Dear Professor Chang,

    I have now read every word of your 249-page, inspirational book, Destiny of a Running Horse, and my admiration for you and your lifetime of achievement is higher than Mt. Everest. All your sacrifices and superhuman work ethic create an image of a role model we mere mortals could never match. Two words come to mind--paradigmatic and nonpareil. I consider you an intellectual giant with humility and a profound respect for the dignity and worth of every man, woman and child struggling to survive on this beautiful blue planet of Earth. You warmly embrace all creatures and epitomize the vision of Jefferson's declaration that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, including golf, fishing, love of family, truth and beauty.

    In high school I had the night watering job on our little nine-hole golf course that cost me $2.50 a season to play. I walked all night changing the sprinklers on the greens while communing with night birds, crickets and croaking frogs and, if hot weather dictated, came back the next day to wet down the edges of what to me was holy ground and remains sacrosanct even today.  The sight of a giant rainbow trout breaking water with my French Mepps #2 lure in its mouth gave me an unbelievable thrill as I waded up the Arkansas River in Colorado under the towering peaks of the 14,000-foot Collegiate Range.

    Soul brother may be a presumptuous expression, but I have never felt closer to another human being than I have with you as I read your incredible journal of your journey through a richly rewarding life.

Gratefully yours,

Dave

Notice: Book Signing Event

Won Chang, a resident of the Village, will be signing copies of his latest book, Destiny of a Running Horse, at Clubhouse # 7 on Monday, August 22, from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. Korean rice cakes and refreshments will be provided, and a donation of $10.00 or more to the Korean-American Club is suggested to receive a copy of his book.

Destiny of a Running Horse is the story of a Korean-American journalism professor, whose destiny came under the sign of the “running horse.” It seeks to examine that destiny and takes a fond look back at the things he did to accomplish his goals along the way.

Won Chang tells his readers, “My career was centered on the teaching of journalism at the University of Missouri. I was honored to be awarded the O.O. McIntire Distinguished Chair Professorship and worked as a department chair, director of the Stephenson Research Center, and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. I supervised thirty-three doctoral dissertations, wrote sixteen books, spearheaded the use of word processing in printing newspapers, helped establish and modernize newspapers in Asia, and motivated young journalists all over the world.”

“Now, as a retiree, I’ve settled in a California retirement community called Laguna Woods Village. My destiny, however, still keeps me running. I travel the world and search for renewed meaning in my life after retirement. I’ve also been searching for wisdom by reading many books and enjoying the natural wonders of the mountains and beaches and practicing my favorite sports, golf and fishing.”

“The biggest realization of my retirement life is that my own existence was only a tiny particle of the universe and that the real value of my life is found in my wife, family, and friends. They’ve all helped me reach the point where I am now, and having them in my life is far greater than anything I could own or possess. I have a strong determination to continue working for them. That belated realization provides me the answer to the question: What meaning does life hold for me now?”

   I’m a systems analyst, trained to study complex organizations like our Laguna Woods Village system, which needs to be studied if we are to make it work better—and if elected, I promise to conduct that research.

   I’m highly qualified to gather information about community issues and to analyze that data for publication. I’ve conducted hundreds of such studies and I taught many journalists to do similar studies over the course of my thirty-year teaching career.

   Many residents have expressed to me that one of the major challenges for our community is keeping our assessments down while maintaining our programs and pleasant living environment. I promise to work hard to find ways to meet those challenges.

   I’m a trained parliamentarian and team player, skilled in developing consensus among people of varying backgrounds and opinions. As a retired college professor, I’m also an experienced communicator and I’ll use my communication skills to facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas between Village residents and the Third Mutual Board.