Central/South FL Trail Program Manager, Jenna Taylor, writes:
In one of the places that meant the most to her, chapter members and family gathered on December 6th to remember Daisy Palmer. Daisy, who passed away earlier this year, has been a part of the Florida Trail Association for over 20 years and was an active member of the Loxahatchee Chapter. She joined the FTA in 1993 and became a lifetime member in 1996. Daisy was a regular volunteer at Okeeheelee Nature Center where she worked in their nature center and regularly led hikes of the park.She loved the park and once told the Palm Beach Post, “I want a park like this preserved for my great-great-granchildren when they’re born. “
During her time with the FTA, she volunteered an average of 1,000 hours a year. She was known for providing excellent meals to volunteers and hikers. Roy Moore, chapter chair, said that Daisy used to cook meals for the volunteers on trail maintenance days. “At my first FTA event ever there was spaghetti and homemade bread. It felt like a banquet instead of trail work.” He said eventually, folks started showing up just for her food. She also would prepare the breakfast for their larger hiking events.
Paul Cummings, who organized the bench installation said she did something for everyone. “She cooked, she organized meetings, she planned all our recognition events. She volunteered everywhere; FTA, the nature center, the fairgrounds, her church… and she did this all her life. She was the best person for everything.” Mostly importantly though, Daisy was a part of their regularly scheduled hikes and breakfasts. She was always there, a cornerstone of the group.
The FTA couldn’t exist without volunteers like Daisy, who will live on in memory among the chapter members and in Okeeheelee Park.