My Nonprofit Reviews

Nearly 25 years ago, my husband lost a dear friend in a duck hunting accident. Jim Ketelson was alone one very cold November morning, and no one knows exactly how his accident happened. His car and boat were found near his hunting site, however, Jim's body was not recovered for another four months. Jim left behind a wife and two young daughters.
We stayed in close contact with Jim's widow, Kathe, and could only imagine the challenge to explain this accident to young girls - eight and five years old -- the same age that our girls were at that time, too.
What I'll always remember is Kathe telling us about this wonderful camp that was available to children in Iowa who had lost a parent. Kathe's children were elated when their dad's body was found in February, several months after his accident. In a young child's mind, they would wonder if 'dad just walked away.' So, to find his body, and then experience healing while attending a camp - designed to help them with their feelings, was life altering for this young family.
My husband and I have decided that Amanda the Panda is an extremely worthwhile organization and we proudly give donations to this program each year. I only wish there was a similar program available to families in South Dakota.

Linda Dunleavy
3701 E. Freda Circle
Sioux Falls, SD 57103

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