Transportation assistant Dave Welter encourages others with his books

The day after this year’s Black Hawk County Relay for Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, Dave Welter was set up at TJ’s Christian Bookstore in Cedar Falls, signing three books he’s written since being diagnosed with cancer in 2009.

Dave has been a transportation assistant at Western Home since 2016, but that’s not the only way residents know Dave. Before retiring in 2016, he was an educator for 40 years. He was an associate principal and athletic director at Peet Junior High School for 19 years before serving as principal at Holmes Junior High School for 16 years.

Dave wrote his first book after he was diagnosed with throat cancer on his 55th birthday. At the time, he was principal of Holmes and needed a way to communicate with his students, staff and family, so he started a blog called Reflections from the Home Team. As he met more people and his following grew, he was encouraged to write his first book, “Reflections from the Home Team - Go the Distance.”

Some may not know that Dave is also a professional baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves and the love of the sport is reflected in all his books including his second and third books, “Reflections from the Home Team - Staying Positive when Life Throws You a Curve,” and “Reflections from the Home Team - Reframing the Curveballs Life Pitches Your Way.”

“There are a lot of baseball analogies in my books. After each of my reflections, I share an encouraging attitude, spiritual insight, and then a step to consider,” Dave shares. “Baseball has always been a big part of my life. A picture of me in college with my coach is on the cover of my second book. My coach was asking me to catch my third game, all on the same day, when we were vying for the conference title…and we won all three.”

Today, Dave stays active driving and assisting residents, visiting his 96-year-old mother at Thalman Square, blogging and public speaking. “God didn’t save me from something, he saved me for something,” Dave says. “That’s positivity and encouragement for others.” Transportation

Transportation Assistant Dave Welter at a recent book signing at TJ's Christian Bookstore.