Gerad Meteyer Foundation
On Labor Day 2007, Gerad Heath Meteyer suddenly and unexpectedly died as a result of a low blood sugar incident. He left behind two parents, two younger brothers, few material possessions, and countless friends.
Gerad, 34, was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes when he was nine years old. For most of his life he had difficulty living with his disease. Seizures, hospital stays, and missed school days became a part of life in the Meteyer household. His disease did not, however, keep him from staying physically active and pursuing higher education goals. After graduating from high school, he attended both Michigan State University and Marygrove College on his way toward earning a degree in child development in 2004. He hoped to soon be a teacher of young children. His hopes were cut short on September 3, 2007 when he passed away at home in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
One of the ways that Gerad learned to live with diabetes mellitus (also known as type-1 diabetes and juvenile diabetes) was by meeting other people who faced the same challenges. Gerad was fortunate enough to be able to attend Camp Midicha (mih-DIE-chuh), an American Diabetes Association (ADA) camp for children and teenagers diagnosed with type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Camp Midicha, located in Fenton, Michigan, helped him improve his diabetes self-management skills from experienced, professional medical staff. While there he also met lifelong friends with whom he had fun in a safe and supervised setting. Gerad began attending the camp as a newly diagnosed diabetic at the age of nine and returned every year until he was no longer eligible as a camper. Because of the skills that he developed and relationships he forged, Gerad then felt the need to give back to the camp that had given so much to him. He turned his energies toward serving as a counselor at the camp, helping young campers face the challenges they confronted.
Gerad put tremendous effort into managing his disease. He put equal effort into sincerely getting to know those people whose paths he crossed. Gerad was a quiet listener, a gentle friend, and a generous giver. Since Gerad never married or had children of his own, it is up to those who knew him best to carry out the legacy of his life.
One of the ways in which we continue to honor Gerad is through a foundation established in his name. The Gerad Meteyer Foundation is a federally recognized tax-exempt charity that provides scholarships to send underprivileged diabetic children to Camp Midicha. We believe that Gerad would relish knowing that, in a way, he helped to send needy children to Midicha for many years to come.
In 2008, our goal was to send one or two diabetic children to Camp Midicha. When it was all said and done, the funds raised from our first Gerad Meteyer Foundation Picnic were enough to provide scholarships for 12 children and adolescents to attend Camp Midicha in 2009! On August 23, 2009, we held our 2nd Annual Gerad Meteyer Foundation Picnic at Beverly Park in Beverly Hills, Michigan to raise additional funds toward our goal of Generating Educational Assistance and Resources for Diabetics. Between monetary donations sent by PayPal and mail and proceeds from the picnic and silent auction, we were astounded to surpass last year’s success! For details about the 2009 GMF Picnic and our plans for the future, click here. Please see the donate page to learn more about how you can contribute to the mission of the Gerad Meteyer Foundation. If you or someone you know is interested in receiving a scholarship to Camp Midicha from funds raised by the Gerad Meteyer Foundation, click here to contact the Midicha Camp Manager.
Thank you for visiting our website and please don't forget to sign the guestbook!
Gerad, 34, was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes when he was nine years old. For most of his life he had difficulty living with his disease. Seizures, hospital stays, and missed school days became a part of life in the Meteyer household. His disease did not, however, keep him from staying physically active and pursuing higher education goals. After graduating from high school, he attended both Michigan State University and Marygrove College on his way toward earning a degree in child development in 2004. He hoped to soon be a teacher of young children. His hopes were cut short on September 3, 2007 when he passed away at home in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
One of the ways that Gerad learned to live with diabetes mellitus (also known as type-1 diabetes and juvenile diabetes) was by meeting other people who faced the same challenges. Gerad was fortunate enough to be able to attend Camp Midicha (mih-DIE-chuh), an American Diabetes Association (ADA) camp for children and teenagers diagnosed with type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Camp Midicha, located in Fenton, Michigan, helped him improve his diabetes self-management skills from experienced, professional medical staff. While there he also met lifelong friends with whom he had fun in a safe and supervised setting. Gerad began attending the camp as a newly diagnosed diabetic at the age of nine and returned every year until he was no longer eligible as a camper. Because of the skills that he developed and relationships he forged, Gerad then felt the need to give back to the camp that had given so much to him. He turned his energies toward serving as a counselor at the camp, helping young campers face the challenges they confronted.
Gerad put tremendous effort into managing his disease. He put equal effort into sincerely getting to know those people whose paths he crossed. Gerad was a quiet listener, a gentle friend, and a generous giver. Since Gerad never married or had children of his own, it is up to those who knew him best to carry out the legacy of his life.
One of the ways in which we continue to honor Gerad is through a foundation established in his name. The Gerad Meteyer Foundation is a federally recognized tax-exempt charity that provides scholarships to send underprivileged diabetic children to Camp Midicha. We believe that Gerad would relish knowing that, in a way, he helped to send needy children to Midicha for many years to come.
In 2008, our goal was to send one or two diabetic children to Camp Midicha. When it was all said and done, the funds raised from our first Gerad Meteyer Foundation Picnic were enough to provide scholarships for 12 children and adolescents to attend Camp Midicha in 2009! On August 23, 2009, we held our 2nd Annual Gerad Meteyer Foundation Picnic at Beverly Park in Beverly Hills, Michigan to raise additional funds toward our goal of Generating Educational Assistance and Resources for Diabetics. Between monetary donations sent by PayPal and mail and proceeds from the picnic and silent auction, we were astounded to surpass last year’s success! For details about the 2009 GMF Picnic and our plans for the future, click here. Please see the donate page to learn more about how you can contribute to the mission of the Gerad Meteyer Foundation. If you or someone you know is interested in receiving a scholarship to Camp Midicha from funds raised by the Gerad Meteyer Foundation, click here to contact the Midicha Camp Manager.
Thank you for visiting our website and please don't forget to sign the guestbook!