Six grew up in West Texas, but attended college at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he met his wife, and decided to stay after graduating in 1976.<\/p>\n
After graduating, he worked for the UTA police for two years before moving on to the Arlington Police Department, staying there from 1978 and 2003. After retiring from APD as a lieutenant, he went on to work as the chief deputy of patrol for the Tarrant County Sheriff\u2019s Office until 2016.<\/p>\n
The moment that set him on his current path occurred in 2002, when he enrolled in Leadership Arlington, a local nonprofit that develops and connects community leaders.<\/p>\n
Six said the experience taught him about the value of serving.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started policing in 1976, and I didn\u2019t start volunteering until 2006. That\u2019s 30 years that I worked here in the community and never volunteered for anything,\u201d Six said. \u201cThrough that class, I learned about the value of (volunteering) and the value of nonprofits.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was in 2006 that he received the call that changed his life. He got a call from the volunteer coordinator with the River Legacy Foundation and was asked to help shuttle volunteers to and from the nature center\u2019s Fall Fest event.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s done it almost every year since.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHe is a rare gem whose dedication to serving his community and supporting families as they connect with nature is remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shannon Porter, nominator and executive director of the River Legacy Foundation<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Ten years later, he retired from police work. He said that he discovered his love for crafting wood and leather around the same time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was looking for a hobby, and I bought a birdhouse at Lowe\u2019s or someplace, and I thought, \u2018Huh, I could make these,\u2019\u201d Six said.<\/p>\n
A birdhouse built by Jay Six is typical of the ones he gives to the River Legacy Foundation to be sold for the organization’s benefit in its work at the River Legacy Nature Center. (Courtesy | Jay Six)<\/p>\n
He\u2019s since built many of those birdhouses, now sold at the River Legacy Nature Center. The foundation provides the wood, and he provides the work.<\/p>\n
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His wood projects have taken on different forms over the past 10 years. His newest creation has been a \u201cbug hotel\u201d \u2014 an open wooden box filled with bamboo shoots and other natural materials meant to attract insects.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Six said the director of education at the center approached him about making 14 bug hotels for an August children’s nature class.<\/p>\n
Jay Six created 14 bug hotels for a River Legacy Nature Center children’s class this summer. (Courtesy | Jay Six)<\/p>\n
\u201cThey all have the logo on the side,\u201d Six said while showing a photo of the bug hotel. \u201cThe parents and kids know where it came from, right? But it\u2019s all really about supporting this place.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also specializes in leatherwork, a skill he said he picked up because he can do it indoors when it is too hot or cold to work outside.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s made all sorts of leather goods for employees at the center, giving out items such as field notebook covers, key fobs and leatherwork tags to those around him.<\/p>\n
Pictured are four of Jay Six’s handmade field notebook covers. (Courtesy | Jay Six)<\/p>\n
Six said making his hobby a business would be too much of a headache, between sales tax filings and keeping records.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just cheaper to make them and hand them to you,\u201d Six said, laughing. \u201c(It\u2019s) too much work to be in business; this is just a hobby where I give stuff away.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shannon Porter, the executive director of the River Legacy Foundation, said Six has always been willing to step up and help those around him, no matter the time and place.<\/p>\n
\u201cJay truly helps in every way he can,\u201d Porter said. \u201cHe is a rare gem whose dedication to serving his community and supporting families as they connect with nature is remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Six dove deep into volunteering. He said he stays for the setup and teardown of as many River Legacy events as possible. But he said he\u2019s not the only one doing the work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are a lot of people who\u2019ve volunteered longer (than I have), but this has been really good to do,\u201d Six said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like those other volunteers, he\u2019s always willing to put in his time and effort for the betterment of those around him, Porter said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever there is a need, Jay is ready to help,\u201d Porter said. \u201cWhether it involves planning an event, assisting with setup, supporting the event throughout the day, or staying afterward to clean up, Jay is always willing to step in and do whatever is needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@arlingtonreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n