Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Mike
Mike Peterson is one of those people who likes to get involved in many different things. He began volunteering at the museum in February 2006. He is not only a Museum Attendant, but he also volunteers to help with exhibit set up, getting rid of weeds and sprucing up the outside of the museum, volunteering for Discover E Day, guiding tours, and supporting the museum through the Foundation. All of his amazing support earns him the admiration of his colleagues as well as Bronze Presidential Volunteer Service Awards each year since 2012. Mike donates his time to other local organizations as well.
Mike was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA. He and his wife Ellen have known each other since she was 15 and he 16. They met during the summer of 1964 when they went on a six-week, 38 state tour with a group of kids sponsored by the area high schools. It sounds like it was quite a trip, circumnavigating the country from the south to the north, stopping at various national parks and monuments, visiting Washington, DC, and New York City, even venturing into a bit of Canada before heading west through Yellowstone and the Badlands of South Dakota. Mike says he was an introvert before he went on that trip, but he turned into an extrovert on the second day. Hmmm…wonder if it was due to meeting Miss Ellen, his wife of now 50 years!
Many of you know Mike was a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for 35 years. He says he had wanted to be a police officer since he was five years old! After graduating high school, he went to Bakersfield Community College for two years, then transferred to Cal State University Los Angeles for their Police Science Program. Mike graduated from college in 1970, married Ellen, and then a few weeks later he entered the police academy for the LAPD. He steadily advanced during his career. He worked various jobs within the department, from patrol officer to community relations liaison. He retired in 2005 as a Sergeant. Ellen was a teacher, then school principal, who retired a short time later.
Mike and Ellen love to travel and have visited Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Antarctica, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and several cruises to Alaska. In 2019, they took four weeks and toured eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, etc.) and Germany. They would love to do something similar again once things get back to “normal.” During COVID, in order to stay active, they purchased e-bikes, and have been enjoying bicycling on the Olympic Peninsula. A favorite of theirs is the Olympic Discovery Trail, which starts near Sequim and goes all the way into Port Angeles. Mike and Ellen have enjoyed bicycling for many years, but an e-bike helps with all the hills!
Mike and Ellen have three children and five grandchildren. They came to Washington from LA to be close to their two sons. Their daughter still lives in California. One of the nice things about living on the Olympic Peninsula for Mike and Ellen is their ability to host “Petie Camp” for their grandkids at their home every year. They camp, hike, bike, have scavenger hunts, and do all sorts of fun things together. This year, for their 50th wedding anniversary, they hosted the grandkids and their parents, and it turned into a family reunion. Mike’s big surprise was when Ellen appeared in her slightly altered original wedding dress!
Mike has been “on leave” from the museum during the pandemic but is looking forward to its reopening. He especially misses talking to people from all over the country and various parts of the world as a Museum Attendant and tour guide. His own extensive travel allows him to connect with the visitors and even tell an anecdote or two about visiting their state or country. He enjoys taking the sub tours and has taken his children and all but one grandchild who missed one of the scheduled tours due to a cancellation. And he is looking forward to supporting the Foundation and being able to help with new exhibits as they are scheduled. And we are looking forward to seeing Mike’s friendly face once more as well!
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