Nature Canada

Dreaming About Nature, Taking Action For Nature.

bill kellet pic#2As a boy, Bill Kellet would fall asleep at night imagining he was in the woods beside a lake, watching moonlight dance through his room, listening to the waves lapping on the shore, and hearing the call of a loon in the distance.Growing up in Woodstock in a family who adored nature, Bill spent Sundays picnicking at the river, holidays camping and was a boy scout. As an adult, Bill was a scout master, even starting a scouting troop at Albert College, a school in Belleville where he taught history and geography for 10 years. “Nature was always part of my life,” remembers Bill. An avid reader of nature books, he also took up sketching animals and birds as a hobby in his retirement.Bill met his wife Marnie at the University of Western Ontario, and lived his dream of buying property and building his cabin near Parry Sound. Bill and Marnie raised 4 active, energetic kids – two sons and two daughters – who explored the natural world near their home in Woodstock and in Muskoka. Marnie passed away eight years ago, but lives on in Bill’s heart and memories.

Bill smiles when he remembers the kids growing up playing, exploring and learning about the outdoors. The woods behind their home have since been developed. And he beams when he talks about returning to Muskoka recently with his son-in-law and spending precious time around the campfire, reflecting “that’s when you really understand what life’s about”.

Bill has been a Nature Canada member since the 1970s when he first read our magazine focused on conservation. “Our most important work is educating children about the importance of nature,” Bill believes. “This is the best hope and investment for the future. Man has been short-sighted and taken our planet for granted. We must show more respect for nature.”

It was Bill’s financial advisor who brought to light the benefits of making a future gift through a gift of life insurance. For Bill, it’s a “simple and effective way to show how much nature matters to me”. Bill is glad he’s helping to make a difference by supporting Nature Canada’s work.

As an older gentleman, he finds it hard to get out into nature as often as he used to. But thankfully, he has a large naturalized garden and a small replica cabin in his yard that reminds him of his place near Parry Sound so he can still feel connected to nature each day.

And through his generous and thoughtful gift to Nature Canada, others will connect with wildlife and wild places for generations to come.

To leave your own lasting legacy for nature, please contact Jodi Joy at jjoy@naturecanada.ca or 1-800-267-4088 ext 239.

 

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