For nearly 20 years, Jay Six has been an extraordinary part of the River Legacy family. His dedication can be seen throughout the Nature Center – from the birdhouses and bug hotels he has handcrafted to the countless hours he has spent helping with events, projects, setup, cleanup, and whatever else needs to be done. Jay is the kind of volunteer who quietly steps in, lends a hand, and makes a lasting difference simply because he believes in serving his community and supporting a mission that matters.

We are incredibly grateful for the time, talent, and heart Jay has given River Legacy over the years. His willingness to serve has helped us create meaningful experiences for children and families while supporting our mission to connect our community with nature. We are proud to see his generosity and commitment recognized by the Fort Worth Report’s 52 Faces of Community and even prouder to call Jay one of our own.

Read Chris Moss’ article below.

Former Arlington police officer now serves community through volunteering

by Chris Moss, Arlington Report
August 9, 2026

Former Arlington police officer Jay Six’s work for the River Legacy Foundation and the River Legacy Nature Center is often found hiding in plain sight.

Whether it’s building birdhouses he sells to benefit the center or sealing the building’s door to keep in cold air during the summer, he has spent the past 20 years working to further the center’s mission to connect children with nature.

Six said the idea of serving his community and the people around him has kept him coming back for all of those years. 

“I’m helping do something that’s bigger than me, helping a good cause,” Six said.

Six’s dedication to helping others and commitment to serving earned him a nomination for the Fort Worth Report’s 52 Faces of Community, a weekly series highlighting Tarrant County’s unsung heroes.

Six grew up in West Texas, but attended college at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he met his wife, and decided to stay after graduating in 1976.

After graduating, he worked for the UTA police for two years before moving on to the Arlington Police Department, staying there from 1978 and 2003. After retiring from APD as a lieutenant, he went on to work as the chief deputy of patrol for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office until 2016.

The moment that set him on his current path occurred in 2002, when he enrolled in Leadership Arlington, a local nonprofit that develops and connects community leaders.

Six said the experience taught him about the value of serving.

“I started policing in 1976, and I didn’t start volunteering until 2006. That’s 30 years that I worked here in the community and never volunteered for anything,” Six said. “Through that class, I learned about the value of (volunteering) and the value of nonprofits.”

It was in 2006 that he received the call that changed his life. He got a call from the volunteer coordinator with the River Legacy Foundation and was asked to help shuttle volunteers to and from the nature center’s Fall Fest event.

He’s done it almost every year since.

“He is a rare gem whose dedication to serving his community and supporting families as they connect with nature is remarkable.”

Shannon Porter, nominator and executive director of the River Legacy Foundation

Ten years later, he retired from police work. He said that he discovered his love for crafting wood and leather around the same time.

“I was looking for a hobby, and I bought a birdhouse at Lowe’s or someplace, and I thought, ‘Huh, I could make these,’” Six said.

He’s since built many of those birdhouses, now sold at the River Legacy Nature Center. The foundation provides the wood, and he provides the work.

His wood projects have taken on different forms over the past 10 years. His newest creation has been a “bug hotel” — an open wooden box filled with bamboo shoots and other natural materials meant to attract insects. 

Six said the director of education at the center approached him about making 14 bug hotels for an August children’s nature class.

“They all have the logo on the side,” Six said while showing a photo of the bug hotel. “The parents and kids know where it came from, right? But it’s all really about supporting this place.”

He also specializes in leatherwork, a skill he said he picked up because he can do it indoors when it is too hot or cold to work outside.

He’s made all sorts of leather goods for employees at the center, giving out items such as field notebook covers, key fobs and leatherwork tags to those around him.

Six dove deep into volunteering. He said he stays for the setup and teardown of as many River Legacy events as possible. But he said he’s not the only one doing the work.

“There are a lot of people who’ve volunteered longer (than I have), but this has been really good to do,” Six said. 

Like those other volunteers, he’s always willing to put in his time and effort for the betterment of those around him, Porter said.

“Whenever there is a need, Jay is ready to help,” Porter said. “Whether it involves planning an event, assisting with setup, supporting the event throughout the day, or staying afterward to clean up, Jay is always willing to step in and do whatever is needed.”

Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@arlingtonreport.org.

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This article first appeared on Arlington Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.