It’s KOOL to Send a Kid to Camp Ta-Kum-Ta!
DAY 1: over $12,600
or enough to send 5 kids to Camp in 2026!
What a great start to our 27th annual fundraiser for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta in South Hero: over $12,600 raised this morning, or enough to send 5 kids to Camp in 2025!
It was wonderful to have one of the camp co-founders, Sheara Billado, join us in the studio this morning. Sheara, along with Ted & Debbie Kessler, first floated the idea of a camp for kids with cancer ‘to-come-to’ in the early 80s, and in 1984 “Camp Ta-Kum-Ta” opened for its first year of service!
Camp Program Manager Dina Datillio stopped in the studio to talk about this past summer’s “Great American Road Trip” and the fun activities the kids had during the week, from rolling out the red carpet for a “Hollywood-Style” welcome for the kids on day one, to an award-winning game of wiffle ball–Savannah Banana style!
Dennis DePaul is now in his third decade of working with the kids at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta. After starting at the ropes course, and then serving as Program Manager for many years, Dennis now serves as Executive Director of Camp Ta-Kum-Ta. He spoke about the early days of Camp, and about more recent experiences with a first-time camper a little apprehensive about singing in front of the whole camp.
Madison, Sophia, and Sue Hemmingway paid a visit to the studio to talk about Camp Ta-Kum-Ta! … Madison, a camper at TKT, talked about some of the fun activities she took part in at Camp this past summer. Her sister Sophia also talked about Camp’s sibling program (and how she continues to push for it to be longer than just a weekend!) … Madison experienced a brain tumor at a young age. Her mom Sue spoke about the diagnosis, how Madison is doing now, and how Camp has been an important part of her treatment.
Julia Connor, a pediatric oncology social worker at the UVM Medical Center joined us to talk about her experiences helping the families of children with cancer, including letting them know about Camp Ta-Kum-Ta and the programs they can provide the whole family. Her favorite part of Camp: being ignored when she’s there! … To her, it means Ta-Kum-Ta is meeting their needs and providing the family with a level of fun that can never be provided anywhere else along the journey.
We also heard from the Boosters Club at BFA-St. Albans who raised a record-breaking $3,000 from their concession sales during this past September’s “Powder Puff Football Game!” … Ellen Gissell challenged other parent/teacher school organizations to put together a donation for Camp too!
… and thank YOU for your donation too! … Our Pledge Center volunteers (Josh, Brandi, Kathy, Lisa, Olivia, Dan, Dina, and Dennis) heard from many of you, on both sides of Lake Champlain, making donations ranging from $10 to $105 and more! … If you were one of them—THANKS! … Now, tell a friend and join us for more stories from TKT Tuesday morning from 5-to-10am at 105.1FM in VT and NY and everywhere at wkol.com!
For over 40 years, Camp Ta-Kum-Ta has been a camp for children from Vermont and New York who have, or have had cancer. There is never a charge to the family of the child, instead all camp expenses (about $2,500 per child) are covered by donations from the public. Some of these expenses include essentials to any camp like food and shelter and activities, but because Camp Ta-Kum-Ta is special, also include chemotherapy, a fully-equipped on-site medical facility, and handicap accessibility to everything possible.
Join us this week at 105.1 FM in Vermont and New York, and online at wkol.com, as we talk with the Campers, the Staff, and the Volunteers who make Camp Ta-Kum-Ta such a special place, and stay tuned for the latest updates to this page all week!
QUICK LINKS:
LISTEN TO THE KOOL 105 TA-KUM-TA-THON WITH LIVE INTERNET STREAMING
LEARN MORE ABOUT CAMP TA-KUM-TA
REGISTER FOR THE 2025 KOOL 105/VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS “SOFTBALLATHON”
KOOL WAYS TO RAISE MONEY FOR TA-KUM-TA
MAKE A SECURE ONLINE DONATION TO OUR TA-KUM-TA-THON
“AS HEARD ON” THE KOOL 105 CAMP TA-KUM-TA-THON
