Occupation: Right now, I mainly take care of my plants.

Family: I have a family of 12, with six boys and six girls. My wife, Shane, is a family counselor. We have been together about 38 years. We live in a big house on Main Street with 15 rooms; it used to be the Glover's house built in 1869.

Pets: I have a dog, Scout, who is about 6 months old. I believe she is a Himalayan terrier. We've always had dogs, and when we lost one to a freak surgery operation, I told my wife we should get another dog.

How long have you lived in Newtown? Eighteen years. We lived is Ossining before, and my wife chose Newtown for us to move to.

What do you like to do in your free time? Grow plants. I've been part of the Horticulture Club of Newtown for ten years. I started growing plants when I was 10 years old. I lived in Yonkers at the time and took a spot in the Victory Garden at Van Cortlandt Park for a summer. At my home now, I have an acre of plants and a tropical garden with giganticus from Thailand. I also have tall grasses that grow to be 12 feet. I buy them as a little seedlings. They're spectacular plants to see grow.

Do you have a favorite book? There's a lot of them. I like to read a lot of things about nature.

What is your favorite travel destination? Florida. We used to go a lot, but we had a few close calls on the plane, so my wife doesn't like to fly anymore. We like the beach and used to have a home on Shelter Island.

What is the best part about Newtown? The people. Also, I like going to yoga twice a week at the Senior Center. I've been doing yoga for close to 40 years.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? There have been many people. My mother, Margaret, was a key influence. She was from Ireland and moved away when she was 14 years old when her family couldn't feed all the kids. She always told me to study hard and get along with people.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? My wife. I'd want us to go to the beach and be close to the water.

Who is your favorite musical artist? Elton John, Billy Joel, and artists from the '60s.

Do you have a favorite TV show? Any nature show.

What is your favorite food? Pasta dishes.

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? "Give it your best effort." My college basketball coaches used to tell me that. My dream was to play Madison Square Garden - and I did. I played with Manhattan College and played about 30 games there. We were a really good team.

What is something you cannot live without? My wife. We do a lot on our own, but we do a lot together, too.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Seeing our grandkids grow up so well.