Warmth in a Rugged Country
“the water is yet very cold… the banks and bluffs… so slippery and the mud so tenacious that they are unable to wear their mockersons…”
-Merriweather Lewis. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Friday, May 31st ,1805.
That is what Captain Lewis had to say about the Missouri Breaks National Monument in Montana. This land is the rugged and beautiful home to Illa Willmore, National Public Lands Day volunteer.
Illa’s warm smile and lifelong knowledge about the Missouri River, the Breaks and the James Kipp Recreational site make her a favorite volunteer campground host among the campers. “Visitors visit with Illa to hear stories about the people, trials, and rewards common in this country,” says Sandra Padilla, Bureau of Land Management Site Manager.
Indeed, Illa is a great help to those in need offering “hot coffee and warm conversation to countless visitors who left their vehicles stuck in “gumbo” (common in the Missouri River Breaks) and walked to the highway. She has also opened her home to those stranded for extended periods.”
Thank you, Illa for your spirit and dedication to the public land that has always been a part of your life. Good luck!
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