Gina is 5'4" tall and 110 lbs. Most people would think that she’s “too small” to be an iron and steel forger, a blacksmith, a horse and goat trainer, a wilderness photographer, a hunter who packs into the mountains with her goats, a paramedic, nurse, and one of the first women to be hired as a fire fighter on the elite Oregon "hotshot" team.
The only flaw I could find in my time with her was her limited vocabulary; she's unable to pronounce and use the word "can't" in a sentence!
Listen to her story of how, as a seven year old girl she was raised in the mountains, by a father and grandfather who taught her the power of "you can do this" and "brain over brawn."
A country person by nature, a few years ago Gina started developing the time honored craft of Blacksmithing, making steel into rustic useful items. With her living next to the beautiful Cascade Mountains in Oregon, photography was a natural since it’s something she’s done all her life.
Her approach to things she thought could be almost impossible was "this could be interesting."
As a woman of faith hear how her combination of "I can do this" and Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me" enabled her to do what could be considered nearly impossible for most women.
After we finished our interview I told her I felt like I had just heard the best, most inspiring sermon of my life!
She has spurned many offers of marriage to maintain her commitment to her faith and who knows what else she’s going to tackle next!
During the Summer you can buy items at Ft. Klamath Museum, and Collier State Park and Logging Museum. You can also find her items at Rick Steber Makers & Company in Prineville, Oregon.
If you are in her area you can also buy items at Favell Museum, Klamath County Museum, and For His Glory Bible Book Store.
You can connect with Gina on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cascadecountrycreations/
If you like this, please subscribe to my podcast channel because we're going to have more, equally inspiring and motivating stories from other "Everyday Heroes."
You can contact me at: bert@bertbotta.com or on my website at https://www.bertbotta.com