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About the Founder |
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Hi
Friends,
I'm Neil Hiltz and I'd like to welcome you to jhcamp! It's my sincere
goal to make your experience amazing, whether that is as a camper, a
volunteer, or a donor.
I was born in New York and grew up in North Carolina, and as a adult I
lived in Michigan and Virginia. I've lived in San Diego since 2004.
I obtained my Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State
University, and Master of Business Administration at the University of
Michigan. I've worked in the automotive and financial services
industries in sales, product development, product management, and
marketing.
In 1999, my younger brother, Jeff, died in a car accident. At 27 years
old, I was not equipped to handle the loss. I grew up thinking that if
I went to school, got a good job, and married a great woman, that I
would be happy. Jeff’s death definitely wasn’t on ‘the list.’ Quickly,
I lost most of my hope for life. Eventually, my life mirrored my hope –
I had friends, but didn’t appreciate them. I had a good job, but didn’t
appreciate it. I had been blessed more than most people on this planet,
but didn’t appreciate it.
In 2001, I started to see a therapist named Dodie in Richmond, Virginia
(Dialogue Pastoral Counseling). She was the perfect companion on my
journey of self discovery. At the same time, I began to volunteer with Comfort Zone Camp.
I learned how the camp worked, and why it made such a positive impact in
the lives of children across the country. Over time, I volunteered
at ten camps, and learned how to make it work - great people, common
goals, and a great plan!
I ran the Rock ‘n Roll marathon in San Diego, and thought, I need to
live here. I had previously done some market studies for Comfort Zone
Camp that showed the greatest need for grief support is Southern
California, as it is the most populated area in the United States. So,
I moved to San Diego!
I began to volunteer with The Jenna Druck Foundation,
and continued to ‘think about’ the camp. Now, it's my goal to bring
their success to the West Coast through jhcamp.
Working together, joy and hope are possible for children who have had a
loss. |
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