Lois

Lois loves tools and hard work and has spent nearly three decades farming throughout northwest Vermont. Despite this work ethic, she has repeatedly gone to jail for a variety of crimes. “I let so much anger get in my way when I was younger, and I was always looking for the easy way. I was lazy even though I came from a hard upbringing and know hard work.” Toward the end of her last jail sentence, Lois completed Step Up for Women and upon release went to work as a carpenter, becoming the first woman in Carpenter’s Local Union 1996. After two years in the trade, Lois fell off scaffolding at a job site and permanently injured both her wrists. During more than a year of recovery, she saw a flyer about ReCycle North’s training programs while shopping for low-priced items in the thrift store. With support from her rehabilitation counselor, she enrolled in the Major Appliance Repair training program where she is prospering. With industry certifications in hand, Lois hopes to start an appliance repair service based in Alburg. “I’m sorry it took so long to come to my senses,” Lois declares looking back on her disoriented life, but her experiences have strengthened her resolve to succeed. Her message to others, especially young people who may be making some poor choices, “It’s never too late to change!”