Memorial: Teddy Betts

My name is Betsy McMillion, the Executive Director of the Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway.  We know Teddy best from the time he spent with us, and that’s what I would like to share with you today.

First, I wanted to thank Linda and Teddy’s beautiful daughters—Jamie, Jacki and Jenna,  for allowing us to take so much of Teddy’s time and energy over the past few years in helping us.  We also mourn the loss of our good friend. Teddy was like a brother to me.  

I first met Teddy a couple years ago – when he came to a cleanup with Jenna, his youngest daughter so she could do her student service learning hours.

Teddy became a regular at our stream cleanups and one day he asked if he could donate some walking sticks to our cause.  For the next few years, he would hike along the Patapsco Valley finding gnawed beaver sticks and transformed hundreds of sticks into a beautiful work of art that we have awarded to special volunteers at each of our events.  You may see many of those sticks today from people who were given these special sticks for their extraordinary contribution to our cause.

Teddy hiked hundreds of miles throughout the Patapsco Valley area, through the woods, and took his kayak along different sections of the Patapsco River, uncovering new watershed sites that needed cleaned up and discovering safe sections of the river for guided kayak tours.  

Because of his passion for the Patapsco Valley, we convinced him to join our board of directors.

Teddy adopted and completed more stream surveys than any other volunteer for us as part of our stream watch program. He weekly, if not daily, monitored and picked up any litter he came across along the Patapsco River watershed, especially in the Ilchester area close to his home.  

We know that Teddy was a special education teacher during the day, but after work, was transformed into the Patapsco Protector.  He often marked where he was by placing rocks on top if each other creating unique rock sculptures. Even though it’s been over a year since he has passed away, at times when I’m feeling low or am debating on what to do, I walk across the bridge on the way to our office and glance down and see rocks piled up and say “okay, Teddy – I get it.”

Two years ago a local newspaper highlighted Teddy and his rock sculptures and his passion for preserving the Patapsco River Valley.  He was instrumental in increasing awareness to the beauty of the Patapsco River Valley and giving the Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway some much needed publicity on our mission to preserve, protect and enhance the Patapsco Valley.

Teddy was the chair of our kayak committee. He led us on our first guided kayak tour and first kayak cleanup. This year he led 3 guided kayak rides along the Patapsco River, the last one being on Father’s Day in June, accompanied by his daughter.

In his spare time, Teddy also volunteered with the park to do trail maintenance and adopted a trail in the Rockburn Area of the park.

Besides the beautiful walking sticks he created, he also has designed many of our signs we use at our cleanups and tree plantings, and a beautiful sign of our new logo which is prominently displayed in our office.  

Teddy was one of our regular stream captains, often leading stream cleanups on his own and joining our recon team to help with our official reports submitted to local authorities of our findings. The educator that he was, in his quiet subtle way, explained to countless college and high school kids on the importance of our cleanups and tree plantings. At the close of each semester, a college professor sends me some papers written by their students. I called Teddy and read him an excerpt from one of the students so he would hear the difference he made in one young man’s life.

“While working at orange grove I met a man named Teddy who was one of the supervisors. If anyone taught me anything on these cleanups it was him. He told me that it doesn’t matter how insignificant your work with the environment may seem, if you work hard, and put your heart into it, you will make a difference despite how the odds may seemed stacked against you….over time, people will notice your work. They’ll see what you’re doing and some people will follow your example. Others will see the people who followed what you are doing and join in as well. As more hands join your cause, the larger effect you will have on the environment.”  

He was the first one to volunteer to help at our events for any job.

He was living proof that not only can one person make a difference, but make a big difference who has literally touched thousands of people and the Patapsco Valley.

Through Teddy’s participation, he was responsible for helping us remove over 50 tons of trash from the Patapsco River Valley and planting over 100 trees.

I miss his enthusiasm, his energy, his compassion and kind words, but know his spirit lives on. Teddy will be with us in all of our future stream and river cleanups, tree plantings, recons and kayak rides. Talking to Jim Apgar who helped Doug build this beautiful monument he told me a story about trying to move one of the large rocks by himself.  He had just about given up when a group of guys came over and asked what he was doing. When he explained it was for a memorial, they worked together and moved it. Jim was sure that Teddy sent him a helping hand when he needed it the most.

He was my mentor, my Patapsco hero and a dear friend…and I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to know him.