Meet the Staff

Help Send a Kid to Camp

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Camp Odayin Site Search Engine

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Winter Newsletter 2011
"The Beat" (PDF 3.6 MB)
Newsletter Archive

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2010 Annual Report
Download 2010 Annual Report (PDF 4.7 MB)

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Minneapolis Star Tribune Article
Odayin: A Minnesota Camp With a Heart 08/19/03

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The Camp Odayin Song
The Camp Odayin Song (.mp3)

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Sara Meslow - Executive Director



Sara is a life long camper, and a heart patient herself. She has worked and volunteered at many camps and holds undergraduate degrees in Social Work & Communication, and a graduate degree in Youth Development Leadership.

Sara is very familiar with the cardiac care world. She herself has had a catheter ablation to correct her supraventricular tachycardia, and has an implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) as a result of ventricular tachycardia.

She believes in the positive impact summer camp can have on everyone, especially children with special heath concerns.

Keeping The Beat: Heart Rate Devices

Learn more about our Executive Director by downloading this article from United Hospital/Saint Paul Heart Clinic. (PDF 857 KB)

Alison Boerner - Assistant Director

Alison Boerner joined the Camp Odayin team in May of 2007 with a Masters in Social Work from the University of Denver and a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Chapman University. Alison has been involved with a number of summer camps and prior to Odayin served on the board of directors for a camp for children with cancer. She is thrilled to be a part of a small organization that makes a big difference.

Matt Olson - Office and Finance Manager

Raised in northern Minnesota, Matt’s passion for camping and the outdoors developed at a young age. Matt joined Camp Odayin in the fall of 2007, after majoring in Economics and Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas and working for a brief period in the for-profit sector. Matt volunteers at other area nonprofits and serves as Food Coordinator on the St. Louis Park Empty Bowls planning committee. A marathon runner and triathlete, he enjoys challenge and is excited to tackle anything that comes his way at Camp Odayin. Matt looks forward to positively impacting the lives of young people and their families.

Edward "Chip" B. Martin, M.D. - Medical Director

Dr. Martin, or "Chip" as he is often called, joined the Saint Cloud Hospital's Children's Center Neonatal Program in May 1999 and has served as its medical director since November 2002. He is a neonatologist and pediatric cardiologist who attended medical school at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He completed his pediatric residency and his fellowship training in pediatric cardiology and neonatal intensive care at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. He is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology. His special clinical interests are in chest pain in children and adolescents.

"Dr. Chip (as he's known to his patients) loves Camp Odayin because it lets special kids with special hearts be as ordinary as possible and go swimming, horseback riding, canoeing, and other fun camp activities. He is excited to be part of Camp Odayin."

Laura Miller - Summer Camp Coordinator

Laura came to Camp Odayin in 2004 as a volunteer counselor, absolutely loved the experience, and has been back in many different roles nearly every summer since. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Teaching and Learning from St. Mary's University. Laura has had a passion for working with children for as long as she can remember, and is completely amazed by the wonderful kids with special hearts that she has come to know at camp. As an elementary school teacher during the school year, she thinks that camp is the best possible way to spend her summers.

Vicky Hidalgo - Summer Camp Program Director

Vicky began her Camp Odayin journey as part of the Camp Knutson Staff from 2008-2010. Upon completion of her last summer as "K-staff" she joined the Camp Odayin crew as a volunteer counselor at Family Camp and Winter Camp. She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Gustavus Adolphus College and aspires to attend medical school in the near future. Vicky strongly believes in the power of spontaneity and laughter. She is amazed by the immense joy and love that shines through the hearts of those who are a part of Camp Odayin and loves being part of such a wonderful family!