Making Plans to Ensure the Adventures Continue
For Kyle Holtgrave the decision to join the Le Coeur Society by making a planned gift to Camp Ondessonk was an easy one. He wanted to ensure the mission of Camp would continue for generations to come. Kyle explained, “I felt it was a good opportunity to tithe a portion of my death benefit in a way that could have an impact in an area that is very important to me.”
“The experience of growth that I had in my youth (at Camp) had a tremendous, positive impact on me and I wanted to be involved in that mission ever since.” he said. “My undergraduate degree is in recreation because I wanted to continue giving back to the experience that I had at Camp. While I no longer work in the camping industry (having worked at two other residential summer camps similar to Ondessonk), I still work with young people, first as a youth minister for the Catholic Church, and now as the director for catechesis which includes faith formation for young people. Camp’s Christian emphasis played a major role in keeping me in this kind of work and I want to do what I can to help the mission of Camp continue for future campers and staff.”
Kyle first experienced Camp when he was 11 years old and was a summer camper for five years. At 16 he applied be a C.I.T. and was hired as a staff member that same summer. Over the next five years, he worked in various program and service areas during the summer and one fall session. After serving in the United States Marine Corps and completing his tour of duty, Kyle returned to Camp for another summer and fall as a staff member. Kyle shared, “I met my wife, Trish, that summer and we have been involved with Camp in different ways over the years. We have been sending our children to Camp for years now, too.”
“I think the most important work that Camp does is set people up with a “blind date,” with an adventure that can be life-changing. Any of the activities at Camp can be normal or routine in the home environment. But being away from home and in God’s creation for an extended period of time has a way of challenging people to grow in ways they did not know they could. We live in a society that tries to control God’s creation, so having an experience where you have to give up some of that control is where real growth can happen.”
He encourages everyone to see the impact Camp Ondessonk has on campers, “Come to Camp and experience it for yourself. See the change in the campers who come through the Gate for the first time as they wrap up their session.” He continued, “The smiles and cheers from the experiences they have throughout the week can only be possible through generous support in time, talent, and treasure.”
You can join the Holtgraves and many others to help Camp teach what matters most through gifts of time, talent, or treasure. Contact Whitney Strang, Director of Development, at 618-695-2489 x114 or [email protected] to learn more about supporting camp through a planned gift. If you have included Camp Ondessonk in your estate plans, complete this Le Coeur Society Letter of Intent to be included as a member of the Le Coeur Society.