Summers at Tall Oaks Camp and Conference Center (TOCC) in Linwood, KS are busy.
As a nonprofit organization that provides a safe space for personal growth and renewal, leadership formation, and learning, it hosts different groups on its on 236 acres (96 hectares) of land—from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada to local schools to quilting clubs.
So during the winter of 2025, the center’s leadership was expecting a quiet season. That is, until they received a call from their water company: thousands of gallons of water were pouring into their facilities from burst pipes.
With our help, TOCC is not only rebuilding, but it is also partnering with our ministry on a capital fundraising campaign (CFC) that will lay down a life-changing foundation.
Relaxation and recreation in a natural environment
In the 1950s, Tall Oaks was established on approximately 350 acres (142 hectares) of land by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Greater Kansas City. The first event took place in 1958, and doors were opened to the public in 1964. Today, guests of all ages can enjoy various activities from fishing to volleyball to hiking.
Moving the ministry forward
Tall Oaks provides year-round facilities, including five air-conditioned cottages, an open-air chapel, a recreational field, pond, and more.
But by far one of the most frequently booked buildings on campus is the Lifelong Learning Center (LLC). Its large lounge spaces, public restrooms, and 12 hotel-style sleeping accommodations make it an ideal place to meet.
During a severe cold snap last winter, a pipe burst in the facility, filling it with 65,000 gallons (246,052 litres) of water. Once staff and board members learned of the leak, it was all hands on deck. They came to help clean up, pushing and sweeping the water out of the LLC.
They called their insurance company and after a suggestion from one of the center’s partners, they called us as well. Staff members connected to Jim Michel, who leads our Building Disaster Response service, and he helped them navigate through the insurance process.
“We ended up getting close to double what the insurance company initially wanted to give us because of Jim’s work on our behalf,” reveals Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel, President of TOCC’s Board of Directors and the new Regional Minister for the Greater Kansas City region. “Staff really didn’t know much about the insurance process because we hadn’t gone through this before! With the money we received from the insurance claim, we were able to renovate most of LLC’s big meeting areas—carpets, paint, and walls. A complete refresh of the space was on our list, but it was far down in terms of urgent priorities.”
Claim money also covered new carpeting and updated plumbing for Shalom Cottage.
“Once we discovered the 65,000 gallons that were pouring into the LLC, we decided to check the other buildings,” recalls Blackwood Pickrel. “Sure enough, the moment we opened the front door to Shalom, we could hear water rushing.”
Have your buildings been hit by a natural disaster? Whether it has been days, weeks, or even years, we can help address facilities damage. Contact our Building Disaster Response team to get help.
New life and stability
With the renovations on the LCC now completed, the damage that the winter of 2025 looks more like a blessing in disguise. Not only has TOCC found a partner in us, but it has found additional ways that this partnership can benefit their mission. Midway through rebuilding the LLC, our previous interim President and CEO Rev. John Powell traveled to Kansas, falling in love with Tall Oaks. During his visit, he learned of Pass It On, the center’s capital campaign that it started in 2024 to revive, operate, and improve the Tall Oaks grounds.
“He said, ‘We do that,’” laughs Blackwood Pickrel, “And now we are working with Disciples Church Extension Fund (DCEF) to reboot the campaign.”
Led by Director of Development Katy McFall, we provide CFC guidance to faith communities across the denomination, helping them determine their fundraising vision, timeline, and best way to communicate their project.
TOCC’s Pass It On aims to raise US $1 million to address deferred maintenance, make capital improvements, and build a sustainability fund that the center can fall back on during the winter months.
“With Katy’s help, we’re learning some of the things that we didn’t know we didn’t know,” explains Blackwood Pickrel, “so that we can relaunch sometime close to the end of this year.”
While the campaign in its current format has reached some of its goal, McFall checks in with Pickrel and Executive Director Dan Merrick every week to guide their efforts to implement a strong campaign.
Pass It On is not only near and dear to the hearts of the Disciples generations that have spent their summers at TOCC, but to the staff too. Director of Communications and Administration Jenna Engelken has been involved with its programs since she was five years old—first as a camper herself and then a youth leader—as her mother previously ran its camp offerings and today serves on TOCC’s board. These experiences fostered Jenna’s love for camp and inspired her to start the center’s first adult camp alongside Merrick.
“Our first year we had about 30 adults,” she remembers. “We’re trying to bridge the gap between grandparents camp and high school camp so that all are welcome.”
But Engelken’s love goes even deeper than this. In 2017, she decided to get married in TOCC’s pavilion.
Merrick dates his TOCC history back even farther. He was two when he first came to camp. Camp in his family was non-negotiable.
“My father was a pastor in the region, so he came to check in on his camp kids and dropped me off in the dining hall,” Merrick tells us. “Back then our kitchen was run by a woman named Roberta. As I got older, I would either help her bake cookies or go outside and do chores with her husband Wilbur. My first memory of Tall Oaks is sitting on the back porch with him eating ice cream after the chores were done. He and Roberta just kind of became bonus grandparents to me.”
Many other staff members and volunteers have similar ties to TOCC as Engelken and Merrick.
“One of the things that I’m proud of in my region is that we do a really good job of hanging on to our campers,” adds Blackwood Pickrel, who was a Tall Oaks counselor for many years. “They go through the camping program, build community, and then, as they graduate and start moving on, there’s an adult camp for them to attend. They get pulled back into counseling roles, start working their way up, and then they turn into people like Jenna and Dan who are committed to the ministry that happens out here.”
As TOCC welcomes another full summer, it continues to work on rebuilding Shalom Cottage and refining its CFC.
And we will be by their side every step of the way—no matter the season.
We can help your faith community raise financial support for projects with our CFC guidance. On average, those that work with us meet or exceed their fundraising goals. Contact your regional Building and Capital Services Advisor to get started.