Karen Baber

Karen lives in Rock Island, IL where she just retired from a long career in nursing, working as an ER Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, and most recently as a school nurse. She earned her Associates Degree for nursing from Clinton Community College, her BSN from Mary Rest International University, and her Masters in Nursing from the University of Illinois-Chicago. She has lived in the Quad City area for most of her life. Karen is a mother of 2 and a grandmother of 5!

Karen has a long history with Camp Bear Creek, coming since 1968, first as a camper, then volunteer counselor, and for the past six years, as a camp nurse for a week or two each summer. She loves Camp Bear Creek because of the “opportunities for kids to experience nature, experiences with one another, and seeing kids grow in faith.”

At camp, when she’s not in the health center, you’ll often hear Karen playing her lap harp or working on her latest quilting project. She also enjoys getting outdoors to bike, hike, garden, and explore. She loves spending time with family and friends and traveling to new places.

Camp Bear Creek obviously holds a special place in Karen’s heart. After coming as a camper, volunteer, and nurse, joining the camp board just seemed like a natural next step.

Karen’s favorite Bible verse is 1 John 4:8: “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”