top of page

We are Tall Turf, Mighty Mighty Tall Turf!

A collection of Camp Tall Turf Staff recollections​

Lifeguard.jpeg
Lake Throw 11 - TTM Logo Shirt.jpeg
Costumes 2.jpeg

Each person that steps foot on the Camp Tall Turf property leaves with a story to tell.
In the summer of 2020, we interviewed previous staff members to gain insight into how their experience at Camp Tall Turf changed their lives. 

​

Faith Journeys …

​

Impact on racial relations …

​

Impact on choosing a career …

​

To learn more about the journeys of previous Tall Turf Staff, please click their picture to read their full interviews. 

​

Tall Turf Icon (Text).png
IMG_9705_edited.jpg

Suki Brasser
Kitchen Staff, Counselor
1970-1974 

Download Full Alumni Story 

“By the end of the summer the staff really felt like brothers and sisters. Last summer we had a 50 year reunion, and some of the people I worked with back in 1970 were there. When we got back together it was like we hadn’t missed a beat.”

Joel DeMoor Alumni Story Picture.jpg

Pastor Joel DeMoor
Counselor 
2000-2001 

Download Full Alumni Story

 

“Some of my favorite memories from Tall Turf are the late nights I spent debriefing with the staff. Coming together at the end of the day wasn’t a requirement, but we needed it to understand the traumas and joys of what we’d been through that day. We had to lean on each other.”

Meikea Bonnema Alumni Story Picture.png

Meikea Bonnema
Counselor 
2019 
Download Full Alumni Story 


“Tall Turf threw me right into situations where I needed to take leadership, and that was really good for me. Stepping out like that helped me grow in my confidence exponentially. I also learned how to delegate responsibility to my campers, because that’s part of leadership too.”

Barb and Steve Timmermans Alumni Story P

Barbara Timmermans

 

Kitchen Staff, Counselor, Family Camp Director 

 

1974-1976; 1984-1991

​

Download Full Alumni Story

 

“I met a lot of spiritual mentors at Tall Turf who exemplified faith-filled leadership. Those are still strong friendships that I continue to learn from.”“I met a lot of spiritual mentors at Tall Turf who exemplified faith-filled leadership. Those are still strong friendships that I continue to learn from.”

Ari Parks Alumni Story Picture.jpg

Ari Parks
Camper, Leader in Training, Counselor 
2010's 

Download Full Alumni Story

 

“Working as a leader-in-training gave me a spark to work with kids. Right now I’m studying elementary education at Jackson State University. Tall Turf really helped me find my calling.”

Denise Fase Alumni Story Picture.jpg

Denise Fase
Kitchen Staff, Counselor, Program Director

1990-2007
Download Full Alumni Story


 “My first summer working at Tall Turf was when my relationship with God started. What’s really special about that is it happened in a place that truly represented the kingdom of God.”

Sinclair Hargrave Alumni Story Picture.j

Sinclair Hargrave

Camper, Leader in Training 
2016 

​

Download Full Alumni Story

​

“After experiencing Tall Turf, I had a lot of hope—hope for myself and for the next generation. At Tall Turf I realized everybody’s spiritual walk is different, and it’s not supposed to be linear. Tall Turf gave me new ways to worship and pray.”

Ricardo Tavarez Alumni Story Picture.jpg

Rev. Ricardo Tavarez

 

Service & Leadership Training Coordinator 

 

2010-2013

​

Download Full Alumni Story 

​

"I started to feel that God was calling me to acquire leadership skills and bring them back to my community so I could train leaders. When Tall Turf asked me to be a mentor for teens, it took a couple of weeks for the reality to set in that this was the opportunity to live into my calling. I got to put into practice what I had been longing to do for years. I got to shape an upcoming generation of leaders—and in turn they shaped me into a better leader." 

MJF Alumni Story Picture.jpg

Michael John Franklin

 

Camper, Counselor, Health Officer, Program Director, Staff Devotions Leader

 

1978-2004

 

Download Full Alumni Story

 

"We became family because we had to lean on each other on tough days. After a few days, you’ll be looking crazy because you haven’t shaved. You’ll be smelling funny because the shower in the cabin stopped working. You’ll be itchy from mosquito bites. There’s a natural growth that happens, but when you add God into it there’s a speed growth."

Alicia Swift Alumni Story Piccture.jpg

Alicia I. (Brown) Swift

 

Camper, Kitchen Staff, Leader in Training, Counselor 
 

2001-2003

 

Download Full Alumni Story

​

"Working at Tall Turf helped me to develop so many people skills and communication skills. I have learned to work beside many different types of people." 

​

Barb and Steve Timmermans Alumni Story P

Steve Timmermans 

 

Family Camp Director 

 

1984-1991

 

Download Full Alumni Story

 

"White folks like me were growing up in really homogeneous environments. Tall Turf gave me the first opportunity to have friendships cross-racially. I realized how important it is to live life with a diverse community. Tall Turf gave us a yearning to be part of the solution."

Lashone Alumni Story Picture.jpg

LaShone  Manuel

 

Leader in Training, Leader in Training Mentor

 

2009-2012

 

Download Full Alumni Story

​

"At Tall Turf I realized I wanted to work with young people.  Young people often struggle by themselves because they don't feel like they have anybody to talk to. Now I work as a career coach at Calvin University, and I’m also a youth pastor at my church. I’ve been doing youth ministry since Tall Turf.

2014.09 3.png

Lydia Verstrate 

 

Counselor

 

Download Full Alumni Story

​

"(My experience) causes me to pause and wonder how much more my perspective and understanding would have been enlarged and stretched had I come to Tall Turf as a little girl." 

​

Noemy.jpg

Noemy Parra-Cano

 

Leader in Training 

 

Download Full Alumni Story

​

"Accepting my calling has been greatly accelerated because of Tall Turf and its people."

​

Justin Aurich.jpg

Justin Aurich 
 

Counselor

​

“While Tall Turf has taught me be to a good leader, even more importantly they have taught me to be a Christian leader. One of the biggest ways I have seen God work through Tall Turf is in the ministry of reconciliation. Throughout the past 9 years I have been involved in Tall Turf I have built strong friendships with people from many different cultures and backgrounds. By doing this Tall Turf has broadened my very small perspective of the world and has also taught me more about who God is.”

​

Daniel.png

Daniel 

 

Camper, Firehouse Kids, Junior Leader in Training, Leader in Training 

 

Download Newsletter

​

"(Tall Turf has) given me a better understanding of racial reconciliation—challenging me to think about different perspectives. It’s brought me deeper in my faith & leadership through challenging me to step out of my comfort zone. I’ve taken the skills I’ve learned at Tall Turf and put them into practice in my everyday life."

​

bottom of page