Fundraising 2012/Translation/MikeC Appeal

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When I was a kid, I started buying books about fly fishing. By now, I've collected more than 600 books on the subject. I've fly fished in spots across the globe. Some people think it's kind of an esoteric sport, but I love it.

After serving in the United States Air Force for 28 years -- and traveling all over the world -- I retired and moved to Montana, where I can enjoy all the fly fishing and hiking I want. And when I'm not taking advantage of the great outdoors, I write about it on Wikipedia.

No one pays me to do this work. I do it because I believe in Wikipedia's mission: bringing the sum of all human knowledge to everyone on earth. For free.

Wikipedia is not-for-profit, and I think that's the only way to go. There are no shareholders to impress, no bank accounts to enrich. So Wikipedia can stick to its mission and its principles. That’s why I donate a little every year.

This year, I hope you will join me in giving back.

Bio

Mike Cline grew up in southern California, before joining the United States Air Force during the height of the Vietnam War. He served for 28 years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1996. He now lives in Montana, where he works as a strategy consultant. On Wikipedia, he writes about Montana’s geography, natural history, and national parks. And of course, fly fishing, drawing on his library of more than 600 books.