Owners & Directors
KICKAPOO KAMP, founded in 1925 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Ford, has been in continuous operation since that time by second and third generations of the Ford Family. The Fords were both Dallas teachers until retirement and were involved with children all their lives. Today Kickapoo is one of the oldest private camps for girls in the Southwest.
The camp is currently owned by the Ford’s daughter, Bimmie Findlay, and her daughter, Laura Hodges. Bimmie has been closely associated with the operation and management of Kickapoo all her life, and through all the stages - from camper, counselor, and program director, to owner.
Laura Findlay Hodges, the third generation director of Kickapoo Kamp, is in charge of operations for Kickapoo Kamp. Laura is proud to carry on the vision and tradition in camping that was nurtured by her parents and grandparents. She is truly committed to creating a quality camp experience in which girls can make lifetime friendships, learn new skills, and develop an appreciation of nature. Laura graduated from LSU with a degree in Education. She has been active in camping all her life from kamper, to kounselor, to program director, to director. Laura lives in San Antonio during the off season. She is a licensed CPA and completed her Master of Taxation in 1999. Laura has been the treasurer of our state camping association, Camping Association for Mutual Progress (C.A.M.P.) since 1984. Laura is very proud of her three sons, Brian, Chris, and Greg; Brian’s wife, Angie; and one adorable granddaughter, Sydney, a future 5th generation Kickapoo Kamper.
Larry Findlay, Bimmie’s son, is Kickapoo’s facility director. Larry has grown up in the camp industry, attending Camp La Junta and working at Kickapoo as a “work boy” in his younger days. His position requires a great deal of flexibility and talent. Not only does he keep the grounds looking beautiful by planting and maintaining all of the grass and plants, but he also makes repairs around camp and takes care of any cabin maintenance. Larry is indispensable in setting the stage for night programs during each term and is well known for his active participation in BINGO and the awarding of the blanket. Additionally, Larry trains and supervises the “work boys,” oversees the care of the horses, and supervises the Kickapoo Retreat Center during the off-season. Larry attended Del Mar College and worked with his father, Gordon, in the restaurant business for 25 years before devoting his talents to Kickapoo full-time. Larry lives on camp property and is proud of his two sons, T.C. and Ford.
Carolyn Shean aka “Myrtle” is one of Kickapoo’s Assistant Directors. “Myrtle” actually got her nickname at age 9, while she was a Kickapoo Kamper. Myrtle always looked forward to returning to Kickapoo each summer and still treasures the years she spent as a camper and a counselor where she adopted Kickapoo as her second family. Kickapoo had such an important impact on Myrtle’s life that she returned to kamp in 1994 when her daughter, K.C., started attending Kickapoo as a camper. Myrtle enjoys training the counseling staff in hopes of building an environment where girls can feel at home at Kickapoo and develop knowledge of self as well as an appreciation of the great outdoors. “Myrtle” graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in elementary education, and when she is not working at Kickapoo, she has a career in Round Rock Independent School District where she has enjoyed teaching 6th grade language arts and reading since 1979. “Myrtle” has a wonderful husband, Bill and two children, K.C. and Tyler.
Aimee Sparrow Bailey is one of the Assistant Directors at Kickapoo Kamp. She has spent more than half of her life at Kickapoo. She spent 5 years as a kamper and when she was old enough, she began to work at kamp as a kounselor. She spent 4 years as the equestrian director at kamp. After taking one summer off to marry her husband Brad, she returned to Kickapoo as program director. Aimee has worked in her current position since 2000 and enjoys watching kampers develop their skills each summer at Kickapoo. Her outgoing personality and fun-loving spirit make her an asset to the Kickapoo team. Aimee graduated from Southwest Texas State University with a degree in interdisciplinary studies. When not having fun at kamp, Aimee lives in San Antonio where she has enjoyed teaching 1st and 4th grades in the Judson Independent School District since 1998. Aimee is president-elect of the San Antonio Alpha Delta Pi Alumnae Association and volunteers her time to work with the Junior League of San Antonio. She loves spending time with her husband, walking her two Westie children, Missy and Lilly, reading, and shopping.
Sarah Rickard Graves is Kickapoo’s Mother-Daughter Weekend Assistant Director. Starting at age 8, Sarah attended Kickapoo Kamp for ten years and worked as a Kounselor for the five summers following her years as a kamper. Since the summer of 1998, Sarah has ensured that mothers and their daughters have an enjoyable, memorable weekend at Kickapoo. Sarah works diligently to make the transition from Mother-Daughter weekends to a full term at Kickapoo as seamless as possible by working with Laura, Myrtle, and Aimee during off-season planning. In addition, Sarah conducts training and certification of the archery and riflery programs each summer. Sarah graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a degree in Mathematics. When she is not working at kamp, Sarah works for AT&T as an OSP Engineer. In her remaining time, she enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with her family.
Kathy Walden is one of Kickapoo’s Program Directors. Kathy joined the Kickapoo family in 2006 when her daughter, Hannah, became a kamper. Kathy had seen firsthand the value and quality of Kickapoo Kamp through her friendships with other kamp families and her experiences with bringing school and scout groups to kamp for weekend retreats. Kathy has many talents that are utilized in creating a quality program at Kickapoo. She enjoys watching kampers enjoy the parties and special activities that her artistic flare and organizational abilities help create. Kathy graduated from the University of Texas with a BS in Education and is an avid Longhorn fan. She has taught yearbook, language arts and teen leadership at C.D. Fulkes Middle School in Round Rock ISD since 1990. Kathy lives in Georgetown with her husband and two children. She enjoys volunteering as a Girl Scout leader, scrapbooking, and spending time with her family.
Tracy Weatherall is one of Kickapoo’s Program Directors. Tracy has been a Kickapoo girl since 1975, when she was a camper in cabin OH Girls. For many years she returned to camp each summer as a camper and counselor, and served as the equestrian director in 1985. Ten years later, when her daughter, Melissa, was ready to begin her camp experience, Tracy returned to Kickapoo and worked in a variety of positions. She worked as the First Aid Attendant one summer and then worked as the 3rd term Assistant Director until 2005 when her studies with sea turtles called her away. In 2007 she returned home to her Kickapoo family as the 3rd Term Program Director. Tracy loves watching the campers enjoy the parties and experience all of the fun activities that she helps to create and implement. Her love of the outdoors inspires campers to appreciate nature as well. Tracy has a degree from Southwest Texas State University in Recreation Administration and is currently seeking a 2nd degree in Marine Biology from Texas A&M Galveston. Tracy is married to her college sweetheart Mathis and has two children, Melissa and Sellers.
Jennifer Lee is one of Kickapoo’s Program Directors. She first ventured to Texas to work as a Kickapoo Kounselor in 2006. Jennifer grew up at her childhood summer camp and views those experiences as truly formative. She gained leadership and community skills, life-long friendships, and confidence to try new things. It is these same values she has encouraged in Kickapoo kampers as a counselor, First Aid Attendant, and now Program Director. A Chicago native, Jennifer earned her B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Valparaiso University (Indiana) in 2003 and her M.A. in College Student Development from Bowling Green State University (Ohio) in 2007. She currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina and spends the school year as a Biology Academic Advisor at North Carolina State University. Jennifer is the Vice President of Membership for the Raleigh-Durham Kappa Delta Sorority Alumnae Chapter, the Faculty Fellow for NC State’s Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, and a volunteer in the ministries of her church. In her spare time, she loves cooking, supporting sustainable agriculture, local businesses, and green living practices, and traveling to see family and friends across the country.