*Don't Miss Out!* 2019 Charity Golf Tournament Only
8
Weeks Away
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After the phenomenal success of our 2019 Swing Fore Camp Golf Tournament Fundraiser we are excited to see new and returning faces for the 2nd annual tournament on
August 16, 2019
. This year's event will feature on the course games, drinks, and snacks; a silent and live auction, a fabulous banquet, 12 pristine holes at Pineridge Golf Resort in Seba Beach, and more! If you haven't registered yourself or your team yet, what are you waiting for?
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We still have
sponsorship opportunities
available. If you, your business, or organization is interested in sponsoring this incredible event please contact Greg Nielsen by
e-mail
or at 780-429-3277 ext 222.
Can't make the date? We are accepting donations for the silent action. Contact us to make your donation.
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Our New Website is Live!!!
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If you haven't checked out the Camp He Ho Ha website in a while you may notice some changes from the last time you were there.
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Summer Already Well Underway
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The 2019 Summer Camp Season has started off wonderfully! We have 32 incredible summer staff that are eager to greet each camper as they arrive and so excited about getting to know each one of them throughout their camp experience. Already we have been in the dunk tank, in the pool, on the barge, climbing the wall, and zipping through the air! With 3 camps complete, one in progress and only 6 more to go, we are already wishing that summer could last forever.
There are only a few spots remaining in our camps for teens and children so get your child registered soon!
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A warm He Ho Ha
Thank you
to our sponsor
Derby's Lakeview General Store
, participants, donors, presenters, and supporters for making our first annual Yoga & Wellness Fundraiser so terrific!
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New Yoga and Wellness Retreat Fundraiser an A+++ Getaway
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The First Annual Yoga & Wellness Retreat Fundraiser at Camp He Ho Ha was a success! Lululemon Global Ambassador Ryan Leier (One Yoga) and a talented group of diverse presenters were on site to give our attendees a packed weekend of wellness, restorative yoga, and meditation.
A few of our Camp He Ho Ha campers even made it out to stretch with our attendees and share their camp experiences. Laughter abounded throughout the yoga session, and they even invented a new yoga pose: the sushi roll -where you roll yourself inside your mat like a spring roll.
These are some comments from our attendees, "The yoga, food and connection were A+++!", "This weekend was everything I was hoping for and more. I feel blessed to have this experience and can't wait for next year!!" Thank you to everyone who came out in support of people with disabilities and enjoyed a weekend of self care and restorative wellness.
The 2020 Yoga & Wellness Retreat Fundraiser will take place
April 17-19, 2020
. We welcome you to join us for a weekend of wellness while fundraising for
people with disabilities.
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24th Annual Shoot for Cause Archery Fundraiser a Success
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A chilly snowfall on the weekend of our archery shoot didn't scare off the 51 archers we welcomed to Camp He Ho Ha for the 24th Annual Shoot For Cause Fundraiser.
Fun was had as shots were made and missed, old friends re-connected, home-cooked meals were enjoyed, and prizes were won.
Among the archery highlights were: chasing
real
deer away from the
fake
targets, a father/daughter showdown in the Grand Prix between Stephanie and Chris
Drewes, Cole Johnson taking home the title of Grand Prix winner, Stephanie Drewes winning the Female
Competitive Class with the 3rd highest overall score for the weekend, and
Chase Martin winning the Male Competitive Class for the second year in a row.
Other event highlights include Dawn & George Matheson bringing in the most pledges and winning the Air Canada Trip, and donating it back to the auction, Jason Chartrand receiving the John Wuin Memorial Philanthropy award and being the lucky winner of the Polaris Quad, the overwhelming generosity of our archers in the auction, and the excitement to make next year's 25th Anniversary Shoot bigger and better than EVER!
We invite you and your family to “Shoot For Cause” at our 3D Archery Fundraiser on
May 1-3, 2020
.
Your fundraising efforts can be the difference for many Albertans with disabilities to experience inclusion, ability, and adventure!
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Check out how our Competitive Archers did:
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A big He Ho Ha
Thank you
to our sponsors
:
Air Canada
Foundation,
Bulldog Targets
,
Prime Archery
, Terry and Linda Hanlon,
Sysco Edmonton
, and Try Kam Structural; partners, participants, donors, volunteers,and supporters for making our 24th annual Shoot For Cause Archery Fundraiser a success!
With your generous support, this event raised over
$95,000
for people with disabilities to participate in fun and supportive barrier-free summer camp programming.
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Thank you for #TheDifferenceYouMake
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Every single donation makes a difference helping change lives and empower people of all abilities at Camp Health, Hope, & Happiness. The incredible work we do is only possible because of donors like you. With your support, individuals with physical and mental disabilities will be able to attend more than just summer camp; they will be empowered though activity with memories that last!
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Dancing in with Donations
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Hooray!! The square dance community was there for us again this year! The
Lukes and Lucys Square Dance Club
hosted another amazing benefit dance for Camp He Ho Ha on May 2
nd
.
With toes-a-tappin, it was an incredible performance…dancing for the benefit of the children and adults with special needs who attend our summer camps!
Special thanks to
Terry Coulbourn
and
Morley Blazenko,
President couple and the Executive of the Lukes and Lucys, for the marvelous job they did in organizing and hosting this wonderful event. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the participants for going the extra mile raising
$2,610
…the largest amount raised in many years!
Ken Thomas belonged to the Swinging Spokes until it disbanded. Now he attends square dances and thoroughly enjoys participating in the wheelchair square dances. You should see Ken dance…he has all the moves! Ken was one of the first campers to attend camp in the 1960’s, and Joan Nielsen had the honor of reading Ken’s story.
“
R
ead Ken's Story for yourself:
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A Wet Round, But All for a Good Cause
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Thank you to the
Stony Plain and District Chamber of Commerce
for having Camp He Ho Ha as the selected Charity the 10th annual networking golf tournament this June.
Despite the rain, it turned out to be an enjoyable and exciting day full of networking opportunities and building of connections. Thank you to all who participated in our chipping contest to support Barrier-Free Summer Camps!
We hope you join us at the 2nd annual charity golf tournament in August for a (hopefully) sunnier round of golf.
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Delightful Moments on Donor Drop in Days
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Throughout the summer we welcome our donors to camp to enjoy a tour of the facility and spend the day with campers. Donors see first hand the difference a gift to camp makes in the lives of special people living with physical and/or mental disabilities.
Thank you to The
Kiwanis Club of South Edmonton
,
Al Smith - Patricia Lodge #91
, and
St. Andrew's United Church Thrift Shop
for joining us already this camp season.
If you are a donor to Camp He Ho Ha and have yet to experience a donor day please contact Joan today to set up your donor visit and get a taste for the Good Life here at Camp Health, Hope & Happiness.
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A big Camp Heath, Hope & Happiness thank you to Chris Hillas, Enid Rurka, and John Spanton and the rest of the
Sysco
group for including Camp He Ho Ha in their Sysco Shamble customer appreciation day!
We appreciate the positive relationship we have built with all our terrific vendors and supporters.
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Golfing in Support of Camp
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Thank you to
ACT/UCT #1024 St. Albert
for your support of Camp Health, Hope & Happiness at your annual golf tournament May 29, 2019! Your generosity helps make the inclusive, adventurous, and fun camping experience of Camp He Ho Ha a reality for more than 740 people with disabilities each summer!
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Noble Gifts from Royal Purple
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Camp He Ho Ha was among several charities to receive funding from the men and women in white and purple who dedicate hundreds of volunteer hours to make a difference in their communities.
Camp He Ho Ha was one of the fortunate recipients who received a donation of $3,000 at the
Alberta Royal Purple Lodges of Alberta Society Convention held in Vermilion.
Royal Purple #125 Vegreville and
Royal Purple #49 Camrose have also made generous donations to camp recently. Thank you Royal Purple for your ongoing support!
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If you too want to make a difference in your community, drop off any items that you may have to this Thrift Shop who are committed to return hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to the community!
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23 years of Passionate Support
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St. Andrew's United Church Thrift Shop is a volunteer based, non-profit organization that generously makes donations to many charitable organizations, with a focus on local and provincial needs.
On June 10
th we had the privilege of hosting several Committee members from The Thrift Shop here at camp. This incredible Thrift Shop has been very generous to Camp for the past 23 years, donating $140,900 to Camp in support of our mission. Many thanks to the 110 volunteers who give so generously of their time, the committee members who are also volunteers, and to the staff who make such a difference in their community and province. You truly are angels among us!
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Giving to Camp is Genetic
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Is generosity hereditary? It certainly seems to in the Smith Family.
Al Smith Jr. (the Immediate Past Master of
Patricia Lodge #91, Grand Lodge of Alberta Freemasons) chose Camp as his Worshipful Charity in 2018 as it was the charity that his father,
Al Smith Sr. had chosen many years ago when he was a Worshipful Master. Smith Jr. was able to raise $1,500 for camp and on June 8th, along with his father Al Smith Sr. and the secretary of the Lodge, Al Vickery arrived at camp to make a presentation.
Smith Sr. repeated several times that being at Camp brought back very fond memories. The group was very impressed with the facility and the work that we do, and after the tour, Al Smith Jr. said, "I just have to have a leaf with my name displayed on the Tree of Hope, so I would like to leave a $5,000 donation!" The new leaf will display his name, that of his wife, and his father. A totally unexpected donation, but so greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much Al Smith Jr. and Al Smith Sr.! Who you are makes a difference!
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In 1958 several members of the
Kiwanis Club of South Edmonton had a vision of a camp for children with disabilities. It was a huge undertaking, but in 1960 this vision became a reality and Camp He Ho Ha was born! Today the facility has grown from several skid shacks donated by Imperial Oil to the premiere facility it is today!
The Kiwanis Club of South Edmonton has been supporting Camp for the past 59 years and we are so grateful for their unwavering support and encouragement. Their exceptional generosity has changed thousands of lives and provided amazing opportunities!
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John Benes
passed away peacefully at the age of 43 on the mornin
g of June 3, 2019. Our deepest condolences go our to John's
family.
Many of us will miss him greatly and we were thinking of him lots through MDA1. He was most well-known for his animal impressions and animal inspired handshakes. He loved the pool and hanging out with his friends at Camp.
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Gordon Shaner
passed away at the age of 29 on May 30, 2019.
Gordon attended Camp He Ho Ha for many years. He loved Camp and lived each day to the fullest. He loved music, loved to chat, and loved to dress up. Every year when he arrived at Camp, Gordon would make his way to the Performing Arts room to find his favorite hat. It was a crown, the base of which was red and adorned with jewels on the top. He would wear that crown the entire Camp. That was “Gordon’s crown”! He wore it proudly often with a shirt and tie.
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Gordon and John, you have left us with many precious memories, and we are so blessed that you were part of our lives. Although you are gone, you will never be forgotten.
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Thank you for #TheDifferenceYouMake
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Every single donation makes a difference helping change lives and empower people of all abilities at Camp Health, Hope, & Happiness. The incredible work we do is only possible because of donors like you. With your support, individuals with physical and mental disabilities will be able to attend more than just summer camp; they will be empowered though activity with memories that last!
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