“It’s all for the children. We just want to spread joy.” – Carol Hills
If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jared and Carol Hills, you know first-hand that joy radiates from every fiber of their being. The Hills have spent their lives spreading joy to children and families in our community in big and small ways. Many years ago, when Camp Tanager was known as Camp Good Health, Carol shared this joy through her work with children as a school nurse. In the summer of 2019, Carol and Jared returned to Camp Tanager, where they would discover even bigger opportunities to make an impact.
During their visit, the Hills joined the campers for a meal. The children shared stories from their week at camp and how much these experiences meant to them. Jared and Carol learned that due to facility limitations, over 200 children are placed on a waiting list to attend camp every summer. Inspired by the campers’ joy and stories, they did not want another child to miss out on these meaningful opportunities and asked what they could do to help.
Tanager staff and the Hills discussed a long-term vision of adding a larger lodge and additional cabins to camp to help serve more campers. Moved by their heart for children, the Hills carefully considered the two building proposals and selected to fund not one — but both projects to ensure that all the children on our waiting list could be served in the coming year. This resulted in a historic $1.8 million gift to Tanager Place to support up to 216 additional children per year at overnight camps, plus many more children in day camps for years to come!
Jared and Carol saw a need, knew the impact they could have on the life of a child, and chose to act. You too can make a difference in the life of a child through your gifts to Tanager Place. Camp Tanager has many more needs to be met as we expand, including scholarships to support children with financial barriers that wish to participate in overnight camps.
To learn more, contact Melissa Walker at mwalker@tanagerplace.org or 319-365-9164 ext. 310
