest and how you can help. Volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels or to read to schoolchildren can make a big difference in someone's life.
- If you are seeking a career change, consider service organizations. You may be able to transfer your professional skills or background to work in a nonprofit area that helps your community.
Follow-up now!
OceanApproved: Information and recipes on kelp noodles, with background on aqua farmer Tollef Olson.
North Light Gallery: Learn more about the history and goals of the art gallery Marsha Donahue founded in northern Maine.
Alaska Wildlife: See prints of the Keelers' nature photography and conservation information on Alaskan wildlife.
Care2.com: Information and resources on activism and a range of causes. Includes news and updates by Dorothy Keeler on wild wolves.
Civic Ventures: Nonprofit offers news and information on civic involvement for older Americans.
Reinventing Aging: Online information by Harvard School of Public Health shows older Americans how to share their wisdom and experience to strengthen communities.
