In a predictable world Jacqui Thone would have graduated from Luther Seminary with not only a theological degree, but a call to a church. But life isn’t always predictable; just ask anyone who lived through the May 22 tornado. Ask the children.
Ready to serve, Jacqui volunteered at the ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod, a choice that put her in the middle of another whirlwind of activity as the volunteer coordinator for Camp Noah in North Minneapolis. In this whirlwind she met amazing people. People like Nancy Beers, Kara Verhage, and Caitlin Hughes, employees of Lutheran Social Service and director, program manager and administrative specialist of Camp Noah. Together Nancy, Kara and Caitlin organized and executed three Camp Noah’s in North Minneapolis from August 8-12, serving close to 150 children and they did this on the shirttails of Camp Noah’s in Northport, Alabama; Rochester, Minnesota and other areas of the United States where disasters hit. Jacqui got to watch the program directors of each camp in action. People like Dawn Dresser of Calvary Lutheran in Golden Valley, a woman whose idea of a good day is to volunteer 10 hours at Camp Noah and then go back to her home church to serve and house homeless families for the week. People like Tracey Gennrich, Parish Coordinator at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in NE Minneapolis, who coordinated and helped serve lunches and snacks to over 80 people at the St. Olaf Camp Noah site from Monday-Friday. People like Jerry Moore, a member of the NCRT and employee of the HUB, a person who has worked tirelessly since the May 22 tornado to connect people to needed resources. The whirlwind included too many people to mention; people who all came together to help the children of our community begin the healing process from their tornado disaster experience.
Camp Noah began as a response to the massive flooding in the Red River Valley in Northern Minnesota and North Dakota in 1997, and in the last four years has held 167 camps, served 7220 children and youth, and over 3080 volunteers in 17 different states. The camp is a one week day-camp, with an emphasis on creating a fun-filled and safe environment that provides children with an opportunity to share their own experiences and build resiliency skills. The Noah story guides the week as children listen to Noah’s wise words each day. Words that remind children that they are special, that they can be prepared for future storms, that there are brighter days ahead, that they are resilient, and that they have hopes and dreams. The children told their storm stories at Camp Noah, stories of a day when trees fell on their house, a garage blew away, friends left to live in shelters, a roof came off of their house, they moved into a hotel, they saw their parents as vulnerable and they began to experience unpredictable fears. They created a “Wall of Remembrance” from their shared stories and learned how to be prepared for future storms. They received preparedness packs that contained a dust mask, a flashlight, batteries, a bottle of water, a granola bar, a whistle and more. They were encouraged to think of other items to include from home, like a family picture or a favorite book. They talked about feelings and discussed disaster scenarios to help build skills to combat their fears.
Nadia Espinoza Dominguez, who’s son Jessie attended Camp Noah at Salem Lutheran Church, said her son really enjoyed the week. “Jessie was home during the tornado. Before going to Camp Noah he was always looking out the window and asking if another tornado was coming. He would ask if our house would be destroyed, because a neighbor’s house was destroyed. He is more calm now and has learned about the weather. Our house was only damaged on the outside, but it was traumatizing to see the damage to the neighborhood. Now he feels prepared and it is a help to me to see him more confident. It was a great experience for him.”
Other parents expressed similar thoughts. One mother whose children have not slept in their own bed since the tornado, said that they are bickering less and are more calm.
The children also created a “Garden of Hope” out of flowers decorated with words and drawings that expressed their hopes and dreams. Eliana’s dream is to become a teacher, Latrell wants to go to college in Florida and play for the Gators, Nate wants to go to “Candy Land.” and Joselyn wants to become a good artist. Each garden held the hopes and dreams of close to 50 children. The “Garden” banner was placed where the children and volunteers could see it, across from the “Wall of Remembrance,” a reflection of better things to come.
Fun was the ruling factor of the week. Caleb Crainer, the site coordinator at Jordan New Life said, “We had a great, fun, and important week of recovery work in North Minneapolis. We had visits from Interim Bishop Nycklemoe, Mayor Rybak, and various leadership within the Lutheran Social Service organization. The week was blessed in so many ways!” The children at all three sites played with parachutes, sang songs, created works of art, held a birthday party for “Noah” and played lots of games. The week ended in celebration, with each site delivering flowers to people in the nearby communities. Anita Anderson, from North Oaks Assisted Living, sent the children a thank you card. It read, “Thank you Camp Noah for the pretty potted plant and card. I was quite surprised to find it at my doorway when I returned form lunch today. The purple flowers look nice on my kitchen counter.” Noah Branch, who has not slept in his own bed since the tornado demonstrated the remarkable resiliency of children when he told his cousins who were visiting from Duluth, “You guys should have a disaster, so you guys can do Camp Noah. I loved it!”
By the end of the week Jacqui Thone had a call to St. Barnabas Lutheran Church in Plymouth, something we can be thankful didn’t happen a week earlier, as we needed all of her time at Camp Noah! That Camp Noah happened in three sites in North Minneapolis is a tribute to the love and care of many people for our children. People from our Northside community, Lutheran Social Service Camp Noah staff, ELCA, Camden Lions, St. Olaf Girl Scout Troop, the Hub, NCRT, Emerge, KMOJ, Camden Community News, Insight News, North News, the Spokesman, the City of Minneapolis, our drivers and church staff, and the three host churches — St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church at Jordan New Life, and Salem Lutheran Church.
A special thanks goes out to the volunteers and workers at each site. At the Salem Lutheran Camp Noah: Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church in Plymouth, St. Barnabas in Plymouth, Grace Lutheran Church, Resurrection Lutheran Church, Advent Lutheran Church, Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church, Gethsemane Lutheran Church and the Emerge workers. At the Jordan New Life Camp Noah: Immanuel Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie, Good Shepherd Lutheran in Wayzata, Minneapolis Area Synod Staff, Edina Community Lutheran, and Saint Barnabas Lutheran in Plymouth. At the St. Olaf Camp Noah site: Calvary Lutheran in Golden Valley, Gustavus Adolphus in NE Mpls., the St. Olaf Girl Scout Troop, the Emerge Workers, friends and family of Jacqui Thone, and the Camden Lions. Thanks to the many more people not mentioned. You are the rainbow that shines for our children in North Minneapolis.