2022 ICF Award Recipients

2022 Abbott Fenn Druzhba Award:

The Abbott Fenn Druzhba Award is a special recognition of an individual, camp, or organization, which has made a significant and sustained contribution to international camping. The endowed contribution for the award was made by Abbott Fenn, a long-standing, active member of the American Camp Association and former owner/director of the Keewaydin Camps in New England, U.S.A. The award recognizes those who spread the benefit of the camp experience to improve world understanding.

Linda Pulliam

Linda Pulliam, for all who have known her from before ICF formation in 1987 to her departure from the ICF Board in 2020, has been the heart of ICF and to this day ICF has remained in her heart.

Camp Professional

Linda stepped into the international camp scene through Camp Friendship in Virginia. Camp Friendship was doing work in the area of international understanding long before the formation of ICF. Alongside the original director of Camp Friendship, Chuck Ackenbom, Linda was involved in the planning and delivery of the 1987 International Camping Congress where the International Camping Fellowship first crystallized into being. In the years following, as ICF bylaws were being written and the foundation of ICF was being laid, Linda was part of some of the earliest trips to other countries (notably USSR and then Russia). When we were just beginning to understand the scope and breadth of camping around the world, Linda was already an ambassador of friendship.

ICF Board Member

As a member of the ICF Board, Linda has served in many capacities. She has managed ICF membership at a time when it was all handled manually by letter, email and spreadsheet. She carefully nurtured every inquiry and guided new members to the best involvement possible. She brought the issues of special situations and persons to the Board for assistance when possible and responded to every request with solid counsel.

ICF Newsletter Editor / Author / ACA international liaison

Linda coupled these skills with the role of ICF Newsletter editor and crafted many stories for publication to introduce the ICF community to what was emerging on the camp scene. At other times, she has served as secretary and as a Member at Large. In 2014, Linda co-authored with Armand Ball and Dick Chamberlain, The Tale of the Butterfly covering the first 25 years of ICF history. She has written multiple articles of interest to ACA’s (American Camp Association) Camping Magazine.
Linda was also the face and heart of ICF within ACA and at the annual ACA National Conference. She single-handedly established the role of international liaison to the ACA and kept ICF matters before the various ACA presidents and CEOs as they changed over time. At ACA National, international delegates always had a friendly face and helpful assist from Linda (along with international snacks and ICF membership information…). Each year before the conference, she established the ICF pre-Conference Tour of local/regional camps and sites of interest to mix ICF members with other internationals and interested ACA member who were delegates. These tours were always memorable and served an invaluable purpose of both education and networking the participants before the larger ACA Conference itself.
Linda also arranged for and hosted the International Room, secured an International Reception hosted by the ACA President, organized an International Delegate Information Session, arranged for workshops and sessions of international presenters and more. During Congress years, ICF was able to enjoy exhibit space to promote the upcoming Congress at no charge.

Board meetings

Linda faithfully attended the many ICF Board meetings in various countries – always listening and always ready to make thoughtful contributions. Husband, travelling companion and supporter, Richard Pulliam was a friend to the entire Board and ensured that we must not take ourselves too seriously.

Advocate of the Mission of ICF

Linda Pulliam was, and is, a steady reminder of the mission of ICF – we must not ever lose sight of the importance of personal connections and friendship. Linda has epitomized that important fact from the beginning and that the legacy of personal connections should always guide ICF decisions.