In August of 1988, a neighbor told me of a part-time, 32 hour a week, short-term position as a driver for a blind man. That blind man was none other than the Late Lloyd Nida, a long-time Rehabilitation Teacher in Hays. That part-time job turned into a 15 year career and friendship with Lloyd, one of the finest human being I have had the privilege to know.

Lloyd was my boss, my teacher, my mentor and my friend. For 15 years we rode together, traveling across and back the 21 northwest counties of our great state to serve the blind citizens of Kansas. It was indeed a remarkable and memorable journey.

Every day with Lloyd was a pleasure and an education. Side by side, in that luxurious state car, we would discuss the news, weather, sports, science, music, art, religion, philosophy, war and politics. We also laughed. Lloyd had a thousand jokes and ancedotes. By the time the day was done, Lloyd and I had once again solved all of the world's problems.

However, the most important thing Lloyd imparted to me was to have a true passion for the job: working with the blind. Day after day I would listen, observe and learn as Lloyd taught his clients the skills they would need to succeed in difficult times ahead. Lloyd counseled them to realize that all is not lost if you lose your sight. Life goes on and so must you. You just need to find a different way of doing what you have always done. Helping people to find those different ways was the part of the job Lloyd loved most. Lloyd relished the daily challenges of identifying and analyzing the problems and then finding creative solutions to lead to a client's success.

To be able to witness a person's reaction when they have accomplished a task they had not been able to do for years is awesome. I have seen client's faces light up because of a simple loc-dot that allows them to set their oven to the correct temperature. I have seen the joy that Talking Books brings into peoples lives. I have watched the tears of joy as they look at photos of their grandchildren, for the very first time, by using a closed-circuit television system.

Every day we witnessed personal victories both large and small. We watched as their lives were all changed, one loc-dot at a time. It is still amazing and inspiring to me even after all these years.

The sense of knowing that you have left a person a little better off than before you met them is a fabulous feeling. And that feeling is the root of passion. Every day Lloyd taught me, step by step, how to be a good teacher. Lloyd taught me to listen, to observe, to challenge the obvious and to be creative in my thinking. Whether I was assisting him teaching clients or observing how he approached his own challenges, he was teaching and I was learning and the passion was growing.

Lloyd taught me to identify, analyze and solve the problems in people's lives and then look up and witness that expression of joy and accomplishment on their faces. That is the fuel for passion.

The ability for me to continue on with this marvelous and rewarding work...Lloyd's work, is truly a prayer answered. Every time I get into the car to visit my clients I take Lloyd's spirit and passion with me.

My mission is "To leave each person a little better off than before we met."

Thanks Lloyd.

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