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Page 2A THE BEACON July 20<strong>19</strong><br />
By<br />
Tamara<br />
Taylor<br />
Lives Intertwined<br />
Quality of life is a driving<br />
force for all of us. The pursuit<br />
of a good quality of life is<br />
instilled in us beginning in the<br />
formative years and throughout<br />
our lives. We go to school,<br />
pursue careers, and invest in<br />
our community- all to achieve<br />
the quality of life we desire.<br />
Once again, I ponder the question,<br />
“Why do we live here?<br />
What drives us to call this<br />
‘home’?” The simple answer<br />
that keeps coming back to me<br />
is, “Because of the quality of<br />
life we have in our community.”<br />
Let’s face it. Our little<br />
part of the world includes a<br />
broad range of living styles including<br />
suburban areas, trendy<br />
urban spaces that are being<br />
developed, and laid-back rural<br />
areas. Take your pick.<br />
In short, we have it all.<br />
But one common thread that<br />
binds us all is the people, the<br />
character, integrity, and caring<br />
of our fellow neighbors.<br />
Neighbors who give their time<br />
and efforts to maintain and<br />
help improve our quality of<br />
life.<br />
Have you ever met someone,<br />
and you immediately know<br />
that he or she is a really good<br />
person? Then the years go by,<br />
and your paths cross again and<br />
again. Eventually, you can’t<br />
even recall under what circumstances<br />
you initially met.<br />
I know that I have met a truly<br />
great individual in the community<br />
when he or she keeps<br />
“popping up.” A person’s<br />
photo will cross my desk on<br />
numerous occasions when<br />
information about fundraisers,<br />
volunteer events, or community<br />
work days is shared.<br />
And then his or her name is<br />
mentioned in conversations<br />
about totally different groups<br />
or community efforts. Or I<br />
will find myself asking, “Who<br />
did you say is on your board?<br />
I know him!” Other times I<br />
will attend a meeting only to<br />
As the steward of Guilford Covered Bridge Park, Terry<br />
Stephens works tirelessly to maintain the grounds.<br />
find that long-lost acquaintance<br />
is doing a presentation<br />
about a project designed to<br />
enhance the quality of life for<br />
our community.<br />
All of these criteria fit<br />
my relationship with Terry<br />
Stephens. I have no idea<br />
what brought us together, but<br />
fate has certainly brought us<br />
back together time and time<br />
again over the years (okay,<br />
decades!).<br />
Terry is a native of southeast<br />
Indiana having grown up in<br />
Bright. Friends still can recall<br />
swimming in a nearby pond<br />
together or watching his father<br />
turn pieces of wood into works<br />
of art. He eventually married<br />
Vickie Boyles Stephens, a<br />
lifelong resident of Guilford.<br />
The couple made Guilford<br />
their home and still reside in<br />
the picturesque valley.<br />
Terry is a sage man. He<br />
takes great pride in doing<br />
whatever he sets his mind to,<br />
and he does it incredibly well.<br />
While one might gaze in awe<br />
at his beautiful property that he<br />
keeps in park-like condition,<br />
know that his attention to detail<br />
carries over to his responsibilities<br />
as the park steward<br />
of Guilford Covered Bridge<br />
Park. Located on the edge of<br />
Tanners Creek, the Guilford<br />
Covered Bridge Park requires<br />
the most significant amount of<br />
maintenance since it continually<br />
suffers the ravages of floods.<br />
The Guilford Park is returned<br />
to its impeccable state of<br />
beauty after each rainy season<br />
thanks to the diligent efforts of<br />
Terry Stephens and his ability<br />
to rally volunteers. Terry takes<br />
his stewardship of the Guilford<br />
Covered Bridge Park very seriously<br />
as a way to enhance our<br />
community’s quality of life. I<br />
have a feeling that Vickie has a<br />
bit to do with the park looking<br />
so good as well.<br />
Terry Stephens has been<br />
on the Dearborn County Park<br />
Board for over ten years.<br />
While most of his physical<br />
efforts are dedicated to all that<br />
occurs at Guilford Park, he remains<br />
a trusted member of the<br />
Board for the entire county.<br />
Park Board president Doug<br />
Burger described Terry as<br />
“Having an incredible business<br />
sense and a good steward<br />
of park funds. He always does<br />
the right thing.”<br />
Terry’s attention to detail is<br />
a character trait that has taken<br />
him far in life. He is a woodworker<br />
by trade, following<br />
the footsteps of his father. I<br />
should clarify- in my opinion,<br />
Terry is not just a woodworker;<br />
he is a craftsman. Much<br />
of his work graces homes,<br />
corporations, and community<br />
buildings throughout the<br />
tristate. In <strong>19</strong>93 he started<br />
Stephens Woodworking. Over<br />
a quarter of a century later,<br />
Terry Stephens- a lifelong<br />
volunteer fireman and<br />
community role model.<br />
his excellent craftsmanship<br />
and attention to detail have<br />
made him an expert in all that<br />
woodworking entails. In fact,<br />
this expertise has resulted in<br />
calls from our county officials<br />
for help with courthouse<br />
projects that keep Terry quite<br />
busy.<br />
Walk into Dearborn Savings<br />
or Woody’s, and you will<br />
see more examples of Terry’s<br />
craftsmanship. Every detail<br />
was taken into account to create<br />
architectural masterpieces.<br />
Of course, Hillforest, our<br />
very own National Historic<br />
Landmark, has significantly<br />
benefitted from Terry Stephens’<br />
talents.<br />
Mr. Stephens’ volunteerism<br />
is not limited to his efforts<br />
as a board member of the<br />
Dearborn County Parks. He<br />
has been a volunteer firefighter<br />
for over thirty-seven<br />
years. Wow. As a community,<br />
we rarely stop to consider<br />
what such dedication entails<br />
including the training that a<br />
firefighter must continually<br />
complete. One of Terry’s fellow<br />
firefighters so succinctly<br />
described to me the life of<br />
a firefighter. They go into<br />
burning buildings or arrive on<br />
the scene of automobile accidents,<br />
the memories forever<br />
etched in their minds. They<br />
make every effort to save the<br />
lives of your fellow neighbors.<br />
Oh, and don’t forget that<br />
the firefighter is called out at<br />
3 A.M. or during important<br />
events only to be expected to<br />
drop everything and go. Mr.<br />
Stephens’ dedication as a volunteer<br />
fireman for almost four<br />
decades is pretty impressive.<br />
Needless to say, the Miller-<br />
York Fire Department looks<br />
pretty darn good. Why?<br />
Because of the volunteer efforts<br />
and dedication of Terry<br />
Stephens. He certainly keeps<br />
what many considered the<br />
gateway to Guilford, looking<br />
spiffy.<br />
Thank you, Terry, for making<br />
our community better both<br />
through your volunteer efforts<br />
and by leading by example,.<br />
I personally feel as many in<br />
our community do- honored<br />
to call you my friend and<br />
neighbor.<br />
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