April 2014
Dear Friends,
Camp Noah
2213 East Main
Albert Lea, MN 56007
507.473.2040
www.campnoah.org
Nancy Beers
Senior Director of Disaster
Services and Camp Noah
nancy.beers@lssmn.org
Maryn Olson
National Program Manager
New Initiatives
maryn.olson@lssmn.org
Cari Logan
National Program Manager
Camp Noah
cari.logan@lssmn.org
May 2013 was a very difficult time in Central Oklahoma. Tornadoes, one after another,
caused a great deal of human suffering and devastated millions of dollars in property. It was
especially traumatizing for children when two elementary schools were destroyed in Moore,
resulting in the loss of seven young lives.
During two Camp Noah events in Moore in summer 2013, our volunteer staff members were
often moved to tears as children described the chaos and tragedy they had witnessed in their
schools and neighborhoods. Many parents shared with us that their children were suffering
from nightmares, an obsession with weather, increased anxiety and fear, feelings of grief and
sadly, a loss of hope for their future.
But in the midst of such tragedy, there is hope. Camp Noah was developed in 1997 to teach
resiliency and preparedness skills to children whose lives have been forever changed by
disaster. Of the nearly 600 children who attended Camp Noah in 2013, 91% said they learned
new ways to stay safe during stormy weather, 90% said they learned about their own unique
gifts and talents and 96% said they had fun!
Camp Noah is planning to return to Oklahoma this summer to host multiple camps. We
already have many host sites ready and willing to open their doors and partner with us to
serve these precious, young disaster survivors.
But—we need your support to make these Camps happen! We are looking for Team Leaders
for these summer 2014 Camp Noah events in central Oklahoma. Each Team Leader will
receive training and coaching to recruit and develop a team of 15-25 adult volunteers; Team
Leaders are paid a stipend for this important work. Each team will be deployed to serve at a
Camp Noah event in a central Oklahoma community. (Note that a team can have up to five
16-17 year olds, but the majority of the team members should be at least 18.) Team members
will be trained online through the Camp Noah E-Learning Center in order to become Certified
Camp Staff with the skills needed to facilitate the Camp Noah curriculum. The cost of
becoming a Certified Camp Staff is $225, which includes training, curriculum and materials, tshirts, background checks, and one year certification. Full or partial scholarships are available
for volunteers!
Camp Noah Certified Camp Staff have the opportunity to contribute to community recovery
and resiliency building in significant ways. In surveys of past Camp Noah volunteers, 100%
said they felt they made a difference in the lives of children. The overwhelming majority of
volunteers felt prepared to work with children in these settings, and many mentioned that the
resiliency and preparedness skills they shared with campers also made an impact on their
own lives. One volunteer stated: “Being a part of Camp Noah was a lot of work but much
more rewarding. I cherish my life more and this was one of the best experiences I’ve ever
had.”
For more information about being a Camp Noah Team Leader, please contact Cari Logan at
320-266-4391 or cari.logan@lssmn.org.
Lutheran Social Service of
Minnesota serves all people
regardless of race, color, creed,
religion, national origin, sex, sexual
orientation, disability or age.
You can make a difference in the lives of disaster-impacted children. We hope you will
seriously consider partnering with us to bring the gift of Camp Noah to Central Oklahoma in
summer 2014!