Leadership

Corinne Jacobson

How I got involved:
A coworker was passionate about Kamp and encouraged me to volunteer for a day. It only took once and I was hooked!

Favorite Kamp memory:
My best memory of Kamp: one of my first years at Kamp, “Annie” was in my cabin. She was actively undergoing treatment and had no hair. Fast forward to today: she is healthy, is married with children and actively volunteers at Kamp. My heart overflows with happiness when I think of her and other kampers who beat their illnesses and are now young adults living their lives!

Kris Lindemann

How I got involved:
I was visiting with Kim about Kamp and offered to help if they ever needed anything. I was thinking I could make cookies. Instead she asked me to be a counselor. So glad I said yes! I’ve been there ever since!

Favorite Kamp memory:
How do you pick? It might be the endless laughing and memories made with kids and staff that make me smile all year long. It might be the canoe trip that seemed to go on forever. Maybe the songs that we sing. Or the traditions that mean so much to our kids and families. It’s hard to pick. I do know that watching the difference on the parent’s faces from the day they drop off to the day they pick up is absolutely amazing. They trust us with their kids and the time and care we give to the entire family is such a priceless gift. I love what we do!

Lindsay Johnson

How I got involved:
I was a kamper for 10 years starting at 6 when I was going through treatment for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Some of my fondest memories as a child were at Kamp. I came back to be a counselor in 2011 when my brother was going through treatment and asked if I would go with him.

Favorite Kamp memory:
Too many to pick just one.

Melissa Schmautz

How I got involved:
During my first year of working at the hospital, Marcia told me a lot about Kamp KACE. At that time, I was going to college to become a Child Life Specialist. The next summer, Marcia invited me to be a Kamp counselor. Even though the weather was awful that summer (the coldest it has been in all of my years attending) I knew I wanted to come back; and I have been there ever since.

Favorite Kamp memory:
Kamp is a magical place. As a Child Life Specialist, I work with many children who attend Kamp, whether they are a survivor or a sibling. At Kamp, I get to interact with them outside of the hospital walls. My favorite memories happen each year when I get to see the “change” that occurs after they attend Kamp.

Neil Van Dam

How I got involved:
Started as a volunteer because my friend Meatsauce is a child life specialist and would always talk about Kamp KACE with such a twinkle in her eye and I knew it had to be something special. They were short of male counselors one year and I volunteered and instantly became addicted.

Favorite Kamp memory:
Dressing up as Nacho Libre and challenging Maria Prussia (MMA fighter) to a staged fight. I took her down and then she tapped out and a child took me out. The whole Kamp cheered him on. It’s fun playing the villain at Kamp KACE.

Kristen Johnson

How I got involved:
I took a nursing job in Peds Oncology at Sanford in Fargo in 2014. I started hearing about Kamp KACE from other staff and knew I wanted to be a part of it. The next summer I was able to go to Kamp as one of the nurses and I have been going yearly ever since!

Favorite Kamp memory:
>I love everything.

Jacob Roble

How I got involved:
I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when I was three and by the time I was old enough for Kamp my cancer recurred and the nurses convinced my parents to let me go and I haven’t left since.

Favorite Kamp memory:
When Melissa found a grey hair on Lorri’s head.

Rick Hill

How I got involved:
Dr Tillisch (when I was working at Dakota) paged me to Ped’s. When I got to her nurses station she told I was going to KAMP and she and Pat had told Admin and Dept head I’d be gone from work that week. I started as the IT guy bringing a fax machine in the late 90’s to hook up a fax line for emergencies. Once I met the kids, I never left.

Favorite Kamp memory:
Bringing my passion for sailing to Kamp when I would bring my sailboat out to Trowbridge and teach sailing.

Marcia Bettenhausen

How I got involved:
I first attended Kamp as a counselor, with a kamper who needed a 1:1 nurse in 1989. I was a newbie nurse at St Luke’s hospital, and was asked to attend for half of the week, so that another nurse could head to We Fest. Boy was I glad to be asked. I was hooked! Other than a year off when my son was born in 1995, I’ve been there ever since. I was in cabins until 1993 when I became the Kamp Nurse.

Favorite Kamp memory:
My favorite memories are the crazy times — the year we first had a luau, and one of our kiddos was so sick. He had just returned from his bone marrow transplant, and really needed lots of support to stay at Kamp. We did everything we could to keep him there – IV’s, special foods, and special activities. He is now an RN and a board member — we took a “then and now” luau photo this past summer. My other favorite memories are storm nights — when everyone banded together in SAFE places to ride out the storm!!

Barbara Howard

How I got involved:
I got involved with Kamp KACE in 2005 when my sons attended.

Favorite Kamp memory:
For me it’s the annual golf tournament fundraiser. I have hosted it for the last 10 years!

Kim Reger

How I got involved:
I got involved with Kamp through Campfire boys and girls as a counselor and when KACE broke away from that entity I was asked to be the Director for KACE and with no hesitation said, “Yes!”

Favorite Kamp memory:
I have so many memorable events from Kamp but one that sticks with me is when I was checking in on the oldest boy cabin at our Trowbridge site. They asked me to stay on the deck and visit with them. They proceeded to say we heard you got the cancer? We had a long long talk about treatment and surviving and then they serenaded “Ring of Fire” to me and it has been with me ever since.