Camp Courageous will announce its next CEO at a press conference Friday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. at the Durgin Pavilion, 12101 190th St., Monticello.
Interviews and photo opportunities will follow the announcement. Light refreshments will be provided.
The opening was created when Charlie Becker, who had served more than 45 years as CEO of both Camp Courageous and the Camp Courageous Foundation, announced in January he was stepping down as CEO to focus his full attention on the Foundation.
Before joining Camp Courageous, Mr. Becker was a high school teacher. He completed his student teaching in Monticello, and after teaching less than a year in England and three years in southeast Iowa, he returned to Monticello to take the CEO role.
He started in 1980, when Camp Courageous was struggling to survive. During those early years, Mr. Becker said he remembers being kicked out of the Jones County Landfill because he and camp volunteer Clete Goedken took more out of the landfill than they were putting in.
During Mr. Becker’s time as CEO, Camp Courageous has grown from five to 35 buildings, from 40 to 400 acres, and from a few hundred campers to nearly 10,000.
Camp Courageous volunteer board member Dr. Earl DeShaw started the Camp Courageous Foundation in 1980, and through significant contributions from large donors, estate allocations, and planned giving strategies such as wills and trusts, the Foundation has built a sustainable financial foundation, ensuring the long-term stability and success of Camp Courageous for years to come.
“This is not about Charlie Becker,” Mr. Becker said. “Camp Courageous has been the vehicle that has allowed all of us to give back, whether through time, materials, supplies or financial support. The beauty of Camp Courageous is one can see it, one can feel it, one can be a part of the joy it brings to so many.”
Founded in 1972, Camp Courageous provides year-round recreational, respite and travel opportunities for individuals of all ages with disabilities and their families. The camp is run primarily on donations, with no formal sponsorship, government assistance or paid fundraisers.
