ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a bit of irony that hundreds of people turned out Nov. 4 for Jill TaylorSA国际影视传媒檚 service, as those who knew her best agreed that she would never have wanted that much attention.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think Jill would have been surprised,SA国际影视传媒� her brother Shaun MacDonald told The Hub. SA国际影视传媒淏ut itSA国际影视传媒檚 really heartwarming. She loved the community so much, and everyone in it, and it shows that she touched a lot of lives. She had a kind spirit and helped a lot of people in their toughest times.SA国际影视传媒�
Many of those people filled the concourse and second-floor balcony at Diamond Jenness Secondary School last weekend. The news hit the community the morning of Oct. 31 that Taylor had died at the age of 52. As an educator and community leader she came into contact with a multitude of people every day, never mind the many whom she counted among her family and friends. TaylorSA国际影视传媒檚 gift - just one of many that made her so special - was that she found room for kindness and encouragement for all of them.
SA国际影视传媒淪he had such a diversity in her friends, and yet she had time for everyone,SA国际影视传媒� said fellow Interagency Committee leader and friend Bobbi Hamilton. SA国际影视传媒淲henever you needed her, whenever you just wanted to talk, she was never too busy.SA国际影视传媒�
She recalled a time she had called Taylor, upset and needing support, and Taylor said she would be right over. After hanging up the phone, Hamilton went to the washroom, and by the time she came back, Taylor was in her office.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was just amazed that she could do the things she did,SA国际影视传媒� Hamilton said, recalling the early days of the committee. SA国际影视传媒淚t was all about, SA国际影视传媒榣etSA国际影视传媒檚 not just say weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to do it.SA国际影视传媒� It didSA国际影视传媒檛 matter what, if there was something to be done, she would find a way to do it.SA国际影视传媒�
But Taylor was never one to just take over. Instead, she built confidence and ability in others, many of whom would never have believed themselves capable of rising to the task. From childhood, she had a talent for reading people, listening, and knowing exactly what they needed.
Taylor grew up with four brothers in a happy home in Nova Scotia. Her brother, Paul MacDonald, said the family was steeped in community spirit, not only from living in a small town, but also as a result of their parentsSA国际影视传媒� involvement there. Their father often said, SA国际影视传媒淚f you lose, say nothing. If you win, say even less.SA国际影视传媒� Paul said this was something Taylor had very much taken to heart.
SA国际影视传媒淪he was modest, generous, fun-loving, game for anything,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪he was really fearless and courageous. If she saw something that needed to be done, she would work hard to see it happen.SA国际影视传媒�
Taylor was an accomplished athlete and competitive basketball player in her youth, from which she took not only life lessons, but also lifelong friends. She was an avid reader and took after her mother in musical ability.
SA国际影视传媒淛ill had a wonderful voice. She loved the chance to sing, to join in at parties, that sort of thing,SA国际影视传媒� Paul said.
Jill and her husband Mark Taylor moved to the North right out of university and worked in Cambridge Bay and Norman Wells before moving to Hay River in 2005. Paul said no matter where they want, Jill and Mark embraced those communities and the people who made them. What had started out as a plan to spend two years or so out West became an increasingly permanent move, especially after the births of the coupleSA国际影视传媒檚 children, Matthew and Michael.
Mayor Brad Mapes was one of Jill and MarkSA国际影视传媒檚 earliest acquaintances in town, as well as their neighbour. He said that over the years, when Jill had an idea or saw something that needed attention in the community, she would take herself across the yard to speak to Mapes, even before he was elected mayor.
SA国际影视传媒淪he was definitely somebody who inspired a lot of people to do better,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪he definitely inspired me to make good on some ideas I wanted to do.SA国际影视传媒�
In her work it was no different. After just one semester teaching at the high school, Jill was nabbed by the South Slave Divisional Education Council to be their inclusive schooling co-ordinator. As such, she was inundated with awards and recognition for her work across the region and indeed across the territory, but for her, it always came back to the individual students and what they needed.
JillSA国际影视传媒檚 boss, superintendent Curtis Brown, said whenever she went somewhere or hosted a visiting delegation from another community, he would get emails and letters detailing how she had gone above and beyond for them. He said Jill was always the first to ground discussions on policies and procedures in the real-life needs of the Little Muffins - the students for whom her efforts did the most good.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was the intangibles, the things that she does that you could never put on a resume or find in a job description,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 how she was.SA国际影视传媒�
Tellingly, Jill was meant to be receiving yet another award recently, and somehow booked a workshop in another community for the day of the presentation.
Brown, Mapes, and Hamilton all agreed that JillSA国际影视传媒檚 shoes would not be easily filled, not in the schools and not in the community. Diamond Jenness principal Lynne Beck said the same, but - like others - also noted JillSA国际影视传媒檚 remarkable ability to show people their own strength.
SA国际影视传媒淛ill had a way of making everyone feel important, valued, and believe that whatever their role was, they were more than capable of doing it well,SA国际影视传媒� she said in her address at the service. SA国际影视传媒淎ny time people sought support or advice from Jill, she had an uncanny ability to express compassion and empathy, while always challenging us to do better.SA国际影视传媒�
The question now is how to move on, to continue honouring her vision and her work in Hay River and the territory. Beck said it will be difficult for many to get through the day without hearing JillSA国际影视传媒檚 familiar, SA国际影视传媒測ou got this, hon,SA国际影视传媒� or , SA国际影视传媒渢hatSA国际影视传媒檚 easy,SA国际影视传媒� delivered with an encouraging smile, but that moving forward thinking about what she would have wanted is a good place to start.
Among the panoply of projects and initiatives of which Jill was the centre, the Lights On program is perhaps the most well-known and clearest example of her drive and philosophy. She knew Hay River youth face big challenges and pressures when it comes to drugs and alcohol, but instead of creating a working group and engaging with stakeholders and issuing a report, she asked her son what would help. He said to turn the lights on in the gym on Saturday nights.
Princess Alexandra principal Tara Boudreau was sold on the idea the minute she heard it and was eager to expand the program from the high school to the middle school.
SA国际影视传媒淪he really believed in the program,SA国际影视传媒� Boudreau said. SA国际影视传媒淚t started so small and it went so big. The kids just flooded to it.SA国际影视传媒�
She said Jill would get so excited every year when she learned the funding was there to continue running it. In fact, the family have asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Lights On in JillSA国际影视传媒檚 memory. As of this writing, a GoFundMe Campaign has raised more than $4,000 in one day for the initiative.
SA国际影视传媒淪he was a mentor to us all,SA国际影视传媒� Boudreau said, explaining how when a student who was normally friendly started acting out, Jill would find out why. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a reason. Pry a little. Talk to them, and find out what it is.SA国际影视传媒�
Boudreau said Lights On is a place where students from whatever background can just be kids together without all the lines that divide them during the school day. Everyone loves to bounce a basketball, or watch movies, or play video games, or eat food. Lights On has space for all of that.
Two days after the community learned that Jill was gone, a student asked Boudreau if they were going to have Lights On this weekend. She thought about it, thought that maybe with the service going on it might not be the best idea, that the wound was too raw. But then she thought of what Jill would want, and what the students needed.
SA国际影视传媒淥f course there will,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
