I think of Steve as a renaissance man, a rail splitter, a pastor, a modern cowboy, a farmer, a dendrologist, the coolest Dad ever (after my Dad), an architect, a plumber, a teacher, a mentor. I hope I can call him a friend. He is incredibly patient through all my dumb questions, and all the other dumb questions from others despite his to-do list being so long. He knows everything. EVERYthing. And he'll teach you how to do it, giving you time, attention, and speaking at a level you can understand as long as it takes you to get it. Want to know about gardening, auto mechanics, metal working, electricity, water treatment, theology, wisdom....? Just ask him. He's impacted hundreds of Americorps volunteers here whose pictures line the wall in his office.
YAV has put some of the world's most amazing people in my life. The world changers. The movers and do-ers. Ferncliff's director of operations and maintenance, Steve is competitive with Food Pantry and CSA coordinator Jane from last year for the top spot of most influential people in Alex's YAV career.
Steve taught me
- how to drive a tractor and operate the attachments
- how to plow a field
- how to weld
- how to mix concrete by hand and in the mixer
- how to winterize cabins with 70 year old pipes and no electricity
- where not to put the weather station......
- mineral spirits don't need to be mixed in water because they are oil based
- white caulk looks better than clear in most cases
- the concept of a square drill bit
- the difference between an impact driver and a drill
- how to kill and clean a chicken
- how to connect a charge controller to get the solar panel to charge the golf cart
- how to build walls on a flat bed trailer out of scrap wood and used screws
- how to vacuum 1800 cubic feet of weevil-infested rice hulls into that trailer
- how to back up the trailer full of rice hulls
- how to maneuver like Spiderman in the ceiling of the Eco Center with the vacuum to get the rice hulls without falling through the suspended ceiling
- how to build picture frames
- how to mix lime plaster and apply the last coats to the Eco Center walls with David and Luke. (Former gardener Kenny Lackey mixed the first batch, Steve mixed all billion others in between and I mixed the last one).
Steve also gave me a few life lessons
- "sometimes you just need the right tool"
- regarding chicken slaughtering: "I don't think God intended for us to enjoy it"
- regarding the Eco Center: "Yes you can build this way, but you really can't on this scale without a lot of help"
- "the people who built it are the most important feature of the Eco Center"
- regarding hole digging and me being clueless about the solar car, "I'll get to that tomorrow, and if you believe me I've got property in Arizona" or something like that
- "we just need somebody that ain't too bright to keep the fire going in that undersized furnace"
Steve showed me just about everything I can think of about Ferncliff's
Straw-bale Eco Center. He imparted to me, a temporary volunteer, a working knowledge of the septic system, the solar panel and battery system, the
wood heating system, and the natural convective air flow system. I
picked up some of it, still clueless on most of it. I even captured a few stories of the many people who's blood sweat and tears forever rest underneath the paint, plaster, mortar, sand and concrete. Knowledge of such a uniquely sustainable building is invaluable. He's a walking textbook on all things
construction but he has a mind that thinks of alternatives; ways to
recycle old parts and old buildings. He considers resource use, cost,
labor, teach-ability, environmental impact, and even scripture believe it or
not into his work and his construction. "Don't build on sand" Steve is one of a kind! Beyond my interactions with him he runs the water purification system for camp's drinking water, camp's wastewater system, all of the geothermal HVAC systems, solar panels, and like I said before Everything. Steve is among the kindest, gentilest, and most agile folks I've ever met. He embodies the spirit of Ferncliff. Steve you will always be loved, missed, remembered, talked about, and welcome by all of us in Arkansas who know you.
As with any goodbye there are some regrets. I never learned much about Steve's past or his amazing family, although I've met all his kids and his wife at least once. I wish we had more theological discussions, though I wouldn't replace the technical discussions. I've become reflective of his departure while throwing him all the questions I can think of for work. This time last year I learned of my pastor's retirement, my supervisor Ryan took a new job and left me alone until Stacie took over off and on. Millie, another supervisor moved away. My close friend Gus had died. Other church friends have died since then.
People move, leave and die all the time. That's life. In the camp and non-profit world things tend to be even more temporary. I'll be handing in my two month's notice pretty soon. I think I'm getting a little better at dealing with these transitions. It still carries sadness, but I know the territory. Life goes on. As I did last year I remember the people in my life who have not only left me but deeply impacted me. Gus, Ryan, Millie, Stacie, Charlie, Parker. Or the people that I've left behind and they've impacted me Jane, Maggie, the other Maggie, Flip, John and Stella, Libby, Audrey, Kathleen. I can list hundreds on both lists.
I'm sad to add Steve to this list but very excited to throw him into this mix of the person I aspire to be; pulling from my experience with him and all these others too. And now I've got an excuse besides Disney World to visit Florida!
For Steve and everyone else on your transition to the new chapters of life:
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warmly upon your face
May the rains fall gently upon your fields
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand
The Lord bless you, and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
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