Camp Good Days and Special Times: The Legacy of Teddi Mervis

by Arcadia Publishing

Overview

In 1979, nine-year-old Elizabeth "Teddi" Mervis was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Not able to experience even the simplest joys of childhood, she felt frightened, isolated and alone. Her father wanted to change all that, not only for his daughter but also for other children with cancer. With the support of thousands in and outside of Rochester, New York, Camp Good Days created a new world for those touched by cancer, violence or any other affront to a child's dignity. The spirit and legacy of Teddi Mervis live on in the success of the organization she inspired.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467117784
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	07/13/2015
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	1,132,654
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Lou Buttino holds a PhD from Syracuse University. He taught at St. John Fisher College and UNC Wilmington. He is an award-winning teacher, scholar, filmmaker, author and playwright. His documentaries have been broadcast on PBS, NPR and ESPN. He has been an invited speaker at Harvard, Brown and Syracuse University and interviewed by many television, radio and print journalists. A Special Manuscript & Film Collection of his work is housed at William M. Randall Library, UNC Wilmington. For more, visit www.LouButtino.com.

Table of Contents

Foreword Gary Mervis 11

Acknowledgements 13

Introduction 15

Part I A World Comes Apart

That First Night 19

The First Day 25

The Ante Goes Up 29

A World Comes Apart 34

Wrestling with the Devil 40

Starting Over 44

Looking for Miracles 49

The New Terms of Hope 55

A Hard Lesson 58

The Quality of Time 60

Part II The New Terms of Hope

Back to School 65

New Hope 67

The Second Campaign 73

Waiting and Letting Go 80

A Dream Is Born 84

Good Days 96

Special Times 108

The Sound of the Second Shoe 113

Starting Over 120

"I Love You Anyway" 125

Decline 130

The Second Camp 132

As Autumn Approached 142

A New Friend 146

Hope Rethought 151

Part III Of Death and a Dream

"They've Come for Teddi" 157

Waiting 160

A Child Dies 164

Come Saturday Morning 167

"Don't Hang On to Goodbye" 176

A Terrible Silence 185

To Go On Anyway 190

Part IV The Legacy of Teddi Mervis

A Place in the World 201

A Spiritual Journey 220

About the Author 235