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Thank you to (L-R) Brian Henderson & Clint Chapman for volunteering their time and talents to erect the new gazebo at the center of Camp Courageous.

Camp Courageous’ sincerest appreciation goes out to New Age Construction, Monticello, IA https://www.facebook.com/newageconstruction1/   for donating their time and talents to construct the new Gazebo at Camp Courageous.  Brian Henderson and Clint Chapman have been involved in projects at Camp Courageous since the start of their business.  Their largest project was the incredible Durgin Pavilion…a landmark at Camp Courageous.  Camp cannot thank Brian & Clint and their entire staff enough for their fine craftsmanship, dedication, and skill over the years on the dozens of Camp projects.

The Gazebo replaces one built in the mid-80s to honor Ed Kistenmacher, long time Managing Director of the Oil Jobbers, that later became the Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores of Iowa and is now FUELIowa.

 Ron McGauvran leads a group of Petroleum Marketers from their Board Meeting held in the Guest House at Camp Courageous in 1981.

Ron McGauvran is the last living board member from the 1981 Oil Jobbers visit to Camp Courageous, that establish the relationship that continues today, and he has funded the new Gazebo in honor of the organization and his wonderful colleagues over his life.

In 1981, Norb Bahl (R) Chair of the Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores of Iowa brought his Board of Directors to Camp Courageous to discuss taking the Camp under their wing, at a time the Camp was struggling to stay alive and PMCI was struggling with embargos and other challenges.  The first Gazebo was built in honor of Ed Kistinmacher’s 33-years as Managing Director of PMCI.  That gazebo lasted for decades, and is being replaced in 2025 by a generous donation made by Ron McGauvran, the last of the board members from 1981, to establish this relationship, and longest donor to Camp through PMCI.

Ron’s goal was to renew and rededicate the Kistenmacher circle in the center of Camp Courageous.  It is to be dedicated to honor Edward Kistenmacher and his wife Marie, Norb Bahl, and the Board at the time ,fifty years ago, as they took on sponsoring an annual golf outing to raise money to support the Camp.  Ron is the last living member of the board that took on the fundraiser for the Camp.   The board is still active under the leadership of Glenn Hasken.  Norb Bahl, Glenn, and Ron served as Past Presidents of the Iowa Jobber organization.

Ron McGauvran, formerly of Clinton, IA and now living in Le Claire, IA; is the last of the living Iowa Oil Jobber Board Members, who in 1981, met at Camp Courageous and decided to take the Camp under its wing, at a time the Camp was struggling to survive.  Over all these years, Ron has never stopped supporting Camp Courageous…which is extremely heartwarming.  For Ron’s 90^th birthday, his family made a substantial donation to the Camp Courageous Perpetual Fund in honor of Ron, thus his legacy will live on forever, here at Camp.  When his Family presented him this special gift, it had everyone in tears, because the gift summarized a life well lived, and of a good and caring and compassionate person, who has touched the lives of many.

Ron McGauvran is providing the funding to build a new Gazebo, at the same location of the existing one, at the center and heart of Camp Courageous.  The existing one was built in the 1980s to honor the retirement of their long serving Director, Ed Kistenmacher, by the Iowa Oil Jobbers, (later to become the Iowa Petroleum Marketers, Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores of Iowa, and now FUELIowa).  The new Gazebo will honor the 1981 Board of Petroleum Marketers of Iowa who took on the Camp, along with Ed Kistenmacher, Managing Director and Norb Bahl, who Chaired their Board of Directors.

Glenn Hasken is currently a Camp Courageous Board Member and like Ron McGauvran and Norb Bahl, is a former Chair of the FUELIowa Board.