In order to honor Taylor and to remember his legacy of faith, and love of family and others, the Stricklands and close family friends desire to bless fathers and sons with a trip to Christ in the Smokies,and to help Star, Life or Eagle Boy Scouts attend a Boy Scout High Adventure camp. The purpose for these annual scholarships is to remember Taylor by continuing his legacy of Christian faith and service, encouraging the development of faith in young men, and leading young men to understand manhood from God’s perspective. In addition, our hope is that these young men will deepen not only their relationship with their Heavenly Father, but with their earthly father, mother, family and community. It had always been Taylor’s parents’ greatest priority to hold deep and abiding ties with their son, and to grow him into the man God created him to be. Two significant influences on Taylor’s life were the experiences he gained as a Boy Scout and attending Christ in the Rockies in the summer of 2015 with his dad.
Interested in applying for a scholarship?
Christ in the Smokies
Learn more about this scholarship
For information about Christ in the Smokies, visit Christinthesmokies.org.
For more information, contact us at info@taylorstricklandlegacy.org.
The story, year by year, of the legacy scholarship
2017
In 2017, the first year of awarding scholarships through Taylor’s foundation, there was such an outpouring of compassion —and belief in how God planned to use Taylor’s life—that three father and son teams were sent to participate in Christ in the Rockies.
2018
In 2018, our foundation saw great excitement as we readied to fund father-son teams to the inaugural year of Christ in the Smokies. Six scholarships were awarded to Christ in the Smokies, and one scholarship was awarded to Christ in the Rockies. Lives were changed as God peeled back the veil for a glimpse of His very perfect and grace-filled plan.
2019
As we approached 2019, the third year of giving scholarships away in Taylor’s name, nominations began coming in from across the country. That in and of itself was exciting, as we realized word was spreading. The experience of gifting a father and son a trip to Christ in the Smokies allows us to keep introducing Taylor to new people. Talking about him, sharing who he was and how he impacted the world helps those of us left behind to find comfort and thrive while remaining eternally connected to him. We all struggle to cope with life after loss; however, these experiences are generating love and hope beyond what we could ever have imagined.
2020
When COVID-19 came to the U.S. and changed life, we wondered what opportunities would be available to continue Taylor’s legacy and the ways in which God had been using his life. While so many things were shut down, Christ in the Smokies got the go-ahead from the facility where it holds camps for June 2020. What was also exciting about this was that fathers and sons were more eager than ever to “get away” —to go away together and have an adventure. While there is a “new normal,” there is no “NEW” to God. He had a plan, and it would not be thwarted. TSLF was able to send a great group of fathers and sons away for a week they won’t soon forget… if ever!
2021
The world was still navigating COVID as we approached 2021 and people continued looking for more intentionality and purpose in their lives. We saw the desire of fathers and sons to strengthen and grow— and for some, to repair—their relationships with each other and their Heavenly Father. In doing so, Christ in the Smokies filled camp earlier than ever, giving Taylor’s foundation an opportunity to help some very deserving men attend camp. What a joy it is, in the midst of the unknown, to know that God will NEVER social distance from us. He will not be quarantined. He will not be shut down.
2022
While so many continued to struggle with world changes as 2022 drew near, there was also a very real sense that people continued to identify with what was important in their lives. Much of that pointed to God and family. Those we love and care about. Life is richer when we are connected by relationships. Within those familial and faith based bonds, we continue to see fathers and sons pursuing more meaningful connections. Passage to Manhood camps gave Taylor a chance to be part of 4 more father’s and son’s journeys toward deeper relational equity, love for one another, and walking as “sons of the Father”.
Creating Taylor’s foundation in 2017 Tim and Toni Strickland always intended for it to provide scholarships that represented Taylor and that would allow them to personally stay involved in those things he loved. One of those things Taylor loved was Boy Scouts, high adventure and most anything outside, so in 2022 they partnered with the Atlanta Area Council for Boy Scouts adding scholarships to attend Boy Scouts High Adventure Camps. Each summer, the Boy Scouts of America offers four national High Adventure Camps. Taylor had a blast attending three of these camps during his last three years of high school. The life skills he developed and the memories he made all left a profound mark on his life. These trips are not something that every scout has the ability to attend—much less participating in three of them. Taylor’s family are grateful for the many opportunities Taylor had in his short 23 years, and these trips are a part of that. Now, Taylor has the privilege to make these trips available to some deserving Scouts, and he did just that this summer for 2 young men.
2023
In 2023, Taylor’s foundation continued to support the initiatives Taylor was a part of. This will always be the hallmark of his legacy. It’s personal and meaningful to who God created him to be and it while bittersweet, it is also a great joy to carry Taylor forward. Two scholarships were provided to 2 pairs of fathers and sons to attend Passage to Manhood Camps in Christ in the Smokies and in Christ in the Rockies.
In 2008, through Boy Scouts, Taylor was nominated to be recognized as an Eagle Scout at a newly formed event – a breakfast – called the John Dorman Duty to God Award (JDDGA). It’s a great story and we’d love for you to read more about Taylor’s personal connection to it here. Low and behold Taylor was recognized, among a group of his peers, as the first JDDGA recipient. Ten years later in 2018, still walking through the fresh days of grief in losing Taylor, Tim’s parents received a phone call from the JDDGA group looking to invite Taylor to their 10-year reunion. They had not heard that he was gone. On learning that, Tim and Toni were invited to attend in Taylor’s place and to help take part in the ceremony since Taylor had been the first to receive the award. Fast forward to 2022 the church where the JDDGA was established had suffered some building damage that might potentially affect the scheduled award ceremony for 2023. The Stricklands asked how Taylor’s foundation could assist and stayed in touch with the JDDGA committee as they worked through the details. On April 7, 2023 the breakfast went off without a hitch – and when their guest speaker was unable to attend, Taylor’s dad was asked to step in as guest speaker. It was such a connective moment for the Stricklands and in-line with continuing Taylor’s legacy of Scouting. We are grateful to Lynne (John’s wife) and Andrew (John’s son) for continuing to bless us all in sharing John’s life and love of the Lord!
