Meet the Staff

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Camp Odayin Site Search Engine

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Spring Newsletter 2008:
"The Beat" (PDF 1.8 MB)
Newsletter Archive

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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. She has worked with children with special needs for the past six years. Alison has been involved with a number of summer camps and most recently 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 Manager

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."

Linda Nelson, R.N. - Nursing Director

Linda Nelson grew up in Minnesota and has a bachelor of science in nursing degree from St. Olaf College. She has worked in the cardiology field for 20 years and currently works for Medtronic as a Clinical Research Manager supporting clinical trials for heart patients. Linda has volunteered as a camp nurse for the last four years and serves as President of the Board. She feels that the Camp Odayin "experience" is special and unique for kids with heart disease. She is excited to share her talents and enthusiasm with them.

Laura Prekker - 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.

Kindra Molin - Summer Camp Program Director

Kindra has worked at various camps almost every summer since she turned seventeen. When she is not at camp she works as a high school English teacher and Student Council Advisor. Kindra graduated from Willamette University with a degree in English in 2000 and from Bethel University with a Masters of Arts degree in Teaching. She has taught school in California and Minnesota. Kindra loves the songs and silliness of camp; but even more, she loves all the special people that she meets when she is there.