Wes Porter
Hometown: Vernal, Utah
Administrator and National Guard Servicemember
My grandfather brought me to rural Utah from San Diego, California. We had no family here at the time and grandpa intended to try to take a young boy out of an environment that created challenges for his children, my mother, aunt, and uncle. We immediately found a home with the great people of Vernal and just as fast, found out we were not cut from the same cloth.
Learning how to be in a rural area was a challenge. We tried to farm, raise animals, learn to drive in the snow, etc., and despite the learning curve, we integrated and after over 30 years, Vernal became home to two more generations of my family. I’ve traveled the world with the military, and everywhere I go, and all that I see, I am reminded that there is nowhere else I would like to live than my small community in rural Utah.
Wes‘ Top Places, Spaces, & Things that Help Make Utah Home:
- Camping at Windy Park in the Uintah Mountains
- Utah State University Uintah Basin
- The corner barbershop in the old Lamplighter Hotel
- Lemon Grass
- Only Thai restaurant in town bringing a cuisine type that is hard to find in rural Utah!
- Only Thai restaurant in town bringing a cuisine type that is hard to find in rural Utah!
- Holidays in Vernal City
- Freedom Fest 4th of July event in Vernal, and the wonderful Veteran’s Day activities.
“Utah is amazing. There is no place I’d rather be. The people here are great, and accepting. They are curious and kind. They expect you to be the same. Connections are made easy and there is a place for everyone.”
Wes Porter