Jan Norman

Encouraging, empowering, a role model, a team builder, a leader—Jan Norman used all her talents to create Camp Leo Summer Camp for Children with Diabetes. And she does it as a volunteer while holding down a demanding job and raising a family. For the last 17 years, Jan Norman has spent her summer vacation running Camp Leo.

As camp founder/director, she also worked throughout the year to prepare for the next camp—recruiting, raising money, and handling the logistics of this major event. Everyone who works at Camp Leo is a volunteer, including one medical professional for each eight campers.

Imagine what it takes to convince that many highly paid doctors, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists to take time away from a lucrative practice—and from their families—to work at Camp Leo. Recruiting and training the many volunteers needed for camp, soliciting funding, developing programs and pulling the camp together each year takes a huge commitment of time and energy, but Jan has done it well year after year after year.

Now, Jan has stepped down from her role as camp director, turning her duties over to a team of carefully selected and trained volunteers who will carry on the camp she so lovingly nurtured. She continues to be active, however, as Counselor Coordinator and is responsible for recruiting medical staff.

Jan is also active in the Olympia Host Lions Club, Chair of the annual Lions Apple Sale grossing more than $50,000 for Lions activities, and has served as diabetes chair for Lions in western Washington.