June 2016 Newsletter

Jessica Thornton - Thursday, June 02, 2016

Happy Holidays from Camp Hertko Hollow!

Jessica Thornton - Monday, December 21, 2015

holiday art

Season's Greetings from Camp Herkto Hollow

CHH 2015 logo

**Happy Holidays from everyone here at Camp Hertko Hollow!

We hope this holiday season has warm thoughts of Camp Hertko Hollow dancing in your heads, knowing that summer camp registration is around the corner. Camper and Staff registration will open on January 1st, 2016. To sign up visit www.CampHertkoHollow.com.

We have lots of exciting things brewing for 2016! Reserve your spot today!

FDEW

Family Education Retreat will be held April 29 - May 1, 2016. Children with diabetes of all ages are encouraged to attend with their family members, close friends, grandparents, and even babysitters to learn about managing diabetes. Because diabetes affects the whole family, Camp Hertko Hollow’s Family Camp Retreats are for the whole family. This weekend is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together to learn more about diabetes and share their common experiences in a supportive setting. It’s also great for newly diagnosed children or children who haven't attended summer camp yet – during the Family Camp Retreat they will get a taste of what summer camp is all about. The weekend includes numerous camp activities in addition to workshops on diabetes. Informative speakers and panel discussion give everyone a new perspective. Click here to register.

Teen Retreat will be held April 29 – May 1, 2016. This weekend deals specifically with the concerns and needs of teenagers. Teens are increasingly independent and face ongoing challenges related to making decisions and managing their diabetes. Activities are designed to challenge and support teens so they leave the weekend feeling recharged and empowered. Click here to register.

SAVE THESE SUMMER CAMP DATES!:
Kids Week (6/26/16 – 7/2/16) for 8-12 year olds
Mini Camp Session 1 (6/26/16 – 6/29/16) – for 6 and 7 year olds
Mini Camp Session 2 (6/29/16 – 7/2/16) – for 6 and 7 year olds
Teen Week (7/3/16 – 7/9/16) for 13-17 year olds
Leaders in Training (7/3/16 – 7/9/16) for 16 year olds
Counselors in Training (6/26/16 – 7/2/16) for 17 year olds

Camp Hertko Hollow is guaranteed to be the best week of the summer! Bonus features are being added to make this camp session the best ever! Visit www.CampHertkoHollow.com or call Deb Holwegner with questions at 515-471-8547.

grant award smiley face

CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW’S ANNUAL CAMPAIGN – A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS!

Special thanks to the 38 volunteers who helped Camp Hertko Hollow raise $105,445 for our annual campaign! These funds go directly to families who require financial assistance in order to attend camp and ensure that no child is turned away due to an inability to pay the full camp fee.

Without the generous support of our donors, these children wouldn’t be able to afford to attend Camp Hertko Hollow and would miss out not only on the educational opportunities, but also the chance to play, talk and spend time with other children afflicted with diabetes. We couldn’t do it without the help of our volunteers. On behalf of all the children who benefit from your support we thank you!

Camp Hertko Hollow wishes you a Happy New Year, and we look forward to seeing you all soon at our fantastic camp sessions in 2016!

November 2015 Newsletter

Jessica Thornton - Friday, October 30, 2015

People+Passion+Pledges=Big Splash in November

Our campers are not the only ones who get the fun of taking the plunge and making a splash at Camp Hertko Hollow! November is National Diabetes Month and we have close to 40 campaigners who are eager to renew pledges from our past donors and help develop new financial supporters over the course of the next four weeks. For some people fundraising is an adventurous and fun task. For others it is something they really have to make themselves jump into. The common thread to their success is passion. Sharing passion for something you believe in makes all the difference in achieving your goals of fundraising for dollars or raising awareness. Weather you receive a call from one of our brave campaigners, or you go to our website and donate on-line, please help us to achieve our goal of $105,000. This money will continue to ensure that we never turn a child away from Camp Hertko Hollow due to an inability to pay. Our 2016 summer sessions are just around the corner and we need help now to generate funds for these amazing kids. Please consider making a pledge or donation to Camp Hertko Hollow this November! Until there is a cure, there is Camp Hertko Hollow.

How Do We Measure Up?

measure up

Smiles captured at camp tell us a lot about our program, but we know there is always room for improvement. We annually conduct a survey after camp that is sent to our camp families and our volunteer staff. We are proud to share the highlights from that survey below.

Camp family highlights...
* 97% of parents said that Camp Hertko Hollow met or exceeded their expectations!
* 90% of parents said that Camp Hertko Hollow helped their child learn more about diabetes and the importance of managing their disease!
* 94% of parents said that the quality of the Camp Hertko Hollow staff was above average or extremely high!
* 83% of parents said that their child will be returning to camp next summer!

Volunteer Staff highlights...
* 94% of our volunteer staff said that their experience at Camp Hertko Hollow was good or excellent!
* 97% of our volunteer staff felt appreciated!

happy boys

These smiles are what keep us going!

Cookbooks Create a Healthy Feast of Camperships!

cookbook icon

Camp Hertko Hollow has a tasty tool for families to use to help earn partial and full camperships through selling our Carbohydrate Counting Cookbook. This cookbooks sell for $17.00 but $10.00 goes directly to camperships for a child at camp. You do not need to be a camper family to sell these books, this is a great project for any college group looking to help a charity in need, or a group looking to help a specific child in their community to attend camp at no charge to the family. November is a perfect time to sell these books as many people look to purchase cookbooks for their favorite "foodie" on their holiday gift list. The dividers in this cookbook are filled with pictures and testimonies of our camp, which brings out the sweet aroma of why camp is so important to these kids. A Special Gluten Free section is included, along with carbohydrate and nutrition information needed for successful meal planning.
Call April Barr at 515-471-8548 for more information and schedule a shipment of books to be delivered to your door today! Check out this delicious recipe from our cookbook:

Cinnamon Mini Muffins
Yield: 2 dozen Carb: 12gm
Calories 96 Protein:1gm
Fat:5gm Sodium: 128 mg

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 C sugar
1 egg (lightly beaten)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 C skim milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C margarine (melted)
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

TOPPING:
2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 C margarine (melted)

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and allspice. Combine the egg, milk and margarine; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Spoon into greased or paper lined mini muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until muffins test done. For topping, combine sugar and cinnamon. Brush the tops of warm muffins with margarine: sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

SAVE THE DATES FOR OUR PROGRAMS IN 2016:
Family Diabetes Education Retreat: April 29th - May 1st
Mini-Camp session 1: June 26 - June 29 (ages 5-7)
Mini-Camp session 2: June 29 - July 2 (ages 5-7)
Kids Week: June 26 - Jul 2 (ages 8-12)
Teen Week: July 3 - July 9 (ages 13-17)
Check out our Hertko Future Leaders program for teens ages 16-17, who desire to join our CHH staff in the future, just go to. . .

LIT( Leaders in Training) 16year olds: July 3 - July 9
CIT (counselor in training) 17year olds: June 26 - July 2
On-line registration opens January, 2016
__

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Camp Hertko Hollow invites you to support these upcoming events!

Jessica Thornton - Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Read More. . .

PLEASE JOIN US FOR ANY/ALL OF THESE THREE UPCOMING EVENTS BENFITTING CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW!

McAninch Sports Complex - 200 Wright Road, Norwalk

FIELD OF DREAMS GHOST PLAYERS EVENT
Saturday, July 25, 2015
4:30 PM

Come out to see the “The Greatest Show on Dirt”!
Ghost Players will travel in from the corn fields of Dyersville, Iowa to perform their entertaining comedy routine that incorporates children from the audience! Followed by a celebrity game of Ghost Players vs. Norwalk Police Officers & Fire Fighters. Proceeds benefiting Camp Hertko Hollow.

Irina's Restaurant and Bar - 2301 Rocklyn Dr, Urbandale - 515-331-0399

IRINA’S RESTARAUNT AND BAR
Thursday, July 30, 2015
6:00 PM

Irina's will be hosting a four course dinner on July 30th at 6 pm, 20% of the dinner will be donated to Camp Hertko Hollow. Cost is $50 per person for dinner, drinks are additional. Click here to make your reservation.

Campbell Recreation Area - 12385 Woodlands Pkwy - Clive, IA 50325

12th ANNUAL BRINKS KICKBALL TOURNAMENT
Saturday, August 8, 2015

Registration for the 2015 Brinks Charity Kickball Tournament is now open and the proceeds of this year's tourney benefit Camp Hertko Hollow! The tourney will take place on Saturday, August 8 at Campbell Park in Clive. To register for the tournament please visit the registration website. Join the fun and help out a great cause, register today as the tourney is limited to the first 24 teams who enter. Team registration is $250 per team for at least 10 players per team

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May 2015 Newsletter

Jessica Thornton - Thursday, May 21, 2015

Read More. . .

A message from the Executive Director . . .

It's hard to believe that Camp is just a few weeks away! We are busy hiring staff and getting kids registered for what we are sure is going to be our best summer yet (and yes, I know we say that every summer - but it really does just keep getting better and better)! The number of registered campers we have so far is ahead of where we were at this time last year so it looks like it's going to be a very full two weeks! Parents, if you haven't yet registered your child for camp I'd encourage you to do so sooner rather than later. Spots are filling up quickly, and we'd hate for you to miss out. We also still have financial assistance and sponsorship dollars available, so don't let the cost of camp get in the way of your child having one of the best weeks of their life!

In other news, I hope you'll read the section below about our Family Weekend. We had a huge group join us for a great couple of days full of campfires, informative speakers, a dance hosted by the teens, and even a "Smoothie Bike" (provided by United Healthcare)! It's always so fun to be at camp in the Spring - and it really gets us excited for the summer.

Hope to see you in a few weeks at camp! Thank you for being part of the Camp Hertko Hollow family!

Jessica Thornton, Executive Director

P.S. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns (515-471-8523)

SIGN UP NOW FOR SUMMER 2015!

Camp is just around the corner, have you signed up yet??? It's not too late - but we're filling up fast. This could be our largest summer ever! Reserve your spot today! It's guaranteed to be your favorite week of the whole year. Visit www.camphertkohollow.com and register today!

CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW, 2015

June 21-June 24:
Mini-Camp 1 (half week session for 6-7 year olds)

June 24-June 27:
Mini-Camp 2 (half week session for 6-7 year olds)

June 21-June 27:
1. Kids Week (8-12 year olds)
2. Counselor in Training – CIT (17 year olds)

June 28 - July 4:
1. Teen Week (13-17 year olds)
2. Leaders in Training – LIT (16 year olds)

UPDATE ON FAMILY WEEKEND AND TEEN RETREAT

The Spring Family Weekend and Teen Retreat (held April 24-26 at the Y Camp in Boone) was a huge success! We had over 150 people join us for a weekend full of fun, education, and numerous activities making it our largest Family Weekend ever. We couldn't have done it without the help of all of our fabulous camp staff and volunteers!

Special thanks to our speakers that gave such informative presentations:
Dr. Ed Hertko
Dan Sleiter
John Smick
Melissa Walker
AnnElise Walsh

Special thanks to our vendors for providing our families with so many great resources:
Dexcom
United Health Care
Tandem
Run Like a Girl
Omni pod
Norvo Nordisk
JDRF
ADA
Thirty One gifts
Mary Greeley Medical Center
Animus
Medtronic
Hy-Vee
Lions Club
Roche

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January 2015 Newsletter

Jessica Thornton - Friday, January 09, 2015

Read More. . .

A message from the Executive Director . . .

It's a busy time for Camp Hertko Hollow! We've wrapped up a very successful annual campaign, moved our office to the new Wellmark YMCA, and are now deep in planning for Family Weekend and Teen Retreat (April 24-26), as well as our summer sessions! We are also pleased to announce that we have changed the way that we price Camp Hertko Hollow for Summer, 2015 in a way that makes it better for parents. Our new pricing model strives to maximize our capacity while also keeping camp affordable for the majority of our families. While the true cost for one week of Camp Hertko Hollow continues to be approximately $1300, we are able to charge a much lower fee ($650 for week long camps/$325 for mini-camps) thanks to the generosity of the various donors that support camp. In addition, if a family cannot afford to pay the full fee then all we ask is that they pay what they can afford. A family’s financial situation should never get in the way of their child benefitting from a Camp Hertko Hollow experience. Camp is also aware that diabetes affects the whole family, which is why we also welcome non-diabetic siblings (pending availability), to attend Camp Hertko Hollow and receive the same diabetes education that will prove valuable for the entire family. We are excited about this new way of pricing and hope that it will make it even easier for families to send their child to camp this summer.

Thank you for being part of the Camp Hertko Hollow family!

Jessica Thornton, Executive Director

SIGN UP TODAY TO EXPERIENCE CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW IN THE SPRING!

TEEN RETREAT
Ages: 13-17 Year Olds
Dates: April 24-26, 2015
Total Fee: $75/per participant
No camper will be turned away due to an inability to pay. Financial assistance is available if you cannot afford to pay the full fee. For more information, call 515-471-8523.

Our next Teen Retreat will be held April 24-26 at the Y Camp in Boone, Iowa. This weekend deals specifically with the concerns and needs of teenagers. Teens are increasingly independent and face ongoing challenges related to making decisions and managing their diabetes. Activities are designed to challenge and support teens so they leave the weekend feeling recharged and empowered.

FAMILY WEEKEND
Ages: All ages welcome!
Dates: April 24-26, 2015
Total Fee: $75/per participant
No camper will be turned away due to an inability to pay. Financial assistance is available if you cannot afford to pay the full fee. For more information, call 515-471-8523.

Our next Family Camp weekend will be held April 24-26, 2015 at the Y Camp in Boone, Iowa. Children with diabetes of all ages are encouraged to attend with their family members, close friend, grandparents, and even babysitters to learn about managing diabetes.
Because diabetes affects the whole family, Camp Hertko Hollow’s Family Camp Retreats are for the whole family. This weekend is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together to learn more about diabetes and share their common experiences in a supportive setting. It’s also great for newly diagnosed children or children who haven't attended summer camp yet – during the Family Camp Retreat they will get a taste of what summer camp is all about. The weekend includes numerous camp activities in addition to workshops on diabetes. Informative speakers and panel discussion give everyone a new perspective.

REGISTRATION FOR SUMMER 2015 IS NOW OPEN!

We're gearing up for a fun-filled summer, and are now accepting registrations for campers and volunteer staff. It's guaranteed to be your favorite week of the whole year. Visitwww.camphertkohollow.com and register today!

SAVE THESE DATES FOR
CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW, 2015

April 24-26, 2015: Family Weekend

April 24-26, 2015: Teen Retreat

June 21-June 24: Mini-Camp 1 (half week session for 6-7 year olds)

June 24-June 27: Mini-Camp 2 (half week session for 6-7 year olds)

June 21-June 27, 2015:
1. Kids Week (8-12 year olds)
2. Counselor in Training – CIT (17 year olds)

June 28 - July 4, 2015:
1. Teen Week (13-17 year olds)
2. Leaders in Training – LIT (16 year olds)

Dr. Ed Hertko, founder of Camp Hertko Hollow and his wife Vicki Hertko accept their award for raising over $30,000 for the annual campaign.

SPOTLIGHT ON CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW'S ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

This year's annual campaign was a huge success in thanks to the 47 volunteers who brought in over 500 donations totalling $131,349! What a blessing to have so many passionate volunteers, who are willing to make donation requests on behalf of camp. These volunteers' efforts make a huge difference to our organization, but most importantly to families who otherwise would not be able to afford to send their child to Camp Hertko Hollow. Specials thanks to the following individuals who helped with this year's annual campaign:

Mike Appleseth

Brant Ausenhus

April Barr

Sara Behn

David Blacksmith

Jolene Brady

Dave & Jill Brown

Amy Buress

Stephanie Cater

Anne Citarella

Brian Davis

Tammy Deheer

Stephanie Doerhoff

Ross Eoriatti

Travis Grassel

Ivan & Steph Gurerra

Susan Haines

Vicki Hertko

Joe Jorgensen

Jean Koch

Chris Koepplin

Jeff Kramer

Alex Kretzinger

Billie LeClair

Brad Long

Gregg Anne Lowe

Chasity Mease

Emily Melendez

Judi Norman

Troy Norman

Shelly Nurse

Patrick Patterson

Nathan Reese

Julie Roosa

Dave Sherry

Kaj Sinclair

John Smick

Amy Tappendorf

Eileen Thompson

Betsy Tille

Jace Wallerich

Judy Winegar

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November 2014 Newsletter

Jessica Thornton - Thursday, October 30, 2014

Read More. . .

A message from the Executive Director . . .

November is just around the corner - and not only is it National Diabetes month it is also the month in which we kick off Camp Hertko Hollow's annual campaign! The annual campaign provides thousands of dollars to our campers every year through scholarship funds. In fact, this past summer 96% of our campers received some sort of financial assistance in order to attend camp. This year's campaign will generate close to $150,000 that goes directly towards providing families with the financial assistance they need to be able to afford camp. We have been doing this for 8 years now and can see first-hand how it affects these families - it truly makes a difference. Of course our campaign would not be possible (or successful) with out the help of our numerous volunteers who make calls to their friends/family/colleagues/etc. asking for contributions. If you would be willing to make a few calls on behalf of Camp Hertko Hollow please contact our office. If you're reading this newsletter you're likely already passionate about Camp, and would therefore be an excellent campaigner! The commitment is minimal and the experience is fun as well as rewarding. Please consider joining our team of volunteers to help us reach our annual campaign goal, and thank you for being part of the Camp Hertko Hollow family!

Jessica Thornton, Executive Director

SAVE THESE DATES FOR

CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW, 2015

April 24-26, 2015: Family Weekend

April 24-26, 2015: Teen Retreat

June 21-27, 2015: Kids Week
(6-12 year olds)

June 28 - July 4, 2015: Teen Week
(13-17 year olds)

SPOTLIGHT ON EVENTS

The Run Like a Girl - 1K race was held on September 5th with proceeds benefiting Camp Hertko Hollow. Nearly 200 participants gathered for a fun evening in Downtown Des Moines - many of which were in costumes! Clutch from KGGO helped emcee the event and music was provided by the bands Nothing Special and The Holy Rattlesnakes. Special thanks to Crystal Repp, Brian Davis and Stacy Heidemann for coordinating the event as well as Mullets and El Bait Shop for hosting the festivities. Camp Hertko Hollow is grateful for your support!

Look for more shout outs each month, thank you to everyone who make camperships possible for these great kids!**

Check this out: SMASH DIABETES!

In an effort to support people living with diabetes and accelerating critical research, we ask you to join, Smash Diabetes, a creative campaign developed to drive awareness and raise new funding to advance cutting edge research.

Smash Diabetes is all about giving visibility to an invisible disease and sharing with the world how much diabetes stinks. It’s about showing the world how frustrating it is to live with the never-ending grind behind the scenes. Sure, we can eat candy on Halloween, Easter, and those other commercialized, sugar-saturated holidays, but it poses a set of challenges that most people don’t understand.

This November, to kick off Diabetes Awareness Month, we encourage everyone to Smash Diabetes by creatively (and safely*) smashing a pumpkin, or other autumn-esque objects, to represent the daily frustration of living with diabetes and desire to support those affected by diabetes and advance critical research.

To learn more visit SMASH DIABETES.ORG

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September 2014 Newsletter

Jessica Thornton - Friday, September 05, 2014

A message from the Executive Director . . .

It's hard to believe that we were at camp just two months ago - welcoming 297 kids and 125 volunteers to two weeks filled with fun and memories to last a lifetime! As I think back on those two weeks I feel so grateful for the new friends I met, all that I learned about diabetes, and the time I got to spend outside enjoying the sun (and rain). At the end of those two weeks I was tired, and dirty, and anxious to sleep in my own bed. But, as I drove out of camp and arrived at the top of the hill I felt inspired. Inspired to spend the next eleven months planning for another successful summer session, inspired to raise funds to send as many kids as possible to camp, and inspired to be part of the Camp Hertko Hollow family. We are gearing up for Summer, 2015 as we speak and hope that you will continue to join us - as a camper, a volunteer, and/or a donor. Camp Hertko Hollow would not be possible without all of you - thank you for being part of our family!

Jessica Thornton, Executive Director

News from Camp Hertko Hollow

June 2016 Newsletter

Happy Holidays from Camp Hertko Hollow!

Camp Hertko Hollow wishes you a Happy New Year, and we look forward to seeing you all soon at our fantastic camp sessions in 2016!

November 2015 Newsletter

People+Passion+Pledges=Big Splash in November

How Do We Measure Up?

Cookbooks Create a Healthy Feast of Camperships!

Camp Hertko Hollow invites you to support these upcoming events!

PLEASE JOIN US FOR ANY/ALL OF THESE THREE UPCOMING EVENTS BENFITTING CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW!

May 2015 Newsletter

A message from the Executive Director . . .

SIGN UP NOW FOR SUMMER 2015!

UPDATE ON FAMILY WEEKEND AND TEEN RETREAT

January 2015 Newsletter

A message from the Executive Director . . .

SIGN UP TODAY TO EXPERIENCE CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW IN THE SPRING!

REGISTRATION FOR SUMMER 2015 IS NOW OPEN!

SPOTLIGHT ON CAMP HERTKO HOLLOW'S ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

November 2014 Newsletter

SPOTLIGHT ON EVENTS

Check this out: SMASH DIABETES!

September 2014 Newsletter

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