In January, 2011 two University of Oregon students, Ellis Heyer and Collin LaMore, died in a single vehicle crash on a stretch of icy highway in the Oregon Cascades. They were enroute for a personal day of snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor.
Ellis and Collin were outstanding people who embraced the natural world with reverence and delightful enthusiasm. They are missed by all who had the pleasure to share life's events with them.
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Ellis (standing left) & Collin (standing right) - OPP Snow Camping outing |
Ellis (front) and Collin (back) on Snow Camping |
After the accident, the Heyer and LaMore families worked with representatives of the University of Oregon Foundation and the Outdoor Pursuits Program to create a legacy for Ellis and Collin by establishing the Heyer/LaMore Memorial Award Fund. The Award Fund empowers the Outdoor Pursuits Program to administer the 'Heyer/LaMore Leadership Award'.
On an annual basis the Faculty of the Outdoor Pursuits Program reviews the outdoor leadership merits of potential student awardees and their contributions towards the educational mission of the OPP and selects an award recipient (or recipients) based on a set of established criteria (outlined below).
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The first recipient, Daniel Tewksbury, was honored at an inaugural ceremony in April 2012 at the Wesley Foundation on the University of Oregon campus. The Heyers (from Amherst, MA) and Jill Duthie (Collin's mother from Stockton, CA) and her family were present for the award ceremonies. Two OPP leaders in training read poems written by Ellis and Collin.
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Daniel Tewksbury with the Heyers |
| The ceremony was an opportunity for the OPP to express what Ellis and Collin meant to our community (read award speech). Words could never convey the impact of their passing on our community, only remind us that life can be fleeting, that it should be embraced and lived to its fullest extent every day. |
| Heyer/LaMore Leadership Award Criteria |
Daniel with Jill Duthie (to his right) and members of her family |
Outdoor Pursuits Program faculty consider for award, leaders in training who demonstrate:
- Commitment to the Leadership Training Program: is a currently enrolled University of Oregon student actively working towards completing the requirements of the Outdoor Pursuits Program Leadership Training Program; has served as a leader in trainingfor a minimum of six terms.
- Leadership: demonstrates superior leadership performance; seeks out leadership opportunities and strives to develop outdoor skills and leadership potential; motivates and takes care of others, serves as a role model and sets a good example; assists in promoting the educational mission of the OPP and consistently promotes and upholds Program safety, performance and risk management policies.
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- Teaching and Facilitation: embraces the roles of teacher and facilitator, and strives to enhance teaching and facilitation skills; is committed to teaching and guiding others in formal and informal settings.
- Stewardship: is passionate about the outdoors and demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that our students minimize impacts on the land; consistently trains others in the best practices of the Leave No Trace philosophy.
- Character: demonstrates dependability, trustworthiness, honesty, humility; respects others and is in turn respected by teachers and fellow leaders in training; takes responsibilities seriously; demonstrates compassion for others, is helpful, encouraging and supportive; takes the initiative and goes beyond what is required.
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Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of autumn.
John Muir, Our National Parks, 1901 |
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