Kelly Bunnell’s legacy of seeing the possibility and the potential in all things lives on in the spirit of Camp Tuckabatchee. She saw the potential in what was once a dwindling Campfire Girls camp in the late ’80s, nestled in a valley below the checkered corn and bean fields north of Ottawa, Illinois.
Year after year, she worked tirelessly to build a coalition of friends who grew to know and appreciate the power of camp. With that devoted team, she transformed a mere summer camp into a life-changing world where kids could connect with nature and each other in ways more real than anywhere else.
Part of that work involved securing dollars to fund camperships for kids whose families couldn’t afford to send them to residential camp. In the summer of 1991, my brother and I went to Camp Tuck for the first time thanks to Kelly’s graciousness through those camperships.
From grade school through college, I wouldn’t miss a single summer at Camp Tuck. In fact, I chose my undergraduate major of Recreation, Park, and Tourism because of the influence and tutelage of Kelly. She saw the potential in me way before I had any clue what I was capable of.
My last few years there Kelly hired me as the seasonal Program Director, working directly with her to run summer camp. She was an imposing person and I was nervous to work so closely with her.
At Toes Up I’d swing by her office for some updates and we’d often touch base in the evenings after Circle Time. Looking back, I see how she was investing her time in me to help me grow as a manager, a leader, and a person. I went on to run camps professionally year-round for 15 years, serving thousands of kids because of the opportunity Kelly gave me.
Working with children, supervised mostly by other high school and college kids, you encounter some difficult situations. Kelly’s heart for seeing the potential in young people was always her North Star, despite the scenario. She believed in redemption and wanted the best not just for camp, but especially for the campers and staff.
No one will ever know or truly appreciate the personal sacrifices Kelly made toward seeing the potential of Camp Tuckabatchee realized. To many, she was Camp Tuckabatchee. She was the champion for camp, working year-round to ensure the grounds were well-cared for, rental groups had great experiences, and most importantly, that kids would have a magical place to embrace the beauty of the natural world with good friends and staff who cared for them each summer.
With so much of her life wrapped up in camp, it’s hard to imagine Kelly having time for anything else. But she was a mom, a sister, a grandma, a friend to many, and an avid quilter. It’s also hard to imagine Camp Tuck without her after a lifetime at the helm.
That’s why it’s so important that we rally around camp at this time and do what we can to realize its potential into the future. That’s also why I feel like Kelly would have words with me if I didn’t let you know that donations to camp are tax deductible and can be made online by clicking here.
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