Adult Committee Members

**Molly Avers - One Year Adult**
Molly has been involved with Ottawa County 4-H for over 20 years! As a youth exhibitor, she showed cattle and poultry and completed a range of still projects including sewing, cooking, baking, and fishing among others. She has continued to volunteer throughout the 4-H program and hasn’t missed an Ottawa County 4-H camp in at least 15 years. She was elected to the BLW committee in 2024 to serve in the one-year adult role.

Gabby Bittner - Class of 2025

Gabby began attending BLW in 2022, through her job as Camp Director at Camp Fire Camp Tannadoonah, located in Vandalia, Michigan. Gabby graduated from Purdue University in December of 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, with a focus on Human and Family Development. She currently lives in Elkhart, Indiana, where she spends much of her free time working on her home. Gabby enjoys reading as many books as she can and snuggling with her two golden retrievers!

**Amber Grundy - Class of 2026, Secretary**
Amber lives in Vandalia, Michigan, and serves as the CEO of Camp Fire River Bend and Camp Tannadoonah. She has four young campers at home, ages 4 to 13 years. Amber loves anything related to camp and camping, and also enjoys swimming, craft projects, crocheting, and baking. She first attended BLW in 2016, and joined the planning committee in 2018. Amber is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, as well as a M.A. and Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, with an emphasis on youth development across the transition to adolescence.

**Larry Hall - Class of 2026**
Larry Hall, a graduate of The Ohio State University, has served Knox County as a 4-H volunteer since 1974 and is retired from OSU Extension as a 4-H Youth Development Educator after 26 years. Larry started attending BLW in 1994 and has attended almost every year to “recharge his batteries” and make new friends. He lives on the family farm near Mount Vernon with his wife Gwen and an assortment of animals. They have three married children and seven wonderful grandchildren. Larry enjoys camping, singing, making music in various forms and teaching crafts such as friendship bracelets and leather crafts.

**Gina Kolp - Class of 2026**
Gina grew up in the community of Powell, Ohio where she currently serves as the Parks & Recreation Supervisor. She has been attending BLW since obtaining this full time position in 2014. The ability for diverse age groups to form a community in a few days that impacts countless other communities is inspiring and draws her back year after year. Gina aspires to see smiles on the individuals she surrounded by at any given time.

**Katrina Nitz - Class of 2025**
Katrina grew up in the Harrison County 4-H program. Through 4-H she learned that she loved working with youth but did not want to be in a traditional classroom. She went to Ohio University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management. After working 7 years at a privately owned campground and resort, Katrina returned to 4-H at the Harrison / Jefferson County extension, and later the Belmont County extension. In 2020, she became the 4-H Educator in Carroll County. In her free time (which is not much), Katrina enjoys spending time with Family and friends, serving on the worship team at her church, and helping on the family beef farm.

**Ashley Okel - Class of 2027**
Ashley is currently a stay at home mom to two awesome and spunky boys. She taught high school science for 10 years before having kids and has worked many camp positions from counselor to program director at YMCA and 4-H camps. She enjoys creating art, playing instruments, tending her hobby farm, and exploring nature with her family. She also spends her “me time” running a home bakery making cakes and custom sugar cookies, face painting at festivals, and working part time at Starbucks. Above all, Ashley loves learning new things which is why BLW is one of her favorite things!

**Heather Quinones - Class of 2025**
Heather has been attending BLW since she was 16 years old. She has taught Environmental Education from Arkansas to Ohio for over 20 years, and has recently entered into the public school system as a High School Science Teacher. She endeavors every day to instill the mindfulness, acceptance, and love of learning into her science room everyday. In her non-teaching hours she is raising two rambunctious boys who keep her on her toes! In the small, wee hours of the morning Heather can be found walking her dog, practicing pilates/yoga, teaching English online to students around the world, or working on her wool felt projects.

**Sarah Wensink - Class of 2027**
Sarah lives in Columbus, Ohio, where she works as an account coordinator for CoverMyMeds. She started attending BLW in college and loves how the workshop brings people of diverse ages and backgrounds together to learn from each other. She loves all things crafty - especially crafts that can be self-taught with YouTube videos. Some of her favorite ways to spend free time are to quilt, read and explore the outdoors. Sarah is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Communication.

**Chuck Wurth - In Memorium**
Our dear friend, long-time BLW attendee and committee member Chuck Wurth tragically passed away after an accident in February 2018. We retain his information here as a tribute to his knowledge, humor, and contributions to BLW, the camping and 4-H world writ large.
Chuck himself once said that his life could be summed up in parts of two Robert Frost Poems. The poems would be The Road Not Taken and Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening. Specifically these two quotes, “I took the road less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.” and “But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
Chuck served on the BLW committee because he wanted to pass on his belief that everyone brings something to the party. That we need to search out all that we collaboratively have and find ways to make us all successful. He wanted people to define what success looks like to them and then be successful. Chuck always wanted people to be comfortable and proud of who and what they are.
Chuck said that his favorite BLW memory was when he was made the director of a puppet show when he had just started coming. Mrs. Alkire saw a young, inexperienced and insecure person with little confidence and a huge desire to be successful. She nurtured that desire and mentored that individual to the point where he began to see and believe in himself.