Many of our White River Valley towns have benefited over the years from those who have the financial means and made considerable contributions to our communities.  Libraries, music halls and other buildings bear their names.  Strafford honored one of its own with a dinner on Monday night at Barrett Hall where David  (Red) Taplin,  was honored as Strafford Lions 2024 Citizen of the Year.  David has been a bit more modest and hands on than some of the philanthropists of the past, quietly making a considerable difference over the last 40 years The only building, tongue in cheek, named after Taplin was at a Town Meeting in the 90's. In appreciation of the completion of the restoration work at the building at South Strafford Recreation Area known as the Red Barn, which he oversaw, it was named the "Red" Barn in his honor.  Most all of the people at the full house at Barrett Hall had no idea of all the things David Taplin has done. 

 

Lion Club President Melvin Coburn was the master of ceremony and handled things with his usual deft touch and quick wit.  Lead off speaker was Jon Stableford a member of the Strafford men's softball team known as the Sultans where Taplin was player/coach. Stableford described Taplin who at that time in the late 1970's had long red hair and played barefoot. Having fun and good sportsmanship were hallmarks of his leadership, though they didn't mind winning. A good number of "Sultans" were in the audience including Phil Coburn who pitched a win in their 1984 Mountain League Championship game. Stableford says he thinks Red coined the teams motto:  "The older we get the better we were".

 

Strafford builder Blake Spencer recalled the many town buildings including Barrett Hall, the Rosa Tyson Gym, and the Red Barn that he worked on with Taplin and Joey Hawkins, a teacher at the Newton School talked about how he built a soccer field above the Newton School from a patch of rough ground and named it "The Field of Dreams". Taplin also did considerable work on the playing field of the South Strafford Recreation Area and the Varney ballfield by the recycling center. Taplin would regularly go around the fields picking up rocks in buckets and filling it in holes. He got a chuckle out of the time he overheard some kids in the Preschool playground remark as he went by, "there goes that creepy guy with buckets again". 

 

Rocky Fuller who heads the Town House Advisory Group talked about all the work and help Taplin has provided over the years with the upkeep of that magnificent but always in need of maintenance structure. One example Fuller gave was in regards to what in now known aa the 'backhouse". The Town House, having only a two-hole indoor privy, plans were made and the fanciest outhouse in the State of Vermont, a post and beam construction with a slate roof, built in the style of the Town House was built. It was all done by volunteer labor and no town tax money. Electricity and a composting toilet were installed. The project which took four years to complete, more time to build that the Town House itself,  got needed funds from Taplin to finish the project.  Kevin Plunkett spoke on how he was recruited to serve by Taplin to serve with him as a trustee of public funds as well as how Taplin had served as a soccer coach and sports role model for his sons. Taplin also started the summer soccer program for kids and as Joey Hawkins, who appreciated the help Taplin often gave said , "Red stepped up - not because he had to, but because he cared so much about the kids in Strafford

 

When those in the audience had a chance to comment, Strafford resident Jim Wilson, who was Taplin's varsity hockey coach in the early 60's, said that the Taplin who believed in fun, teamwork, giving of himself and sportsmanship, qualities, so many mentioned during the evening, were the same ones of the lad he coached so many years ago.  Steve Willbanks who served for many years as Chair of the Strafford Selectboard, perhaps summed it up best. After mentioned even more projects in which Taplin played a role over the last 40 years, Willbanks said, "Every small town needs a David Taplin. If you don't have one, you need to get one."