[Mellie]

Hero Award: TRIBUTE TO VICKI

WHO?

WHO felt the need in '94?
sold t-shirts, got active with a PURPOSE?

WHO simply KNEW that families
of our fallen, our injured
needed help, a guide (an angel, families would later say)...
HUMAN CONNECTION, HUMAN SUPPORT while trying to find solid ground?
... seemingly simple human needs...
made HUGE!

thinking, arranging, facing
a new unbelievable reality... frozen into disbelief
...sleep, where? eat, what? get around, how? who'll pay the bills due next week?
what about the little kids?
so many tears
travel to the accident site? the hospital? where is the bathroom? I want my daddy!
RETURN THE BODY HOME, how? a funeral, ... services?
who can think? ...who can move?
frozen in space
tears
unreal
how to go on?

WHO can help, support, lend a guiding hand for a while?


one step at a time...
Say airplane ticket, say go here, do this
Say, you will be met and guided, stay here, you have a room,
Say transport, it's arranged, firefighter will pick you up. Say COMMUNITY we are ONE.
WE
all LOVE you and will help. But for Grace, it could be us...
LET US HELP. Some of us know what helps. We have a leader... who knows.

WHO raised the early money after Storm King and later...
donated her own retirement money all
those many summers
when NEED burned over donations? as the WILDLAND FIRE SUPPORT
COMMUNITY was GROWING? Community endowed by
her inspiration and NEED to HELP. Spirit through her.

WHO?

WHO partnered with the NIFC Monument folks,
a Monument, real life? A place of EDUCATION, MEMORY, INSPIRATION, PEACE...
Made real.
Renewal, strength.
Stillness in the midst of motion.
Often,
Celebration. Children's voices, laughter.

WHO first worked to help, out of her spare
room? moved to slightly larger
rooms, inspired Grayback, sweet people, who provided A bigger home
near the Monument
until COMMUNITY donations could support a WFF Home?

The HEART.

WHO decorated HEART with hotshot t-shirts? collected by a rowdy one
Filled HEART with laughter, with community, with families, little running feet,
with firefighter stories, remembrances, hugs, and
throat clearing by dads
t-shirts, BE ONE OR DO ONE, or HAVE THEM JOIN YOU...
COMMUNITY HERO? Angel?
Like a hotshot or an angel, she'd
say SHE WAS JUST DOING WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE,
WHAT SHE COULD DO,
WHAT SHE MUST DO... Increasingly together
with others. Knowledge, skills, abilities shared,
her KSAs united with her individual
inspiration and action!
Transformation ensues: hers, ours, family members, none are exempt.

WHO had the Personality, the Compassion,
the Tenacity? Humor? Vision? Trust? Impetus to ACT to do what MUST be done?
willingness to change and grow herself?

WHO attracted the others, the Melissa, the Burk, the WFF BOARD, the UltraRunner,
groundpounders, fire managers, helpers all,
the Honor Guard, bagpipes, theysaid, firefighting musicians, artists, writers, the many
52 Club supporters,
the WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING COMMUNITY,
private sector firefighter, interagency firefighter and vollie, friends and firefighters' families
those touched by her Vision, our Vision, the Vision of support: gossamer nets, alight,
spread wide to catch, to cradle, to heal.

Magnetism, LOVE, all of us laserlight, THE WHO? leading, being
led by her own internal Inspiration,
by whatever name you call that guiding Spirit...
COMMUNITY lending creative juices,
thought and muscle,
blisters and hard work
to fundraising events, often on a shoestring,
but wildland firefighting COMMUNITY together, making support real.

Inspired, inspiring the community, leading,
WHO is that?

Vicki Minor!

Our "Hero", our Inspiration! To some an "Angel".

I am so proud of you VICKI MINOR!
You're greatly loved! Thank you for existing on this planet with us!


Mellie, in trust of Vision.
Join us.
Wildland Firefighter Foundation