CASCO, MAINE 2018 ANNUAL REPORT WWW.CAMPSUNSHINE.ORG A RETREAT FOR CHILDREN WITH LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES AND THEIR FAMILIES TABLE OF 1 Reflecting on 2018 5 Leading the Way 3 Our Mission 6 First Session CONTENTS 4 Program History 7 Building the Program REFLECTING ON 2018 Another fabulous year is in the books. Thanks to your community service and most importantly was awarded generosity and support our 34th year of serving children Charity Navigator’s coveted top four-star rating for with life-threatening illnesses and their families was a exhibiting fiscal management and transparency. tremendous success! As we look forward to celebrating Each day, into each year we are more astonished by our 35th Anniversary in 2019, we would like to take a the people and organizations that generously share moment and share with you some of the exciting and their time and talent to help insure Camp Sunshine’s amazing highlights of the past year. success. We had people run races, jump in the chilly Camp Sunshine offered 23 programs and served 731 waters, host concerts, produce stage shows, organize families (2,870 family members) from 43 states and 9 golf tournaments, participate in craft fairs and more. countries. We extended our outreach, visiting hospitals Camp hosted our 16th Pumpkin Festival and 2nd annual and clinics in a variety of locations, hosted a pilot Watermelon Festival on the campus of L.L. Bean, program with Boston Children’s Hospital for their Solid Twenty-five brave Navy SEALs paddled 26.2 miles (a Organ Transplant families, partnered with Tropical marathon) atop paddleboards in the open ocean off Smoothie Café to host informational family socials the coast of Coronado Island, CA. to raise funds and with area communities and teamed up with Wipe Out awareness for Camp Sunshine out West. While here Kids Cancer to introduce Camp to more families. We at home six SEALs for Sunshine participants took on increased our transportation assistance program for the Stone Coast Challenge. Other outstanding events families unable to get to Camp on their own, thanks to included the Braveheart Bike Ride, Christopher A. Foley the continued support of Hands on Tzedakah, Leukemia Memorial & S/A Maraia golf events and the L/A Harley & Lymphoma Society, SEALs for Sunshine, Julie & Ron Charity Ride. Eby & Windham Automotive, John & Ann Ewalt, and Volunteers and Camp supporters continued to make a Tropical Smoothie Café. difference not only creating extraordinary moments The Camp Sunshine program continued to strive during Camp sessions; but by stepping up to be counted. toward and maintain its high standard of programming, Literally to be counted through their votes. What a operations & service and again achieved accreditation spectacular display of unity when called upon to help. through the American Camping Association (ACA), With the presence and assistance of the Camp Sunshine maintained Gold Ribbon Camp status with the community on social media and through online Children’s Oncology Camping Association-International campaigns, we were selected as recipients of the Town (COCA-I), received top rating from GreatNonprofits, & Country Better Neighbor Award and the Red Sox was recognized by Cumberland County, Maine with Foundation Impact Award…Thank you! Talking about the Spirit of America Award honoring commendable impact, volunteers did more, hosting Camp benefits, 1 8 Then and Now 13 By the Numbers 21 Treasurer’s Report 25 2018 Donors 9 Timeline 15 Learning Experiences 22 Financials 45 New Board Members 11 Family Letter 16 Volunteers 24 Sunshine Society 46 Staff/Board like Sienna’s Gold Gala, Polar Dips, Chris Sweeney’s experiences, connections and families sharing cherished Bruins Alumni Hockey Game, and Board Member Kevin moments! We could not do it without your kindness and Silverang’s 3rd Annual Rock n’ Soul Party…boy did he generosity. This year promises to be equally as special, rock it! They all rocked it! as we look forward to celebrating our 35th Anniversary and the opening of our new Lakefront Family Clubhouse. Along with our incredible volunteers, we are most appreciative of our caring corporate partners that Thank you for embracing the mission of Camp Sunshine continue to support Camp and the relationships that we and for providing us with the opportunity to serve our have built nationally, regionally and locally. You will very courageous Camp families. We are extremely find these amazing sponsors proudly listed within this appreciative for all that our donors, partners, volunteers, Annual Report. Board Members and staff do in spreading the “Sunshine” and to strengthen our Camp Sunshine Community. We are humbled and honored to maintain and further With your help and continued support, we look forward develop our partnerships with a variety of illness-related to serving more families from across the nation and groups. These very special and committed groups around the globe. include: Bryan’s Dream Foundation, Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation, Team Telomere, Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure Foundation, Lauren’s First and Goal, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, THANK YOU FOR HELPING Love is Magic, and Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome TO SPREAD THE “SUNSHINE”! Foundation. On the heels of receiving a record breaking single corporate donation of $1,011,330 from Tropical Smoothie Café, we opened the doors to our New Tropical Smoothie Café Sports Center. This dream project was made possible by TSC and contributions from the Harvard/ Bolton Endowment Group, Texas Roadhouse, Bartow Construction, Hands on Tzedakah, Colburn Keenan Foundation and the Maine Red Claws Foundation. This beautiful indoor structure enables us to not only provide alternative activities during inclement weather and cold winter days; but also assists in enhancing Camp’s MICHAEL KATZ ANNA GOULD overall programming. What an amazing year of great EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOUNDER, BOARD CHAIR 2 OUR MISSION Founded in 1984, Camp Sunshine provides retreats combining respite, recreation and support, while enabling hope and promoting joy, for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families through the various stages of a child’s illness. Camp Sunshine is offered year-round with the distinction of having been designed to serve the entire family in a retreat model. The program is free of charge to families and includes on-site medical support. 3 PROGRAM HISTORY 35 YEARS OF MAGIC Founded 35 years ago, Camp Sunshine is nestled Psychosocial Director, Nancy Cincotta, MSW, MPhil in the tranquil natural beauty of Sebago Lake in have invested more than 30 years in our program Casco, Maine. For 17 years, Anna Gould and Dr. bringing their professional support and expertise. Larry Gould donated the facilities and personnel Board members Ralph Heckert and Tim Porta have of Point Sebago Resort and hosted camp sessions also provided guidance and sound advice since the for thousands of children with life-threatening 1980’s. illnesses and their families. Through the years, the program became highly Being touched, after watching a television program regarded, with increasing numbers of referrals from about a summer camp for children with cancer, multiple medical centers. Demand for services far Anna and Larry decided to offer a family program at exceeded capacity, and it soon became apparent their resort. Discussions with the chief of pediatric that Camp Sunshine had to have a permanent oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in home where the program could expand to meet Boston resulted in Anna and Larry offering a pilot the growing need. In 2001, Camp Sunshine opened family camp for 43 children with cancer and their the doors of its own year-round facility on 24 acres families in June 1984. donated by Anna and Larry. At the end of the first session, when fathers thanked Before 2001, Camp Sunshine was offering sessions Anna and Larry for the week while crying and during the spring and autumn months, serving hugging them, they knew that this was a very special roughly 180 families (720 family members) each program. They continued to offer the program, at year. With the opening of the new campus and the no charge to families, expanding to four weeks a addition of winter, spring, and other year-round year, two weeks in early June and two weeks in late programming, and thanks to the support of many September. generous donors and volunteers, Camp Sunshine’s program has grown dramatically. More than 23 The true testament to the magic of Camp Sunshine sessions are now offered annually, serving amore continues under the guidance and commitment than 700 families (2,800 family members) per year. of Board Chair, Anna Gould and those who have Since Camp Sunshine’s inception in 1984, it has helped build and shape the program through their served more than 50,000 family members from 50 volunteerism for the past three decades. Today, states and 27 different countries. founding volunteers still can be found bustling around Camp. Dot Gonyea and her larger than life Throughout this period of growth, Camp Sunshine personality still helps operate the “Dot’s Camp Duds has made significant enhancements to its program Store” she created. Joe Pappalardo’s legacy lives on and campus. Camp Sunshine now serves families through his wife Joan, their children, grandchildren of children diagnosed with cancer, hematologic and dear friend and board member Kevin Silverang. conditions, including Fanconi Anemia, Dyskeratosis Al Ragucci continues the legacy of his wife Mary, Congenita and Diamond-Blackfan Anemia, renal founder of our arts & crafts program, while he still disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and those runs bass fishing trips and remains a board member. who have undergone solid organ transplantation. Also involved since the very first program, Nancy Hibbard still shines bright as she teaches parents In addition to expanding its program over the past how to create one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry while 35 years, Camp Sunshine has continued to enhance here at Camp, and Gloria Hague continues to raise its campus in various ways.