|

In the late afternoon of July
10, 2001 I became the parent of a burn survivor. It is amazing how one
split second can change the life of a loved one forever. My son Jason
was (and still is) a Wild Land Firefighter for the U.S. Forest
Service. He and 14 others were caught in a “burn over” in a fire that
was named the “Thirty Mile Fire”. Four of his friends perished in that
fire and he suffered burns over 35-40% part of his body. He spent 10
weeks at Harborview Medical Center, and it was there that he and his
family learned of the Northwest Burn Foundation and their summer camp
for young burn survivors. The following summer he became a counselor
at Camp Eyabsut, and now is heavily involved in the camp in many
varied ways.
In the Fall of 2006 I was
invited to join the NWBF Board of Directors, and accepted the
invitation. I had a very personal and working knowledge of what this
Foundation and the summer camp had done and continued to do for my
son. Working with Mark Bartman, Board President and Nancy Mendoza as
the Executive Director worked its magic, as if they were the siren
song – I was hooked. In the Fall of 2007 I was asked to become the
President of the Board and accepted that invitation. I can truly say
that Mark took this Foundation and its Board to new heights during his
five years as President.
We are extremely grateful for
a dedicated Board, passionate volunteers, commendable staff and
generous donors who work as a team to keep building the Northwest Burn
Foundation. Along with preserving our roots in the volunteer fund
raising community, we have set a course to seek new sources of funding
and planned giving to support the valuable programs that we provide.
Camp Eyabsut continues to
provide exceptional experience where children are challenged to grow.
The smiles and hugs reflect what we are truly all about.
In November of 2007 we took
advantage of having the World Burn Congress in own our Pacific
Northwest. Seven Board members and three Camp Counselors traveled via
Amtrack to Vancouver, BC for three days of the best days of our
lives.The event brings together survivors, healthcare professionals,
firefighters and foundation members from all over the world to share
ideas, review programs and network.
As we entered 2008 we were
tasked with finding new Emergency Housing and partnered with
Harborview Medical Center in moving into a new building not far from
the hospital. All of this could not have been accomplished without the
very capable oversight of our Executive Director, Nancy Mendoza.
The overall experience that
started on that day in July 2001 has changed many lives. I wish to
thank my son Jason for surviving that experience and for providing me
with the opportunity to serve a community that he has become a part
of.

Steve Emhoff
Northwest Burn Foundation
President
Safety Tip: Do
not overload electrical outlets, 1 plug per socket is the rule. |