Siloam Springs Community Guide

8 | 2021 Siloam Springs community guide S ince 1984, the Pioneer Citizen Award has been given to members of the Siloam Springs community who give back to a city they love, and pave the way for the future of Siloam. In order to be considered for this award by the Pioneer Citizen committee, the person must be a resident of Siloam Springs for at least 10 years, be at least 65 years old, and be heavily involved, past or present, in various activities or committees of the City of Siloam Springs, Main Street Siloam Springs, or the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce. is year's Pioneer Citizen Award recipients were awarded at the 91st Annual Banquet in January. e winners are Craig Taylor and John and Kathy Turner. A perfect example of a Pioneer Citizen, Craig Taylor has spent his life helping others, through his career as an insurance agent and his volunteer work for both the Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club. Craig follows in the footsteps of another Pioneer Citizen—his late father Ervin Taylor—who served as a Chamber Board Chair and also received the award in 2002. Craig was born in Albert Lea, Minn., lived in Bentonville for a short time, and moved to Siloam Springs when he was 5 with his parents Ervin and Mona. He attended Siloam Springs Schools and also active in the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Webelo Scouts Leader and International Order of DeMolay. Craig spent a year at the University of Arkansas, then came back to Siloam Springs to work in customer service for Jet Stream Plastics, now known as Pipelife Jet Stream. In 1981, he made career change to become an insurance agent for American National Insurance. From 2000 to 2001, Craig ran his own insurance agency before joining Moss Insurance Group in 2001. He retired from the agency in November. He quickly became known as someone who always tried to get his customers the best insurance he could and put their needs first. "I enjoyed helping people with their problems. … I didn't do it for the money. It was a matter of helping people. at my main emphasis," Craig said. Craig served the Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades. He was also a part of the Dogwood Festival Committee, and has also been a member of the Siloam Springs Kiwanis for 33 years. In 2018, he received the Ervin Taylor Kiwanian of the Year Award, named aer his father. "ere is not a more dedicated Kiwanis member anywhere than Craig Taylor," Katie Rennard, Kiwanis Program Chair said. "If we have a volunteer project, he is there. He never misses a board meeting. He serves as our treasurer and manages all of our finances and donations to community organizations, and he does everything he can to build our club and serve the children of Siloam Springs." Outside of Kiwanis and the Chamber, Taylor has served the community through the First United Methodist Church, on the Pool of Siloam committee and as a board member and president of United Way. "ere needs to be more Craig Taylors in the world," Shelter Insurance Agent Jerrell Suttles said. John and Kathy Turner were also honored with the Pioneer Citizen Award and share a passion for Siloam Springs. ey have served in city government and bestowed their kindness on a city they love throughout their careers. John was born in 1949 at the old Siloam Springs Hospital, gathering friends throughout his childhood and spending memorable times The 2021 Pioneer Citizen Award honors local heroes Craig Taylor H o m e m a d e & s e r v ic e w it h a s m il e ! Right on the corner! CATHY'S CORNER Worth crowin' about! 1910 Hwy. 412 East Siloam Springs 479-524-4475 Owned/Operated by Cathy & Al Bolduc Breakf•t & lunch Tu•-Sun 7am-2pm Sonic Drive-In 1134 Hwy. 412 West, Siloam Springs 524-8510 We Serve Writers Guild www.sswritersguild.org

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