The holiday season is often marked by festive gifts, but sometimes the most meaningful presents are wrapped in gratitude. In Britton, that spirit came into focus this Christmas when community members quietly came together to surprise local photographer Kelly Mills with a brand-new camera after hers unexpectedly gave out.
Mills is a familiar sight at school concerts, sporting events, community fundraisers and nearly everything in between, camera in hand. An amateur photographer by her own description, Mills has spent years capturing moments big and small and sharing them freely on Facebook—no fees, no watermarks, just memories for families to keep.
In mid-November, Mills shared a simple post on Facebook explaining that her well-used camera had finally reached the end of its life. She jokingly added that she hoped Santa might consider a new camera for Christmas.
That post caught the attention of two local “elves,” Tena Kraft and Emily Van Lith.
“We both saw the post and were thinking the same thing,” Van Lith said. Kraft and Van Lith quietly went to work. They created a private Facebook group, invited people they thought might want to contribute, and set up ways for donations to be made.
“The response was instant,” Kraft said. “So many people appreciate Kelly taking pictures. People always say thank you, but this was a way to say thank you in a bigger way.”
In the end, more than 70 people, teachers, parents, grandparents, family members and community supporters, contributed, raising more than $2,000. Kraft and Van Lith loaded the funds onto prepaid gift cards from Norstar Federal Credit Union and surprised Mills at her home.
“She had no idea,” Kraft said. “That was the best part. The generosity didn’t surprise me, because this community always gets behind special efforts like this, but the dollar amount really did.”
Mills, who was moved to tears by the surprise, said photography has been part of her life for as long as she can remember.
“I’ve been taking pictures for as long as I can remember,” she said. “Even as a kid, I was excited to have a basic point-and-shoot film camera. There was always something special about dropping off a roll of film and waiting to see which pictures turned out.”
Her interest grew over the years, especially after she and her husband Jeff had children. “Once we had kids, carrying a camera was as normal as carrying a diaper bag,” Mills said with a laugh.
She began taking photos at her children’s youth sporting events, initially just to keep her hands busy. “I cannot sit still when my kids are playing sports,” she said. “I figured if I took pictures, it would keep my hands busy and my mouth quiet.”
Before long, she was photographing entire teams and printing thousands of photos to share with other parents. When Facebook made sharing easier, Mills’ audience grew.
“Just hearing that parents and kids appreciated them completely made my day and still does,” she said. “Knowing that my taking pictures lets parents just enjoy their kids’ events is really special.”
Mills admits she doesn’t get caught up in the technical side of photography. “I don’t understand all the ISO and f-stops,” she said. “I mostly just point and shoot. But I love trying to capture the real emotions—the celebrations, the hugs, the moments people don’t even realize are happening.”
That ability is exactly what the community has come to cherish. “Kelly captures moments we don’t even see,” Van Lith said. “The candid pictures are the ones people love the most.”
Parents echoed that sentiment in dozens of comments. “You are so deserving of this,” Heather Lee wrote. “I love when I can just be present and watch my kids instead of trying to get pictures because I know you are there.”
“Your pictures have captured the story of our kids’ seasons and their childhood,” Laura Peterson wrote. “So many memories we’ll treasure forever.” “When you have your camera out, our kids light up,” Sarah Grupe added.
With the gift cards in hand, Mills set out to find a replacement and ended up purchasing a Canon EOS R6 Mark II on Black Friday.
“It was super exciting to shop for a new camera,” she said. “Because the gift was so generous, I was able to look at cameras I never would have imagined.”
While the new camera has many advanced features, Mills said she’s grateful she can still rely on her familiar point-and-shoot style...at least for now.
As she looks ahead to capturing more memories, Mills said she remains overwhelmed by the community’s kindness. “I’m just a mom with a camera doing something I enjoy,” she said. “I don’t feel like I deserve such an amazing gift, but I am truly thankful from the bottom of my heart.”
She added, “Making memories is a cherished part of life, but being able to help preserve those memories for others is truly a blessing.”
