When we were planning for the 2021 Annual Meeting, we came across the fact that in 1956 Hermes Nye had organized the first official TFS Hootenanny. We figured 65 years later would be the perfect time to honor someone from our family who has been an important part of keeping that tradition alive. For those of you who haven’t yet attended an annual meeting, our Thursday night and Friday night hootenannies are an epic combination of music, poetry recitation, and storytelling. It’s a lively way to come together that has really become a big part of our sense of community.
The first recipient of the inaugural Hermes Nye Hootenanny Award is Lee Haile of Tarpley, Texas. Lee has been a TFS member for decades. He plays just about every instrument, sings just about every song, and often wrangles wife Karen and daughters Acayla and Sierra into joining him on stage. He has been leading the hoots for the past few decades ensuring that everyone who wants to perform gets a chance. Lee is a treasure and we are happy to be able to honor his dedication in this way. Jack and Elizabeth Duncan were so excited about this award that they volunteered to sponsor the presentation once we all come back together as a group.