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The Child, The Family, The Challenge s I • :E www.campsunshine.org retreat@pivot.net campsunshine@campsunshine.org I . History Founded in 1984 at Point Sebago resort nestled in the tranquil natural beauty of South Casco, Maine, Camp Sunshine was the inspiration ofresort owners Larry and Alma Gould. Dr. Gould, having a Ph.D. in physics from MIT ·and a Fortune 500 chief executive officer, now director and treasurer ofCamp Sunshine, donated the facilities and the personnel ofhis resort for the Camp's operation each year. The Gould's have donated over $1.2 million to date and have donated 15 acres of their property, which had been cleared by the Maine National Guard, for construction of a permanent, year-round facility for Camp Sunshine. During the past sixteen years, Camp Sunshine has come to provide fouI to six weekly camps in June and September to families with a child diagnosed with diseases such as cancer, juvenile diabetes, cystic fibrosis, Fanconi Anemia, solid organ transplant and kidney disease. All ofa family's needs are met during their visit at the camp including accommodations and meals, medical and psychosocial services and recreational facilities. Camp Sunshine's approach contends that the health ofa family is contingent upon the fulfillment ofphysical, emotional and social needs. The camp provides medical facilities and professional staffto address the often taxing physical needs ofchildren with such intrusive diseases. Counseling sessions and open group discussions are tailored for the needs ofthese families. These sessions may be the first opportunity the family members have had to share their fears and frustrations with others who can genuinely identifY with the same experiences. The sessions provide a forum where family members can learn from each other and identify more effective means for dealing with the special issues that challenge their families daily. Recreational hours allow children to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures ofchildhood, while their parents find quiet moments to walk by the lake and reaffinn their support for one another. In addition, games and events are designed to foster family involvement, encouraging families to laugh and playas a unit. (Attachment I) This approach builds a new foundation the family can take with them when the camp is over to unite them during the darker times they face. The Camp Sunshine Challenge Camp Sunshine realizes that not only are the effects of diseases traumatic to the child, but devastating and destructive to the parents, the siblings, and the bonds between them all. Without respite to mend these bonds, the child loses vital support to confront the illness, and the family risks dissolution in the face ofthis crisis. Camp Sunshine seeks to buttress the well, being of the whole family by giving them sanctuary from the daily rigors, providing counseling for the individual needs of all family members, surrounding the family with a network of others who can identify with their experiences and once again allow them to smile, to laugh and enjoy one another. Camp Sunshine's unique mission reaches very young children, siblings and parents whose needs otherwise fall through the cracks. At Camp Sunshine, these families find the respite and release they crave. This mission has been a broad and successful one funded and shaped for sixteen years by a small band ofquiet volunteers and one family's diligence to give something back to humanity, along with some corporate foundation friends. (Attachment TI) Camp Sunshine is unique in this country since it is the only program focused on the sick child and their family. Serving more than 160 families referred from 40 national medical facilities during 1999, the camp has come a long way in contrast to only 40 families from six hospitals during the pilot 1984 one week camp. Families now travel from 26 states as far as California and Oregon to participate in the camp. In order to meet the growing demand, Camp Sunshine is in need of a permanent, year-round facility to significantly reduce the necessity of turning families away due to inadequate space or limited scheduling. Current Status Facilities and Staffing Camp Sunshine volunteers, staffand participants are housed in recreational vehicles supported by Point Sebago on the resort property. The predominately volunteer staffof approximately 80 individuals per week provide food service, child care, marina, counseling, recreation leadership and individual physical assistance. A staffphysician, psychologist and social worker are provided onsite through Camp Sunshine funding. Maine Medical Center is a short distance away and provides any emergency medical treatment and specialist support needed. Fostering normal growth, in addition to developing and maintaining good family functioning, is a critical and fundamental goal in the treatment ofpediatric patients. The staff helps parents learn effective therapies useful at home to communicate with their children and ways to be advocates for them at the local hospital. Parents are also enlightened about the special traumas the physically well children in the family are experiencing as a result ofthe medical crisis. With a program focused on the family, Camp Sunshine's professionals and volunteers are providing supportive experience aimed at healing the wounds ofthese families. FundinglFamily Sponsorship Families are sponsored to participate in the camp by individual and corporate donors. The sponsorship for one family to participate in the week-long program is $1,500. Camp Sunshine initiated a Family Sponsorship Program whereby individuals, groups, corporations and foundations are being asked to sponsor a family or families from their geographic area. If they do not know offamilies with a critically ill child, we will use our relationships with medical clinics in their area to identify families who desperately need this help: Each family sponsorship enables a family to spend their week at Camp Sunshine free ofcharge. The Family Sponsorship Program is an important component in Camp Sunshine's annual operating budget. The Campaign Challenge Proposed Construction of Permanent Structure The facility expansion and construction would provide a pennanent, year-round structure in place ofthe limited use ofPoint Sebago, allowing the camp to accept the growing number ofreferred families. The building project includes a family activity center with a dining room capacity of275 people, a large activity pavilion and stage, teen center, adult conference center, arts and crafts area, nursery and tot center, indoor swimming pool, clinic and administrative offices. The family living center includes 40 suites, designed to house up to a family ofsix. Sixty volunteers will be accomodated in the volunteer living center. Facilities near the beach include a large gazebo, bathhouse and marina. Camp Sunshine provides a tremendous service to families in need. However, we will not be able to reach our full potential without assistance. (Attachment III) First, ifwe are to realize the dream of opening a permanent facility, we must raise an additional $2.2 million (the construction ofthe facility is 65% complete). In June of 1999, a $1 million challenge grant has been given which will match each donation of$10,000 or more. Once the permanent facility is opened, the cost for annual budget will increase, generating a need to increase family sponsorship donations. Planned Expansion of Programming Camp Sunshine's expansion program encompasses two primary initiatives: a broader base ofprogramming and the construction ofa permanent facility. The classification ofcandidates would expand to include children inflicted by an increased number ofdiseases, including cancer, congenital heart disease, Fanconi Anemia, pediatric hemophilia, kidney disease, juvenile diabetes, cystic fibrosis, solid organ transplants and other chronic childhood diseases recommended by the referrfug medical centers. Camp Sunshine has identified additional specific needs ofthese challenged families. Proposed programs to address these needs include: bereavement programs, workshops for extended family members, and medical workshops with professional updates on research, treatment, financial issues and psychosocial therapy. Extended training programs for the volunteer staffwould also enhance the effectiveness ofthe camp. Increased Volunteerism and Staffing Needs Once a permanent facility is available, Camp Sunshine will be in operation for a minimum of five months each year. Approximately 60 volunteers are needed each week to serve in the following areas: adult program, teen program, 9 to 12 year-old program, 6 to 8 yearold program, 3 to 5 year-old program, 0 to 2 year-old nUrsery care, 1 on 1 volunteers for children who need more intensive assistance, arts and crafts, marina services (including Red Cross-certified life guards) and restaurant service. Volunteer support during previous camps have been overwhelming. Camp Sunshine has bt:en consistently blessed with a full staffofcaring, qualified volunteers from all walks of life. A peimanent facility will demand an additional one thousand volunteers each year. Many ofthe current Camp Sunshine volunteers are members ofthe health care industry; therefore, the contacts that Camp Sunshine establishes with local hospitals should yield a significant number ofvolunteers. Additionally, corporate employees have a reputation for contributing their time to worthwhile causes. A volunteer team of employees would not only help Camp Sunshine, but also give the employees an opportunity to make a difference in the lives ofthese families. Sponsorship Funds/Corporate Contributions The annual operating budget for Camp Sunshine is principally comprised ofcontributions from corporations and community organizations. Some corporations have contributions to Camp Sunshine as part oftheir annual budget, while others contribute sponsorship funds that cover the cost offamilies from their community. (Attachment III) Conclusion Camp Sunshine is a retreat for the families ofcritically ill children. The week-long camp offers a respite from the medical, financial and emotional problems that can destroy the joys ofday-to-day living. Camp Sunshine offers the parents and siblings an opportunity to gain some valuable coping skills as well as allows the ill child to re-experience, for that one week, the joys ofchildhood. Currently, Camp Sunshine is able to serve only 200 families per year and in recent years they have been forced to turn away almost half ofthe applicant families. The Camp Sunshine vision is to find a way to offer their services to all families in need. The Camp Sunshine goal is to have a permanent facility capable of serving over one thousand families each year and to be a model for other regional camps throughout the United States which can serve thousands more. Their hope is that in the future, families at risk will all be offered an opportunity to attend Camp Sunshine. The Volunteer Perspective -Maribeth Mainville, Camp Sunshine Volunteer When I volunteered for a Camp whose young campers have malignant tumors, cystic fibrosis, leukemia and other horrifying diseases, I could only expect sadness. How quickly I learned this in my first experiences there. I was paired with an eleven year old girl, Sarah, who had a malignant brain tumor. In its last stages, her cancer limited the activities she could take part in, yet Camp (Sunshine) and those who run it found a way to bring lots oflaughter to this little girl. Cruising around the beach in a golf cart which she called our "Lamborghini," Sarah played.mini golf, met with clowns, created works of art in the arts and crafts room and, most importantly, relaxed. Her younger brother and sister ran wildly about, eager to be by the water and out ofthe eyes oftheir father. They made friends with other children, both those like their sister and also those in the shadow oftheir sick sibling. Camp (Sunshine) even catered to Sarah's father. There he finally found the much needed time away from his daughter to finally be the weak one and cry with those who really knew what he was going through, to come to tenns with the inevitable loss doctors told of, and just as important, to forget for a moment the awful times he was living. It was an escape; it was a time to laugh and carry on as my parents do, or as any others who have been blessed with healthy children would. Camp (Sunshine), by no means, attempts to avoid the horror ofa sick child. Its sole purpose is to recognize the stress, fatigue, and sadness families like Sarah's experience, and strive towatd a temporary relief. When we imagine what it would be like to have a child with any life threatening disease, our initial reaction is of overwhelming sadness and anger. We may imagine that such a calamity would dominate our every waking thought. Yet, I think for those of us who have not experienced such a blow, we fail to see how it effects every facet offamily life. It not only wears on the family emotionally, but the exorbitant cost ofhealth care for the child often depletes the family financially. Vacations are often a luxury ofthe past. Camp Sunshine wants to give that luxury back. While it may be only a week, Camp (Sunshine) invites the family to spend an all-expense-paid vacation on Lake Sebago, Maine. For those ofyou whom I see or speak to frequently, Camp Sunshine and its significance to me are well known, as stories ofthe children I have cared for and the families I have met make up much of my conversations and letters. Over the past six years that I have been involved with Camp Sunshine, the permanent impact Camp (Sunshine) has had on me has been quite evident; it has given me greater appreciation for my family and friends, as well as for the value ofmy health. It has influenced me to enter the nursing field, with the intent to pursue pediatric oncology. It has altered my life. The lessons taught by the young patients as they endure their battle with cancer, Fanconi Anemia, and other life-threatening diseases exceed any I have learned in school or experienced in the workplace. I love Camp (Sunshine) because I feel good about myself and the work I have done with these families. More importantly, I love Camp Sunshine because ofthe happiness and rest it brings to families who are not as lucky as mine. . --------- -~._--- ~ ~ -----------------..,----------------------- TYPICAL CAMP SUNSHINE SCHEDULE MONDAY etc) All Ages Camps All 3-5 6~8' 9-12 Teens/Adults 6-8 9-12 3-5 Adults Teens Infant/2years 6-8 9-12 3-5 Parents C.S.Families with parents 6-8 3-5 6-8 9-12 All Ages All Ages All Ages 9-12 Teens swimming, etc) swimming, Teens 3-5 6-8 9-12 3-5 6-8 9-12 Teens Adults Camps Breakfast Orientation/Assignment to Day Tots Crafts Kickball Game Scooter Hockey Game Super Puper Blooper Games Arts & Crafts 9-12 Princess Cruise Tot Game Time Parents discussion group Ping Pong Tourney Children's Hayride Scooter Races & Games Arts & Crafts Storytime Pick up Tots from Tot Lot Lunch 8 Years & younger rest period 9-12 & Teen Day Camps Resume Family Cruise Softball Game Waterfront Activities (canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, Ladies Only Cruise Mens Pool & Dart Activities 6-8 Re-Assigned to Day Camp 3-5 sign back into Tot Lot Parachute Play Waterfront Activities (canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, Prepare for Farewell show Children's Hayride Nerf Soccer Game Floor Hockey Game Prepare for Farewell Show Prepare for Farewell Show Prepare. for Farewell Show Teen Social Cruise Volleyball Game Pick up children from Day Pick up Tots from Tot Lot Dinner Masquerade/Costume Night 2:15-4:00 2:15-4:00 2:00-5:00 2:00-5:00 2:00 2:00 8:00-9:00 9:00 9:15 9:15 9 :15 9:30-10:30 10:00 10:00 10:30 10:30-Noon 11:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:00-1:15 1:00-2:00 1:15-5:00 1:00 1:15 1:15 2:15-3:45 2:30 3:00 3:00 3 :30 4:00 4:00 4:00 4:00 5:00 5:00 5:30-6:30 7:30 . Attachment II CAMPAIGNDONORS ADC Telecommunications Allied Real Estate AT&T CableVision Coca Cola Control Devices Inc Diversified Communications GST Technologies Hancock Lumber Hannaford Brothers Key Bank Landice Treadmill Lucent Technologies Mercedes Benz People's Heritage Bank Philips Consumer Electronics Sam's Club Sanford Bernstein & Co., Inc The Goddard Group Universal Elevator Walmart FOUNDATIONS Amelia Peabody Charitable Trust Cable Charitable Foundation Chase Manhattan Foundation Childhood Leukemia Foundation C & J Viner Family Foundation C.R. Bard Foundation E.M. Lynn Foundation Frank Stanley Beveridge FD GEICO Philanthropic Foundation Irving A. Hansen Memorial Fund Jennifer Harrison Memorial Fund Katzenberger Foundation, Inc . Kistler Tiffany Foundation Libra Foundation Maine Co·mmunity Foundation Maine State Troopers Foundation National Kidney Foundation NY Mercantile Charitable Foundation Pottruck/Scott Family Foundation Ronald McDonald Foundation Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Sobel Family Fund, Inc Tager Family Foundation The Phoenix Foundation for Children ~~~~--------~- ----~- j. i ANNUAL REPORT 1998 Chairman's Report 1998 was a positive year for Camp Sunshine. ContrIbutions to our operating fund and to our building fund both exceeded 1997 levels, and the generous response from all of our contributors has enabled us to go forward with the construction of the permanent home for our program. The preliminary start of our capital campaign has raised $675,000 in pledges. There was a growth in family sponsorship and in cQrporate support. Teleport Communications Group sponsored 25 families in 1998 and GST Telecom sent 17 families to camp. Weare in the midst of a capital campaign to raise $6,000,000 to establish a permanent year round home for Camp Sunshine. The construction of the family activity center that will serve as the centerpiece of our new campus is well underway. In February 1998, we began construction for our family living centers, which will provide accommodations for 40 families a week. We received over $100,000 in donated goods and . services last year. The Maine National Guard built a bridge to connect the new facility with the beach and we are building a walkway of bricks, engraved with special memories. This sort of volunteer effort has helped us make great strides toward the completionof this project. I want to thank all the volunteers who provided food service, childcare, recreational leadership and assistance with counseling during our camp sessions. I invite you to visit Camp Sunshine to see our evolving pennanent campus. Your continued generous support of our building program will help us realize our goals for this worthwhile program. Larry Gould, Chairman ofthe Board Attachment III Camp Sunshine Families in 1998 A record number of families benefited from our program in 1998. Two hundred and sixteen families attended Camp Sunshine during five week-long sessions in 1998. Forty-two families from all over the world attended the Fanconi Anemia program in .May. Families from 1985 to 1998 AZ 14 MA 821 OK 14 CA 23 MD 6 OR ! CO 9 ME 408 PA I51 CT 175 MI I0 RI 61 DC 4 :NiN I TN 5 FL .40 MO 1 TX 11 GA 6 NC 5 VA 32 m ! NE 1 VT 34 1D .1 NH 119 WA 3 1L 10 NJ 305 WI .3 IN' IO NM 1 WY 1 KS 2 NY 377 KY 1 OH 15 Camp Sunshine 2000 Schedule May 21-26 Diabetes June 4-9 Cancer Sept. 10-15 Lupus/Kidney/Cancer Solid Organ Transplant Sept. 24-29 Cancer FUND-RAISING IN 1998 Major fund-raising events in 1998 The Goddard Group Golf Tournament The Point Sebago Golf Tournament Monte Carlo Weekend The South Portland Lions Club Dance The Annual Camp Sunshine Raffle Lucent Technologies Inc. Philips Broadband Networks, Inc. New Jersey Harness Horsemen Golf Toumament The Sunnies Program Camp Sunshine Directors and Officers ,Camp Program Support/Income Contributions Donated Goods & Services Specia.l Events Miscellaneous Investment Income Total Support/Income Expenses Camp Program Expenses Gen. Admin. Expenses Fund-raising Expenses Total Expenses 338,500 119,012 155,781 14,084 42,497 669,874 449,571 60,723 29,676 539,970 Dr. La'Mence Gould Dr. Joseph Fitzpatrick Anna Gould James H. Young, II Kim Block Steven Brickel Bruce Chalmers Nancy Cincotta Andrew Eichenfield, MD Joseph Pappalardo Dennis Goddard Barry Gorsun Susan Greenwood Matthew Hand, MD Ralph Heckert Michael Lyons Donald Toms Craig Wellman David Frohnmayer, JD U.S. Senator Susan Collins Rosalyn Bernstein Sumner Feinstein Martin Grossman Toby Hammond Carol Hancock Jerrold Olshan, MD Robert KWltz Diane James ' Robert Paffenroth Treasurer Chainnan Director & President Secretary/Clerk Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Honorary Director Honorary Director Director Emeritus Board ofAdvisors Board ofAdvisors Board ofAdvisors Board ofAdvisors Board ofAdvisors Board ofAdvisors Board ofAdvisors Board ofAdvisors Net Support/Income Capital Program Support/Income Capital Fund Income Donated Goods & Services Total Support/Income Expenses Construction Expenses Miscellaneous Total Expenses Net Support/Income Balance Sheet Assets Cash & Securities Fixed Assets Less Depreciation OtherlDeposits Total Assets Liabilities Current Liabilities Long Term Debt Total Liabilities Total Net Assets 139,904 375,088 48,596 423,684 203,050 16,468 219,518 204,166 1,070,291 1,748,475 5,801 2,824,567 66,960 15,000 81,960 2,824,567 1998 Financial Statement Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake, Inc. Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 1998 July 18,1999 Preliminary Financial Plan PlanA 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Camp Sunshine Weeks 6 5 4 4 8 . 12 16 Income Donations 34.7 106.2 110.7 120 160 170 230 Dntd Hoods/Sei vices 138.3 . 119.3 109 120 Sponsorships 138 223.5 200.3 240 480 720 920 Fundraising Income 139.8 143.6 135.6 150 160 170 200 Other 80.7 14.1 1.5 15 18 30 60 Total Operating Income 531.5 606.7 570.6 645 818 1090 1410 Program Expenses Payroll 145 142 125.9 190 440 620. 790 Contract Labor 35.7 39.5 24.4 25 Food & Supplies 65.7 47.8 44.8 48 96 125 180 Electric/Propane 36 45 64 Rental for Families 165.9 134.3 106.5 120 Other Program Expenses 67.5 68.3 62.9 80 110 140 200 total Program Expenses 479.8 431.9 364.5 463 682 930 1234 Total G&A Expenses 40.2 27.4 33.8 40 80 100 120 Total Fundraising Expenses 20.2 29.6 25.6 40 40 48 52 Total Operating Expenses 540.2 488.9 423.9 543 802 1078 1406 Net Operating Income -8.7 117.8 146.7 102 16 12 4 Capital Fund Income 2000 SOO 200 200 Building Expenses 2100 Net Cash -100 500 200 . 200 Net C~sh at year end 400 300 800 1000 1200 Assumptio·ns Starting in year 2000 Sponsorships are $1500 and every family is sponsored thereafter Permanent Campus is in operation in year 2001 Attachment V REFERRING TREATMENT CENTERS ARIZONA St. Joseph's Hospital University Medical Center DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Children's National Medical Center Walter Reed Army Medical Center CAliFORNIA Children's Hospital ofSan Diego Kaiser Pennanente Medical Center COLORADO The Children's Hospital Association CONNECTICUT Connecticut Children's Medical Center Yale New Haven Hospital FLORIDA All Children's Hospital Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women & Children Jackson Memorial Medical Center St Mary's Medical Center . HAWAD Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children ILLINOIS Children's Memorial Hospital Pediatric Cancer Institute MAINE Central Maine Medical Center Maine Center for Diabetes Maine Children's Cancer Program Maine Medical Center MARYLAND Johns Hopkins University University ofMllJYland Medical Center MASSACHUSETTS Bay State Medical Center Boston Children's Hospital Dana Farber Cancer Institute Joslin Diabetes Center Massachusetts General Hospital New England Medical Center MICHIGAN Children's Hospital ofDetroit Children's Hospital ofMichigan St John's Hospital ofDetroit NEW HAMPSHIRE Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center NEW JERSEY Hackensack Medical Center Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center. NEW MEXICO University ofNew Mexico NEW YORK Beth Israel Medical Center Children's Hospital ofBuffillo Long Island Jewish Medical Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute Mount Sinai Hospital North Shore University Hospital OHIO Children's Hospital ofCincinnati Rainbow Baby Clinic PENNSYLVANIA Children's Hospital ofPhiladelphia Hershey Medical Center Geisinger Medical Center TENNESSEE Vanderbilt Medical TEXAS Children's Medical Center ofDallas Children's Hospital ofDallas Texas Children's HoSPital VIRGINIA Children's HospitaVKings Daughter University ofVirginia Medical WASHINGTON Children's Hospital ofSeattle WISCONSIN Midelfort Clinic/Mayo Clinic University ofWisconsin Hospital ~\ W June 10,1998 Dear Staff and Volunteers of Camp Sunshine, I am writing to THMl< YOU for the wonderful time my family had at camp last week. \Ve have had a difficult last few years and Camp Sunshine has been peace within the storm. Right from the beginning ofthe week, we felt so welcome. Our volunteer, Erika Pappalardo, was very sweet and interested in getting t'? know the kids. She put them at ea~e right away by asking them questions about their lives. It didn't take long for them to open up and for my daughter Marissa to fall in love with her. The schedule for the week couldn't have been better. Starting with Super Dooper Blooper games allowed parents to bond with one another. Because of this, talk about what our families have been through came much .easier because we had already become friends! I can't say enough about the Parent Discussion Groups. Both Joe and Nancy are such wonderful facilitators. They are both very knowledgeable in the way a serious illness effects the whole family. Our discussions always flowed smoothly. "It was such a relief to hear the other parents' discuss the same types of difficulties we had faced. In the general population and '\-'lith friends and family, it is rare to be able to speak freely about our child's illness because try as they might, "outsiders" do not always understand. People try to change what we are saying, to make the situation lighter, to try to make us feel better. At Camp Sunshine, we could discuss the realities of our family's situation without judgment and without sugar-coating the issue. Being able to do so has reduced our stress level significantly. /1'- lOur whole vieek at camp was filled with fun activities. We bonded more deeply as a family because we had played together. The kids loved just being with other kids, with no \ worries, no needle pokes, no looks from other kids who wondered why they were \ "different". At camp, they were just kids and played, like life is supposed to be! ,--. Both the staff and volunteers make Camp Sunshine all that it is! Not only is the program wonderful in theory, it was clear that everyone working at camp did their absolute best to make a great program reality! Every single person we had contact with acted with caring and respect and showed a desire for our family to enjoy our stay. I want to thank you from the bottom ofmy heart. The benefits my family has received from our stay at Camp Sunshine stay with us throughout the year. I look forward to the time when I become one ofyour wonderful volunteers. I want to do my part to help Camp Sunshine to continue; the families NEED you. Thanks so very much, , /j ,'f ~,. ti ~/laliL7t.··~,,.. d(Lt:£( V : I I _ <?":6lA~/ nl~0t C-r-.1-L-,'_1-".,-)}1,i t iV;JIL/ _... --'--. (_.- ~~;~; vv--~ t \"v~~~ "---...:-.. --_.-- ~"~:'; ~J~ '0.:.";:: ". ". ... I ' ! ~l .o~"-~ ~:~ ~ WU-..., 0-~\..0 (\ - ~ .)UU ~ ~ h..=v ~ ~Q.. C'-?-\~~~ ~~'if~b:>~ ~~OW~ C,o.-~ ~~ Su+~ \..0~ ~w~ ~ ~~ ~ '--~. W L ~~ ~'"(A. b-~ --* (~ 1...0!O a-JG..\..-"'cu..'tf- ~ ~ ~~ cD(V~ ~ t'-t.'-L ~~ ob ~. D~~~ 0---~ cb ~Lt ~~"'N,Jl. C0~ ~') Jl~~ (.~ ~~\W~ O~" QJ~dt~ ca~~ ~ ot ~ ~ ~ ~~ 52AA..,,0a.e~ "* --.Q. ~ 0- ~<\-0 ~;:X, \J..)~~~ C~·~~. '-0~ ~L O-AJL _~~ CJV.-..'- ~ ~~ ~ crb 10..0 0- ~~~~. W~ ~"C ~~ ~ ~ u.)<L ~-~ ~~.J.-L,')~~'-" \."-l).N~ ~ "V'f' ~. ~~ 0..-'~~ ~-e.. 0-- ~ ~~~~~u.)~~~~~c at,~ $)~ u..)~ ~ ~~ Yvv~ ~~ku< 00l.9-- ~ ~..~ '-.00...0. 0.-~--.u~be-u uJ:::>, ~ LOQ- ~ 0-- ~ ~,jk) 0--~ ~o \.0Q..,~ 0' ~ ~~~~~~U0~~~ ~~~ What I Think o(Camp Sunshine AWESOME, WONDERFUL, FUN, EDUCATIONAL, EMOTIONAL, EYE .OPENING, FULFILLING, ENCOURAGING... These are some ofthe many thoughts that come to mind when I think ofmy experience at Camp Sunshine. Camp Sunshine is a retreat for critically ill children and their families. It offers a respite that includes professional counseling, recreational opportunities and 24hour medical support. The focus is on alleviating the toll a critical illness takes not only on the ill child, but also on- the other members ofthe family. Each member ofmy family benefited fro~ our fITst Camp Sunshine experience in May of 1999. Our four-year old son, John-Arthur, is a brittle juvenile diabetic. We have been battling his numbers since his diagnosis three years ago. He has adjusted well to shots, meals, tests, etc. He enjoyed Chippy's playhouse and the hayrides. Camp Sunshine provided him with virtually unlimited opportunities to expend his rarely exhausted energy and enthusiasm for life. Our oldest son Eric-Guy, age 7, lacks the atteJ?tion he deserves, always taking a . back seat to John's medical needs. He has had to mature much faster than others his age, and at times we forget he too is still a child. What 'Camp Sunshine gave him was a chance to be just Erik, not John's brother. He too played and laughed and enjoyed himself immensely. It is safe to say that our family is STRESSED OUT at times dealing with this condition. It has placed added pressure on our marriage, strained our relationship, and sometimes compromised our abilities as parents. Camp Sunshine helped us to focus more clearly on our new life, and br~g many issues into proper prospective. I appreciated this wonderful opportunity to-have fun together and leave the cooking, cleaning, and normal daily stress behind for a week. I enjoyed meeting so many other families who experience the same trials and tribulations. I was beginning to think I would never talk with people whom I could rela~e, but this week changed that. Susan Harper Oakdale, CT (parent) 1--- -~--------------,'-" -{- OVA. /0fiI;U1 ;U.,cLIV/~ W cJAI1.d, ~dyYl tc uJ.a-L VLf ~fJ ~h~~ -uJk. (iJ~ oJJ ftafo.. 'flu- clWM u- -W [R a-vJ121 .~ IiVIA flu- da.Jr :;f f -usl"S -j{v (oVV'/L wif~ hewin7 it. 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I::u.e '" yY\ ,.-(UtA. ~ l/(.~~L J:;;!-:. - '-t1u- ~ iL 4 1(V,'Y'; ~ z)i-~: SljWI'f...- ~I OevOlr\ AJ."" V\ r ~v -\",I ~ I' '. Co 0 aQrQ~: I O~~~~~QwWLGf~ ~od-~~o.k}~()Jtill ~ili ~ :Jb cF~ ~~~~~~Un1L -.~W"I' 0. ~ wif.l. ~. ~~~ · ~£tti..~.~~~'. .. Clrr-.& OCClW4urM-O ~ 'tW Lv{ ~et +0 ~ . lk\-~~O--~~~~ ~~. ~~ 0-- iJu.Jo~· ~ ;} tr-'J..~~ ~ ~ ~.~ fu ~H) ~ ~l~~ lfrt1J ~f~ ~ 4)ln4-~ ~ ~eD v: uv±t~ lJ.Q)~~ tk-~ . ~0J tOW\~MJl ~~. Sc~~ ~~~~~Q~ . · tJ ~ tk ~ ~!j «-l>XU ~&. ) I'· 'm-u. ~'WV-~~~~~jjj W1.Q.9 Gt c-iJw.Qj ~& ~ ~ 01J..\.M +.~~m~.~~~ ~~~~. ~). ~.~~~ . ~l~3)~~~ 0-& Qc\~(~l) • • • • • Robyn's Story ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . last words to me were "mommy I can't see you anymore." I was whisked out of the room and into a parent's lounge where I waited thinking my daughter had died. Even though Robyn had·technically tome OUt of her coma. she remained . pretty unresponsive to us and unable to feed herself or go to the bathroom on her own. The only thing she was capable of doing was sucking! . .. . ..... . .. Robyn and her entire family were fortunate to be invited to a magical, loving land -called Camp Sunshine. We attended camp the second week of Se,r tember 1999. Our journey began at the Allegheny County Airport in an air lifeline plane piloted by Alex Waddles. When we touched down in Maine we were greeted by an enthusiastic husband of laura Bean. Our gear was loaded into two vans and we were driven 30 miles to camp. For 5 days Camp Sunshine was our haven. A place where anything you needed was given to yOll with: a smile. Our meals were provided each day, entertainment nightly, and daily activities to bond adults together intO teams and ultimately friends. Camp Sunshine provided a much needed respite from the day to day grind of living with a child with a chronic disease. My two teenage boys felt safe to be siUy and carefree without the peer pressure from school and neighborhoocL Robyn could safely be left in the loving care of counselors while mom and dad went to group diScussions. The overall result from feeling loved and taken care of by total strangers was the time it gave our family to heal from the years of wear and tear of caring for a child;with multiple need$. many medications. Robyn had a second biopsy done the summer of 1998 which showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Her kidney disease is slowly progressing and she is in chronic renal fail~ ure heading toward transplant. This is Robyn's story as we know it, but there is a far better Story to tell. But these are just words and it is hard to put feelings into them. Camp Sunshine is important because it'gives the healthy siblings a· chance to breathe. Life becomes so constricted and scheduled in a home with a chird with special needs that it seems to suck the very air out of everyone involved. At. Camp Sunshine our children "Could feel free again and laugh. Laughter is such·a healing salve. Thank you Camp Sunshine for the hugs. smiles and especially the laughter. peace, Karen, Clfft: Jason, Jeil and Robyn McKee . . . . . . . . . .. .. Sometime later we were told that they had Robyn stabililzed and we could go and see her in the leu - Intensive Care Unit. She was in a coma. Robyn was so full of tubes - they were everywhere. She had an arterial line, breathing tube, an EEG with its many rainbow-eolored wires attached to her head monitoring her seizure activity, ana so many IVs going. Robyn began to breathe on her own several days later ana. slowly, day by day, one more tube was removed from her. She was discharged from the ICU 7 days later. This was the beginning of our new World. Robyn's neurological status slowfy improved, but never to the point of ·normal. Sh e has global brain damage and continued seizures despite taking several medications for her seizures. In the beginning she had horrible behav:, iors, sometimes aggressive and usually impulsive. She attends a special school for children with handicaps and is on Slowly the fluid began to come off, but the protein in her urine remained. This: was a concern to her doctors. They decided to perform a kidney biopsy. Robyn had her biOpsy late in me afternoon and sailed ri§tt Ulrough it. She came back to her room and ate two dinners!! We joked about the prednisone effect and how sne wouldn't·be keeping ner girlish fi,ure If she kept eating this way! Robyn was happy and doing well - whew - what a relief to us! Her disease now has a name mesangial proliferative glomerulosclerosis. f have been inspired by a small group of people - the staff at Camp Sun-shine - to tell a story. Unfortunately, the beginning of my story starts in a "ospital with a.. 'year old child named Robyn. It was here that. we were first told of a disease that we thought was fairly benign - minimal change nephrotic syndrome. Robyn entered the hospital in February 1992 and was treated with prednisone and lasix and then discharged 3 days fater. However, we were back at the . flospital in two weeks with a very sick Ittle girl and two very scared parents. Dunng this hospital stay Robyn was liven IV Albumen treatments, which is called diuresing, because she had retained IS pounds of fluid. Robyn would spend her days being pulled through the hospital in a little red wagOB because she was $0 swolen that she' couldn"t walk! Suddenly; during the evening her blood . pressure shot up and she began to haVe mood swings, headaches, and vomiting. this' lasted' a long time. The hospital personnel loOked fOr an'answer to these alarming symptoms. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning. Robyn's blood pressure became so high it caused her brain to not get any oxygen. She was experiencing something called hypertensive encephalopathy. My sweet little" year old began to have a seizure. Her face became very rigid and she was grinding her teeth. I rang for the nurse and soon after that Robyn coded. Her .......' .. • • • • • • .. .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• .... · ..• : ..... ':. PIItz· . '--------------------------------- ------ ----- DONOR UNDERWRITING OPPORTUNITIES August 23, 1999 FAMILYACTIVITYCENTER Name of family activity center Dining Facility Pavilion Indoor Pool Reception Area/Pool Teen Center Adult Conference Center Arts & Crafts Center Medical Clinic Kitchen Main Entrance Tot Center Indoor Nursery Center Outdoor Playground Outdoor Play Area/Grove Men's Locker Room Women's Locker Room Fireplace & Mantel in Dining Room Administration Suite Learning Center .. Furnishings Dining Room: Pavilion . Adult Conference Ctr. Teen Center Medical Center:'·. Arts & Crafts Center Tot Center Stage 1,000,000 200,000 Reserved 200,000 Reserved 200,000 50,000 Reserved 50,000 Reserved 50,000 Reserved 50,000 Reserved 50,000 Reserved 50,000 50,000 Reserved 30,000 40,000 Reserved 30,000 50,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 50,000 30,000 Reserved 25,000 25,000 25,000 15,000 Reserved 15,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 CAMP SUNSHINE FAMILY CAMPUS Name of Campus FAMILY LIVING UNITS Family Living Units Building (2) Family Suites/Furnishings (40) VOLUNTEER LIVING UNITS Volunteer Living Unit Building Volunteer Suites/Furnishings (20) OTHER Medical/Professional Residences (4) Waterfront Area Marina & Equipment Gazebo Bath House Glass Blocks @Adult Conference Center Wall Inscribed in honor ofor in memory of 2,000,000 250,000 40,000 250,000 Reserved 40,000 75,000 100,000 50,000 50,000 Reserved 30,000 6,000 , I precious memories to families in crisis. probably a sick child in your area undergoing active treatment for a life threatening illness who would benefit from Camp Sunshine. The cost to support a family for the Sponsorship program is $1500 per family per week. In 2001, camp will be offered from June 17 to August 31. If you are interested in sponsoring a family from your area, please contact us for more details on the program. Help us bring hope and Family Sponsorships are vital to the Camp Sunshine mission. Without sponsorships, it would be impossible to cover the expenses of the program. The number of sick children that can be accepted to attend Camp Sunshine is limited only by the availability of funds to pay for the program costs. Families come from all over the country to enjoy the safe haven offered by Camp Sunshine. There is There are many people that contribute to Camp Sunshine in so many specials ways. Their "in kind" giving is commendable and is so invaluable to Camp Sunshine. We would like to take this time to honor a few of these silent heroes: • Neil Waldmann of Neil's Wheels, Inc. has manufactured a MatteI Camp Sunshine Van. This is the first in a series of limited edition matchbox vehicles. All proceeds will benefit Camp Sunshine. Check out his website at www. neilswheels.com for details. • "Project Linus," spearheaded by Connie Kippax, will provide 90 unique blankets for each bunk in our Family Living Quarters. • Sandra Negus and Ann Goffin, who along with their respective chapters, have challenged the Pine Tree Quilters Guild, Inc. to supply quilted bedspreads, wallhangings and window treatments to furnish the entire Family Living Quarters. • Alice Hellstrom Anderson is writing a book about the story ofCamp Sunshine. She is an accomplished journalist and author. Her story will concentrate on what Camp Sunshine means to families that have attended camp sessions. We still need funding to publish the book. All sales will directly benefit the Camp Sunshine program. • "Maine Convoy for Kids," a joint effort between the Lions Clubs of South Portland and the Maine Professional Drivers Assoc., sponsored the 3rd annual fundraising event Sunday, October 8th. A convoy of 112 trucks drove form Portland to South Portland raising funds. A special thanks goes to Charlene Gendreau for all of her help! FALL 2000 gg Our Project Manager, Phil Brackett, has been overseeing the construction of the facility since its inception. The following is an update of The New Facility: • Family and Volunteer Housing Units are 90% completed. We anticipate 95% completion by December 1,2000, with minor exterior painting and staining along with general cleanup to be completed by Spring 2001. • The foundation is in place for the remaining two Medical Residences. Framing commenced the first of November with a targeted completion date of March 1,2001. • The Family Activity Center is 70% completed. Both power and heat are up and running. Full completion of the facility is anticipated for April 2001. SUNSHINE TIMES SUNSHINE TIMES 2000F~Sp~~ Jha,nJvY01AIfor Your GLftJrof$1,500 or m.or~.. column, please feel free to contact me directly at nancy.cincotta@mount smal.org. Nancy Cincotta has worked with children and families for the past 25 years, initially as a child life specialist and as a social worker and manager at Mount Sinai Medical Center since 1979. and laughed all night." • "The parent group, listening to other peoples' problems, knowing that my family isn't alone." So, as the weather turns to frost, keep the warmth of Camp Sunshine in the back of your mind. The connections families make with each other and fellow volunteers are priceless. If there are particular topics you would like to see discussed in this individual and a a family. I had th occa ion thi year to a k famili to writ down what thir favorit amp un hine m mory or mom nt wa . Th following quotes represent a snapshot of their responses: • "The overwhelming kindness shown to our families by the staff and volunteers who have given so much." • "The night the 9-12 year olds slept out and I went to a campfire and talked PWcho1ociaLCorruw.. ·by NCt+'\0' ClNtcottCt/ Families come to Camp Sun hine often unawar of what th program i all about. Th y arrive stressed, burd ned by th disease their child is facing. The combination of respite, stress reducing activities and psychosocial programming combined with the unconditional assistance offered by the volunteers allows them to relax, to remember who they are and to gain further insight into what they need as @@ @@ @HFo" ~ @ 0 • Alice Gadd Charitable • Galinson Family • Mr. William Mauch Lions Club Foundation Foundation • Mercedes Benz of • St. Charles • Allied Real Estate • Mr. Oliver Gill North America Borromeo Parish • William Arthur • Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin • Miles for Smiles • St. Mary's Parish, • Ms. Joann Ash Giltow • Mr. Mark Marotto Shrewsbury • Brickel Marketing • Mr. & Mrs. Ernold • New York Stock • Mr. & Mrs. E.W. Services Goodwin Exchange Stetson • Camp Mataponi • Gold Foundation • Northern Trust Bank of • Mr. William Stitt • Camp Takajo, Inc. • Mr. R. Milton Gray Florida • Mr. & Mrs. David • Dennis Canavan & • Mr. & Mrs. Warren • New YorklMaine Sullivan Kathleen Finnegan Hoeller Charitable Foundation • Telos Corporation • Children's Hospital & • Mr. & Mrs. John Horan • Mr. Bob Paffenroth • Telephone Pioneers Clinics • Dr. & Mrs. Peter James • Pat's Pizza of America • Clair Ford, Lincoln, • James J. Gory • Pine Run Elementary • The Hudson Mercury, Inc. Mechanical School Foundation • Corporate & Industrial Construction • Pine State Plumbing & • The New Balance Community Counsel • Kariotis Charitable Heatipg Foundation • Ms. Carmine D'Amico Trust • Portland Sea Dogs • Mr. & Mrs. Allen • Ms. Lisa DeBartolo • Peter & Cynthia • Ravitz Family Tobias • Diamond BlackFan Kellogg Foundation Foundation • True Fans For Elvis Anemia Foundation • Mr. & Mrs. Alan Lafer • Mr. & Mrs. Todd Club • Disetronic Medical • Mr. & Mrs. Phil Reynolds • United Way of Systems Levangie • The Robbins Family Greater Portland • Diversified • Lifescan, Inc. Foundation • Mr. & Mrs. Todd Communications • Lions Club of the • Ronald McDonald Vafiades • Egan Family Bronx House of Maine - • Mr. Dave Vink Foundation • Logos Associates • South Portland Lions • Mr. Andrew • Mr. Andrew Elrnhirst • Maine Coast KOA Club Wagner • Mr. & Mrs. Stephen • Maine Community • Weymouth Elks • Mr. & Mrs. Robert Fine Foundation Lodge, 2232 Webber • Mr. Les Franks • Mark Forti Leukemia • South Portland, • Weymouth Elks • Friendly's Ice Cream Fund Thornton Heights Lodge (® ®)(® @lfiO 0 @)) The Viterbis set an example for successful people who help those in need. Their altruism is second to none. Andrew Viterbi is a cofounder of Qualcomm, Inc. in San Diego, CA. He was enlightened about Camp Sunshine by Larry Gould. The two had been co-workers at MIA-com, Inc. before Larry retired and founded Camp Sunshine. Recently, The Viterbis visited our new, permanent Camp Sunshine campus and committed themselves to the support of our program. Donor Spotlight We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the Viterbi Family for their very generous donation. Andrew and Erna Viterbi donated $1,000,000 to Camp Sunshine in the fall of2000. Words can not express our gratitude for this generous gift. In honor of their donation, Camp Sunshine has named the Family Activity Center, The Viterbi Family Activity Center. Yet as is true in life, the laughter, glee, yelps, whispers and dreams have been caught up in the gentle breezes of time and have whisked away; the footprints of the running children, the chasing counselors and the smiling reflective parents along the beach have yielded to the caressing waters of the lake and been washed away...but not so the memories and love in the hearts of those who comprised Camp Sunshine. The rest of us have continued in this life's journey full of hope, love and strength to deal with the challenges before us..knowing that none of us are ever truly alone. Some of those children, who had walked, talked, laughed and cried with us, have been gathered up and embraced in the arms of the angels. They have been lifted up and carried beyond the clouds and the star filled heavens to the eternal Camp Sunshine bursting forth in all its safe, wonderful, beautiful radiance of love, yet at the same time, they live on in this world in our hearts, memories and spirits. Only those who have had the honor and privilege of sharing the brief moments of time called Camp Sunshine can walk through the beach, road and paths and truly appreciate those magical moments...of when strangers - from their own worlds of raging thunder - crossed paths of others and a few days later, all-bonded together from their sharing would return back to their worlds somewhat renewed and once again journey forth on their life's path. The yelps of surprise, words of encouragement and comfort, the joyous laughter, the silent tracks of tears have faded with the passage of time, replaced by the sounds of rustling leaves and the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore. The following is a letter from an anonymous volunteer: Camp Sunshine 2000 has now closed its chapter not only for the year but also for its existence at Point Sebago. It is with so many mixed feelings that this time has come to pass. So many memories have been forged on the beach and among the sites. Friendships, camaraderie and special times have echoed among the trees and in the gleam of the campfires. Name the New Mascot Contest Jha,nJvY01AI. •• Thank You! To Larry and Anna; to Joe and AI; to Laura, Donna and Debi; to all who have served on the Board; to the staff of Camp Sunshine; to the staff of Point Sebago who assisted; to all who have volunteered and will do so; to all who have come to the camp and touched the spirit or life of another. But just as Nature endures the chilly, snowy, grey days of the coming months but in reality is preparing for the glorious, bursting forth of Spring, so does Camp Sunshine. Nature regaled in all her splendor, cloaked in her explosive multi-colored quilt of beauty preparing for her wintry rest, has heralded the closure ofCamp Sunshine 2000. Our new Camp Sunshine has a teddy bear mascot! There I S only one problem. Our mascot doesn't have a name. Help name Camp SunshineI s new friend and win a complete Camp Sunshine ensemble. Be the best dressed in your neighborhood with your new Camp Sunshine sweatshirt, t-shirt, hat and key chain. Be the entry chosen overwhelmingly by the staff and you WIN!!! Deadline for entries is February 1, 2001. 2 3 SUNSHINE TIMES Gratejitllyyours, Anna & Larry Gould The idea 0./a week srespitefOr chtldren undergoing active treatmentfOr cancer came to us in the summer 0./1983. Never did we dream that some day there would be ayear roundcampus capable ifproviding,a specialretreat to over 1~500sick chtldren andtheirfltmtlies eachyear. We want to thank all the wondeJjitIpeople who have helpedus achieve the goalif butlding this campus with theirfinancial support and with their dedicated time. A special thanks to all the volunteers who have made Camp Sunshine the success that it is'. There is sttlla lot 0./hard work aheadto complete the campus, as it wtllbe open In June 2001. Tragically there is no shortage 0./chtldren with lift threatening illnesses. We need tofOcus on an Endowment Fundso tha~jitndsare avatlable to keep the campus operating on an ongoing basis. We do not want to turn away any sick chtld who can benifit.from a week at Camp Sunshine. We needyour continuedsupport so we can keepputting smtles on thefltces ifthose very sick chtldren. Wish List: • "Character" BandAids • Costumes for our famous masquerade parties • Toys, books and musical tapes • Flashlights and batteries • Umbrellas • 35 mm Film • IV Pole with base • New Sleeping Bags DearFriends.' The doctor had said it was probably a virus. How strange to suddenly be sitting in the waiting room of a pediatric hematologist, looking at a memorial quilt dedicated to children who had died of catastrophic illnesses, conversing with bald headed little waifs with sunken eyes but determined smiles, as my daughter was prepped for a bone marrow biopsy. Did we really belong here? Kate came into the world a chubby, happy baby. Now, at the age of 10, she was scrawny and pale. With her tossle of curls, she reminded me of one of those fancy, frilly toothpicks that one sticks through a club sandwich. Since the age of three, she had suffered chronic migraines, low-grade fevers, and weight loss. We tried not to worry, but it became obvious that day after day, month after month, year after year, she was getting worse. A few days after visiting the hematologist for the first time, we had our answer. Katie had systemic lupus. Lupus is a chronic and incurable disease of the immune system. In essence, the body becomes "allergic" to itself sending out killer antibodies that mistake healthy organs and systems of the body for foreign invaders. These antibodies clog the kidneys, heart, lungs and joints. They destroy blood cells that are essential for clotting and they can leave a disfiguring rash on the face and scars all over the body. With this constant internal battle going on, it is no wonder that a person with lupus suffers from exhaustion and chronic pain. My baby had LUPUS. Our world caved in. We made a lot of friends at Yale Children's Hospital that year. We became very close to our new pediatrician, our hematologist, our rheumatologist, our orthopedic surgeon, and our family counselor who helped us navigate this new part of our lives. We had never heard of lupus in children and were surprised to learn that three to five percent of children under the age of 16 have the disease. I read book after book about lupus, and was amazed at the wide array of sYmptoms. There were no two patients alike. Kate has been fortunate in that she has had no major organ involvement and no scarring. She does have joint pain, fevers, migraines, and her blood does not clot well, but she has put back the weight she had lost and looks, for the most part, like a normal teenager. Ofcourse, she wants to be a normal teenager. She'd rather no one know that she has this disease. On the other hand, when she is so exhausted at school that she can barely lift her backpack, she wishes desperately that someone would be sympathetic. Kate must take steroids to suppress her immune system. When the lupus flares, her steroids are increased, resulting in a "moon face" which Kate hates. In suppressing the immune system, she is more vulnerable to everyday viruses and infection. Her bones have thinned because the steroids leach calcium from them. Despite the fact that many folks see Katie and say, "Wow! You look great!", inside she suffers with this unwanted, permanent guest who has taken residence in her body, denying her the carefree lifestyle of a teenage girl. My husband, our son Brian and I have also had to make room for "the wolf' (lupus: " the wolf' in Latin). Due to Kate's many difficulties, I am now a "stay at home Mom". My husband's salary as a police officer has to carry the four of us. Four people living on one income is not easy for any family. When you add in all the extra trips to the doctor, the lab work, and medications for a chronically ill child, you quickly forgo the extras. We used to take a two week vacation every year to Disney World, a cabin on Crescent Lake in Maine... all relegated to the photo album, which has since served as our "getaway" when we need a distraction from daily life. Then, one day, the sun came out! Back at the hematologist's office, I came across a brochure for Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life threatening illnesses and their families. A week on the shores of Sebago Lake in Maine. For all of us! Free! Housing, food, counseling, entertainment, and medical care included. The chance for my husband and I to talk with other parents of chronically ill children. A chance for Kate to meet other kids her age who face the same loneliness and isolation she feels. Could this really be possible? Thanks to the generosity of sponsors throughout the United States, it was possible; and in September of 2000, we were on our way to Maine. It was all there. Katie enjoyed kayaking and a bon fire, a masquerade ball and a talent show. She went through eight rolls of film snapping pictures of new friends. Bill and I helped pass around the box of tissues during the supervised, daily parent support groups, where we heard other parents tell their stories of heartbreak and hope. We were humbled by the courage of these brave families who, in many instances, made our situation seem trivial by comparison. Yet we all walked the walk of uncertainty and we found common ground in our tears and in our laughter. Yes, laughter. Super duper blooper games in which the parents went head to head with the teenagers in games of nonsense. Watching parents, who had been so quiet during the support group meetings, get up and belt out "Who let the dogs out?" during karaoke night. A candlelit, gourmet dinner for the parents offered some hand holding and dancing for parents who had forgotten that they were still in love. And, every day, the joy of seeing so many sick children and their healthy siblings happily playing on the beach, singing songs, and reacquainting themselves with another nearly forgotten concept: childhood. It is hard to explain what a week like that does to a person or a family. We have all grown from our time at camp and have made life long friends who will follow our daughter's progress with sincere interest and understanding. We, in turn, will follow the progress of their beloved children who never deserved to be dealt such a miserable hand so early in life. But self-pity is not the way of Camp Sunshine. It is joy. On the gloomiest of days, we are but a computer stroke away from re-connecting with other campers who helped us find our smiles again. The last night of camp, each child launched a decorated wooden boat with a lit candle on it into the waters of Sebago Lake. It was quite a sight. These were the "wishboats" of these many, precious children who just spent the week becoming children again. Kate kept her wish quiet but I wished out loud, not so much that Kate be cured of her lupus, but that we all be healed by the spirit and love of this remarkable place that is Camp Sunshine. Barb Chapman November 8, 2000 This is a poignant letter from a Camp Sunshine mom. Please consider sponsoring a family in crisis. Thank You
Object Description
Title | Buildings, photographs |
Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
Date created | 2000/2000 |
Folder | Camp Sunshine |
Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
Identifying number | Box 22, Folder 384 |
Legacy record ID | vit-m2499 |
Part of collection | Andrew J. and Erna Viterbi Family Archives |
Part of subcollection | Philanthropic Activities |
Rights | There are materials within the archives that are marked confidential or proprietary, or that contain information that is obviously confidential. Examples of the latter include letters of references and recommendations for employment, promotions, and awards; nominations for awards and honors; resumes of colleagues of Dr. Viterbi; and grade reports of students in Dr. Viterbi's classes at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego.; These restricted items were not scanned and, therefore, are not included in the USC Digital Archive.; Researchers wishing to see any of the restricted materials should consult with the USC Libraries Special Collections staff. |
Physical access | There are materials within the archives that are marked confidential or proprietary, or that contain information that is obviously confidential. Examples of the latter include letters of references and recommendations for employment, promotions, and awards; nominations for awards and honors; resumes of colleagues of Dr. Viterbi; and grade reports of students in Dr. Viterbi's classes at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego.; These restricted items were not scanned and, therefore, are not included in the USC Digital Archive.; Researchers wishing to see any of the restricted materials should consult with the USC Libraries Special Collections staff. |
Repository name | USC Libraries Special Collections |
Repository address | Doheny Memorial Library 206, 3550 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, California,90089-0189, 213-740-4035, specol@usc.edu |
Filename | VIT000015; VIT-001346 |
Description
Title | Page 2 |
Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
Full text |
The Child, The Family, The Challenge
s
I •
:E
www.campsunshine.org
retreat@pivot.net
campsunshine@campsunshine.org
I .
History
Founded in 1984 at Point Sebago resort nestled in the tranquil natural beauty of
South Casco, Maine, Camp Sunshine was the inspiration ofresort owners Larry and Alma
Gould. Dr. Gould, having a Ph.D. in physics from MIT ·and a Fortune 500 chief executive
officer, now director and treasurer ofCamp Sunshine, donated the facilities and the personnel
ofhis resort for the Camp's operation each year. The Gould's have donated over $1.2
million to date and have donated 15 acres of their property, which had been cleared by the
Maine National Guard, for construction of a permanent, year-round facility for Camp Sunshine.
During the past sixteen years, Camp Sunshine has come to provide fouI to six weekly
camps in June and September to families with a child diagnosed with diseases such as cancer,
juvenile diabetes, cystic fibrosis, Fanconi Anemia, solid organ transplant and kidney disease.
All ofa family's needs are met during their visit at the camp including accommodations and
meals, medical and psychosocial services and recreational facilities.
Camp Sunshine's approach contends that the health ofa family is contingent upon the
fulfillment ofphysical, emotional and social needs. The camp provides medical facilities and
professional staffto address the often taxing physical needs ofchildren with such intrusive
diseases. Counseling sessions and open group discussions are tailored for the needs ofthese
families. These sessions may be the first opportunity the family members have had to share
their fears and frustrations with others who can genuinely identifY with the same experiences.
The sessions provide a forum where family members can learn from each other and identify
more effective means for dealing with the special issues that challenge their families daily.
Recreational hours allow children to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures ofchildhood, while
their parents find quiet moments to walk by the lake and reaffinn their support for one another.
In addition, games and events are designed to foster family involvement, encouraging
families to laugh and playas a unit. (Attachment I) This approach builds a new foundation
the family can take with them when the camp is over to unite them during the darker times
they face.
The Camp Sunshine Challenge
Camp Sunshine realizes that not only are
the effects of diseases traumatic to the child, but
devastating and destructive to the parents, the
siblings, and the bonds between them all.
Without respite to mend these bonds, the child
loses vital support to confront the illness, and the
family risks dissolution in the face ofthis crisis.
Camp Sunshine seeks to buttress the well, being of the whole family by giving them
sanctuary from the daily rigors, providing counseling for the individual needs of all family
members, surrounding the family with a network of others who can identify with their
experiences and once again allow them to smile, to laugh and enjoy one another. Camp
Sunshine's unique mission reaches very young children, siblings and parents whose needs
otherwise fall through the cracks. At Camp Sunshine, these families find the respite and
release they crave.
This mission has been a broad and successful one funded and shaped for sixteen
years by a small band ofquiet volunteers and one family's diligence to give something back
to humanity, along with some corporate foundation friends. (Attachment TI) Camp
Sunshine is unique in this country since it is the only program focused on the sick child and
their family. Serving more than 160 families referred from 40 national medical facilities
during 1999, the camp has come a long way in contrast to only 40 families from six
hospitals during the pilot 1984 one week camp. Families now travel from 26 states as far as
California and Oregon to participate in the camp. In order to meet the growing demand,
Camp Sunshine is in need of a permanent, year-round facility to significantly reduce the
necessity of turning families away due to inadequate space or limited scheduling.
Current Status
Facilities and Staffing
Camp Sunshine volunteers, staffand participants are housed in recreational vehicles
supported by Point Sebago on the resort property. The predominately volunteer staffof
approximately 80 individuals per week provide food service, child care, marina, counseling,
recreation leadership and individual physical assistance. A staffphysician, psychologist and
social worker are provided onsite through Camp Sunshine funding. Maine Medical Center is
a short distance away and provides any emergency medical treatment and specialist support
needed.
Fostering normal growth, in addition to developing and maintaining good family
functioning, is a critical and fundamental goal in the treatment ofpediatric patients. The staff
helps parents learn effective therapies useful at home to communicate with their children and
ways to be advocates for them at the local hospital. Parents are also enlightened about the
special traumas the physically well children in the family are experiencing as a result ofthe
medical crisis. With a program focused on the family, Camp Sunshine's professionals and
volunteers are providing supportive experience aimed at healing the wounds ofthese
families.
FundinglFamily Sponsorship
Families are sponsored to participate in the camp by individual and corporate donors.
The sponsorship for one family to participate in the week-long program is $1,500. Camp
Sunshine initiated a Family Sponsorship Program whereby individuals, groups, corporations
and foundations are being asked to sponsor a family or families from their geographic area.
If they do not know offamilies with a critically ill child, we will use our relationships with
medical clinics in their area to identify families who desperately need this help: Each family
sponsorship enables a family to spend their week at Camp Sunshine free ofcharge. The
Family Sponsorship Program is an important component in Camp Sunshine's annual
operating budget.
The Campaign Challenge
Proposed Construction of Permanent Structure
The facility expansion and construction would provide a pennanent, year-round
structure in place ofthe limited use ofPoint Sebago, allowing the camp to accept the growing
number ofreferred families. The building project includes a family activity center with a
dining room capacity of275 people, a large activity pavilion and stage, teen center, adult
conference center, arts and crafts area, nursery and tot center, indoor swimming pool, clinic
and administrative offices. The family living center includes 40 suites, designed to house up
to a family ofsix. Sixty volunteers will be accomodated in the volunteer living center. Facilities
near the beach include a large gazebo, bathhouse and marina.
Camp Sunshine provides a tremendous service to families in need. However, we will
not be able to reach our full potential without assistance. (Attachment III) First, ifwe are to
realize the dream of opening a permanent facility, we must raise an additional $2.2 million
(the construction ofthe facility is 65% complete). In June of 1999, a $1 million challenge
grant has been given which will match each donation of$10,000 or more. Once the permanent
facility is opened, the cost for annual budget will increase, generating a need to increase
family sponsorship donations.
Planned Expansion of Programming
Camp Sunshine's expansion program encompasses two primary initiatives: a broader
base ofprogramming and the construction ofa permanent facility.
The classification ofcandidates would expand to include children inflicted by an increased
number ofdiseases, including cancer, congenital heart disease, Fanconi Anemia, pediatric
hemophilia, kidney disease, juvenile diabetes, cystic fibrosis, solid organ transplants
and other chronic childhood diseases recommended by the referrfug medical centers.
Camp Sunshine has identified additional specific needs ofthese challenged families.
Proposed programs to address these needs include: bereavement programs, workshops for
extended family members, and medical workshops with professional updates on research,
treatment, financial issues and psychosocial therapy. Extended training programs for the volunteer
staffwould also enhance the effectiveness ofthe camp.
Increased Volunteerism and Staffing Needs
Once a permanent facility is available, Camp Sunshine will be in operation for a minimum
of five months each year. Approximately 60 volunteers are needed each week to serve
in the following areas: adult program, teen program, 9 to 12 year-old program, 6 to 8 yearold
program, 3 to 5 year-old program, 0 to 2 year-old nUrsery care, 1 on 1 volunteers for
children who need more intensive assistance, arts and crafts, marina services (including Red
Cross-certified life guards) and restaurant service.
Volunteer support during previous camps have been overwhelming. Camp Sunshine
has bt:en consistently blessed with a full staffofcaring, qualified volunteers from all walks of
life.
A peimanent facility will demand an additional one thousand volunteers each year.
Many ofthe current Camp Sunshine volunteers are members ofthe health care industry;
therefore, the contacts that Camp Sunshine establishes with local hospitals should yield a significant
number ofvolunteers. Additionally, corporate employees have a reputation for contributing
their time to worthwhile causes. A volunteer team of employees would not only
help Camp Sunshine, but also give the employees an opportunity to make a difference in the
lives ofthese families.
Sponsorship Funds/Corporate Contributions
The annual operating budget for Camp Sunshine is principally comprised ofcontributions
from corporations and community organizations. Some corporations have contributions
to Camp Sunshine as part oftheir annual budget, while others contribute sponsorship
funds that cover the cost offamilies from their community. (Attachment III)
Conclusion
Camp Sunshine is a retreat for the families ofcritically ill children. The week-long
camp offers a respite from the medical, financial and emotional problems that can destroy the
joys ofday-to-day living. Camp Sunshine offers the parents and siblings an opportunity to
gain some valuable coping skills as well as allows the ill child to re-experience, for that one
week, the joys ofchildhood. Currently, Camp Sunshine is able to serve only 200 families per
year and in recent years they have been forced to turn away almost half ofthe applicant families.
The Camp Sunshine vision is to find a way to offer their services to all families in need.
The Camp Sunshine goal is to have a permanent facility capable of serving over one
thousand families each year and to be a model for other regional camps throughout the
United States which can serve thousands more. Their hope is that in the future, families at
risk will all be offered an opportunity to attend Camp Sunshine.
The Volunteer Perspective
-Maribeth Mainville, Camp Sunshine Volunteer
When I volunteered for a Camp whose young campers have malignant tumors, cystic fibrosis,
leukemia and other horrifying diseases, I could only expect sadness. How quickly I learned this in
my first experiences there. I was paired with an eleven year old girl, Sarah, who had a malignant
brain tumor. In its last stages, her cancer limited the activities she could take part in, yet Camp
(Sunshine) and those who run it found a way to bring lots oflaughter to this little girl. Cruising
around the beach in a golf cart which she called our "Lamborghini," Sarah played.mini golf, met
with clowns, created works of art in the arts and crafts room and, most importantly, relaxed. Her
younger brother and sister ran wildly about, eager to be by the water and out ofthe eyes oftheir father.
They made friends with other children, both those like their sister and also those in the
shadow oftheir sick sibling. Camp (Sunshine) even catered to Sarah's father. There he finally
found the much needed time away from his daughter to finally be the weak one and cry with those
who really knew what he was going through, to come to tenns with the inevitable loss doctors told
of, and just as important, to forget for a moment the awful times he was living. It was an escape; it
was a time to laugh and carry on as my parents do, or as any others who have been blessed with
healthy children would. Camp (Sunshine), by no means, attempts to avoid the horror ofa sick
child. Its sole purpose is to recognize the stress, fatigue, and sadness families like Sarah's experience,
and strive towatd a temporary relief.
When we imagine what it would be like to have a child with any life threatening disease, our initial
reaction is of overwhelming sadness and anger. We may imagine that such a calamity would dominate
our every waking thought. Yet, I think for those of us who have not experienced such a blow,
we fail to see how it effects every facet offamily life. It not only wears on the family emotionally,
but the exorbitant cost ofhealth care for the child often depletes the family financially. Vacations
are often a luxury ofthe past. Camp Sunshine wants to give that luxury back. While it may be only
a week, Camp (Sunshine) invites the family to spend an all-expense-paid vacation on Lake Sebago,
Maine.
For those ofyou whom I see or speak to frequently, Camp Sunshine and its significance to me are
well known, as stories ofthe children I have cared for and the families I have met make up much of
my conversations and letters. Over the past six years that I have been involved with Camp Sunshine,
the permanent impact Camp (Sunshine) has had on me has been quite evident; it has given me
greater appreciation for my family and friends, as well as for the value ofmy health. It has influenced
me to enter the nursing field, with the intent to pursue pediatric oncology. It has altered my
life. The lessons taught by the young patients as they endure their battle with cancer, Fanconi Anemia,
and other life-threatening diseases exceed any I have learned in school or experienced in the
workplace. I love Camp (Sunshine) because I feel good about myself and the work I have done
with these families. More importantly, I love Camp Sunshine because ofthe happiness and rest it
brings to families who are not as lucky as mine. .
---------
-~._--- ~ ~ -----------------..,-----------------------
TYPICAL CAMP SUNSHINE SCHEDULE
MONDAY
etc)
All Ages
Camps All
3-5
6~8'
9-12
Teens/Adults
6-8
9-12
3-5
Adults
Teens
Infant/2years
6-8
9-12
3-5
Parents
C.S.Families
with parents
6-8
3-5
6-8
9-12
All Ages
All Ages
All Ages
9-12
Teens
swimming, etc)
swimming,
Teens
3-5
6-8
9-12
3-5
6-8
9-12
Teens
Adults
Camps
Breakfast
Orientation/Assignment to Day
Tots Crafts
Kickball Game
Scooter Hockey Game
Super Puper Blooper Games
Arts & Crafts
9-12 Princess Cruise
Tot Game Time
Parents discussion group
Ping Pong Tourney
Children's Hayride
Scooter Races & Games
Arts & Crafts
Storytime
Pick up Tots from Tot Lot
Lunch
8 Years & younger rest period
9-12 & Teen Day Camps Resume
Family Cruise
Softball Game
Waterfront Activities
(canoes, kayaks, paddleboats,
Ladies Only Cruise
Mens Pool & Dart Activities
6-8 Re-Assigned to Day Camp
3-5 sign back into Tot Lot
Parachute Play
Waterfront Activities
(canoes, kayaks, paddleboats,
Prepare for Farewell show
Children's Hayride
Nerf Soccer Game
Floor Hockey Game
Prepare for Farewell Show
Prepare for Farewell Show
Prepare. for Farewell Show
Teen Social Cruise
Volleyball Game
Pick up children from Day
Pick up Tots from Tot Lot
Dinner
Masquerade/Costume Night
2:15-4:00
2:15-4:00
2:00-5:00
2:00-5:00
2:00
2:00
8:00-9:00
9:00
9:15
9:15
9 :15
9:30-10:30
10:00
10:00
10:30
10:30-Noon
11:00
11:00
11:00
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:00-1:15
1:00-2:00
1:15-5:00
1:00
1:15
1:15
2:15-3:45
2:30
3:00
3:00
3 :30
4:00
4:00
4:00
4:00
5:00
5:00
5:30-6:30
7:30
. Attachment II
CAMPAIGNDONORS
ADC Telecommunications
Allied Real Estate
AT&T
CableVision
Coca Cola
Control Devices Inc
Diversified Communications
GST Technologies
Hancock Lumber
Hannaford Brothers
Key Bank
Landice Treadmill
Lucent Technologies
Mercedes Benz
People's Heritage Bank
Philips Consumer Electronics
Sam's Club
Sanford Bernstein & Co., Inc
The Goddard Group
Universal Elevator
Walmart
FOUNDATIONS
Amelia Peabody Charitable Trust
Cable Charitable Foundation
Chase Manhattan Foundation
Childhood Leukemia Foundation
C & J Viner Family Foundation
C.R. Bard Foundation
E.M. Lynn Foundation
Frank Stanley Beveridge FD
GEICO Philanthropic Foundation
Irving A. Hansen Memorial Fund
Jennifer Harrison Memorial Fund
Katzenberger Foundation, Inc
. Kistler Tiffany Foundation
Libra Foundation
Maine Co·mmunity Foundation
Maine State Troopers Foundation
National Kidney Foundation
NY Mercantile Charitable Foundation
Pottruck/Scott Family Foundation
Ronald McDonald Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Sobel Family Fund, Inc
Tager Family Foundation
The Phoenix Foundation for Children
~~~~--------~- ----~-
j.
i
ANNUAL REPORT 1998
Chairman's Report
1998 was a positive year for Camp Sunshine.
ContrIbutions to our operating fund and to our
building fund both exceeded 1997 levels, and the
generous response from all of our contributors has
enabled us to go forward with the construction of
the permanent home for our program. The
preliminary start of our capital campaign has
raised $675,000 in pledges. There was a growth
in family sponsorship and in cQrporate support.
Teleport Communications Group sponsored 25
families in 1998 and GST Telecom sent 17
families to camp.
Weare in the midst of a capital campaign to raise
$6,000,000 to establish a permanent year round
home for Camp Sunshine. The construction of the
family activity center that will serve as the
centerpiece of our new campus is well underway.
In February 1998, we began construction for our
family living centers, which will provide
accommodations for 40 families a week. We
received over $100,000 in donated goods and .
services last year. The Maine National Guard
built a bridge to connect the new facility with the
beach and we are building a walkway of bricks,
engraved with special memories. This sort of
volunteer effort has helped us make great strides
toward the completionof this project.
I want to thank all the volunteers who provided
food service, childcare, recreational leadership
and assistance with counseling during our camp
sessions. I invite you to visit Camp Sunshine to
see our evolving pennanent campus. Your
continued generous support of our building
program will help us realize our goals for this
worthwhile program.
Larry Gould, Chairman ofthe Board
Attachment III
Camp Sunshine Families in 1998
A record number of families benefited from
our program in 1998. Two hundred and
sixteen families attended Camp Sunshine
during five week-long sessions in 1998.
Forty-two families from all over the world
attended the Fanconi Anemia program in
.May.
Families from 1985 to 1998
AZ 14 MA 821 OK 14
CA 23 MD 6 OR !
CO 9 ME 408 PA I51
CT 175 MI I0 RI 61
DC 4 :NiN I TN 5
FL .40 MO 1 TX 11
GA 6 NC 5 VA 32
m ! NE 1 VT 34
1D .1 NH 119 WA 3
1L 10 NJ 305 WI .3
IN' IO NM 1 WY 1
KS 2 NY 377
KY 1 OH 15
Camp Sunshine 2000 Schedule
May 21-26 Diabetes
June 4-9 Cancer
Sept. 10-15 Lupus/Kidney/Cancer
Solid Organ Transplant
Sept. 24-29 Cancer
FUND-RAISING IN 1998
Major fund-raising events in 1998
The Goddard Group Golf Tournament
The Point Sebago Golf Tournament
Monte Carlo Weekend
The South Portland Lions Club Dance
The Annual Camp Sunshine Raffle
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Philips Broadband Networks, Inc.
New Jersey Harness Horsemen Golf Toumament
The Sunnies Program
Camp Sunshine Directors and Officers
,Camp Program
Support/Income
Contributions
Donated Goods & Services
Specia.l Events
Miscellaneous
Investment Income
Total Support/Income
Expenses
Camp Program Expenses
Gen. Admin. Expenses
Fund-raising Expenses
Total Expenses
338,500
119,012
155,781
14,084
42,497
669,874
449,571
60,723
29,676
539,970
Dr. La'Mence Gould
Dr. Joseph Fitzpatrick
Anna Gould
James H. Young, II
Kim Block
Steven Brickel
Bruce Chalmers
Nancy Cincotta
Andrew Eichenfield, MD
Joseph Pappalardo
Dennis Goddard
Barry Gorsun
Susan Greenwood
Matthew Hand, MD
Ralph Heckert
Michael Lyons
Donald Toms
Craig Wellman
David Frohnmayer, JD
U.S. Senator Susan Collins
Rosalyn Bernstein
Sumner Feinstein
Martin Grossman
Toby Hammond
Carol Hancock
Jerrold Olshan, MD
Robert KWltz
Diane James '
Robert Paffenroth
Treasurer
Chainnan
Director & President
Secretary/Clerk
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Honorary Director
Honorary Director
Director Emeritus
Board ofAdvisors
Board ofAdvisors
Board ofAdvisors
Board ofAdvisors
Board ofAdvisors
Board ofAdvisors
Board ofAdvisors
Board ofAdvisors
Net Support/Income
Capital Program
Support/Income
Capital Fund Income
Donated Goods & Services
Total Support/Income
Expenses
Construction Expenses
Miscellaneous
Total Expenses
Net Support/Income
Balance Sheet
Assets
Cash & Securities
Fixed Assets Less Depreciation
OtherlDeposits
Total Assets
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Long Term Debt
Total Liabilities
Total Net Assets
139,904
375,088
48,596
423,684
203,050
16,468
219,518
204,166
1,070,291
1,748,475
5,801
2,824,567
66,960
15,000
81,960
2,824,567
1998 Financial Statement
Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake, Inc.
Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 1998
July 18,1999 Preliminary Financial Plan PlanA
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Camp Sunshine Weeks 6 5 4 4 8 . 12 16
Income
Donations 34.7 106.2 110.7 120 160 170 230
Dntd Hoods/Sei vices 138.3 . 119.3 109 120
Sponsorships 138 223.5 200.3 240 480 720 920
Fundraising Income 139.8 143.6 135.6 150 160 170 200
Other 80.7 14.1 1.5 15 18 30 60
Total Operating Income 531.5 606.7 570.6 645 818 1090 1410
Program Expenses
Payroll 145 142 125.9 190 440 620. 790
Contract Labor 35.7 39.5 24.4 25
Food & Supplies 65.7 47.8 44.8 48 96 125 180
Electric/Propane 36 45 64
Rental for Families 165.9 134.3 106.5 120
Other Program Expenses 67.5 68.3 62.9 80 110 140 200
total Program Expenses 479.8 431.9 364.5 463 682 930 1234
Total G&A Expenses 40.2 27.4 33.8 40 80 100 120
Total Fundraising Expenses 20.2 29.6 25.6 40 40 48 52
Total Operating Expenses 540.2 488.9 423.9 543 802 1078 1406
Net Operating Income -8.7 117.8 146.7 102 16 12 4
Capital Fund Income 2000 SOO 200 200
Building Expenses 2100
Net Cash -100 500 200 . 200
Net C~sh at year end 400 300 800 1000 1200
Assumptio·ns
Starting in year 2000 Sponsorships are $1500 and every family is sponsored thereafter
Permanent Campus is in operation in year 2001
Attachment V
REFERRING TREATMENT CENTERS
ARIZONA
St. Joseph's Hospital
University Medical Center
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Children's National Medical Center
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
CAliFORNIA
Children's Hospital ofSan Diego
Kaiser Pennanente Medical Center
COLORADO
The Children's Hospital Association
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Yale New Haven Hospital
FLORIDA
All Children's Hospital
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women & Children
Jackson Memorial Medical Center
St Mary's Medical Center .
HAWAD
Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children
ILLINOIS
Children's Memorial Hospital
Pediatric Cancer Institute
MAINE
Central Maine Medical Center
Maine Center for Diabetes
Maine Children's Cancer Program
Maine Medical Center
MARYLAND
Johns Hopkins University
University ofMllJYland Medical Center
MASSACHUSETTS
Bay State Medical Center
Boston Children's Hospital
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Joslin Diabetes Center
Massachusetts General Hospital
New England Medical Center
MICHIGAN
Children's Hospital ofDetroit
Children's Hospital ofMichigan
St John's Hospital ofDetroit
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
NEW JERSEY
Hackensack Medical Center
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center.
NEW MEXICO
University ofNew Mexico
NEW YORK
Beth Israel Medical Center
Children's Hospital ofBuffillo
Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute
Mount Sinai Hospital
North Shore University Hospital
OHIO
Children's Hospital ofCincinnati
Rainbow Baby Clinic
PENNSYLVANIA
Children's Hospital ofPhiladelphia
Hershey Medical Center
Geisinger Medical Center
TENNESSEE
Vanderbilt Medical
TEXAS
Children's Medical Center ofDallas
Children's Hospital ofDallas
Texas Children's HoSPital
VIRGINIA
Children's HospitaVKings Daughter
University ofVirginia Medical
WASHINGTON
Children's Hospital ofSeattle
WISCONSIN
Midelfort Clinic/Mayo Clinic
University ofWisconsin Hospital
~\
W
June 10,1998
Dear Staff and Volunteers of Camp Sunshine,
I am writing to THMl< YOU for the wonderful time my family had at camp last week.
\Ve have had a difficult last few years and Camp Sunshine has been peace within the
storm.
Right from the beginning ofthe week, we felt so welcome. Our volunteer, Erika
Pappalardo, was very sweet and interested in getting t'? know the kids. She put them at
ea~e right away by asking them questions about their lives. It didn't take long for them to
open up and for my daughter Marissa to fall in love with her.
The schedule for the week couldn't have been better. Starting with Super Dooper
Blooper games allowed parents to bond with one another. Because of this, talk about
what our families have been through came much .easier because we had already become
friends! I can't say enough about the Parent Discussion Groups. Both Joe and Nancy are
such wonderful facilitators. They are both very knowledgeable in the way a serious illness
effects the whole family. Our discussions always flowed smoothly. "It was such a relief to
hear the other parents' discuss the same types of difficulties we had faced. In the general
population and '\-'lith friends and family, it is rare to be able to speak freely about our
child's illness because try as they might, "outsiders" do not always understand. People try
to change what we are saying, to make the situation lighter, to try to make us feel better.
At Camp Sunshine, we could discuss the realities of our family's situation without
judgment and without sugar-coating the issue. Being able to do so has reduced our stress
level significantly.
/1'-
lOur whole vieek at camp was filled with fun activities. We bonded more deeply as a
family because we had played together. The kids loved just being with other kids, with no
\ worries, no needle pokes, no looks from other kids who wondered why they were
\ "different". At camp, they were just kids and played, like life is supposed to be!
,--.
Both the staff and volunteers make Camp Sunshine all that it is! Not only is the program
wonderful in theory, it was clear that everyone working at camp did their absolute best to
make a great program reality! Every single person we had contact with acted with caring
and respect and showed a desire for our family to enjoy our stay.
I want to thank you from the bottom ofmy heart. The benefits my family has received
from our stay at Camp Sunshine stay with us throughout the year. I look forward to the
time when I become one ofyour wonderful volunteers. I want to do my part to help
Camp Sunshine to continue; the families NEED you.
Thanks so very much, , /j
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Archival file | vit_Volume45/VIT-001346.pdf |