Camp Courageous Board of Directors Announce Officers And Members For 2024-2025

Board Members

(Front L-R) Merlin Hulse (100-years-old), Mary Van Houten (Chair), Mary Johnson (Secretary), Peg Slusher, Amy Rouse (Past-Chair), Jill McDermott, Amanda Schlemme, Jan Short, Phil Short, and Sheri Grawe. (Back L-R) Randy Faulkner (Chair-elect), Jim Zimmerman, Diane Pitlik (Treasurer), Chris Wiese, Bruce Scheff, Jim Foels, Greg Greco, Mag Welter, Glenn Hasken, and Margo Ahrendsen. (Not pictured, Trish Recker).

Mary Van Houten Presents Award

(L-R) New Camp Courageous Board Chair, Mary Van Houten presents Amy Rouse with the Camp Courageous Outstanding Board Chair Award. Amy Rouse served the past two years as Chair of the Camp Courageous Board.

The new Chair of the Board of Directors is Mary Van Houten. Mary is Catering Sales Manager/Adjunct Instructor at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, Cedar Rapids, IA. Mary has been a Camp Courageous volunteer for nearly 50 years, with the first Pineapple Gala held at the Stouffer’s Five Season Hotel in downtown Cedar Rapids in 1979.

The Camp Courageous Board of Directors:

Officers:

  • Chair: Mary Van Houten, Catering Sales Manager/Adjunct Instructor at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Chair-Elect: Randy Faulkner, GTG Peterbilt, Cedar Rapids, IA & President, Hawkeye Dry Ice, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Secretary: Mary Johnson, Retired, Rockwell Collins, Marion, IA
  • Treasurer: Diane Pitlik, Former Non-Profit Director & Special Needs Advocate, Cedar Rapids, IA

Those re-elected to a three-year term include:

  • Randy Faulkner, GTG Peterbilt, Cedar Rapids, IA & President, Hawkeye Dry Ice, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Glenn Hasken, COO Molo Companies, Dubuque, IA
  • Jill McDermott, Camper Advocate & School Counselor, Maquoketa Valley, Monticello, IA
  • Diane Pitlik, Former Non-Profit Director & Special Needs Advocate, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Bruce Scheff, Retired and Active Volunteer, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Mag Welter, Retired Special Educator, Monticello, IA
  • Jim Zimmerman, Lifetime in the field of education, Retired Principal, Sacred Heart School, Monticello, IA

Other Board Members include:

  • Margo Ahrendsen, Camper Parent, Advocate, Farmer, Oxford Junction, IA
  • Jim Foels, Farmer, Brooklyn, IA
  • Sheri Grawe, Grandparent of Camper, Retired, Marion, IA
  • Greg Greco, Financial Planner, Cedar Falls, IA
  • Merlin Hulse, Retired Farmer, Tipton, IA
  • Trish Recker, Fundraising Coach at Leading Edge Fundraising, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Amy Rouse, Washington High School, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Amanda Schlemme, Camper Parent, Accountant, Knuth Farms/Bale Barn, Cascade, IA
  • Jan Short, Retired Teacher, Winthrop, IA
  • Phil Short, Farmer, Winthrop, IA
  • Peg Slusher, Retired, Rockwell Collins, Marion, IA
  • Chris Wiese, Managing Partner, CommonGround Capital, LLC, Cedar Rapids, IA

Camp Courageous is a year-round recreational and respite care facility for individuals with special needs. In its 50th year of serving campers, Camp Courageous now serves nearly 10,000 campers with special needs annually. The camp is run on donations, without government assistance, without formal sponsorship, and without people paid to raise funds for the camp. What this means is everything that is donated to the camp, whether it be supplies, time, or other resources, goes directly to benefit the campers.