CAMP CASEY

BRINGING EQUINE JOY IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

By Robbyn Moore

Throughout human history, people have loved, owned and ridden horses because they silently speak to our hearts, teaching us to live in the moment. Interacting with horses can naturally bring about feelings of wellness, empowerment, peace and confidence.

Camp Casey, a nonprofit organization, has been spreading the healing power of horses to children and families affected by cancer, Sickle cell disease and other life-threatening illnesses since 2004. Its mission is to provide safe and fun experiences through its horseback riding programs.

Founder and Executive Director Molly Reeser established the nonprofit organization in memory of Casey Foote, a 12-year-old horseback rider who passed away in 2003 from bone and brain cancer. Molly met Casey while attending Michigan State University and working part time teaching horseback riding lessons. Camp Casey was intended to be a one-time event to honor the life of Casey but evolved into a nonprofit organization that spreads joy to over 1,600 participants annually.

Camp Casey offers several cost-free programs to vulnerable children and families in Michigan: Cowboy Camp Outs provide all-expense-paid family getaways at dude ranch resorts, Lone Star Getaways bestow free stays for families at privately-owned vacation rental properties, Outlaw Outings offer year-round recreational activities and Horsey House Calls deliver “horse camp” to homebound children who are, oftentimes, too sick to attend regular summer camp.

The event that sticks with Molly the most was the first ever Horsey House Call, which started by accident in 2006 after a camper experienced a nosebleed during one of Camp Casey’s one-day horseback riding events. The child had to immediately dismount the horse and head to the hospital where she received a blood transfusion.

Feeling awful that cancer had once again disrupted an attempted day of normalcy, the team took the one-day horse camp on the road and went to the family’s home. “The girls were as shocked as they were thrilled to answer their front door — in the middle of a Farmington Hills subdivision — to find a saddled-up horse ready for them to ride around their neighborhood,” Molly said.

A gentleman who was driving by stopped to ask what a horse was doing in his subdivision. Without missing a beat, Molly told him about Camp Casey and explained that this was a “Horsey House Call,” which she completely made up on the spot. “He asked if this is what our organization did on a regular basis,” she recalled. “Of course, it wasn’t something that we had ever done before, but I explained to him that if we were able to raise enough funds for a truck, trailer and supplies, then we could make it happen.” When the gentleman asked how much the group needed to make that happen, Molly responded, “Fifty thousand dollars.”

A few months later, Camp Casey received an anonymous $50,000 check. “It was undoubtedly a gift from an angel,” Molly shared, “But quite frankly, it was terrifying to receive that kind of money because, at the time, we only had about $500 in our bank account; however, our anxiety quickly subsided when we saw the date of the check: August 26 — Casey’s birthday. We’ve considered it a gift from Casey, which continues to give to countless children.”

The following year, Camp Casey hit the road, completing eight Horsey House Calls, 16 the year after that and 30 visits every year beyond that. They have also opened a satellite Horsey House Call hub in Grand Rapids which allows them to deploy from two separate locations at the same time.

“Camp Casey is proof that out of hardship can come beauty, and our first Horsey House Call is just one of the examples,” Molly said.

Another memory that Molly recalled happened in 2019 when the organization was contacted by a kindergarten teacher whose student was going through cancer treatment, and as a result, missed out on most of his kindergarten year. The child was not responding well to the treatment, so the family made the difficult decision to stop treatment and let the child live his numbered days comfortably. The teacher arranged for her student to enjoy a Horsey House Call at the school with his classmates.

“While we typically deploy in June due to rainy spring weather, the Horsey House Call program is set up in a way that we can be at a child’s home in a moment’s notice, no matter the time or the place. So, we quickly loaded the horse trailer with one of our therapy horses, Queen B, and hit the road,” Molly shared.

The plan was to bring the horse to the playground where the boy and his entire kindergarten class would be surprised. However, when the volunteers arrived at the school, it was raining. The team’s equine therapist suggested moving the surprise event to the school gymnasium, and the janitor agreed to be on standby with a mop.

“We were most nervous that Queen B’s booty would not fit through the school doors,” Molly said with a laugh. “But once in, she calmly looked around and was not fazed at all by the indoor space.”

The team quickly set up and signaled the kindergartner to lead his class of 25 students into the gym where they were all elated. They conducted a grooming and safety lesson, followed by the chance for each child to ride Queen B around the gym. The children had an extraordinary day.

“The young boy’s parents were overwhelmed with gratitude to have had an experience, just days before he passed — a day they will remember forever in their hearts,” Molly said. “While it was an emotional day for everyone, it was a beautiful experience and one that made me most proud of my team and our commitment to spreading joy, regardless of the challenges put in our way.”

While all of the programs are completely free for children and their families, funding the programs is costly. As a result, Camp Casey is on a continuous cycle of fundraising and hosts its biggest annual fundraising event — Gold Rush Gala — in September during Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Additionally, the organization is supported by donations, sponsorships, monthly gifts, third-party fundraising, tribute donations or simple one-time gifts. “Because of hospital privacy laws that prohibit direct contact with patients, we rely on word-of-mouth to be able to reach vulnerable families,” Molly shared. “Simply telling someone about us who might not yet heard of us is the best way to get the word out.”

Camp Casey is dependent upon a robust group of volunteers for every house call; the summer months are busiest with events 4-5 times a week. “It is not required that our volunteers be horse-savvy to be a part of what we do,” Molly said. “Volunteering with us is convenient, and both the application and training is done online and can be found on our website.”

By far, Molly’s most challenging part of running Camp Casey is to experience the loss of a camper. “That just never gets easier,” she said. “I’d like the real estate community to know that no matter how they get involved, the local nonprofit community needs as much help as we can get right now.”

To find more information about volunteer opportunities or to donate, call 877-388-8315, email molly@ camp-casey.org or visit camp-casey. org. Camp Casey can also be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Camp Casey - CHARITY SPOTLIGHT