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THE BEAT NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF CAMP ODAYIN
2014
Camp is a Ton of Fun - Who New?
This summer, 267 campers attended Residential Camp or Day Camp. 59 were new campers! At Camp
Odayin, we’re ecstatic to welcome children into our heart family. It’s a celebration! We’re so excited to watch
them grow, encourage them to have new experiences and see their faces to light up as they discover the
power of belonging. Sometimes, families aren’t feeling the same exuberance we are about their heart child’s
first time away from home. Parents and children alike muster a lot of courage and trust parting ways for five
days. Our goal is to make it worth it. We hope every new camper feels like Logan after his first week of camp...
“What a week for Logan!! There simply are not enough words to convey the gratitude we have for the
experience Camp Odayin provided Logan. This is a boy who doctors doubted would make it to this world, let
alone turn one, then five, then ten, and now eleven AND able to go away on his own to camp. But he did it
with the help of this wonderful organization that cares for kids like him and so many others. Thank you for
allowing him the opportunity, for protecting and caring for him at all times, for helping him feel safe when he
was scared and for encouraging him to have fun. After his week at Residential Camp, Logan said, ‘Camp
Odayin is the best thing I’ve done in my life so far.’ We would agree. Thank you.”
To all the families of our 2014 campers...thank you for sharing your precious children with us.
Have a Heart Benefit
At the Have a Heart Benefit on April 5th, 300 guests dined and
danced in support of “nurturing camper growth, one heart at a
time.” Fun flourished and the Mobile Photo Wall,
hammerschlagen and emcee Dez of KS95 cultivated a festive
atmosphere. Guests wiggled their trunks and shook their branches
to live music by Jearlyn and Jevetta Steele as well as Adam Levy
and H $ B. Just as flowers require sunshine to blossom, our growing
programs and camper numbers are dependent on generous
donors. Those who attended the benefit made a big impact by
helping to raise over $54,000. Thank you so much!
Plan to join us on April 18, 2015 at Radisson Blu in downtown
Minneapolis for the 15th annual benefit.
A heartfelt thank you to the
Have a Heart Benefit sponsors...
Presenting Sponsor:
4 Lakes Construction
ACIST Medical Systems
Boston Scientific ♥ The Bulldog Lowertown
Children’s Country Day School
The Children’s Heart Clinic
Jay Ettinger Realty ♥ Ron & Phyllis Ettinger
Finished Basement Company
FORT ♥ Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Granite City Food & Brewery
The Jasnoch Family
Linnihan Foy Advertising ♥ Medtronic
Morrie’s Automotive Group
New Horizon Academy
North American Banking Company
Pediatric Home Service
Rice Lake Weighing Systems
Rodan + Fields Dermatologists
St. Jude Medical ♥ Spyder Trap
SurModics ♥ Target
University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital
Media Partners: KARE 11 ♥ Minnesota Monthly
The following poems were read by six amazing campers (pictured
above) during the Have a Heart Benefit program.
At Camp Odayin, CONFIDENCE grows... (Max K.)
That first year at Day Camp, you’re only six years old.
There are other kids with special hearts is what you’ve been told.
You learn it’s true, you fit in and hope the week never ends.
I can’t run too fast, but neither can my new friends.
At Camp Odayin, AN ADVENTURESOME SPIRIT grows… (Ellianna D.)
In February, it’s tempting to just stay inside all day.
But, it’s more fun to bundle up, see your friends and get out to play.
At Winter Camp, I do things I wouldn’t normally do.
I realize that it’s fun and it’s safe to try something new.
At Camp Odayin, INDEPENDENCE grows… (Abby E.)
At Residential Camp we say goodbye to our families, and board the
bus in a hurry.
Up at camp there are doctors and nurses so there’s no need to worry.
As happy campers in the bus pull away, some parents cry in the car.
But I head to the beach to remember I’m not the only one with a scar.
At Camp Odayin, FRIENDSHIP grows… (Soren B.)
It’s hard to say goodbye when camp comes to an end.
But there are times during the year when I see my camp friends.
At the bowling party and the reunion we catch up and laugh.
It’s a chance to strengthen my bond with other campers and staff.
At Camp Odayin, A SENSE OF BELONGING grows… (Maija J.)
My special heart has an effect on my mom, dad and brother.
At Family Camp, people get it and they support one another.
There’s power in hearing people’s stories and sharing our own.
After a weekend with our heart family, we all feel less alone.
At Camp Odayin, MATURITY grows… (Robert D.)
My heart disease won’t go away when I graduate or turn eighteen.
At the Young Adult Retreat, we’ll discuss how to get through college
without drinking caffeine.
When I was diagnosed with no cure, the news seemed like the worst.
Now, because I’m part of Camp Odayin, my heart is a gift, not a curse.
Young Adult Retreat At Camp Odayin, we’ve long been dreaming
about offering a Young Adult Retreat. This year, we
set the date for June, invited 18 to 22 year old
former campers and hoped that maybe a handful
would join us. We realized a lot of Odayin alumni
shared our dream when 62 young adults registered!
Throughout the weekend, participants prepared
healthy snacks during a nutrition class, sculpted
anatomically correct clay hearts, practiced stress
reduction techniques and were empowered by Dr.
Kirsten Dummer to take charge of their cardiac
care. The value in reconnecting went beyond
catching up and reminiscing. Katherine shared, “I
gained so much from the weekend. As a young
adult, I enjoyed learning more about my fellow
heart family’s current lives as well as their heart
journey. The connections we made through talking
more about our hearts were amazing.”
Amazing...that pretty much sums up the retreat,
everyone who was at it and our feelings about
doing it all over again next year! Did you Know?
“Camp Odayin is more than a safe camp to send our
children. Family Camp gives us time to grow as a
healthy family.” Because we commonly receive
feedback like this from parents, the findings of an
American Camp Association research project come as
no surprise. The project measured family camp impact
on family functioning. Three subscales from the Family
Environment Scale (Moos, 2009) were considered in
order to explore change as a result of attending family
camp. These subscales included Family Cohesion,
Family Expressiveness and Family Conflict. Families
surveyed reported significant improvement in all of
these categories after attending family camp. In
addition, a majority indicated that family camp
experiences were beneficial due to parenting
reinforcement and enhancement of family
relationships. So, if you needed statistical data to back
up your decision to join us at Family Camp, there it is! Information courtesy of ‘Camping Magazine’ - January/February 2012
Family Camp
Families travel from near and far to attend Family
Camp. This fall, we’re going to be having twice as much
fun and for those who live near Milwaukee, the journey
will be a lot shorter! Families are invited to attend one of
our two sessions:
October 17-19 - Camp Wapo in Amery, WI
(registration deadline October 2nd)
Nov. 14-16 - Wonderland Camp in Camp Lake, WI
(registration deadline October 30th)
Visit our website to learn more and register your family.
Attention Thrivent Members! We are pleased to announce that Camp Odayin
can receive support through Thrivent Financial’s
Thrivent Choice program. By directing Choice
Dollars, eligible Thrivent members can recommend
which nonprofit organizations they feel should
receive charitable grant funding from Thrivent. If
you are an eligible member, please consider Camp
Odayin when directing Choice Dollars. To learn
more about Thrivent Choice, call Thrivent at
800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” when
prompted or visit Thrivent.com/thriventchoice.
Give the Gift of Camp Families pay just $25 per camper to attend Family Camp
(or any of our camp programs). In order to offer our new
session near Milwaukee, Camp Odayin needs the
support of donors to cover the actual cost of $25,000.
250 donations of $100 would fully fund this program.
Please consider visiting the ‘Ways to Give’ page of
www.campodayin.org to make a gift to help provide
this life changing experience to more heart families.
Whole Heart Golf Tournament
On June 16th, Camp Odayin’s 13th annual golf tournament welcomed a full field of golfers to a course full of
fun. The athletes in attendance did more than sharpen their golf game for a good cause. Between swings,
they sipped samples of Lift Bridge beer and Colby Red wine and posed for pictures with Pearl E. White,
HealthPartners’ toothy mascot. While some golfers won course games and raffle prizes, the greatest reward
was the opportunity to hear 13 year old camper, Evelyn and her mother, Ing-Mari speak during dinner. Evelyn
shared the story of her heart transplant as well as her passion for art, dance and Camp Odayin. The Whole
Heart Golf Tournament directly benefits campers like Evelyn, so we’re ecstatic that the proceeds set a new
record. Huge thanks to the golfers, sponsors and volunteers who helped us to raise a staggering $65,000!
Congrats! We have so many
amazing, smart and
well-rounded former
campers in our heart
family! Did you know
there’s an opportunity
to apply for $1,000 in
college tuition
assistance from Camp
Odayin? It’s true!
Congratulations to the
2014 recipients:
Megan Doorlag
Kara Hagen
Elayna Shapiro
McKinley Shunn
Alysha Smith
Getting into the Game Sports fans at Camp Odayin have had a lot to cheer about lately! In April, the
Minnesota Timberwolves donated tickets for a game versus the Utah Jazz. Our
campers won big, even though the Wolves lost an intense battle that ended in
double overtime. St. Jude Medical once again hosted Odayin families at Medical
Technology Awareness Night at the July 24th Twins game. Everyone enjoyed a
beautiful night at the ballpark surrounded by their heart family.
We’re so grateful for the generosity of the Timberwolves and St. Jude Medical!
Huge thanks to the Whole Heart Golf Tournament sponsors...
Presenting Sponsor:
Hole Sponsors:
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota ♥ Camar Aircraft Parts Company ♥ Chex ♥ Disciplined Growth Investors, Inc.
Elizabeth “Betsy” Pate Foundation ♥ First Light Asset Management ♥ Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. ♥ Hirshfield’s
Lake Elmo Bank ♥ Lyle Signs ♥ The NFL Referee Association and the Clete Blakeman officiating crew
NXC Imaging ♥ Powerhouse Retail Services ♥ River Valley Dental Care ♥ St. Jude Medical
Stillwater Investment Management ♥ Terri Opp Memorial
Driving Range Sponsors:
Agfa HealthCare ♥ Lakeside Plastics, Inc.
Neuman Wealth Management Group of RBC Wealth Management ♥ Swanson & Youngdale
Sara Hosek Sara always seemed to be having so
much fun at camp that it made
everything more fun for her entire
cabin. Counselor Laura shared, “Sara
had a wisdom beyond her years and
a twinkle in her eye that could light up
a room. My first summer as Sara's
counselor we connected during
Avatar night when she spent much of
the night riding piggyback on myself
or one of my co-counselors to help
her conserve energy and play more!
At Odayin it was great to see Sara's
walls come down, her worries rest and
her spirit soar. It was a joy to
experience her gusto for life first
hand.” Sara brought joy to Camp
Odayin each summer from 2006 to
2012. Her beautiful smile is imprinted
on our hearts forever.
Paul Kaiser Paul attended Camp Odayin for four
summers before graduating in 2006.
His friendly demeanor made a lasting
positive impression. Although Deke
was his cabin counselor nearly ten
years ago, he recalled Paul
immediately. He shared, "I warmly
remember Paul's kindness, infectious
smile and zest for life. I'm fortunate to
have crossed paths with Paul as his
counselor and know that his heart
held a special place for Camp
Odayin." Paul was a wonderful
person and friend who possessed
inspirational strength. We’re thankful
for the privilege of knowing Paul
and will cherish the memory of his
laughter at camp.
We’re saddened to share the loss of two amazing former campers. Sara and Paul were both inspiring, fun and
kind. They will always be remembered, loved and part of our heart family.
Heartfelt Thanks Camp Odayin gratefully thanks the following companies, foundations and fundraisers for their recent support...
AmazonSmile Foundation ♥ Blandin Foundation ♥ Boston Scientific – GO RED Campaign ♥ BP Fabric of America Fund
Clear Channel Worldwide – Cities 97 Sampler ♥ Eagles Club, Number 94 ♥ Fargo Marathon ♥ GE Foundation
Joe Gillis Special Hearts Ride ♥ Kelli Prinsen – Hope’s Pour House Fundraiser ♥ Kinney Family Foundation
Kyle Rymiszewski Foundation ♥ Lakeview Health ♥ MASCO Corporation ♥ Medtronic Foundation
Mend A Heart Foundation ♥ Midwest Medical Insurance Holding Company ♥ Minnesota Wild – 50/50 Raffle
Moorehead Communications, Inc. – Stillwater Verizon Store ♥ Outsource Receivables, Inc. ♥ RBC Foundation
Stillwater Summer Tuesdays ♥ Thrivent Financial – Choice Dollars ♥ UW-Eau Claire – Voices of Justice Event
Camp Odayin Calendar
September 20: Heart & Sole Fun Run/Walk
September 20: Camp Reunion Potluck
October 17-19: Family Camp in Amery, WI
(near Minneapolis)
November 7: Soup it Up for Kids
November 13: Give to the Max Day
November 14-16: Family Camp in Camp Lake, WI
(near Milwaukee)
February 14-16: Winter Camp
March 1: Summer Camp Applications Available
March 8: Camp Kick Off Bowling Party
April 18: Have a Heart Benefit
May 1: Summer Camp Application Deadline
Check our website in October for
2015 summer camp dates!
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 798
Stillwater, MN
Camp Odayin
PO Box 2068
Stillwater, MN 55082
651.351.9185
651.351.9187—fax
Camp Odayin, P.O. Box 2068, Stillwater, MN 55082
Phone: 651.351.9185 Fax: 651.351.9187 www.campodayin.org
If you would prefer to receive the newsletter electronically or to add or remove names from our mailing list,
please contact us at [email protected].
Heart & Sole Fun Run/Walk The Heart & Sole is right around the corner! On September
20th, there’s something for everyone. Join us in St. Paul for
the 5k run / 2.5k walk around Como Lake. Register online by
September 7th (in order to receive a t-shirt) or sign up on site
the morning of the event. Visit our website for more
information and learn how to support our mission further by
creating a fundraising page.
If you’re a former or current camper or staff member, we
hope to see you at the camp reunion potluck from 11 to 2 at
Newell Park following the Heart & Sole. Please log into your
Camp Odayin account to RSVP.
