In Memoriam for Elaine
Elaine and I shared a workplace, albeit several decades apart. She started her public broadcasting career at the station where mine ended. She went on to work for New Hampshire Public Television, becoming, at maybe five feet tall on a good day, a powerhouse of the industry. When we met, she'd retired for the first time and taken a position for one of the vendors that my station used for direct mail. She always had a soft spot for us, the place that gave her her start, and was always eager to come back to help -- with pledge, with fundraising strategy -- if we needed help, Elaine was there. But in addition to having a fund raising savvy that allowed her to serve as a mentor to many, she had a deeply felt kindness. Our calls about the business of raising money often turned to talks about how I was doing. Her concern was genuine. I had what physicians would consider minor surgery a year after I started there and struggled for weeks beyond weeks to recover any semblance of energy.