[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING SARA MESLOW AND CAMP ODAYIN IN STILLWATER AND CROSSLAKE 
                               MINNESOTA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHELE BACHMANN

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 23, 2009

  Mrs. BACHMANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sara Meslow, 
founder and director of Camp Odayin, headquartered in Stillwater, 
Minnesota. With facilities in Crosslake, Minnesota, Camp Odayin is the 
only camp in the Midwest for children with heart disease. This amazing 
opportunity is made available for just $25 because of generous 
donations from individuals, local organizations and medical groups. 
Sara says, ``We wanted something associated with children's heart 
disease that doesn't have dollar signs after it.'' I would like to 
honor Sara and the team at Camp Odayin in front of this Congress that 
we all may be amazed at the opportunities she provides our children.
  Young heart patients from 17 states, Canada and Germany have been to 
Camp Odayin and many leave feeling completely different about the 
disease that will impact them the rest of their lives. The object of 
Camp Odayin, which means ``heart'' in Ojibway, is to connect kids with 
heart transplants, congenital defects, artificial valves, abnormal 
heart rhythms and many other conditions with one another.
  Sara shares a very personal connection with the Odayin campers. As a 
teenager, she learned that she had a heart condition that sometimes 
caused her heart to beat wildly and later received a Medtronic 
defibrillator to control the condition. After volunteering at a camp 
for children with heart disease in California and with some prodding 
from her mother, Sara began exploring options for a camp in Minnesota.
  Camp Odayin held its first session in 2001 with 53 campers. Now in 
their eighth summer, they have expanded to three sessions and are 
expecting 240 campers. The camp sessions are available for ages 8 to 17 
and are as normal as any summer camp with swimming, archery, horseback 
riding, canoeing, crafts and of course, general fun. The advantage is 
that medical professionals and health specialists make up many of the 
volunteer staff allowing children needing extra attention and care to 
participate in activities they would otherwise sit out on at other 
camps. Nurses attend every activity, regularly monitor medications and 
staff an infirmary that is similar to a hospital intensive care unit. 
This level of medical care is not available at any other camp in the 
Midwest.
  I had the privilege of learning about Camp Odayin from one of the 
many children blessed with this opportunity. This young girl was just 
thrilled to have been to a camp where many of the kids were dealing 
with the same problems she had. It is obvious the joy that Sara has 
brought to hundreds of children and I rise today to honor and applaud 
her work empowering the children that are the future of America, 
regardless of their health, status or ability.

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