Volunteers ~ Russell Rhoads & Bob Parker 

Russell Rhoads and Bob Parker of Marion have been very active volunteers at Camp Wyoming.  We are honored to showcase them both in this Volunteer Spotlight.   

Russell Rhoads—Russell and his wife Donna have been married for 57 years and have three grown children and six grandchildren.  Russ enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, hiking, fishing and woodworking.  Russ has crafted many items for Camp Wyoming.  From signs to shelves, from decorative wheelbarrows to flower planters, Russ’s talents are sprinkled around the camp.  Russ grew up in the Clarence and Stanwood areas.  He graduated from the Stanwood School and later become mayor of the town.  He enjoyed the small community and has a handful or two of stories regarding his stint as mayor. 

Prior to moving to Marion, Russ and Donna made their home in Stanwood.  Russ recalls earlier years when he and Donna would both work during the day, then hightail it home, jump on the tractors and into the fields they’d go.  Russ also served as the Stanwood rural mail carrier for 17 years.  In 1992, after 37 years of farming, Russ and Donna retired from the farm and moved to Marion.  Russ enjoys the basic staples when it come to food…meat and potatoes, he’ll pass on anything seafood.  When Russ was asked to name something he thought he would never see happen, he replied, “That he’d have lived this long!”  The greatest joys in Russ’s life are times he can be with his family and friends.  He particularly enjoys the friends he’s made while volunteering at various places and spending time with those friends working on projects.  Russ is a member of Marion Presbyterian Church and enjoys helping whenever needed. 

Bob Parker—Bob and his wife Shirley have been married for 47 years and have two sons and four grandchildren.  Bob & Shirley have been familiar with Camp Wyoming since 1972 when their sons attended camp.  Fast forward to 2005…Bob volunteers on work projects; Shirley volunteers with the T.T.T. campers that fill the camp the first two weeks of the summer; and last but not least…the Parker’s two oldest grandchildren attend Camp Wyoming (the two youngest grandchildren can’t wait to be old enough to attend camp!)  Bob & Shirley feel sending kids to Camp Wyoming is one of the most important things a church can do. 

Bob grew up in Waubeek, Iowa and graduated from Central City Schools in 1954.  He retired in 1994 after 40 years working at Iowa Manufacturing in Cedar Rapids.  Since then Bob has kept himself busy by spending time with his grandchildren, woodworking, building furniture and helping at his church, Marion Presbyterian.  Bob volunteers at the church by helping the Buildings & Grounds committee, as well as assisting elderly members of the congregation.

One of Bob’s passions is taking trips with friends and touring historic houses.  The last movie he saw was Ray.  When it comes to fine dining Bob’s favorite meal is chicken, hash browns, potato salad and cranberries.  In Bob’s free time he enjoys attending community theatre.  As the seasons change, so do Bob’s interests….summer he enjoys watching the grandchildren on the Cedar Rapids Water Ski team, and in the winter months he enjoys vacationing in Arizona.  Something Bob thought he’d never see happen was the opportunity for him and Shirley to “winter away” from Iowa. 

From the bottom of our canoes to the top of our tree houses,      THANKS Russ & Bob!