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The Leaders at Nell's Woodland 

Meet your guide. 

We welcome you to tour the woodland with our guide Joe Jakupcak.  Please refer to our Event Brite for the upcoming tour dates. The available tickets are provided by the Nell's Foundation at no cost to you. The ticket offering is limited, please see our Eventbrite to find out when the upcoming guided tours will be taking place in the future. 

Joe Jakupcak

Marseilles native Joe Jakupcak is a hike leader at prominent ecological sites in the Starved Rock region, including Starved Rock Lodge and Dayton Bluffs Preserve. Joe also is a tour guide at Starved Rock Marina and is the narrator of sightseeing tours on the Ste. Genevieve Riverboat. Joe holds a B.S. in Geology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MEd in Science from the University of Missouri Columbia. With a career in science education spanning 39 years, Joe is known for infusing his understanding of geology and passion for teaching into his hikes, all of which are excellent educational opportunities for all ages. We are excited to bring Joe’s extensive knowledge, expertise, and devotion to the ecology of the Starved Rock region to Nell's Woodland. To sign up for one of Joe's Guided Walks, use our "Visit" tab to learn more about our upcoming offerings with Joe Jakupcak. 

Meet your story teller. 

Myers will speak at the woodland during educational experiences and at the Nell's Woodland Earth Day Celebration on May 4th, 2024. To experience the art of Bill Myers watch our upcoming events page. 

Bill Myers

We welcome Bill Myers, a local storyteller to the Nell's Woodland team. Bill Myers began his literary experience as a child in his Earlville home, through a strong relationship with his siblings, Myers spent his childhood entangled with nature, telling stories and playing imaginatively. This introductory engagement gave Myers the creative roots he needed to push himself to explore the storytelling world. His humble Illinois upbringing has given roots to his worldly travels and allowed Myers to tell stories throughout the United States. During his time at both Ottawa and Marquette High School, he coached football and taught literature, as well as various creative writing classes. While his time teaching in the classroom has passed, he continues his passion for literature and creativity through storytelling experiences throughout Lasalle County. Through Myers's words and actions, he pours his heart into the stories he tells. By using his life experiences and the charm of his linguistics, Myers brings a light to all who hear his stories. Myers will speak at the woodland during educational experiences and at the Nell's Woodland Earth Day Celebration on May 4th, 2024. To experience the art of Bill Myers watch our upcoming events page. 

"For 90 minutes, Myers’ audience follows his every move and every word as he spins tale after tale. One minute he’s an Indian, the next minute he’s a raccoon; then he’s a priest, a barn owl and a little boy as he brings his stories to life."

-Tempo Southwest Chicago Tribune 

January 23, 1994 

Contact

To learn more about our leaders or to apply to lead a class here at Nell's Woodland, please feel free to contact us via our email. 

815-331-1078

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