Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Conservation District commemorated the career of Forest Taylor Thursday with a dinner at the Eva. J Hawes Building. The dinner celebrated Taylor's 50 years of service to the Butler County Conservation District. Family, friends and coworkers filled the Eva J. Hawes Building, sharing anecdotes and vivid memories that spanned the "innovative" agricultural leader's five-decade career.

"I graduated from the Forest Taylor School of Public Speaking, he told me one time early on when I told him I wanted to do something in soil conservation to stand up, say what you have to say. Say it loud enough that everybody can hear and then sit down and shut up," Shane Wells, District Supervisor for the Butler County Soil Conservation District, said.

A slideshow displayed images from his fruitful career, showing photos like Taylor in a cornfield and with various youth of Butler County through the years.

"He's definitely done a lot, just from looking at this slideshow you can see the impact he has had on this community," said Amanda Arnold, Administrative Secretary for the Butler County Conservation District. Taylor was Chairman of the Butler County Conservation District from Jan. 1987 until Dec. 2005.

The meal was provided by Green River Caterers.