Camp Courage

Camp Courage – Here I come.

How special do you feel when you get invited to a birthday party, wedding, dinner guest, or a reunion?

We all love to be invited.  I am looking forward to a 60^th reunion on Sunday, October 11, 2015. It will be at a memorable place from my long ago past. It will be the 60^th Anniversary of Camp Courage, Maple Lake, Minnesota. From 1955 to the present Camp Courage has been changing the lives of children and adults who have had opportunities available to them only by attending a camp stay at Camp Courage. Lives have been changes in dramatic ways. Mine was one of them.

My first time attending Camp Courage was probably in about 1958. I am not sure exactly and my parents are no longer here to ask. The age of 10 seems accurate. I do remember how excited I was and nervous at the same time. Being gone from home for two weeks is a long time for a 10 year old. I absolutely do not remember being home sick.  From that first summer, and for many following, I would look forward to renewing old friendships and enjoying myself doing all the things that everyone else was doing. My camping stay would be woven into my summer schedule around a surgery to help me walk better. I have revisited Camp Courage several times. Most recently when I was working on my memoir. It has changed with new cabins and updated facilities but what they do is exactly the same as when I was there.

On October 1, 1948 I was diagnosed with poliomyelitis at the young age of seven months old. There was no vaccine to protect me or thousands of other children and adults. The vaccine was not available until 1953. By then my siblings would be protected and thousands of other children and adults.

As we approach Friday, October 23, 2015, World Polio Day it is important to know that there are two countries that still have cases of Polio. When I wrote my book, All the Steps I Have Taken, there were four countries with cases of polio. India was declared polio free in 2012 with no new cases of polio. They celebrated in 2013. Now Nigeria has had no cases in 2015 and they will be able to celebrate Polio Free in 2016. In 2014 there were fewer than 360 cases of Polio in the world. Afghanistan and Pakistan are the two countries that Rotary International and Bill and Melinda Gates are still work to End Polio Now. Rotary has been working since 1985 in the Polio plus Campaign and I will be so happy to see that Polio will be eradicated in my life time.

The picture second from the left shows two small boys will braces and crutches. I learned to walk with crutches and braces just like those at the age of two. I have my crutches and show them when I speak to local schools and church.

Pictures of campers

So reunion here I come. In Minnesota fall leaves are changing to golden yellow, fire red, and tangerine orange. The prettiest time of the year to take a drive. I will enjoy watching the harvest along the way and I will definitely enjoy seeing people that I may have spent time years ago.

Then and Now

Then and Now Then, June 14, 1969 I became a bride and my title would change to “wife”. Now, will soon be June 14, 2014. I have been blessed, with a wonderful husband who chose me to spend the rest of …

Storm: Ending February and Beginning March

Winter storm Feb 21, 2014

Ending  February 2014 and Beginning March 2014

You can see by the picture the snow is moving to the 3rd pane in the window. Winter has been challenging as life can be challenging. Have you ever wanted something so badly you couldn’t get it off your mind? Here in Minnesota we have wanted winter to be over. We have been reminded about every other day with new, fresh, white, beautiful snow falling that we are not in control.  We no more than get the drive way cleaned out and the street crews get things passable and the highway department gets the highways manageable and we get more new, fresh, white, beautiful snow.  The month of February has ended now and it is time for Mr. Winter to decide that spring is on the way. We in the midwest want winter to end.  We pray for people everywhere that have had to endure a really tough winter.

We have had many beautiful days that it looks like God has sprinkled glitter all over the ground and it makes you wonder how can anything be so beautiful make life so miserable? If you are one who enjoys outdoor play, this has been the winter for you. If you count of snow removal for a living, you have done well. The evergreens heavy with snow are an awesome sight to behold. We are fortunate to be able to enjoy these wonderful frosty days as many parts of the country do not have such a beautiful wintery view.

March, what will you bring? Calendar day, (the last Friday of the month,) predicted that it will be snowy, cold temperatures, more snow and a bit cloudy. Sort of a carbon copy of February. The farmers almanac does agree with that prediction. We do have to realize that we are not in control of any of these factors. We will just have to trust that spring will come with a slow thaw so we will not flood. We pray that the farmers, this year, will be able to plant a crop and that a bountiful harvest will prevail.

This is how we need to plan our lives. We need to trust that our heavenly father will provide for us all the things that we need to sustain ourselves.  We cannot change the weather pattern. We can change how we accept the things that happen to us in daily living.  As we move into our Lenten Season, let us look forward with trust that all will work for good.