@@@ ### PLEASE WISH “RAY” A HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY ### @@@
Will he be the oldest Google Local Guide??
@mrlewis-lg_10 just celebrated his milestone birthday last week. He said, “Life must be treating me extremely well to be alive and at this age.”
Sharing a little about his journey in this world and our Connect community. I hope everyone got inspired.
Ray has been friends with many local guides and is very active in the unofficial Local Guides World Facebook forum, adding photos and reviews of places he has been to on Google Maps. He was a Local Guides Summit Attendee 2017.
I knew Ray from a Facebook community. We have small chitchats here and there, discussing everything from the price of coffee to the brands of rice. He is very easygoing, down to earth, and a very genuine gentleman.
If you did not know his age and had never seen his photo, you would think you are talking to a 25-year-old gentleman. His spirit has amazed me.
Our conversation went on and off, but we kept in touch. He was a USAF Veteran who retired in 1974. When the Vietnam war was being fought, he said he was at the Pentagon, but his son served as a combat medic in Vietnam with the 1st Calvary. He currently lives in San Antonio, surrounded by Military Bases.
In one of our conversations, he said, “We lived near Pantex nuclear ordinance plant and I was stationed on Johnston Island for one year (100% contaminated with chemical and nuclear radiation. All the building since been razed”.
THANK YOU for you and your son’s service to this country!!!
My questions below were driven by his enthusiasm for his love of being a Local Guide.
Here are some questions and his answers:
Tell us about yourself (Name, location, profession, and interest).
Name: Ray Lewis
From: San Antonio, TX
Profession: USAF, Government Service, Retail Store Owner, Contract Employee (Documentation, Quality Control, Program Management, Training Supervisor).
Interests: Travel, Dining Out, Working Out, Photography, Movies, Music, Reading, Writing, and Research.
How and when did you become a Local Guide?
December 2016. After I submitted photos to Google Maps from a Spa in Germany near the Polish border, Google invited me to become a Local Guide
What inspired you to contribute to Google Maps and Local Guides Connect?
As a retiree with time on my hands and a love for mapping, it was an ideal thing to do. Local Guides Connect evolved later. Google Local Guides in 2017 was the medium for submitting our applications to attend the World Summit in San Francisco.
What is your advice to the youth or the young generations?
I would not expect most Local Guides (Ages 21-40) to have as much time or resources (for travel or dining out). Since no pay is involved, you must have an interest with a love for mapping and enjoy the various experiences of helping others, selecting the best restaurants and destinations
Lastly, what keeps you going?
My life is structured. Not as much as an android. Use a planner to program each day. Gives me a reason to be up at 4 am each day. Try to be flexible & adaptable. Do what is most important.
Thank you to @KashifMisidia for finding this photo, and thank you to @SoniaK for letting me use this photo. This was taken during Connect Live 2017
Stole this photo from LocalGuidesWorld Facebook page. it was posted by @AnuradhaP (Anuradha, my apology I copy this one without asking you first, I hope you do not mind sharing this wonderful person with the world)
Photo collages from Ray’s collection
Found this article he wrote back in 2018 on unofficial Local Guides World Facebook forum, I highly recommended you read, it tells a lot about his love of being a Local Guide.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14iopAVpoG/?mibextid=xfxF2i
If you ever met him and have any photos from Connect Live 2017, please share them in the comment below. I am sure he will be very happy.
Please check his contribution:
See what I’ve posted to Google Maps
Level 10 Local Guide
I hope you enjoy reading his story and his contribution to Google. And do NOT forget to wish him a 90th Happy Birthday! I am so honored to know Ray!
Please keep smiling and be happy.
Love&Peace
. Your advice is awesome, just like I imagined it would be after reading the story.
remember age is just a number!
