An Award in Dad’s Honor…
I haven’t written much about my Dad. As with any parent, there are times when you love your parents and other things that you find a little embarassing. I just found an article from the Manassas-Warrenton Camera Club, a photography club my Dad founded quite a few years ago. Photography was a passion of his. He didn’t find a camera club in the area, so he founded one.
I was googling Dad’s name, and discovered a write-up from the MWCC 2006 newsletter about an award they give in Dad’s honor. I was aware of the award, but hadn’t read their summary before.
James R. M. Spor Memorial Award for Outstanding Spirit and Dedication to the MWCC
It is time to submit your nomination for this prestigious award given in honor of our club’s founder and first president. James (Jim) Russel Meyers Spor established the Manassas Warrenton Camera Club and served as club president for the first three years. He devoted countless hours toward skillfully and lovingly nurturing the club through its early years. He constantly refined his vision of the club as he learned new ways to promote photography. He solicited fellow photographers to help him in achieving his goal of a first class camera club in the northern Virginia area. Jim was a novice photographer during the early years of the club, however he was a quick study and became a major contender on competition nights. He was a gentle man, never seeking personal recognition for his work. His reward was handing out a ribbon to a first time winner on competition night, to introducing a new member to the club, and watching the club grow. He did not realize he was gifted with administrative and organizational skills that many of us were envious. While he was a family man devoted to his wife and children, he considered the camera club members his extended family. He was the club’s mentor. Jim was a man we quickly grew to love and respect. Sadly on October 1, 1994 at an early age of 50 years Jim fell victim to a fatal heart attack. The memorial award was established in 1995 as our way to honor Jim for his unlimited devotion to providing a forum where fellow photographers, regardless of their skill, could meet and share their photographic experiences.
I was astounded to read this. You tend to take your parents for granted… and then you read what someone else thinks about them. And you can stop and say with great pride, “Yeah, that’s my Dad they are talking about.”
Miss you, Dad.
The MWCC web site also has a page remembering Dad: A Long Time Ago, http://www.mwcc-photo.org/about_mwcc/long_time.shtml