Meet Katie Theile Reeve of The Patsy Reeve Foundation and Camp Patrick in Central Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Theile Reeve.

Katie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Our foundation started in 2013 and began as a scholarship fund at ASU West and ASU Main. Our 3rd son Patrick was born in 2013 with Spina Bifida and once we got our bearings on being parents to a child with special needs, we knew we wanted to get involved with the community. My husband and I loved camps and for many years he volunteered at a camp for kids with cancer. He loved being a part of a camp experience and seeing firsthand what it did for the campers. When Patrick got a little bit older, we started to look into camps specifically for kids with Spina Bifida here in Arizona, but we couldn’t find any. The closest camp we found specifically for Spina Bifida children was in Texas. The idea to start our own camp came one night as my husband and I was sitting on our couch. He pitched the idea of starting one on our own, and I nervously agreed 🙂

We spent the next two years learning about how to run a special needs camp, how to fundraise, and where to find campers and get them to trust us!. My husband flew to a camp in Pennsylvania that has been running for over 25 years to be a counselor and learn from them. They were amazing and have been wonderful mentors to us. We fundraised and searched for a medical staff that would be willing to be our medical team and volunteer their time. Our entire foundation and Camp Patrick is 100% volunteer ran.

We hosted the first Camp Patrick in June of 2018. We had 55 kids and 85 staff members. Camp Patrick is held up in Northern Arizona at an all accessible facility called Whispering Hope Ranch. It is a place where our campers get to be a typical kid. They have special adaptive equipment so there are no limitations for our campers. We focus on independence, confidence, and friendships.

One thing that makes us a bit unique is that we allow campers the option to bring one sibling with them as well. This helps ease the fear of leaving home because for many of our campers, going away to Camp Patrick is the first time away. It can be challenging to leave the comfort of your home when you have medical needs. Allowing the siblings to come showed us how important it was to give them an amazing camping experience as well. Many times the siblings are left with grandparents and baby sitters when their sibling in needing medical attention or attending a therapy appointment. Allowing the siblings to bond and meet new friends became a huge blessing in disguise for our camp.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a wild road! It’s been full of huge learning curves. We have evolved and improved along every step of the way. The Patsy Reeve Foundation funds Camp Patrick so it is an expense-free week for our campers. We do all of our own fundraisings so we have leaned on many family members, friends, and community members to help and support us. Finding our medical team was also very important because, without them, we wouldn’t be able to run a camp.

We’d love to hear more about your organization.
The Patsy Reeve Foundation awards scholarships to very deserving students at ASU West and ASU Main. We award 10-12 scholarships a year. Our foundation also funds Camp Patrick which is a free sleep-away camp for children born with Spina Bifida. It is a place that allows our campers to experience new things, gain independence, and make new friendships with children that face similar challenges.

We also have a Camp Patrick Medical Assistance Fund which provides medical equipment assistance to children and adults with Spina Bifida. Children with Spina Bifida require a lot of equipment and devices and it can be quite costly. We are proud to be able to offer some financial support to help cover some of the costs.

I think we are so proud of all of what our foundation offers. Camp Patrick has helped bring together our community and has opened the doors for many new friendships and relationships. Spending a week at Camp Patrick is life-changing for the campers but also the staff.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
We have been very lucky to have a lot of “good luck” moments at Camp Patrick. We have had strangers contact us offering donations and support that heard about us on the news or in the paper. We have so many family members, friends, and community members that volunteer for our events. They spend so much time helping us plan and implement the events. We could not do it without them.

Social media has helped to foster relationships with people who like our cause and want to donate, volunteer, or support in any way they can. We have also had CPA’s, graphic designers, doctors, nurses, and many others step up to do pro bono work for us to help make sure our foundation runs smoothly.

Pricing:

• $750 to send one camper to Camp Patrick for the week

Contact Info:

• Address: 337 W. El Caminito Dr.
  Phoenix, AZ 85021
• Website: www.camppatrick.com
• Email: katie@camppatrick.com

Image Credit:
Cindy Joiner

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