Gabrielle Raill : recepient of the 2020 ICF Butterfly Award

The ICF Butterfly Award recognizes an individual, camp or organization that has made significant contributions internationally to the causes of camping (e.g. environmental, humanitarian or educational) over a period of time.

"Gabrielle Raill (Gabz) has earned admiration and recognition for many major causes to the international community of camps. She is an ICF Ambassador, Congress/conference presenter, educator, podcaster, innovator and camp director.

In 2020, amidst the most severe health and economic crisis of the past 100 years, when many people were forced to withdraw into survival mode and step back, Gabrielle stepped up. As ICF Ambassador to Canada, she proposed the launch of a campaign to serve multiple objectives during this challenging time.

Thanks To Camp was first developed by the Canadian Camping Association in 2016. Gabrielle was the architect and designer for that campaign as well. Grasping the importance of storytelling as a strategy to connect people to concepts, Gabz harnessed and mobilized a team of volunteers in many countries to prepare and execute the program.

The results in the one-month campaign have been astounding: A worldwide media launch. A brand-new video that tells the Thanks To Camp story on an international scale. The support of Peter Katz with a rendering of the Camp Song. Thousands of social media posts from six continents. A half million exposures to the #ThanksToCamp message.

The wider importance this campaign is what it has done in the hearts of a troubled camp community and what it inspires. The messages of Thanks To Camp: Raise your voice to give camps a voice; We are stronger together; More than just fun are springboards to allow camps and camp communities to do more. Using these messages, the camp community can influence policy makers, raise awareness in the public, implement fundraising programs and promote the importance and value of camps for all children.

Thanks to Camp is more than a campaign to help us survive. Gabz has given us a movement to help us ride forward to recovery."

Text from ICF website

Congratulations Gabrielle! We are very lucky to have you as part of our beautiful and strong community !