|
|
| IN
MEMORIAM |
 Dick Taylor, who will be honored at the 2007 NAI National Workshop with the Excellence in Interpretive Support award, passed away October 7, 2007.
The following is excerpted from a letter of recommendation for the award from Melissa Walker, as published in the NAI 2007 Workshop program guide.
Dick demonstrated outstanding leadership and support in a variety of ways and settings during his many years associated with NAI. Most people knew Dick from the recent charitable gift annuity he gave NAI, or they recognized him as a senior who faithfully attended NAI National Workshops. Those who worked with him or knew him as a friend recognize the passion he brought to interpretation. For all his years as a docent, overseeing and guiding other docents, his years as a Region 7 treasurer and involvement in other regional duties, his years of attending regional and national workshops, his financial support helping young interpreters attend workshops, his years serving on the national finance committee, and finally, his gift of a $25,000 charitable annuity, His dedication to the interpretive profession is unsurpassed.
|
|
| Dick found the interpretive profession later in life after retiring from a career in the insurance business. I first met him in southern Colorado when I was at the Greenway and Nature Center of Pueblo and he was working at Bear Creek Nature Center. Despite his jobs being volunteer work, he treated it as his profession and was very involved in NAI regional and national events. He enjoyed sponsoring friends and colleagues to attend workshops when they could not afford the fees. In recent years he placed a charitable gift annuity with NAI that became a scholarship fund at the time of his passing. It will continue to sponsor interpreters from southern Colorado in participating in workshops for the indefinite future. We will miss Dick's generous spirit and enthusiasm for interpretation. —Tim Merriman |
| During the 23 years I knew him, Dick was always thinking of ways to make a program or a visitor center better or how to improve a visitor's experience. His enthusiasm was infectious and he infected many of us and kept us going if we faced burn-out on the job. When his Excellence in Interpretive Support award was announced at the NAI National Workshop in Wichita a month after his death, the group gave him a standing ovation that he would have been honored and humbled to see. Dick loved to encourage young interpreters and paid expenses for one or two to attend the national workshop each year. The scholarship set up in his name will ensure that this continues to happen. He will be missed so much by anyone whose life he touched. —Deb Tewell |
| I worked with Dick at the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center in Colorado Springsfor about 2 years. Dick was a wonderful person that was always ready to assist in every aspect of interpretation. I felt, when I started my job here, that I was like a small pebble that had been washed ashore on a massive beach. All the others pebbles around me knew what their role on the beach was, but I was lost. Here came a solid figure in my life to help me stand my ground and be more confident on the beach. He taught me many things about interpretation and was a wise friend. My rock on the beach of interpretation has been washed away from my side, but I know that he has just moved on to help out another pebble that needs him. I will miss Dick very much, he has made such an impact in my life. Dick used to refer to himself as our "old Fossil" because of his presentations and knowledge in fossils here at the Garden of the Gods. I'll miss that "old Fossil", but I know he is in good hands. Dick spoke highly of many of the NAI members, he was so excited for myself and Dani to make it to Wichita. He was so excited, he was trying to get me to print out boarding passes in September. He looked forward to this conference every year. Thank you. I'll miss you. —Brook Cruz |
| I looked forward to seeing Dick each year at NAI. He really wanted to reach out and do something good for the profession which he discovered late in life. NAI lost a great friend. —Amy Galperin |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
