Every castaway has their reason for taking part in Survivor Lakeland.
For some, it was the thrill of the competition, for others it was to help out a local charity. But for Bobbie Dudley, the 2017 sole survivor, it was about survival.
“My reason was to fight for my family, and to get the money for my family. I just kept that in my mind. Having my family stand there supporting me was definitely my motivation to keep going,” said Dudley after being named the winner of this year's event.
Although she was keeping her eye on the prize, she also created lasting friendships.
“The bonds are unreal. I would tear up every time I had to write a name, because you know that everybody deserves it and they all wanted it so bad. They all had their own reasons, just like I had mine,” she said.
Dudley was up against 20 other castaways, all with the same goal, win the $5,000 prize and be crowned the sole survivor.
From July 11 to 15 at Little Leap Park, the castaways took part in challenges that pushed them to their mental, physical, and emotional limits.
For Dudley, it was a personal journey.
Just recently, her daughter was on the receiving end of KidSport Bonnyville's generosity. The organization was this year's recipients of all donations, with over $45,000 raised.
“I had to use KidSport recently to get my daughter into cheerleading. I've used that organization and I think it's amazing,” Dudley said.
In order to qualify, each castaway was in charge of raising over $1,000.
Because her children have benefitted from KidSport Bonnyville, she decided to turn her fundraising into a learning opportunity
“I did bake sales at my daughter's baseball games, and my daughters had lemonade stands. It was a family thing. I got my kids involved in it because it is for KidSport, and they need to learn the lesson as to why I'm doing what I'm doing,” she expressed.
Organizer Rob Bush said this was one of the best years to date in terms of castaways.
With 21 taking part, the Survivor Lakeland committee had to up their game to three tribes instead of their usual two.
“It was unbelievable. It was probably the best year for castaways. We had the most castaways we've ever had,” Bush said.
Although Dudley kept a low profile, Bush described her as a upbeat and dedicated person.
“I think she really built strong bonds with everyone. She's a very bubbly person, and I think that helped her. Through some of the competitions she was a beast.”
Regardless of a recent knee-surgery, Dudley showed well throughout the competition. At one point, her knee gave out, but with her family standing close-by, she was motivated to keep going.
“I was really worried that I wasn't going to be able to do this, but I pushed through it. My mind is just blown,” she laughed.
“I would love to be a part of this again, it was an amazing experience. It was very mentally and physically demanding, but in the end, I walked away as the sole survivor.”
