April 24, 2018
From the family of Derek Harms…
Dear Camp Deerhorn Community:
For the past 11 years, Mr. Harms and I helped our boy pack for Camp Deerhorn. We missed him before he ever got there, but we saw camp as a gorgeous setting, a positive learning experience, a group of dear, loyal friends and a place of discovery that helped our beautiful, talented son become the young man he was.
When our Derek was taken from this realm on April 8, all our moorings were shaken. Our clarion call was to stand tall and celebrate Derek’s legacy. It is what he would have done for any of us. At that point, Derek’s Deerhorn brothers and sisters (and auxiliary guardians) came out in incredible force to support us, and to pay tribute to Derek in his hometown. You traveled great distances, you brought stories, you wrote and performed music, and you sent us heart-felt letters. In short, you helped weave the fabric of our son’s tapestry of relatives, hometown and college friends, family friends, employers, admirers and world-travel companions into one beautiful image of unity . For this, we are humbled and grateful.

Going forward, we have decided to carry on our celebration of our son’s talents and interests by creating an interactive website honoring Derek. Since Derek was a man of action, this site will encourage (but not administer) charitable giving towards the causes that he held dearest, such as Nature and Conservation, Enrichment and Education, Music and the Arts. We will update you when the site is launched. This is just one way we hope to continue the connectivity of this beautiful community of Derek’s friends and family.

With boundless gratitude and continuing fellowship…
Georgianne and Dennis Harms