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Dr. Edward
Hertko has a special interest in diabetes since a family member had
diabetes. He moved
to Des Moines, Iowa in the 1960s
and started asking
persons in the medical community about a camp for
children with diabetes. The
response was that it wouldn’t be possible to put a large group
of children with diabetes together for an entire week.
He said “Why not?” and the seed was planted. Representatives from the Iowa Dietetic Association (Anna
Katherine Jernigan, R.D.), and the State Department of Health
met with Dr. Hertko and arranged
to have a week at the 4-H Camp in Madrid, Iowa.
Rosalie Cherry, a social worker from Mary Greeley
Hospital in Ames would be the Camp Director. Pilar Garcia from
Iowa State was the dietitian. Meals would be trucked in from
Iowa State University residence halls.
Volunteers would plan the arts & crafts and
recreational activities (swimming, sports, trampoline).
The camp was called Elm Camp, since that was the site at
the 4-H camp. There were 37 campers that first year.
Campers took duties of
“Hoppers, Sloppers, and Moppers”
to clean up the dining room after each meal.
Other staff members included Dave Bengston, Gayle Roeder,
RD, Joan
& Gary Wright and Carol Shilling.
The campers from that first camp voted to name the camp
“Camp Hertko Hollow” in honor of Dr. Hertko, founder of the
camp. The camp
session continues to be 6 days long from Sunday afternoon thru
Saturday morning. .
The next year
there were 49 campers. Medical students from the College of
Osteopathic Medicine & Surgery in Des Moines joined the
staff. After
the camp session Rosalie Cherry accidentally hit her head while
canning tomatoes and had a concussion.
She was unable to continue in her role as camp director.
So Vivian Murray, a dietitian from Iowa State University
Residence Halls, stepped in to help and was asked to be the
director. She had developed diabetes while in college.
The previous year she had been a counselor for the teen
girls. Her husband
Chris was a track coach and took the responsibility of bringing
equipment and staff to do the recreational activities.
A room in their home became the “camp room” and they
handled the processing
of all camper and staff applications, ordering supplies and
other camp plans.
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On the first
full day of camp in 1970, the food truck was late.
There were 67 hungry and possibly “low” campers. There
were no leftovers in the refrigerator to use.
Luckily the milk had been delivered directly to the camp
site and Vivian had purchased food for snacks.
The kids had completed their Clinitest urine tests and
needed to eat. So
the campers drank their milk and ate a fruit until the truck
arrived. The truck
driver had decided to do some errands on the way to camp
(approximately 20 miles) and didn’t realize the necessity of
being on time.
Obviously it
was time for a change in the system.
Vivian started investigating other camps in the central
Iowa area. She met
Ray Pugh, Camp Director of the Des Moines YMCA Camp north of
Boone, Iowa. It
seemed like a dream come true—they had horseback riding,
canoeing, miniature golf, sports, swimming, crafts, riflery,
archery, PLUS the recreation staff.
The kitchen staff would prepare the meals and do the
dishes.
So Camp Hertko
Hollow moved to the Y-Camp and has been there ever since 1972.
Their assets have become our assets and the campers have
a wonderful experience.
There have been
numerous memorable years—such as the year of the flood 1984 when
the river water came within 6 feet of the dining room.
We had to canoe on a flooded corn field since the river
was too rapid.
Staff had to sandbag around the well so it wouldn’t get
contaminated.
Dante Toriello, DO and Dr. Hertko were the only physicians for
15 years.. It was exciting when the first Dextrometer was
introduced to the campers.
The campers were given a choice of doing a urine test or
blood test. The
“BIG DROP” award was given in addition to the Purple Heart for 1st
injection, Belly Sticker, and Bottom Buster
awards.
Later the Bicep Buster was added as kids were encouraged to
rotate sites.
The year 1992
brought another flood and on the Friday before camp the
Army Corp of Engineers was making the decision whether or not to
close the Saylorville Dam, which would have flooded the Y-Camp.
For 1 hour we sat almost motionless while we considered
our options. The
thought of canceling camp was awful and we already had the staff
and supplies. Iowa State Residence Halls were contacted and the possibility
of moving the camp to the campus was a consideration. Luckily, the camp grounds were not flooded and camp continued
with a only a few inconveniences.
In 1988 it was
decided to offer a Mini-Camp for children ages 6-9.
The camp session was half a week with only 3 nights.
Approximately 35 campers each year participate in the
Mini-Camp. Many of the campers from small towns and don’t know any other
kids with diabetes, so the camp experience is very beneficial.
Iowa
definitely has a lot of pig farms and so it was
appropriate to use the Kiss-A-Pig contest as a fund
raiser at the camp.
Previously a walkathon was held at the camp, but the
thought of kissing a real live pig was a conversation topic.
For every dollar raised, the camper received one vote and
could vote for anyone at the camp. It’s the kind of contest you
DON’T want to win!
Some campers raised as much as $800 to win prizes and vote for
someone else. Each camper who participates in the contest
receives a prize. There are stories about PK McDonald being the
first winner when the campers decided PK meant “pig kisser” and
teased him. That year he took off his hat and shaved his beard
and assumed a different name—Phil.
PK was a camper when he was 8 years old and has been
coming to camp ever since!
As “gopher” he makes many trips to town for necessities
(like soda for the staff).
He even tried to stuff the ballot box one year when he
put “Vote for Viv” labels with lips on the camper’s insulin
boxes. Some of the Kiss-A-Pig activities include a hog calling
contest and a diet chocolate pudding eating contest with no
hands.
Camp Director
Vivian Murray received the
Becton Dickinson Award for Outstanding Contribution to
Diabetes and Camping from the American Diabetes Association in
1980 which included a check to the camp for $1000. She also received the Iowa State University Young Alumnus
Award and Iowa Dietetic Association Recognized Young Dietitian
Award because of her leadership with Camp Hertko Hollow.
The number of
campers has continued to grow each year.
As the YMCA Camp expanded it’s facilities and added
additional cabins, we could add more campers.
In 2001 there were record 255 campers plus a volunteer
medical staff of 65 in addition to the YMCA staff of 50.
We had to turn potential campers away.
The Camp Committee decided to split the camp into 2
sessions for the year 2002.
It is only with the help of our dedicated
volunteer medical staff that Camp Hertko Hollow continues its
success. Dr. Edward Hertko retired for a few years and Dr. Mark
Kummer and Dr. John Shelso filled in as Medical Director. Then
he came out of retirement to continue as medical director (said
he had enough time to rest and had nothing else to do!) For the
past few years Dr. Steve Keys and Dr. Mike Tansey have served as
Medical Directors. Vivian Murray has continued to be the Camp
Director since 1970, even though she lived in Tucson, Arizona
for 20 years and now lives in Florida. Other key staff persons
include Leslie Cox (20 years), RN , Jeanne Sheetz (19 years),
Terri Mishler, RD (8 years), Joanne Robinson, Food
Service Supervisor (9 years) Deb Hadiji, CIT
Director (17 years), PK McDonald, gopher (29 years), Dr. Mike
Tansey (6 years), Dr. Steve Keys, (10 years), Dr. Jenny Cook
(10 years), Dr. Cathy Weideman (13 years). The entire class
of 25 dietetic interns from Iowa State University participate
in the camp experience. In addition there are 4-6 nursing
students from the University of Iowa and 8 pharmacy students
from Drake University. They all come together each year with
their camp family to provide a memorable experience for the
campers. At Honor Point it's a tradition to sing "Hertko
Hollow, Hertko Hollow, Shall we tell you how we feel? You have
given us friends, fun, and knowledge. We love you so."
The Hertko
Hollow Children's Diabetes Camp Foundation was established in
the Fall of 2001 and received it's 501 (c )3 tax exempt status.
The purpose of the Foundation is to provide camperships with the
ultimate goal of endowing the camp and having all children
attend at no charge.
Written
by Vivian Murray, Camp Director
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