Scott Hemmerling – Geographer

Age: 43
Child: Phoebe (pictured), age 11
Spouse: Nicole Hemmerling

A misconception about fatherhood: Sometimes Father doesn’t know best! As a father, it seems like you are always in training, constantly having to adapt, learn and grow with each new situation.

A lesson from my father: My father has always been a “live-in-the-moment” type of person. As much as possible, I try to emulate this and not worry or stress about what the future holds or dwell on mistakes made in the past. As parents, we have all made mistakes. It is up to us to learn from these mistakes and be the best person we can be today.

How we connect: Once or twice a week, Phoebe and I like to run together. Something about running together really opens up the lines of communication. Most days, it’s like pulling teeth to get her to talk about how her day went, but when she runs, she opens up and talks about anything and everything on her mind. Plus, there is a certain amount of joy watching her become a better runner and build her self-confidence. Even as I fight against it, some part of me looks forward to the inevitable day that she beats me in a race.

Do you know a devoted local father? Tell us about him by emailing [email protected].