We officially own Camp because I said I would!
Our Founder has signed the closing documents for the 92-acre property that is now officially Camp because I said I would!
“I have always wondered what would happen to the nonprofit if I were injured or died and could not financially support the organization. Together with our donors, we cement the strength of because I said I would deep into the ground. Through this property I believe our impact will echo for 100 years. I’m sorry I have to go now. My dogs are in the RV and they need to potty.”
–Alex Sheen , Founder of because I said I would.
Our camp is located 45 miles east of Columbus, Ohio: camp.becauseisaidiwould.org
A Promise Story
A Mother’s Promise
“May 19, 2022 was the funeral for my son TJ where I also handed out cards that I made. Aluminum business cards that on one side was the ‘In Memory of TJ Crosby’, but on the back it said ‘Follow your dreams and reach for the stars’. Something I always told him. Many bowlers; past, present, boys, girls, coaches, representatives from the USBC, and even other teams all showed up. They closed the bowling alley so everyone could attend because not only did TJ bowl there but also worked there. Standing in front of my son’s urn and all the boy bowlers gathered around, I promised to finish out TJ’s senior season with them and to be there cheering them on the best I could. They had just lost their co-captain and biggest cheerleader and I wanted to try to fill that void. On that day, I had never heard of because I said I would.
Months later, after a very rough couple days, a strange series of events ‘just happened’ that lead me to find and research the organization because I said I would. It was perfect timing because those bad days had me considering walking away from the team. Staying…going; both options seemed too much. That moment put me on a path I did not understand, still don’t and not sure I ever will. I watched a few videos and that promise I made all the sudden became more powerful than the hurt. I could not break that promise. The boys have gone undefeated this season and won 2 tournaments. They have the best record of the program to date and a couple matches away from winning the conference (which was the goal TJ set for the team at the end of last season!). To think I almost missed it…that was close!”
– Andrea
Andrea accidentally tripped across the existence of our organization because of a job posting. She joined our staff earlier this year as our Fulfillment Associate. This picture is from her son TJ’s memorial birthday party held this month. She wrote this message soon after. We are so very proud to announce that her son’s bowling team won their final game tonight, making them undefeated during the regular season and crowning them conference champions for the very first time in school history.
So often, we do not know what is waiting for us on the other side of our promises. The journey of commitment teaches us unforeseen lessons and creates unpredictable memories. We make the promise for a very specific reason, but after all is said and done, the impact of our words blossoms into much more than a seed could ever show.
Rest in Peace, TJ. Personal Development Tool
Because I said I would developed The Promise Planner™ template to help people contemplate their promises and spot problems before they happen. It challenges you to think of possible barriers to success and provides some best practices that your promises might need. Our hope is that the Promise Planner is reasonably simple and self-explanatory. Fill it out using one of your promises, and its functionality and benefits should become much clearer than just the blank form. We provide this downloadable and printable copy at no cost. We just ask that this tool not be used for commercial purposes. Download here at no cost.
Programs
The Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children is a nonprofit working to saturate their community with information, education, and awareness to enable a drastic decrease in violence and crime. The leadership team of this organization, including four mothers who have lost their children, held a three-night leadership retreat at Camp because I said I would. Their stay at camp was completely free and the founder of because I said I would completed a resiliency program with the moms at no cost as well. Thank you to our donors who are helping make impact and partnerships like this possible. Sponsoring Families in Bereavement
Which one of these families should we say “No” to? Sorry, but we just can’t do that. We are short-staffed and that makes fundraising even harder, but we will find a way to cover the costs to have these families join bereavement retreats at Camp because I said I would. We received 50+ more applications like these in just a 5-day period and they don’t get any easier to read.
If you know an organization or individual who might be interested in sponsoring a retreat for one of these families ($1,000 donation), please email our Fundraising & Development Coordinator at [email protected] or donate here. The four families below have been covered by a generous donor, but we still have more than 25 families on a waiting list.
More info about our 92-acre camp: Camp.becauseisaidiwould.org