Fire Starters - Fall 2020

SUMMER 2020 EDITION

FIRE STARTERS Stories of generosity, faith-formation, and the impact of planned giving

Memories made are never forgotten "LUTHERANS OUTDOORS HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS." Mike grew up going to family camp at Outlaw Ranch each summer, attended confirmation camp at NeSoDak, and was fortunate to spend two summers on staff at Outlaw Ranch. Jenna has never officially been a camper at LO but has spent plenty of time at both Outlaw Ranch and NeSoDak and quickly understood the love.

"A big part of our decision to contribute this year, especially during uncertain times, is we want the camps to be around for years to come. We want our son, Carter, and his cousins to enjoy these wonderful places just as Mike and his siblings did growing up.

The work done at each LO camp is beyond special and the memories made are never forgotten. Our hope is when everyone can settle into a new normal, LO will be there with open arms ready to greet old and new campers."

Mike, Jenna and Carter Zellmer

This issue: An Introduction to Fire Starters PAGE 02 Ensuring the Success of LO Ministry PAGE 02 A Lemonade Stand for Horses PAGE 03 Impactful ‘Physically Distanced’ Special Events PAGE 03 A Critical Case for Endowed Funds PAGE 04 What is The Heritage Society?

PAGE 06 The Long-Lasting Impact of an Endowment PAGE 07 Lutheran Planned Giving PAGE 08 Heritage Stories: Karen Braun PAGE 09

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Introducing Fire Starters Greetings from your Lutherans Outdoors camps and retreat centers!

We introduce to you the new semi-annual publication Fire Starters as a way to share stories of generosity, faith-formation, and the impact of planned giving.

Christ-centered experiences in community and creation at camp spark something in the faith lives of youth and families. As donors and supporters of Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota, you ignite those sparks.

YOU are the fire starters!

There’s something powerful and life-changing that happens in the lives of children and families gathered around a campfire. These campfire gatherings are transformative experiences in many ways. Your generosity transforms the faith lives of youth and families. The impact of the camp community, rooted in the love of Christ, transforms lives for the greater good.

YOU make that transformation possible.

Together, we can ensure that there are many more gatherings around the campfire in the future!

"YOU are the fire starters!"

Ensuring the success of LO ministry...

BY PAUL HANSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I have not played a lot of poker during my lifetime. A few times with some friends or some family members for an hour or two of fun.

Because of my bad poker face, I am sure that I lost many hands of the game that I should not have played. The best poker advice that I have been given is this, “The hands of poker that you don’t play will win you the title.”

Lutherans Outdoors decided in early April of 2020 to not play a hand. LO decided to cancel the summer camping season at all four of the camps. And to close the sites to all guests.

This decision was not made lightly by the Board of Directors and staff. But the need to keep campers, guests, and staff safe from the COVID-19 pandemic was important enough to throw down the cards. And I believe that this will allow us to win in the long run.

During this pause LO has spent time to reflect, reevaluate, and reimagine what our organization’s operations need to look like in the future. Needs as to program, needs as to staffing, needs as facilities, and needs as to financial development. Reimagining needs that will ensure the success of the LO ministry.

This new publication, Fire Starters , is a result of the reimagining of LO’s financial development needs. And it is just the beginning. During the next year we will see the results of reimagining and renewing several areas of financial development including a new recurring gift opportunity, new ways to recognize our faithful donors and share stories of generosity, and a strong and critical effort to increase LO endowment funds in order to ensure a future of ministry to be possible for decades to come.

This will be a winning hand!

Your generosity has guided more than fifty years of incredible camp experiences and shaped so many lives. Together, we can ensure that all are welcome to explore and experience Christ’s love in community and creation at YOUR beloved camps.

Thank you for making a difference through your support of the ministry of Lutherans Outdoors!

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A Lemonade Stand for Horses

Alaina fell in love with Joy Ranch when she started taking private riding lessons with the wranglers through Joy Ranch’s newest riding program for youth.

Through her participation in these lessons and spending time at Joy Ranch, Alaina felt a close connection to the place and to the horses and staff.

Understanding the past few months have been difficult financially for the organization, Alaina took it upon herself to make a difference by setting up a lemonade stand, donating her proceeds to Joy Ranch, and the ranch yard animals.

Over $250 was raised!

THANK YOU, Alaina for your creativity and generousity!

Impactful 'physically Distanced' Special Events In the absence of summer camp, leadership staff came together using creativity to launch a number of ‘physically distanced’ community events. These events raised important dollars for the organization as well as created an engaging community experience for all those who LOve camp.

Over $35,000 was raised to support LO and ensure the ministry for years to come!

THANK YOU for your overwhelming generosity in this great time of need to all who participated in these events!

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A Critical Case for endowed funds DeMaris Nesheim, a distinguished philanthropist, successful business owner, and faithful supporter and former Board Member of Lutherans Outdoors in SD, has a vision of urgency for the organization to build up a strong foundation for the future of camping ministry.

Jake Hanson, LO’s Development Director, took a special trip to visit DeMaris this past summer. After spending an afternoon casting flies and chasing rainbow trout, they hatched a plan to share the story of DeMaris’s hopes and wishes for LO and some significant opportunities for others to join in on a critical effort to ensure the ministry.

Joined by Beth Massa, Regional Director for Foundation Relations at the South Dakota Community Foundation, Jake, Beth, and DeMaris share the story of how endowed funds can and will make a difference for Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota.

Jake: What is it, DeMaris, that you love about Lutherans Outdoors? Why do you choose to continue to support LO in so many ways?

DeMaris: [Lutherans Outdoors] is such an important part of keeping us close to nature as well as keeping us close to God. It provides a way for extended families to spend a week enjoying family in a Christian atmosphere. It provides a pipeline for many counselors to enter the ministry. I have met so many wonderful Christian people who have enriched my life so much. I feel it is such an important part of keeping our Church viable in the future. Kids and adults are changed to better serve God’s kingdom.

Jake: You have established four different endowment funds for LO within the South Dakota Community Foundation over the past few years. Why did you start these funds?

DeMaris: I am so concerned about the future of Lutherans Outdoors and I feel so sincerely that if we don’t get a foundation set up to help out with the daily and yearly expenses of LO, they won’t exist in the future. There is such a strong need for a foundation to help ensure the future of the organizations. I can see a difference between organizations that have strong endowments and those who don’t have endowments. Those funds ensure the future of those organizations.

And truly, having those funds isn’t a nicety, it is a necessity.

Beth: [Endowment funds] provide organizations opportunities to brainstorm rather than panic. When organizations know that they have resources in an endowment, it forces organizations to use resources wisely and plan ahead rather than shoot from the hip [with annual fundraising year after year].

DeMaris: As a donor giving to an endowment fund, you know that long after you have passed away, your work will still be making a difference for causes that you feel deeply about.

Beth: Think about the current pandemic. An established endowment also provides a sense of assurance that everything is going to be OK. There’s a greater chance to have funds readily available and less stress [to have to reactively raise dollars].

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Jake: Could other faithful LO supporters contribute to these funds?

Beth: Others absolutely can contribute to these funds and that was part of their original intent. The easiest way is through the SD Community Foundation website to make a direct donation to the funds.

DeMaris: There is a sense of urgency in the coming years [to get endowment funds established]. There is a tremendous amount of wealth expected to be transferred over the course of the next few years through planned estate gifts.

Beth: It is so important to inform individuals of how their dollars can work into perpetuity and live into an organization like Outlaw Ranch or NeSoDak for years beyond our time.

Jake: DeMaris, what is your hope for the Lutherans Outdoors organization in the future? What do you hope the organization accomplishes in the future?

DeMaris: It is my hope that other people share the vision that I have for the importance of starting a foundation and making that foundation large to help with the needs for the outdoor ministry. We all know there are so many people involved with the camps who become pastors or leaders of the church. It is my hope that we can ensure that our churches and church camps are viable for the future.

Jake: DeMaris, what message do you really want others to know about these funds? What am I forgetting to ask you?

DeMaris: It is critical that we make this happen, right now. The word that comes to mind is urgency. We can’t wait and we must work to get this organization strongly endowed.

Beth: One of the reasons DeMaris wanted to work with the SDCF is she realized that there may be folks who love the LO camps but might not have a connection at a Lutheran church or a church at all. This provided LO with multiple options for endowed gifts.

DeMaris: These funds provide a vehicle too that if individuals have an affinity to a specific camp, if they have a deep connection to Outlaw Ranch for example, this gives [donors] confidence that their gifts will always impact the place that they love.

JAKE HANSON

DEMARIS NESHEIM

BETH MASSA

Interested in more information regarding the LO Endowment Fund or the LO Endowment Funds at the SD Community Foundation? Contact Jake Hanson at (605) 940-2557 or jake@losd.org.

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Do You Know About The Heritage Society?

There are traditions and stories, heirlooms and recipes that are passed down in families from generation to generation. Each one, whether a story or a tangible item, is filled with rich family history and loaded with nostalgia. We pass these down from generation to generation to ensure our family’s heritage.

Lutheran Bible camping in South Dakota is a heritage passed along with decades of history and generations of camping experiences. Think back to your own camp memories.

What stories do you remember? What experiences bring you joy? What do you remember most about your camp experiences?

These stories bring us a sense of longing for the transformative experiences we had at our beloved Bible camps. And to ensure these ministries and their heritage are passed along for generations to come, The Heritage Society exists.

The Heritage Society was established as a way to encourage and recognize individuals and families who choose to make a long-lasting financial impact on the organization through naming Lutherans Outdoors in their estate plan or in a planned gift.

These gifts, in turn, are permanently invested.

And in perpetuity, the earnings from these investments are used to enhance the ministry and programs of Lutherans Outdoors. They are used to pass the heritage of the ministry along for generations to come.

Become a member of the Heritage Society today!

Ensure the tradition of Bible camp for generations to come. Planned giving is crucial to making a significant long-term impact on this ministry and the generations it serves.

FIRE STARTERS

...ensure these ministries and their heritage are passed for generations to come.

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The Long-Lasting Impact of an Endowment

BY: JAKE HANSON, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR My childhood summer camp memories in the north woods of Minnesota are not unlike the wonderful ministries of Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota – with the arguable exception of the number of mosquitoes. As a child it was within these camp communities that I first explored what faith is, and I know without a doubt that my faith's foundation was rooted in my Bible camp experience.

It is a deep desire that my own children will one day have the opportunity to participate and make camp memories of their own. Maybe this resonates within you. Maybe you feel this same, deep desire for your children or grandchildren to make these same faith-formative memories.

There is a critical avenue to bring these desires and dreams of ensuring a future of camping ministry to life. The key to sustaining the future of the ministry of LO is the building of an endowment fund.

Gifts that are made to Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota that are designated to the LO Endowment make both an immediate and long-term impact on the organization.

These gifts are permanently invested. Each year, the earnings from the investment are used to assist with specific needs of the organization and always used as they are originally designated.

SO HOW DOES THIS WORK? An Endowment Gift is Invested Permanently

The Investment Grows & Earns Interest Annually

The Earnings are Utilized to Cover Important Operational Costs

Endowment gifts build a solid foundation for the future of camping ministry in South Dakota. When you make an endowment gift, you are investing in future generations of campers.

If you would like to make a gift to the LO Endowment, please contact Jake Hanson at (605) 940-2557 or jake@losd.org.

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What is Lutheran Planned Giving?

Planned generosity and estate planning is a joyful experience. After-all, YOU are planning a gift that will make an impact for generations to come. Your gift ensures a legacy of camping ministry opportunities for youth and families from all corners of South Dakota and beyond.

Whether you are planning to make that gift today, tomorrow, or sometime in the near future, Lutherans Outdoors wants to make sure the planning process is as smooth and joyful as possible.

To make that happen, LO partners with Lutheran Planned Giving of South Dakota.

LPGSD is a professional estate planning resource for LO’s donors and is sponsored by the South Dakota Synod and ELCA ministries across the state. LPGSD provides customized tools that include tax efficiency and gifts for your loved ones as well as support of God’s work. There are no fees or minimums—this is a gift and a resource to you.

Did you know there are more ways to support LUTHERANS OUTDOORS in SD than writing a check?

Here are some tax-saving* ways to be generous through our partnership with Lutheran Planned Giving of South Dakota: Gifts of Grain--a few bushels or a truckload Appreciated Stock--ZERO capital gains tax IRA Charitable Rollover--no income tax Estate Plan--Will, Charitable Trust, Beneficiary Designation or Endowment

For more information, contact: Kathy J. McHenry, Executive Director, LPGSD 2001 S Summit Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57197 605.274.5030 | kmchenry@sdsynod.org www.lpgsd.org LPGSD is a partner of Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota *Consult your tax professional and legal counsel for advice regarding your personal situation.

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HEritage Stories STRENGTHENING FAITH & COMMUNITY LIVING IN AWE & PROTECTION OF GOD’S CREATION

BY KAREN BRAUN, HERITAGE SOCIETY MEMBER I was raised in Middleton WI by nature-loving parents who inspired me to care deeply about the environment. Our family vacations revolved around camping, backpacking and skiing, and our weekend activities usually Hiking and gardening.

While in high school, I worked in the local deli creating mass- quantities of potato salad, rotisserie chickens, and the like.

That’s probably what caught the attention of the LOSD recruiters who came to Luther College my freshman year, and gave me a position as “Assistant Cook” at Outlaw Ranch. After graduation, I began a career in public accounting, and after a few years, decided that my passion really revolved around teaching. I pursued a PhD in Accounting, which lead to my last 20+ years in higher education, most recently at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland OH. In addition to work, I help run a free monthly community meal at my church which served about 100 guests each meal.

So…the mass-cooking skills I honed at Outlaw Ranch continue to live on!

My children, Rachel (27) and Hannah (25) have carried on the tradition of loving God’s creation. They both love plants, animals, hiking and being outdoors. My late husband (Cory Braun) loved being on the golf course and my current husband, Kevin Kelley, is an avid open-water swimmer.

Working at camp, I loved the faith-based community and the setting. I remember dressing up each week to reenact the Easter story: riding horses on the weekend, baking 13 loaves of Swedish rye bread each day: and enjoying the nightly campfires.

I suppose the 2-minute showers (our allotted time back then!) also stands out in my memory. I remember having friendly “war of pranks” among the counselors for several weeks, until our camp director put a halt to it when they got a little out of control! I also remember lying on the roof of the old barn, watching the lightning run in a horizontal direction down the valley. It was the most amazing lightning I ever remember seeing.

I convinced my non-camping husband to go to family camp the summer of 2005 right after we moved to Cleveland. Of course, the kids and I loved our week at Outlaw, but I would have to say that my husband, as reluctant as he was about going, also enjoyed it too. I still remember some of the parenting advice the pastor gave us in the morning sessions when the kids and parents had separate activities: Your job as a parent is to be a non-anxious presence (NAP).”

I believe in everything that LO stands for: strengthening faith and community and living in awe and protection of God’s creation . I want others to be able to have the mountain-top experience of attending a LO camp and bring that back in to their daily lives.

THANKS KAREN, FOR SHARING YOUR FAITH STORY WITH US!

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HEritage Society Members THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FOR INCLUDING LUTHERANS OUTDOORS IN YOUR ESTATE PLANS. YOUR FORESIGHT ENSURES THE FUTURE OF THIS MINISTRY FOR YEARS TO COME. Anonymous (14)

David & Linda Hommes

Jeff & Marilee Pederson

Anonymous † (2)

Darrell & Bette Johnson

Lyle & Marvelyn Peters †

Steve & Geeg Aaker

JoDean Joy

Virginia "Lee" Peterson †

Lynelle Aanestad

Brian & Joyce Kaatz

Evelyn Peterson †

Joe Alvestad †

Jeff & Melanie Kjellberg

Louis & Joyce Profilet †

Cindy Anson Eilers

Carmen Klumb †

Franklin & Marit † Pudas

Phyllis & LeRoy † Arhart

Michael & Gina Kontz

Jeff & Betty Rohr

Lois Bellows

Denny Pearson & Karen Kraus

Lowell & Florence Ronning †

Orlin Berge †

Ada Kretschmer †

Roy & Dorothy Satre

Kermit Black

Dennis & Shirley Larson

Jim & Nancy Schade

Nina & Don † Brockel

Martin & Betty Larson †

Jim † & Judi Schwerin

David Brunkow

Elvira "Vera" Larson †

Brad & Karyn Scott

Dick & Marillyn Campbell

Beverly Lentz †

Bob & Connie Scott

Rebecka Chase Estate †

Karl O. Lee †

Sol & Mary Jo Semmler

Ray & Sandy Cheney

Patricia Lee

Jon & Kristy Sogn

Rod & Wendy Christman

Erika Lehmann

Jerry & Deb Soholt

Herb & Connie Cleveland

Don & Sharon Lehmann

Neil & Kari Sorensen

John Cleveland Trust †

Vi Lightfield

Lee & Liz Stadem

Dorothy Delicate †

Gene Loken †

Brent & Agnes Steffens

Hilda Denke †

Rolland & Ella Loon

Dwight & Kathleen Stensgaard

Gary & Donna Dettman

Cheryl Lundeen

Kent & Holly Stillson

Roe & Pat Eidsness

Melford † & Janet Lyso

Charles & Delores Storm

Norris & Carolyn Einertson

Wanda McNeill †

Otto Storm †

Norm & Clarice † Eitrheim

H Walter & Lillian Miller †

Norman Sunne †

Dave & Marvene Evenson

Irene Moxness †

Crystal Swenson

Paul Evenson

Bill † & Ginny Myers

Mark & Bonnie Thompson

Tom Farmer

Marilyn & Rudy Nef

Gary Thoreson

Margie Fiedler &

Doug & Cindy Nelson

Eldon & Lillian † Thurow

Joy Nelson

Maxine Tofte †

Lee & Karin Friewald

Layne & Jennifer Nelson

Dennis Tranberg

Fremont Forsberg †

Jeff & Trudi Nelson

Manda Twete †

Aaron & Margaret Gob †

DeMaris & Erv Nesheim

Unity Lutheran Church †

Diana Glover

Roger & Jan Noer

Arlette Villaume

Donald Gommer †

Sidney Norin †

Fern Williams †

Alan Reindeau

Dirk & Constanze Hagmaier Orris Olson †

Oliver & Junice Woldern †

Phyllis Hanse †

Keith Osberg †

June Young †

Robert & Suzanne Hansen

Delores Osborne †

Charles Yuill †

Jean & Stanley Hawthorne † Ron & Bonnie Ostby Russ & Ann Hillman †

Connie Palmer

Doris Ann Hodgen

Estelle Pearson

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Bruce & Ila Zellmer † Dave & LaDonna Zellmer

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Interested in Joining the Heritage Society?

Would you like more information about the Heritage Society and Planned Giving? We’d LOve to hear your story and share more about the many ways to make a planned gift to LO. Please fill out this brief questionnaire and return it to: Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota 2001 S. Summit Ave Sioux Falls, SD 57197

Name(s): Address:

Phone:

Email:

I n t e r e s t e d i n L u t h e r a n P l a n n e d G i v i n g S D ’ s a s s i s ta n c e in y o u r es t a t e planning? YES / NO P l e a s e l e t u s k n o w i f w e c a n p r o v i d e y o u w i th m o r e i n fo r m a t i o n regarding: Living Will

Charitable Trust

Appreciated Stock

Beneficiary Designation

IRA Charitable Rollover

Land or Real Estate

Other: I n t e r e s t e d i n S h a r i n g Y o u r G e n e r o s i ty S to r y i n F u tu r e L O Publications? YES / NO I f y o u h a v e a n y o t h e r q u e s ti o n s o r w o u l d l i k e to s e t u p a m e e t i n g / c o n v e r s a t i o n w i th J a k e H a n s o n , D e v e l o p m e n t D i r e c to r , p l e a s e c o n t a c t ( 6 0 5 ) 9 4 0 - 2 5 5 7 o r ja k e @ l o s d .o r g .

To include LO in your estate, our organization’s legal name is Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota, Inc . and our EIN is # 46-0320561.

This information that is offered by Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota within this publication is for educational purposes. We are not able to offer specific, personalized legal advice and we recommend that you consult your own attorney and/or financial advisor when completing your estate plan.

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Lutherans Outdoors in SD 2001 S Summit Ave Sioux Falls, SD 57197

Connect With LOSD OnlinE Thanks for your support and passion for the ministry of Lutherans Outdoors!

Please share your stories of camp and ignite a campfire for friends and family.

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