NAME:
Luke Stordahl

FAMILY:  
Wife: Colleen
Kids: Corrigan and Juniper (daughters) and Bryar and Rowan (sons)

NEIGHBORHOOD:
Eastside Hill, Eau Claire

BACKGROUND:
Luke Stordahl grew up in the Chippewa Valley and came to UW-Eau Claire to study biochemistry (and, he admits, to “cut down on drive time to get comic books”). Eventually, he traded his biochemistry studies for liberal arts and met his wife, Colleen, whom he married during a four-day weekend away from his job at Coon Fork campground. The couple lived for a decade in Minnesota, where they had four children and Luke became an English teacher.

“While Minnesota is a great state where we met a lot of swell people and consumed a lot of OK dairy products, we decided that our hearts were firmly entrenched in the trees and rivers of Eau Claire,” he said. “So a few years ago we packed up a moving truck and came back.” Over the past three years in the Chippewa Valley, the family has fallen in love again with opportunities to hike, bike, skate, and meet new people, and Luke has become principal at Northwoods Elementary School. “I now have a dream job where I work in a great school surrounded by dedicated and amazing staff and super fun kids,” he said.

We love the Chippewa Valley because: It’s beautiful and it’s interesting.

I couldn’t live without ... I’d like to think I could live without most things, but I wouldn’t want to live without good coffee.

I make sure to never miss Fourth of July fireworks at Carson Park with the family.
My favorite place to take the kids is a tie that includes the Children’s Museum of Eau Claire, the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, and pretty much any local park.

My family has taught me that dignity is overrated. I never leave the house without my library card.

Our typical weekend is ... I don’t know that we have enough consistency for a “typically weekend” but many of them involve longish walks to an interesting destination like a park, ice cream cone, bridge, farmers market, etc.

During the holiday season you’ll find us cutting down our Christmas tree. Granted cutting it down doesn’t take very long, but finding the right one can take a bit.

When the kids are with a sitter, we love to go for a long walk to get dinner or coffee, then come home.

My spouse always laughs at me because I’m super witty and have above-average comedic timing. Duh. But she generally laughs the hardest if I accidentally hurt myself.

My spouse would say my super power is ... my spouse is my superpower. ;)

My kid(s) will tell you that their dad listens to the best music, likes the best movies, and refuses to play kickball at anything less than 110 percent effort.

If I could pass on one bit of advice it would be read widely and always vote.