Carly Phillips had a star-shaped tattoo on her foot that everyone called “Carly’s Star.” Last summer, family and friends used glow-in-the-dark paint to put the star on every cabin’s ceiling at Camp Tamarack near Suttle Lake.

“It was so cute when the kids came in for breakfast and said that Carly’s star was shining down on them last night,” said Sandy Phillips, Carly’s mom.

Carly passed away in 2011 at age 26 in Bend. She had grown up in California, but her parents moved to Bend when Carly attended Oregon State in 2002. She graduated with a degree in sociology and worked for the Multnomah ESD Outdoor School program before attending the University of Montana where she obtained a master’s degree in environmental sociology. She enjoyed hiking, camping and fly fishing with friends and family — and had a passion for getting children connected to the outdoors.

Inspired by the national “Leave No Child Inside” movement, Carly worked for the Ecology Project International in Missoula, Mont., that taught high school students how to address conservation issues.

“She recognized that some students don’t do well in the classroom, but they might be incredible in field studies,” said Phillips, who teaches fifth grade at Ensworth Elementary School in Bend.

“We were trying to figure out a way to honor her passion, and thought why don’t we start a foundation and help underprivileged kids go to outdoor camp,” she added.

Thus, Carly’s Kids was born.

By 2012, Carly’s Kids had raised $3,000 from private donations and provided assistance to 38 students from Ensworth to attend Camp Arrah Wanna near Welches.

The following year, Carly’s Kids provided funding for 60 fifth-graders from Ensworth and Juniper elementary schools to attend Arrah Wanna, as well as to fund an Outdoor School Day for Ensworth’s kindergarten through fourth grades. Held in Shevlin Park, the fifth-graders assisted teachers and led age-appropriate workshops for younger students.

“This way, the younger kids would get excited about camp,” said Phillips.

In 2014, Carly’s Kids donated $33,000 to eight Bend-La Pine schools for fifth-graders to go to Camp Tamarack, located near Suttle Lake. Private donations, a successful McMenamins fundraiser, a $500 Pay it Forward donation from KTVZ’s News Channel 21, and monies raised by Ensworth student fundraisers provided financial assistance for 518 Title 1 students to attend Outdoor Camp.

“The two-night, three-day program with different science labs allows students to have an outstanding outdoor classroom experience to study the effects of fire on soils, plants and animals,” said Doug Nelson, a Carly’s Kids board member. However, attending camp can be a financial challenge, especially for students already qualifying for free and reduced meals.

“It costs $175 per student to attend the three-day Outdoor Camp, so we were pleased to be able to help so many students,” said Erin Mayall, a Carly’s Kids board member.

Camp Tamarack started in 1935 when Donna Gill and Lucile Murphy leased Forest Service land and set up a horse camp for girls. The camp sat unused for most of the last 75 years. Charlie Anderson, a former Pine Ridge Elementary School teacher, bought the camp last year.

When Phillips met Anderson, the synergy between the two was immediate. Both had recently lost a family member.

Charlie’s brother Tyler Anderson, age 37, passed away in a climbing accident in Peru in 2010. After a rough childhood, Tyler’s experiences in outdoor adventures while in high school changed his life. Charlie and his family set up a foundation in Tyler’s memory called On Belay Ty. The foundation’s mission will continue Tyler’s passion for the outdoors, adventure and education through youth camps that encourage kids to experience the wonders of Central Oregon.

“These two foundations are helping our respective healing processes,” said Anderson.

Anderson and Phillips both believe in the healing power of outdoor education, and it is that belief that spurs them to work together to get kids learning in nature at all levels.

This year, the Bend-LaPine School board voted to provide $50 for each fifth-grade student to go toward experiential education. Lora Nordquist, assistant superintendent for the school district, has been a “strong supporter of this concept,” according to Phillips.

Phillips acknowledges that the support for Carly’s Kids has been phenomenal, far exceeding anything she, her family or the board could envision.

“It’s a testament to Carly,” said Nelson. “She never met a person she didn’t like.”