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CHARITY SPOTLIGHT A CLOSER LOOK AT: Camp Casey What began as a tribute to one child with cancer has now touched the lives of thousands. By SARA LIESER Photos courtesy of CAMP CASEY "It's the most emotionally fulfilling job you could possibly have," said Camp Casey founder Molly Reeser. "We're offering the kids the most fun time ever. We're like the Publishers Clearing House for these children." >> WHAT IT IS: Camp Casey is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit horseback riding program in Michigan for children with cancer. The program helps children and their families in three ways: >> HORSEY HOUSE CALLS: Camp Casey will bring a horse to the home of a child with cancer. The two-hour visit includes riding, crafts and food. >> COWBOY CAMP OUTS: Camp Casey will send a child who has cancer and his or her family on an all-expenses paid weekend getaway to a dude ranch resort. >> OUTLAW OUTINGS: Families can participate in only one Horsey House Call or one Cowboy Camp Out, but Camp Casey often organizes one-day outings to state parks, professional sporting events and other activities for alumni of the program. 92 W INTER 2013 U N TAC K E D M olly Reeser never intended to start a charity. As a cashstrapped college student at Michigan State University, she just started mucking stalls at a local barn to earn a few extra dollars. But it was there that she met Casey, a little girl with cancer who would change the course of her life. "Everyone was very serious—they had expensive horses, and they were competitive riders," said Reeser. "Casey really broke the mold. She was really energetic and talked to everybody. She broke up the stuffy environment that the stables offered. Everybody knew who Casey was, and she was a real breath of fresh air." The two bonded over their shared love of animals, rescuing baby birds in the arena. But Casey's bone cancer metastasized to her brain in 2003, and she passed away. Everyone at the farm wanted to do something to honor her, but Reeser was uncomfortable with the idea of planting a tree or purchasing a park bench. "For somebody like Casey, who was a really outgoing little girl, I thought she'd be very bored with the idea that we'd plant a tree in her honor," said Reeser. "She's not the kind of girl who wanted a tree to represent who she was. We could do better than that." So Reeser brainstormed and organized "Camp Casey" at the barn. She got permission to use the school horses and invited other children with cancer and their families to come out for a day in 2004. "I recruited my friends and other people at Michigan State who wanted to help," she recalled. "I put $200 of pizza and arts and crafts supplies on the emergency credit card that my parents gave me. It was perfect. It was a gorgeous day. We had over 80 people come out." Reeser intended to run Camp Casey only once, but she received a letter a week later from a 5-year-old boy who'd attended. "Thank you for the best day of my life," read the note. She knew she couldn't stop there. Throughout college, Reeser continued to run Camp Casey during the summer, but after graduating, she'd intended to pursue a career in journalism. Yet when the time came to find a "real" job, she couldn't quite give it up. So she decided to carry on with Camp Casey, even if it meant waitressing and doing odd jobs to make ends meet. Over the years the program evolved. Horsey House Calls came about after one little girl developed a life-threatening nosebleed at one of their barn days. "We sent her to the hospital," said Reeser. "We felt terrible. Her whole family comes for the day on the farm to have a

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