Katherine Miller

Semi-retired teacher Katherine Miller and her two dogs, Fergus (pictured here) and Chica, have settled in nicely in their new home in Cobble Hill, just south of Duncan on Vancouver Island. It was a cow pasture when Katherine bought the one-acre plot of land, but over the past two years she’s had a cozy home built and created a lovely garden filled with herbs, vegetables and flowers. The construction of her new home fuelled Katherine’s interest in “green” building technology and alternate energy sources – one of her many diverse interests, from politics and women’s issues to Scottish country dancing and studying Spanish. Lifelong learning is a fundamental part of who she is, and it’s a lesson she tries to pass on.

“We have to keep learning all through our lives. We can’t just rest on our laurels and say that’s it, we’re done,” she says. “There’s something new to learn every day, and I’ve tried to share that perspective with my students.”

Knowledge Network is a much-appreciated source of learning for Katherine, who finds it far superior to commercial networks. “I enjoy Knowledge because the programming is not dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. Challenging programs and ideas are presented,” she explains.

Brought up to believe that there is no “free lunch,” Katherine is a monthly donor who has also chosen to leave a gift to Knowledge in her will. “It’s important to support Knowledge because we need commercial-free, unbiased options for learning. I like the fact that what I’m watching is reliable, truthful and balanced.”