Popular YMCA Camp Ernst Undergoing Major Renovations

Since 1928, thousands of youth from throughout the region and around the world come to the beautiful, sprawling, park-like setting of YMCA Camp Ernst where they strengthen their skills and make diverse friendships in an environment that stresses positive character values.  This summer, on their way to check-in, campers will see an all new Welcome and Health Center under construction. Funded with a lead gift from the Schiff Foundation, the new Center is part of the first phase of what is the camp’s first major multi-million dollar renovation since the 1970s.

Camp Renovation

Also included in the first phase of the expansion and renovation are two new bath houses. Other future projects to be completed as funding is secured, include: dining hall and kitchen upgrades; and a new Valley swimming pool, E-Team longhouse for teens, camper cabin, horse barn, and an arts center that will have an art studio, dance room and performance area.

The ‘For the Love of Camp Ernst’ capital campaign is three-quarters of the way to its final goal of raising $4M for all of the renovations. That is thanks to co-chairs Frank Henson and Jennifer Shockey, other volunteers, alumni, parents and board members.

“This broad base of support has demonstrated just how important Camp Ernst is to this community and how much everyone is committed to seeing it continue for generations to come,” said Sandy Berlin Walker, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati.

It was a beautiful spring day recently that Elizabeth Cochran, YMCA Camp Ernst director, and I sat down with Mark Hansel of the Kentucky Enquirer to talk about the improvements.

“It’s very rewarding to see the growth of all the kids who come here and find their voice,” said Eli told him. “I love the connection with the young people over the course of the summer.”

 About YMCA Camp Ernst

Accredited by the American Camping Association, YMCA Camp Ernst welcomes more than 850 teens and 2,200 children including 20 international counselors. (Thanks to caring donors over 300 kids attend on scholarship annually.) Featured camp activities include: horseback riding, five high ropes course elements, 100 ft. waterslide, banana boat rides, swimming, hiking, archery, biking, campfires and capture-the-flag. Unique to Camp Ernst is the fine arts program that features music, drama, dance and visual arts. An important component of all camp activities and programs is leadership development which is delivered as an age-appropriate, phased program that helps pre-teens and teens hone skills that will serve them well as they enter adulthood and seek to establish careers. The Leader-In-Training program focuses on grooming campers to become counselors. In fact, 75% of the current counselors were once campers and 87% of the summer staff was part of camp the previous year.

Boone Co Recorder – Camp Ernst undergoing renovations

Northern Kentucky Enquirer – Summer oasis gets makeover

 

In Hanna’s Memory, The Butterfly Walk Is Fighting Cancer In Kids

I can’t think of anything more tragic for parents than losing their beautiful, precious child far too soon to the senseless and vicious enemy known as cancer.

Hanna was a happy, healthy 2 ½ year old girl who loved to smile and laugh and spread sunshine where ever she went. It was just two days after she told her mom and dad her back hurt, that she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a cancer that develops in the nervous system in embryo. Suddenly a family who was counting their blessings was entrenched in a war against an enemy that had no sympathy.

After only seven short months, many surgeries, and 6 rounds of chemotherapy, Hanna lost her battle with this disease on Father’s Day 2006.

Her gift to this world continues.

But while the little girl with a smile that spread as quickly as her disease was no longer on this earth, cancer could not remove her spirit. What a true sense of bravery and love her parents have shown in allowing their daughter’s gift to touch so many other families and children.

In Hanna’s memory, Amy and Mike Paribello began the Butterfly Walk to benefit CancerFree Kids. “We can only hope that with further research funding, children like Hanna will have a better chance for a cure in the future. Hanna showed us all how to fight a battle, how to be courageous, and how to dream,” Amy said.

 The Butterfly Walk is May 12.

The Butterfly Walk and Fun Festival brings together people and businesses who share in the celebration of love and support for children. The name was inspired by the magical metamorphosis of a caterpillar into an enchanting symbol of peace and harmony. That transformation into maturity is something not all children with cancer have an opportunity to experience.

“But,” said Amy, “together we can make a difference and help further the research towards treating and curing this disease, forever.”

If you visit the Butterfly Walk website you will read the stories of so many other children who are the reason the Paribello’s and all of the other volunteers work so hard.

I asked Amy how it feels to know they are making such an impact. “I am fueled by the constant need to continue our fight.  Over the past 6 years, we have lost 3 of our “heros”, who have lost their battle with cancer.  It is heartbreaking to know that one year they are up on stage receiving a medal for their courage, and then the next year they are an angel in heaven.  We are truly committed to giving these children a voice, and fighting for their survival by advancing the progress of pediatric cancer research.  Our mission is for one day for all kids to be CancerFree.”

Butterfly Walk & 5K
Registration will begin at 8 a.m.
Cottell Park in Deerfield Township

Cincinnati nonprofit CancerFree Kids was founded by Ellen and Sam Flannery after their baby daughter was diagnosed with cancer at 5 months of age. Today, due to advances in cancer research and the grace of God, that baby is a healthy 8th grader. But there is much work to do. The organization raises funds to support research in pediatric cancer.

 

 

Help For Northern Kentucky Tornado Victims

If you live in Greater Cincinnati, you already know about Friday’s relentless and tragic tornadoes that ripped through our communities destroying homes, lives and neighborhoods. As we do when tragedy strikes, we want to help.

I got a note from Ryan Courtade, president of the Northern Kentucky Youth Foundation, about an important Facebook group. Beginning last Friday the group has been constantly updating the region as a whole  and verifying information as to not have mis-information circulating on how people can help, where victims can receive help, and what donations are needed.

I encourage you to visit their group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/TornadoReliefNKY/ for the over 2,000 contributing volunteers helping Northern Kentucky rebuild itself. And if you know of anyone looking to help, or anyone that needs help, please have them visit that group and check out the documents section for up-to-date and accurate information.

People Working Cooperatively Helping People With Disabilities

Each year through People Working Cooperatively, thousands of volunteers working in tandem with professionally trained staff reach out to homeowners without the financial means to maintain their home, and thus, maintain their independence. The organization strengthens communities by providing professional, critical home repairs, weatherization, modification and other repair services that residents would not be able to afford on their own. PWC’s Modifications for Mobility Program specifically offers costly accessibility adaptations to homes for people with disabilities.

 Two friends, A Common Bond

 PWC volunteer Steve Crow’s battle with cancer resulted in a prosthetic leg and a calling to help his fellow neighbors. That calling was put into action when Steve met a man with whom he shared a common bond. David lost his leg to diabetes two years ago. Using a wheelchair in a house that wasn’t built for someone with a mobility disability prohibited David from being able to come and go easily.

Steve volunteered with the Kentucky United Methodist Church to build a ramp for David.

 “I was so depressed, just so upset. I couldn’t go anywhere,” David told PWC. “It has literally been two years since I went outside the house. You can’t imagine what it is like.”

The ramp gave David a new lease on life. “Just to go outside again and smell the fresh air and hear the birds. It’s indescribable,” he said.

But the ramp was not David’s only gift. The other gift was a new found friendship with someone who understands that life can change in a moment’s notice.

You Can Help

When I worked with the Inclusion Network, we used to say…”Disability is the one minority population that any of us can find ourselves in, without any notice.” Accessibility modifications, while a necessity for someone with a disability to maintain his/her independence and quality of life, are very expensive. This makes it difficult for PWC to help everyone who needs and can benefit from the service. PWC currently has 125 people on a waiting list.

Proceeds from its upcoming Oscar Night® America Party will benefit PWC’s Modifications for Mobility Program. It will be Sunday, February 26 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland. Cost is $150 per person. If you can’t attend, you can still bid in their online auction at www.biddingforgood.com/PWCoscars. For more, please visit their website or call Chris Owens, 513-351-7921.

 

 

Over 1,600 Animals For Adoption At ‘My Furry Valentine’

Last August, I wrote a blog post about a local photographer who specializes in capturing the personalities of pets. For Carolyn Evans though, her work goes so much deeper than her talent. She devotes so much time and energy into finding permanent, loving homes for animals who are without much hope.

If you know me, you know I have a special heart for what she does.

And so, I’m eager to help get word out about a huge event coming up next weekend that Carolyn is organizing with help from a friend, Kathy Parsanko, and a crew of other committed volunteers.

With Carolyn at the helm, for the first time EVER, shelters and rescue groups from our entire Tri-State region are pulling together with one unified mission: to educate the public that adoptable animals from shelters and rescue groups are one of the best sources for finding a new family pet -­‐-­‐ and to achieve the highest number of homeless pets ever adopted in Cincinnati in one day.

 My Furry Valentine, the Tri-­‐State’s largest Pet Adopton Event, will be held Saturday, February 11, from 11 am to 6 pm. with the main event being held at flexi USA, Inc. Headquarters.  (8494 Firebird Drive
West Chester, OH 45014) There are other participating locations – for a list, please visit www.myfurryvalentine.com

 

Over 1,600 adoptable animals will be looking for their permanent home. Could you be one?

Pet overpopulation is an enormous problem in the U.S., and in our area. More than 33,000 homeless, adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized each year in our Cincinnati region, as a result.

Participating Shelters and Rescue Groups

ABC’s of Bullies, Adams County Dog Pound, Adore-­‐A-­‐Bull Rescue, All Dogs Come From Heaven, Animal Adoption Foundation (AAF), Animal Friends Humane Society, Animal Rescue Fund, Bluegrass Boxer Rescue, Boone County Animal Shelter, Brown County Animal Shelter, Campbell County Animal Shelter, Cincinnati Lab Rescue, Circle Tail, Coalition to Ban Dog Auctions, Clermont County Humane Society, Franklin County Humane Society, Friends of Noah, Grant County Animal Shelter, Golden Retriever Rescue & Adoption of Needy Dogs (GRRAND), Greyhound Adoption of Greater Cincinnati, Homeless Animal Rescue Team (HART), Homeward Bound Greyhound Association, Humane Association of Warren County Animal Shelter & Adoption Center, Joey’s Greyhound Friends, Inc., Kenton County Animal Shelter, Kyle’s New Hope Animal Rescue, League for Animal Welfare, Maverick’s Mission Rescue, Maysville Rescue Team, Michelle’s Spoiled Rotten Foster Dogs, Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue, Moore Love Rescue, No Kill Tri-­‐State, Ohio Pug Rescue, Our Gang Rescue, Owen County Friends of Animals, Pampered Pets Animal Rescue (PPAR), Paws Adoption Center, Puppy Pals Rescue, Queen City Greyhounds, Recycled Doggies, Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue & Sanctuary, Save The Animals Foundation (STAF), SPCA Cincinnati Stray Animal Adoption Program (SAAP), The Scratching Post, This Little Piggy & Me Guinea Pig Adoption & Rescue, Three Sisters Pet Rescue, Tri-­‐State CART (County Animal Response Team), UCAN Non-­‐profit Spay Neuter Clinic, United Pet Fund, Wags & Whiskers… and more continue to register daily!

 Donations Accepted

My Furry Valentine is accepting donations that day on behalf of the Cincinnati Pet Food Pantry (providing temporary food assistance for animals whose owners are struggling financially.) They accept unopened, unexpired bags of dog/cat food and kitty litter. And also for Blankets and Bones (a community outreach program that provides comfort to dogs in shelters) accepts new or gently-­‐used blankets and new rawhide bones. Anyone bringing a donation to the event will be eligible to win one of several great prizes.

My Furry Valentine is sponsored by Flexi USA, Alcott and PhoDographer. More information, including adoptable pets and satellite adoption locations for the day is available at http://MyFurryValentine.com

This is a GREAT PSA on pet adoption!

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