Donor of the Month - December 2005
The Amanda Martin Family Sponsorship Fund
Her memory will live on forever at Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine ’s staff & families were recently honored to witness the great statement of love and respect displayed by the family and friends of Amanda Martin. The many donations received “In her memory” will have a profound benefit to Camp Sunshine’s ill children and their families. It has been an extraordinary exhibit of compassion over the past three years and is a great credit to Amanda’s grandparents and longtime Camp Sunshine volunteers Roberta & Ivan Ward. Along with family and friends, the Wards have completed a journey that will forever honor Amanda’s life.
The Wards recently reached their goal of raising $25,000 to establish the Amanda Martin Family Sponsorship Fund. This fund will allow a family to attend Camp Sunshine annually, in perpetuity. It also helps ensure that Camp Sunshine will continue to move forward and expand once again in 2006, offering the program to even more families.
Through letter writing campaigns, the solicitation of friends and relatives, and procuring large auction items for Camp, the Wards were able to achieve their goal. “It was really through the encouragement of our dear friends the Ross’s and the Alfert’s that we even decided to take on such a monumental task,” said Ivan Ward. Roberta continued, “We never thought it would come to fruition, really I feel like if we could do it anyone can.”
To everyone that partnered to support this most honorable fundraising effort we extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
If you would like to find out more information about establishing a family sponsorship fund, please contact the Camp Sunshine office at 207.655.3800
Donor of the Month - November 2005
AirTran Airways, Hands on Tzedakah,
& the Ronald McDonald House of Orlando, Florida
In the Spring of 2005, Hands On Tzedakah (HOT) offered Camp Sunshine’s Executive Director a challenge, which was to find a donor to match HOT’s grant for transportation up to $5,000. With the help of Josh Hendrix, assistant house manager of the Ronald McDonald House of Orlando, Florida, Ronald McDonald House partner and supporter AirTran Airways came through with 20 round-trip airline tickets for families from Florida. This donation of tickets, valued in excess of $5,000, qualified Camp Sunshine for the $5,000 cash distribution from HOT, allowing Camp Sunshine to bring many more children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from Florida to Camp.
Hands On Tzedakah is a 501 (c) 3 public charity, whose mission is primarily to support “safety-net” or essential, life-sustaining programs. These programs include projects that combat hunger, poverty, homelessness and illness. Additionally, they support human service type projects that have to do with quality-of-life programs such as providing health and mental wellness support to victims of terror, the economically disadvantaged, disabled, abused, elderly, ill etc.
AirTran Airways is one of America’s largest low-fare airlines - employing more than 6,700 friendly, professional Crew Members and operating over 500 flights a day to over 40 destinations.
The Ronald McDonald Houses of Orlando are a "home-away-from-home" for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at local hospitals. RMH Orlando offers two beautiful houses with a combined 59 bedrooms to serve families and their children.
Camp Sunshine thanks Hands On Tzedakah, AirTran Airways, and the Ronald McDonald House of Orlando, FL for their commitment to families with seriously ill children.
To learn more about Hands On Tzedakah, AirTran Airways, and the Ronald McDonald House of Orlando, please visit www.handsontzedakah.org, www.airtran.com, and www.rmhorlando.com.
Donor of the Month – August 2005
The Sulzberger Foundation, Inc.
A Family Tradition of Caring
Last October, members of the Sulzberger family, whose family has published The New York Times since 1896, made their first annual pilgrimage to the crystal clear shores of Sebago Lake in Casco, Maine. Their trip to Migis Lodge, a retreat for guests seeking a little quiet from the world, also included a stop at Camp Sunshine.
Prior to their visit the Sulzberger family asked Migis Lodge owner and Camp Sunshine Board Member Tim Porta if he knew of a charitable organization that they could visit and volunteer at during their stay. Spending a day helping a charity has been a tradition the family has incorporated into their annual gatherings. Of course, Tim told them all about Camp Sunshine and they were interested.
During their stay in Maine, approximately forty family members toured Camp Sunshine and spent a beautiful fall day painting, raking, stacking wood, and preparing the Camp for a long winter.
The family was clearly moved by their experience at Camp Sunshine and in July 2005 the Sulzberger Foundation presented a gift of $10,000 to sponsor families at Camp.
We applaud the entire Sulzberger family for taking time out of their vacation to get involved with the local community and Camp Sunshine. We would also like to thank them for their commitment to helping families with seriously ill children.
Donor of the Month – June 2005
True Fans for Elvis Club
Keeping “The King's” Memory Alive Through Caring
Since 1988 - The True Fans for Elvis Fan Club, headed by Dot Gonyea (one of Camp Sunshine's most dedicated volunteers), has raised more than $45,000 for Camp Sunshine.
Throughout the years, the Club has supported Camp Sunshine 's Family Sponsorship Program, our campus Capital Campaign, and our Brick Walkway Endowment Campaign. Their annual support reached an all time high this past May when they presented their largest gift ever in the amount of $12,285!
More impressive than their broad range of support is their extensive means of fundraising. Club members have held craft shows, auctions and even a benefit concert to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Elvis' passing. The event was held in Portland , Maine which was the next place Elvis was expected to play (to two sold out audiences) before he died. Dubbed ‘the concert that never happened,” it featured an Elvis impersonator at the same venue where 25 years earlier 17,000 heartbroken fans were left holding tickets. All monies raised went to Camp Sunshine.
In 2003, Camp Sunshine recognized the efforts of the True Fans For Elvis Club by naming its Nursery in their honor. “The True Fans For Elvis Teddy Bear Nursery” will forever be a reminder of the efforts they have put forth for Camp Sunshine.
Camp Sunshine would like to thank The True Fans For Elvis Club for choosing Camp Sunshine as a recipient of their generosity and for their unyielding commitment to families with seriously ill children.
Donor of the Month – May 2005
The Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation
Securing Camp Sunshine’s Future – Endowed Family Sponsorships
Camp Sunshine would like to acknowledge the wonderful gifts, totaling $51,500, which have been generously donated by the Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation (of Clifton, NJ) over the past three years.
The Berger Foundation’s assistance to New Jersey families has been extraordinary since they first began supporting Camp Sunshine in September of 2003. Just months after an initial donation of $1,500 to sponsor a family from Clifton, New Jersey, foundation Trustee Sandye Berger phoned Camp to see how they could help in a more significant way. After learning about the opportunity to endow a family sponsorship in perpetuity at Camp Sunshine for $25,000, Sandye discussed the opportunity with her sister Renee and other foundation Trustees and shortly thereafter established the “Sol & Margaret Berger Family Sponsorship Fund” with a generous donation of $25,000. The fund will support families from New Jersey and New York.
Just one year after making the first very generous investment of $25,000 in our future, Sandye and Renee recently decided to contribute another $25,000 to the “Sol & Margaret Berger Family Sponsorship Fund” at Camp Sunshine, thereby endowing a second family sponsorship, in perpetuity. According to Renee Berger, Camp Sunshine is a good fit for the foundation, as it is a vehicle through which they can carry out their mother’s affection for the welfare of children.
Thanks to the generosity of the Berger Foundation, “The Sol & Margaret Berger Family Sponsorship Fund” will benefit families from New Jersey and New York at Camp Sunshine for years to come. If you would like to learn more about establishing an endowed family sponsorship fund, please feel free to contact Camp Sunshine Executive Director Matt Hoidal, at (207) 655-3800.
On behalf of all of us at Camp Sunshine, we sincerely thank Sandye and Renee, and the Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation, for choosing Camp Sunshine as a recipient of their generosity and for their commitment to families with seriously ill children throughout New Jersey and New York.
Donor of the Month – April 2005
Serving Children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from northern New Jersey
Camp Sunshine acknowledges the wonderful gifts, totaling $19,500, which have been generously donated by North Jersey Media Group and the North Jersey Media Group Foundation over the past several years. Since 2001, the northern New Jersey newspaper and media company has consistently sponsored two to four families a year from New Jersey at Camp Sunshine.
The Company’s Daily Division, one of five divisions, includes The Record and Herald News, award-winning dailies serving Bergen and Passaic counties and the surrounding regions of northern New Jersey. They have a combined circulation of 181,438 daily and 228,908 on Sunday. The Record has won more awards than any other New Jersey newspaper.
Camp Sunshine thanks North Jersey Media Group and the Borg family for their commitment to families with seriously ill children from northern New Jersey.
To learn more about North Jersey Media Group, The Record, Herald News, and the North Jersey Media Group Foundation, please visit www.northjerseymediagroup.com, www.northjersey.com, and www.njmgf.org.
Donor of the Month – February 2005
The Zobel Foundation
Addressing a Need Close to Home - Donor Advised Giving
Camp Sunshine would like to acknowledge the wonderful gifts, totaling $16,000, which have been generously donated by the Zobel Foundation (of Red Bank, NJ) over the past eight months.
The Zobel Foundation’s assistance to New Jersey families has been extraordinary since they first began supporting Camp Sunshine last June. After an initial donation of $5,000, foundation President Larry Fuchs received a single thank you letter from a family that The Zobel Foundation had sponsored. The foundation’s response - they immediately mailed an additional $5,000.
The foundation’s guidelines require that all funds be spent in support of New Jersey families. Not only has Camp been able to adhere to this request, but the need has been so great that Camp Sunshine has been able to use 100% of the funds received from the foundation to sponsor families within its own county, and a neighboring county!
Many of our donors have similar requests or requirements – and it is Camp Sunshine’s goal to respect each one. Remember, our families come from around the country (and world) to attend our program. If you are from outside of Maine and would like to sponsor a family from your state at Camp Sunshine, we can accommodate your interests.
Besides adding a geographic focus to your donation, you may also choose to support a specific disease.
Camp Sunshine would like to thank The Zobel Foundation for choosing Camp Sunshine as a recipient of their generosity and for their commitment to families with seriously ill children throughout New Jersey.
Donor of the Month – January 2005
In kind gifts that make a Difference
Since the completion of our new campus in 2001 many companies have generously supported Camp Sunshine with donations of their products. We are pleased to highlight the following two companies as the January Donors of the Month.
Poland Spring® Natural Spring Water has graciously donated its product to our program and continues to do so while we expand our programming, from the 8 weeks we offered in 2001 to the 26 weeks we are offering in 2005.
Poland Spring® began to bottle water in 1845 and since then has become one of the best selling brands, distributing its Maine spring water across the United States.
Sure Winner Foods has also continued to supply Camp Sunshine with yet another vital summer resource- “ice cream!” For the past four years Sure Winner Foods has provided enough ice cream bars, ice cream cookies, cones and other delicious treats to more than 12,500 individuals here at Camp Sunshine.
As a distributor of quality ice cream, Sure Winner Foods is a one-stop ice cream source for northern New England. They carry a complete line of over 1000 ice cream, yogurt, novelty, and frozen foods items.
Once again we sincerely thank Poland Spring® and Sure Winner Foods for their generous support. If you or your company would like to donate product to help out Camp Sunshine, please contact our offices at (207) 655-3800.
