Donor and Sponsorship Overview
Our Mission
Rest & Resilience Retreat provides active and retired first responders and their families with fully funded opportunities for rest, reflection, and renewal.
By creating a safe space for healing in nature, we strengthen families, prevent burnout, and support the long-term well-being of those who protect and serve our communities.
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Why This Matters
First responders face trauma that most can’t imagine—domestic violence calls, suicides, fatal accidents, and the daily emotional toll of helping others through crisis. These experiences leave invisible scars that can erode mental health, relationships, and life beyond the badge.
While community kindness—a thank-you note, dropped-off snacks, flowers after a hard call—helps sustain morale, lasting recovery requires more. Rest & Resilience Retreat offers that deeper restoration: a fully funded, lakeside retreat where first responders and their loved ones can step away from the chaos, reconnect, and begin to heal together.
The Pilot Program (Launching 2026)
● Format: Multi-day retreats at lakeside rental cabins (VRBO, Airbnb, or donated local spaces) near Cumberland, WI.
● Participants: Active and retired first responders—police, fire, EMS, corrections, and dispatch—plus their families.
● Focus Areas: Rest, reflection, and reconnection through guided activities such as yoga, pontoon rides, bonfires, massage, and nature-based recreation.
● Goal: Host 6–11 retreats in the first year, refine the model, and expand to 12–24 in Year Two.
Each retreat will serve 6–8 participants, covering lodging, meals, activities, and wellness programming—at no cost to them.
Impact
By investing in this mission, donors help prevent burnout, support healthy relationships, and strengthen the people who stand between crisis and safety every day.
When first responders return home stronger and more grounded, the positive impact ripples throughout their departments, families, and communities.
Ways to Give & Sponsor
Monetary Contributions (Seed Funding): Help fund our pilot retreats, materials, and future facility.
️ Meal Sponsorships: Sponsor one retreat’s meals ($600 average).
️Lodging Support: Offset cabin rental costs ($2,400 average per retreat).
Activity Sponsorships: Cover yoga, golf, fishing, or outdoor recreation ($600 average).
In-Kind Donations: Contribute goods or services—welcome bags, snacks, or professional support.
️ Founding Donors Circle: Multi-year or facility-focused giving opportunities available upon request.
Long-Term Vision
The pilot phase will lead to a dedicated lakeside facility built for rest and renewal—hosting retreats, family weekends, and wellness workshops year-round.
This permanent space will become a trusted hub for first responder wellness across the Midwest, providing ongoing support for generations of public servants.
Founder’s Note
As a law enforcement officer, I’ve seen the weight of the badge up close—on the front lines during unrest, supporting coworkers through tragedy, and watching too many carry that pain alone.
Nature has always been my way to reset and find peace, and I’ve learned that the path to resilience starts with time to breathe, reflect, and reconnect.
It is my honor to build a place where first responders and their loved ones can do just that—together.
Contact
Sarah Tollefson
Founder, Rest & Resilience Retreat
Email: stollefson18@gmail.com
Phone: 952-807-4654