Bio
Hi thanks for stopping by! Just a little about myself and what I do: I grew up in the Amish/Mennonite community in Montezuma, GA and was blessed with awesome parents, a great family, and was able to grow up in a community of good folks. I have 2 awesome children, Nicole is 31 years old, is married to an awesome fella (Nick Teal) and they have turned me into a grandpa with 3 wonderful grandchildren! Caleb is 28 years old and graduated Valdosta State with a degree in Exercise Physiology, andand I have the good fortune of him coming to work with me in 2023.
I believe quality of life in family, friendships, work (and all other areas of life) comes by putting God first. There is a lot that I have to be thankful for but what I am most grateful for, is what Jesus has done for me and for the example He set for all. I believe true health begins on the inside, with both spiritual and physical health and we do best when God is the Author and Editor of both!
Education: I attended and graduated from Montezuma Amish Mennonite School in Montezuma, GA.
International Sports Sciences as a Master Trainer: Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Specialist in Strength and Conditioning, Specialist in Senior Fitness and Specialist in Youth Fitness
Work history…
First jobs: my brother and I started working at a dairy that was next door to my Mom and Dad’s store when I was around 10 years old. At 13 I got a job as a dishwasher at my uncle’s restaurant (Yoder’s Deitsch Haus) when he opened the restaurant in the early 80’s.When I was around 15 years old my Dad and Mom rented a small dairy and bought a small herd of around 70 dairy cows. My older brother, my younger brothers and myself operated the dairy and my dad operated the store. During this time I started a small herd of dairy cattle in the 80’s and sold them in the early 90’s.
Started managing my Mom & Dad’s store when I was 16: my Dad had to quit working at our family store for a while due to him losing his voice, so I managed the store temporarily, but then they let me continue to manage the store (Kountry Farm Center). This was from 16 & 1/2 years of age until 23, and was probably the most formative in helping me to learn how to operate and grow a small business. I’m very appreciative to my Mom and Dad for never giving me the feeling that they were looking over my shoulders during this time and that my Dad trusted me to run a business that he had spent many years building.
The Garden Bowl Restaurant: my Mom and Dad were in the catering business for 25 years, and it was probably this and my uncle’s restaurant that inspired me to open a restaurant in Montezuma in 1992 called the Garden Bowl. I closed it in 1993 and put my focus on the gym business. Btw if I had as good cooking skills as my Mom and sisters, I would've probably lasted in the restaurant business! Health club business: I opened Montezuma Athletic Club in 1991 (closed it in 1994), opened Valley Athletic Club in 1992. I had to rebuild business after July 2000 (when the building I was leasing collapsed). With God’s grace and a lot of hard work, I started back from scratch and slowly rebuilt the business. In 2005 I sold the property that my 1st health club was built on in Montezuma so that I could purchase the property I was leasing for Valley Athletic Club here in Fort Valley. I live in a studio apartment in the back of my building and have lived there since 2005.
Wade Yoder Storage Buildings etc: started in 2007 and has grown into a pretty large business since then. It started out as storage buildings only but has expanded into greenhouses, gazebos, screen rooms, carports, enclosed metal buildings, garages, dog kennels and chicken coops. I’m really thankful for this business largely because of it bringing customers in from surrounding counties. Wade Yoder Storage Buildings etc. is located on 341 in Fort Valley it is hard to miss, it is on both sides of the road right close to the railroad tracks.
Plane crash 2007: this probably had the most impact on how I live out my days here on earth and increased my desire to leave a positive impact in the lives of my family, friends and community. You can get the full story on YouTube @ Yoder Family Plane Crash
Community service and outreach
Boards Peach Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Member (2012 to present and currently serve as treasurer)Middle Georgia Workforce Development Board (2017 to present)Middle Georgia Clean Air Coalition (Jan,2018 to present)Peach County High School Local School Governance Team (2020-2023) Peach County Schools CTAE Executive Committee (2023 to present) City of Fort Valley Public Safety Foundation, -newly formed (January 2024)
Health and fitness columnist: for 6 middle GA newspapers with over 200 published articles since 2012.
Peach County Commissioner Post 5: in November 2016 I had the honor to be elected to the At-Large Commissioner Post here in Peach County, GA.
Education: I attended and graduated from Montezuma Amish Mennonite School in Montezuma, GA.
International Sports Sciences as a Master Trainer: Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Specialist in Strength and Conditioning, Specialist in Senior Fitness and Specialist in Youth Fitness
Work history…
First jobs: my brother and I started working at a dairy that was next door to my Mom and Dad’s store when I was around 10 years old. At 13 I got a job as a dishwasher at my uncle’s restaurant (Yoder’s Deitsch Haus) when he opened the restaurant in the early 80’s.When I was around 15 years old my Dad and Mom rented a small dairy and bought a small herd of around 70 dairy cows. My older brother, my younger brothers and myself operated the dairy and my dad operated the store. During this time I started a small herd of dairy cattle in the 80’s and sold them in the early 90’s.
Started managing my Mom & Dad’s store when I was 16: my Dad had to quit working at our family store for a while due to him losing his voice, so I managed the store temporarily, but then they let me continue to manage the store (Kountry Farm Center). This was from 16 & 1/2 years of age until 23, and was probably the most formative in helping me to learn how to operate and grow a small business. I’m very appreciative to my Mom and Dad for never giving me the feeling that they were looking over my shoulders during this time and that my Dad trusted me to run a business that he had spent many years building.
The Garden Bowl Restaurant: my Mom and Dad were in the catering business for 25 years, and it was probably this and my uncle’s restaurant that inspired me to open a restaurant in Montezuma in 1992 called the Garden Bowl. I closed it in 1993 and put my focus on the gym business. Btw if I had as good cooking skills as my Mom and sisters, I would've probably lasted in the restaurant business! Health club business: I opened Montezuma Athletic Club in 1991 (closed it in 1994), opened Valley Athletic Club in 1992. I had to rebuild business after July 2000 (when the building I was leasing collapsed). With God’s grace and a lot of hard work, I started back from scratch and slowly rebuilt the business. In 2005 I sold the property that my 1st health club was built on in Montezuma so that I could purchase the property I was leasing for Valley Athletic Club here in Fort Valley. I live in a studio apartment in the back of my building and have lived there since 2005.
Wade Yoder Storage Buildings etc: started in 2007 and has grown into a pretty large business since then. It started out as storage buildings only but has expanded into greenhouses, gazebos, screen rooms, carports, enclosed metal buildings, garages, dog kennels and chicken coops. I’m really thankful for this business largely because of it bringing customers in from surrounding counties. Wade Yoder Storage Buildings etc. is located on 341 in Fort Valley it is hard to miss, it is on both sides of the road right close to the railroad tracks.
Plane crash 2007: this probably had the most impact on how I live out my days here on earth and increased my desire to leave a positive impact in the lives of my family, friends and community. You can get the full story on YouTube @ Yoder Family Plane Crash
Community service and outreach
Boards Peach Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Member (2012 to present and currently serve as treasurer)Middle Georgia Workforce Development Board (2017 to present)Middle Georgia Clean Air Coalition (Jan,2018 to present)Peach County High School Local School Governance Team (2020-2023) Peach County Schools CTAE Executive Committee (2023 to present) City of Fort Valley Public Safety Foundation, -newly formed (January 2024)
Health and fitness columnist: for 6 middle GA newspapers with over 200 published articles since 2012.
Peach County Commissioner Post 5: in November 2016 I had the honor to be elected to the At-Large Commissioner Post here in Peach County, GA.
Family
Plane crash 10/10/2007
