Camp Shaped a Lifetime of Leadership, Adventure, and Giving

For more than 50 years, Camp Ondessonk has remained at the center of Rex’s life. What began with a visit to pick up his older sister grew into five unforgettable summers as a camper, weeks on staff, time as a dedicated volunteer, and a legacy gift that will help future generations experience the same life-changing adventures.

Ironically, it was his sister who introduced him to Camp, without ever intending to.

“I went in 1971 when my sister was staying at Tekakwitha,” Rex recalls. “She hated Camp Ondessonk and never wanted to come back. But I loved what I saw. I was just a little kid, and I said, ‘I’m going to go here when I’m older.'”

When he was finally old enough, Rex enrolled for his first week of camp. He stayed in what would become his favorite unit, Chabanel, a place he still considers home.

“I loved Chabanel. I really loved the old cabins,” he says with a smile.

After being inducted into the Lodge of Ondessonk during his third summer as a camper and enjoying his fourth summer, Rex begged his mother to let him stay for two weeks during his final camper season.

“Getting enough money together for one week was hard enough, so two weeks was a big deal. But those two weeks were heaven. When everyone else went home and we stayed, I felt like we were the coolest people in Camp.”

Camp recognized his enthusiasm and leadership almost immediately. That same summer, he returned as a Counselor-in-Training, leading hikes, and he stayed on afterward to help in the kitchen during girls’ season, spending more than six weeks at Camp that summer.

One memorable adventure happened when he decided to hike to Packentuck before reporting to the kitchen.

“I didn’t realize we were supposed to work all day,” he laughs. “I got lost and ended up in a farmer’s field. I finally made it back close to lunchtime, and they wanted to know where I’d been. That didn’t go over too well.”

One of Rex’s favorite mentors was longtime staff member Steve Apple, whose creativity left a lasting impression.

“Steve made some of the best fried chicken in the kitchen, listened to Jethro Tull all the time, and completely transformed the counselor cabin. He painted it, put carpet down, made furniture out of milk crates, and decorated the walls with posters. It was unlike anything anyone else had done.”

Those early experiences taught Rex far more than outdoor skills.

“Camp made me feel like I was important,” he says. “It taught me to be a leader.”

Even as a camper, other campers naturally followed him. He remembers hiking with an international counselor who wasn’t familiar with Camp’s trails.

“He split the group and said half should go with me and half with him. Everybody wanted to come with me,” Rex laughs. “We had a great hike. His group got lost.”

The confidence and leadership he developed at Camp stayed with him throughout his career, eventually leading him into management roles.

“I became a leader because of Camp.”

Beyond leadership, Camp sparked a lifelong appreciation for nature.

“I fell in love with little frogs, newts, salamanders…everything.”

That love continues today. Rex still cares for a turtle he purchased as a child more than 50 years ago and spends evenings around a bonfire in the woods behind his home, surrounded by rocks collected from the Shawnee.

“It’s my happy place,” he says. “It reminds me of Camp.”

His connection to Camp extended well beyond his camper years. Beginning with his induction, Rex became deeply involved with the Lodge of Ondessonk, serving in leadership roles within what was then called the Collinsville Clan and helping organize everything from work weekends and bake sales to bowling outings and concerts.

“We were active all the time,” he says. “We had the best group of people.”

Those work weekends also left permanent marks on Camp itself.

“On one work weekend we collected rocks for the little building behind the chapel. Every time I see it, I think, ‘I helped build that.’ It’s still there.”

Rex also developed a passion for preserving Camp’s history, particularly the story of Camp Packentuck. He interviewed longtime Camp leaders, including Father Leo, determined to preserve memories before they were lost.

While he treasures traditions like Lodge ceremonies, tug-of-war competitions, and evenings around the fire, he also understands that Camp continues to evolve.

“Camp has to change. It can’t stay the same forever. But we can’t forget the past either.”

Today, Rex remains an active Lodge member, continues to support Camp through annual giving, and has chosen to include Camp Ondessonk in his estate plans.

“Camp did so much for me,” he says. “I wanted to do something for Camp.”

Creating his estate plan was easier than he expected, thanks to a trusted attorney.

Looking back, Rex believes Camp changed the course of his life.

“If I hadn’t gone to Camp, I wouldn’t love nature the way I do today. Camp was always a happy place.”

His hope is that future generations will discover that same sense of belonging, confidence, and wonder.

“Camp made me who I am. That’s why I want to make sure it’s here for generations to come.”

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