Heifer International began as Heifers for Relief in 1944.^{[16][17][18][19][20]} Its founder, an Ohio farmer named Dan West, was a Church of the Brethren relief worker during the Spanish Civil War. Working with Quakers and Mennonites, West directed a program where hungry children were given rations of milk.^[18][19][20] In 1938, West was ladling out milk to hungry refugee children and wrote later that he thought, "These children don't need a cup, they need a cow."^{[16][17][18][19][20]}

When back home in Indiana, West took the idea to his neighbors and church. This led to the formation of the Heifers for Relief Committee in 1939.^{[16][17][18][19][20]} In 1942, West was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pursue the idea as a national project.^{[16][17][18][19][20]} The charity was incorporated in 1944 and sent its first shipment of 17 heifers to Puerto Rico. Several local farmers who knew West donated the animals.^{[16][17][18][19][20]}

He enjoyed his work in Germany so much that he made a decision to do alternative service instead of military service.  He worked at a Berlin Refugee Camp for two years. Garland shared that his father warned him to be aware of women wanting to get a green passport to come to the United States.  This didn't keep him from marrying Heidi...his German wife...It seems to have been a very good match. They have two sons.

They returned to the United States and he was elected as National President for the Discipline of Student Fellowship.  This provided him with an opportunity to tour the United States promoting volunteer service.

He finally completed his college education at Washington University in St. Louis.  He then went on to Yale School of Divinity.  He then moved on the the University to Connecticut, but never competed his dissertation to earn his doctorate degree. Instead he married Heidi and in 1968, he moved to Hanover with AUFS.

In 1973, he started importing stoves from Denmark and recruited 250 dealers nationwide.

In 1978, he took a risk and purchased the Rivermill complex that was know as Rockdale in 1978.  He replaced the roof, put in sprinklers, a new heat system and worked to recruit start-up companies to rent some of the space.

He sold the complex in 1986...an moved on to importing fancy scarfs, leather good, and got focused on his love antique English cars.

His son then took him on an adventure to St. Thomas to learn about salvaging metals.  This lead to him purchasing a salvage business in Florida in 1988.  Heidi joined him; and she became an associate pastor for a church with 1500 members..

His salvage business was sold in 2001 and he returned to the Lebanon.  Since then he is a serious buyer of classic automobiles, and still loves English cars. This has allowed him to travel to the United Kingdom and Germany frequently.  He has a car warehouse in Bradford Vermont.

He shared his long Rotary history in Lebanon, in Fort Lauderdale South and now back in Lebanon. He shared stories about Rotary experiences in Florida. He has been to several Rotary Conventions and shared how valuable these experiences have been.  He also shared how he lead a group study exchange team to New Zealand.  Needless to say, he is an avid Rotarian and we are lucky to have him as a member!