2024 Award Recipients
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We had a great time on Thursday at our 2024 Awards Ceremony!
Camper Recognition We recognized a special camper who unfortunately aged out this year.
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Joseph Shifflett was only here with us at TACO for a short while, but he made a huge impact on many of us. Joe always had a smile on his face, he loved painting and always said “Yup.” Everyone Joe met was a friend. He had the kindest heart you’ll ever see. When Joe first came to TACO, he really wasn’t sure about riding. He led Rowan around for a couple of days and by day 4, he was ready to try it! Once we got him on- there was no getting him off. To honor Joe’s Memory, we gave the first annual Joe Shifflett Memorial Award.
This year, this award is going to a camper who wears a sly smile on his face. He is kind to his fellow campers and ensures no one is left behind. He is always willing to lend a hand and has an enormous positive attitude. He has a heart, much like Joe’s–full of kindness. He has encouraged and supported everyone at TACO this week. This year’s Joseph Shifflett Memorial Award is presented to Cooper Sisson.
This year, this award is going to a camper who wears a sly smile on his face. He is kind to his fellow campers and ensures no one is left behind. He is always willing to lend a hand and has an enormous positive attitude. He has a heart, much like Joe’s–full of kindness. He has encouraged and supported everyone at TACO this week. This year’s Joseph Shifflett Memorial Award is presented to Cooper Sisson.
Sallie Barber, I’m not sure where to start. Sallie loved everyone, and everyone loved Sallie. I honestly cannot tell you how long she was involved with TACO, other than it was years, More than 20, probably more than 25. Sallie served on our committee for many years, until she had to step away due to her health. She was at camp everyday with a smile on her face and a laugh you could hear across the farm. She didn’t know a stranger and she’d do anything in the world for anyone. I think everyone knew Sallie. She had a way with children, she understood them and could relate to them so well. Sallie served as a group leader, side walker, and many other rolls at camp (probably all of them at one point or another). When we sat down to try to pick the qualities of Sallie- it was hard.. there were a lot! But we decided the 3 things that really described her, was her love for children, her sense of humor, and her dedication to TACO.
This year, the recipient of this award has been with TACO for many, many years. You can always count on her to be at camp every year and to help wherever it is necessary! She is always one of the last ones to leave, asking, “Can I help you with anything else?” She is someone that I can go to and ask, “How did things go today?” She will give an honest answer yet ensure she helps to find a solution for anything that did not work out the way we thought it would! Her love for the campers, interaction with them, and her dedication make her the perfect candidate for the Sallie Barber Memorial Award. This year's award is presented to Caitlin Horton.
This year, the recipient of this award has been with TACO for many, many years. You can always count on her to be at camp every year and to help wherever it is necessary! She is always one of the last ones to leave, asking, “Can I help you with anything else?” She is someone that I can go to and ask, “How did things go today?” She will give an honest answer yet ensure she helps to find a solution for anything that did not work out the way we thought it would! Her love for the campers, interaction with them, and her dedication make her the perfect candidate for the Sallie Barber Memorial Award. This year's award is presented to Caitlin Horton.
Susan Hanner, was the hostess, instructor, and committee member for TACO from 2001-2017. We can thank her for the indoor we are using, as she designed the facilities here at Elmwood, where she ran her business until 2017. Susan didn’t know the word no, she’d help anyone she could. In the 10 years I knew Susan, I don’t remember her ever refusing to help someone, whether it was a person or animal. She was a kindhearted person, who had a love for children and horses. She loved TACO, she loved teaching the campers. She always had a smile on her face, even if it wasn’t a good day. When we talked about the qualities we wanted to honor of Susan. Smile, helping others, and dedication to TACO, came to mind.
This year, the recipient of the Susan Hanner Memorial Award is a new volunteer. She was eager to sign up for camp this year after hearing about it. I am not frequently in the main tent, but I have heard from so many people that she immediately jumped in on Monday morning and helped to complete any and every task. I know, within 5 minutes of her arriving at TACO Monday morning, I handed her a task, and she had no hesitation in completing it for me. This year's Susan Hanner Memorial Award is presented to Natalie Monaco.
This year, the recipient of the Susan Hanner Memorial Award is a new volunteer. She was eager to sign up for camp this year after hearing about it. I am not frequently in the main tent, but I have heard from so many people that she immediately jumped in on Monday morning and helped to complete any and every task. I know, within 5 minutes of her arriving at TACO Monday morning, I handed her a task, and she had no hesitation in completing it for me. This year's Susan Hanner Memorial Award is presented to Natalie Monaco.
While many of us had the immense pleasure of knowing Joe, Sallie and Susan, so many of you didn’t, as the years go on, so many more here at TACO won’t know them. They were all such an important part of TACO. We want their memories and legacies to continue for years. We hope that these awards will remind you of those who came before you, those who helped shape TACO into what it is today, and to those who are proud of everything you are doing to continue their work, I am quite sure there were a lot of smiling faces down on us at TACO this year.
Volunteers Years of Service
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3 Years
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5 Years
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8 Years
10 Years
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Volunteer Graduates
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To all of our volunteers whether you have been with us 1 year, or 15+ years, we could not do this without you. YOU are what makes TACO happen, you are what makes it possible. In closing, I’d like to share a quote our committee came up with years ago.
We have the cause
You have the effect
We all have the heart.
We have the cause
You have the effect
We all have the heart.
