The Kostopulos Dream Foundation has gone through many changes and additions in the past forty years; however, our mission statement still reflects the original vision of the founding members. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through education, recreation and growth opportunities. Our goal is to make our services available to all people, regardless of ability level, gender, sexual persuasion, ethnic background, income, or place of residence. With the continued support of the community and donors, we will keep the original dream alive. Together We Dream, Together We Do!
On May 1st, we hosted our Annual “Send a Kid to Camp” Gala, and it was a tremendous success! Thanks to all of our staff, Board of Directors, sponsors, and community for supporting this event. This was the best Gala we have had – and we couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you!
Congratulations to the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, the 2015 recipient of Camp K’s Children’s Humanitarian Award. We are very grateful for the support that they have provided to Camp K, and to our entire community.
This year, Camp K started a new tradition. Every year we will choose an Ambassador who will represent our agency. This year, our Ambassador is Celina. She has Cerebral Palsy, and has been coming to Camp K for several years. Her mom told us that Camp K has given Celina a rewarding environment in which to grow, and has helped her find herself. Celina said, “When I come to Camp, I feel like I have no wheelchair.” You can watch her speech, as well as the other speakers here.
Photos from the Gala can be seen on our Facebook page. A new video was created for our Gala, and we are proud to share it with everyone. Please click here to watch the video.
We are looking forward to Summer Camp, which starts on June 1st. Training for our new summer staff started this week. Counselors from all over the country joined us to put together the best summer camp experience our campers enjoyed so far. We look forward to welcoming our campers for another awesome summer.
Over the years, we have had a lot of amazing staff who worked at Camp K. I cannot say enough about all the staff who have worked so hard since the beginning of this camp. They come to work each day with a desire to make a difference in someone’s life.
Camp K would not be what it is today without all the volunteers that have given uncounted hours of service to our agency. After volunteering with our participants, they go away with a new outlook on life. They learn to accept people, regardless of their differences and, to their surprise, actually find that they have learned more from our participants than anything else. All of our volunteers learn that service to others brings balance in all of our lives.
Since the beginning of camp, many Board Members have been the stewards and supporters of Camp K. They deserve to be applauded for their work. They contribute their time, financial means, resources, and expertise. In addition to these volunteers, thanks go out to our friends, family, business partners, other partner agencies, and all those who have given in so many ways to support and make possible each growing, successful year at Camp K.
During my tenure with KDF, I have seen firsthand the impact that our services have on both the population we serve and their respective families. When appointed as the President and CEO, I said “it is my commitment to make our services available to new populations in an effort to provide them with experiences developed to enhance their lives. My personal goal is to create a nonprofit organization that is best in class, and one that provides a benchmark to other nonprofit organizations that serve the special needs population. My personal aspiration is that other organizations will pay it forward, further develop a successful nonprofit model, and share their learnings, so that together we continue to serve our communities around the world.”
I am proud to say that this year, we will host two weeks of camp for children with Muscular Dystrophy, in partnership with Muscular Dystrophy Association. We will are also provide seven weeks of Partner Day Camp for children without disabilities. Part of our mission is to provide education about people with disabilities and special needs to the general population. Our partner camps will do just that. Our campers with disabilities now have the opportunity to share camp with their non-disabled siblings. We feel really good about this new opportunity for parents who have children with and without disabilities to be able to bring their children to the same camp.
Kids without disabilities who attend our partner camps will be sharing our facilities with our campers who have cognitive and physical disabilities. They will learn that people with disabilities are just like them – they just have different challenges and abilities! Everyone loves to have fun, learn, and play!
We have partnered with many great organizations to provide a 2-in-1 camping experience for kids in elementary school, without special needs. We believe in inclusion, and want all members of the community to have the opportunity to come to Camp K! At our partner camps, the kids spend half their time at the community partner’s facility (art schools, museums, gardens, universities, and more), and half their time at Camp K participating in outdoor learning adventures and nature education. We switch sites in the middle of the day so that the campers can get the best of both worlds! Our partners for this summer are Natural History Museum, Red Butte Gardens, Tanner Dance, University of Utah Youth Education and Bad Dog Arts.
We have some great events coming up. First is a VIP Dinner and Concert with Scott Helmer on May 29th. For a limited time only, we are running a special promotion where you can get 2 tickets for the price of 1!Dinner and Social hour begins at 5:30 pm, and will be provided by Red Rock Brewery. Beer, wine, soda, and water are included. To purchase tickets: www.campk.org/concert
On May 30, we will host our Annual Family Fun Day and Concert in the Canyon. Bring your families to participate in the activities that Camp K offers. Scott Helmer is coming to Camp K again this year, as a part of his “Support Your Cause” Tour, where he is helping charities raise $1 million. More information is available on our website, at www.campk.org/family-fun-day
“Together we dream, together we do.”
President and CEO
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