Camp Courageous Perpetual Fund

In 1980, a gentleman by the name of Dr. Earl DeShaw stopped by the camp to visit.  As we stood on the front lawn watching some campers with severe disabilities have the time of their lives, he said, “there but for the grace of God go I.”  He told me of his dream of establishing a perpetual fund for the camp, where the principal would be invested and the interest would go to support the camp, forever.

At this same time, the camp was building an indoor pool, (which it did not have the funds to be building), much of my time was spent on the phone letting creditors know the camp was doing all it could to pay its bills, there was no money to pay my position of director, an annual salary of $17,000…and we were talking about putting money on interest?  Dr. DeShaw told the Camp Courageous Board he would volunteer five-years of his life (he was 80-years-old at the time).  In reality, Dr. DeShaw would volunteer the rest of his life, passing at the age of 91.  His objective was to find 100 people to join him in giving $1,000 a year for five-years.  Dr. DeShaw was the first in and he soon convinced me that at $20 a week I would be there in no time…this $5,000 pledge over five-years, with a wage of $17,000/year, my first mortgage and first child, was monumental.  Dr. DeShaw quickly gathered friends like Jim Maurice from the Monticello State Bank to be Treasurer and Wilfred Shellenbarger from Farmers State Bank in Marion to be on the Perpetual Fund Board.

I have become one of the biggest fans of the Camp Courageous Perpetual Fund and continue to give, just as Dr. DeShaw taught me.  I have had the opportunity to see Camp Courageous touch the lives of thousands of families in so many wonderful ways, I want to know the camp will continue this tradition long after I am gone.  That is why the majority of my gifts to Camp in memory of loved ones, in honor of special occasions, etc. go to the Perpetual Fund.

A plaque acknowledging contributors is on display at Camp Courageous. Any gift amount, whether at a level amount or custom amount, to the Camp’s Perpetual Fund is appreciated. These gifts are cumulative, thus allowing one to move up from one category to the next.

– Charlie Becker –

*Camp is not affiliated with Perpetual Limited or any other financial services company. 

Use this form to make your ongoing gift to Camp Courageous through the Perpetual Fund: