Jenkins at Camp Boggy Creek in Florida
A fund to provide travel stipends to students who volunteer, intern or serve on the staff of a SeriousFun Children’s Network camp for seriously ill children has been re-named in memory William D. Jenkins, former Phi Kappa Tau as Executive Director and Executive Vice President of the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation who died September 23, 2024.
Jenkins became an ardent supporter of the SeriousFun camps as soon as Phi Kappa Tau adopted the organization, founded by Phi Kappa Tau alumnus Paul Newman, as its national philanthropy in 1996 “Mr. Bill” as he was affectionately known, personally volunteered as a cabin counselor in his 70s and found the camp experience to be life changing. Phi Kappa Tau continues to be the largest single source of male volunteers at SeriousFun camps.
As a consultant to the Delta Zeta Foundation, Jenkins encouraged the sorority’s support of SeriousFun’s Painted Turtle Camp in California as a nod to their mascot turtle. In 2006, The Painted Turtle became the National Service Project of Delta Zeta undergraduate and alumnae chapters and since 2020, the entire SeriousFun Children’s Network has been a Global Service Project of Delta Zeta.
In 2023-24, nearly 60 Phi Taus served as volunteers, interns or staffers at SeriousFun camps around the world, many of who received stipends from the Jenkins Fund. To honor Bill’s memory. Please consider a gift to the Jenkins Fund by clicking here: