To the Health of the company

This month featured our Annual Meeting when we gather with each other as Board members and also meet up with our insurance providers, bankers, financial advisors, HR, office manager, compliance officer, staff, intern, and a slew of continuing education professionals. 

We celebrated our wins by reviewing what we had accomplished in 2025, and we looked ahead together to strategically plan for what is coming next. While this intense week long meeting always includes long days and difficult conversations (yep, I’m talking about budget day!), the challenges that we faced were navigated as a team, and I’ve never felt more optimistic and excited coming out of an Annual meeting than I do now. 
Over the years I have been delighted to watch us, as an organization, continue to fine tune ourselves and become more and more focused on supporting each other through this work and collaborating constantly to “solve for yes.” 

The mission of RESCU never ceases to amaze me in its brilliance, that it is a three pronged mission with each part complimenting the other (preventative and educational programming, advocacy, and financial aid). Our bill abatement numbers are still coming in, but we do know that in 2025 alone we disbursed about $140,000 in financial aid, and exceeded nearly every goal in our programs metrics for trainings, clinics, and health and medical item disbursements! I can hardly wait to see what we do next!

RESCU Foundation has a decades long legacy of supporting the Health of the Company, and we plan to stick around until every festival participant around the country has access to affordable health and medical services. And of course, being a mostly volunteer driven organization (with only 3 paid staff members), we couldn’t do any of this without the help of people like you! If you’d like to donate your time or your treasure, connect with us online to learn more about how to volunteer or visit RESCUfoundation.org to make a donation today. We hope to see you soon at a faire near you! 

Another summer has come and gone, which means we just celebrated another birthday for RESCU Foundation- we’re now 23 years old!!! Every year this milestone has me both reflecting on our past as well as day dreaming about our future. I still remember the first time I ever heard about RESCU… it was at the St. Louis Renaissance Festival in 2015, when Danielle Dupont (currently my Vice President of the Board) stood up on a bench during morning meeting at the Joan of Arc stage and made an announcement about the upcoming RESCU Rally and what it was exactly that the money was being raised for. And I remember thinking to myself: “That is SO cool. I want to be a part of that.”

At that time, RESCU was most well known for its financial aid distribution for medical bills. Since then, we’ve really ramped up the messaging around our advocacy work, which includes helping participants to understand that in this country YOUR MEDICAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE, and we help people understand how to navigate the medical billing system with this in mind. These days we also employ a Programs Staff person who focuses specifically on the third part of our mission statement: the preventative and educational programs! Because of this, we are witnessing a super bloom of various trainings, Health Fair Days, PreCannon Clinics, First Aid Kit Giveaways and more all over the country like never before. 

What will RESCU accomplish next??? Personally, I would love to see more services and programs geared towards the people of color, queer folks, and “spoonies” in our community. Did you know that people of color actually experience higher mortality rates of skin cancer despite lower overall incidence? That’s a big deal for a community that works outdoors. Can you imagine how difficult it can be to access gender affirming care when crossing state lines regularly as part of your full time job? Many rennies know this reality all too well. Have you ever tried to coordinate a team of your various healthcare specialists and pharmacists while also juggling cross country gigs? The chronically ill among us have support groups for this, because the struggle is real. 

There are so many opportunities still for RESCU to serve our community, but the reality is that RESCU needs YOU. We are still mostly funded by ren faire participants (workers) and patrons (festival guests)… so hey, if you’re a grant writer: let’s talk! We are also still mostly volunteer driven… so if you’ve got time to spare and are a graphic designer, a social worker, or have experience in fundraising, finance, or law: please reach out! The reality is that RESCU is powered by everyday people just like you and me; people who feel called to, as Desmond Tutu said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

So… what will we accomplish together next?

How are you these days? But, really, how are you? According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, roughly 1 in 4 adults here in America suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. 1 out of every 4 people. That’s a staggering statistic. That means we certainly all know plenty of people who have mental health struggles whether that be our colleagues, friends, family, partners, and even us ourselves. 

I was out to lunch with a friend recently and she was sharing a bit about her journey of finding the right mental health provider for her, and I’m so grateful that she did, because I personally have been in between providers for much too long! I keep telling myself that there’s no time like the present to continue my search for another mental health professional to help me be the best version of myself that I can be… and then some new urgent task makes its way to my desk, and then the ADHD does the rest… And here I am, more than a year later telling myself I still need a new therapist!

My friend talking openly with me about her search and her successes with mental health providers really lit the fire in me to finally make it happen, especially since I’ve been working my way lately through the grief of losing a family member. Well, I’ve done it! I’m happy to report that I have now signed up with BetterHelp and I’m so excited to use this platform because not only does it give me access to a therapist via calls and messages, but it has a lot of additional resources including worksheets, journaling, a mood tracker, and classes that I can register for when I have the time and extra spoons to take on more!

Sound like something you might be interested in, too? Renaissance festival workers and volunteers can try out a month of BetterHelp for FREE when you use our BetterHelp Aid Request Form on our RESCU Foundation website, and participants can also apply for financial aid to continue using this platform once your free month is up. You can find that form at https://rescufoundation.org/wp/betterhelp-aid-request/ to get started today. Who knows, your journey to better health may even inspire those around you to follow in your footsteps!

Sincerely,

Magnolia Strange, President of the Board

Another school shooting in the headlines. Speaking from experience, these students have a lot to process right now.I like to think that what I took from my experience was that I’m grateful to still be here. No parent should have to bury a child. And yet, such is the world we live in.

I like to think, too, that I took away a deep understanding that while we cannot control everything and everyone, we DO still have control over some things, namely the choices we make with the circumstances we face.

Because of choices that I made that day, today I am able to make choices like bringing active attacker trainings and greater access to mental health resources to my community nationwide. These trainings help to prepare our participant community (workers and volunteers) in the event that someone comes through our gates with the intent to commit mass harm. The mental health resources we offer to participants include our partnership with BetterHelp for a month of free therapy, our Mental Health First Aid trainings to help us know how to recognize and respond to a mental health crisis in our community, and soon to be added: QPR trainings that focus specifically on suicide prevention.

Once, I told a dear mentor that I was sure he was one of my guardian angels. He responded that he thought we could all be angels to each other. In a world full of hurt, what would it look like if we all decided to be angels to each other? We’re currently looking for more folks interested in becoming certified to teach the active attacker training in person or online for our festival communities around the country. And we’re always looking for more mental health providers interested in volunteering for the Health of the Company. If you’re interested in either one of these avenues, please don’t hesitate to reach out to programs@RESCUfoundation.org, where we are Connecting our Community with the Power of Health.

Sincerely,

Magnolia Strange, President of the Board

This month I am sharing a stage with the character Robin Hood yet again, and this time around I am also reading The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood backstage. I can’t help but feel a certain kinship with this fictional character. He spent his days making merry among friends. They broke bread and shared music and dance together in the beautiful woods. More than all that, he found himself in what he felt was an unjust system, and he worked with other like minded folks to help ensure that those who were in need could receive help. As Friar Tuck said, “We must do what we can to keep their hopes alive.”

That’s what we are doing when we come together for the Health of the Company. Whether you’ve volunteered during a Health Fair Day, donated to one of our many fundraisers, or helped a participant to find one of our online Aid Request forms, I want to thank you all for Connecting our Community with the Power of Health! 

Sincerely,

Magnolia Strange, President of the Board

This month of February has just barely begun at the time of my writing this address, and yet I already have so much to write about for all of you!

Just last weekend I found myself around the family dinner table discussing some big topics, including that, in this country, there are many health and medical tests, prescriptions, and procedures that are somehow cheaper if you don’t have (or choose not to use) health insurance. Because of my decade of volunteer work with this national health and medical nonprofit, I am WELL aware of this. Even so, it is still a head scratcher. How is it that people pay a monthly fee for the privilege of paying EXTRA for many vital healthcare costs?! Indeed, in this organization we find that initial healthcare expenses are often lower at the self pay rate (aka uninsured) AND it is often also easier to negotiate bills down for medical costs when the client has no insurance. For emergencies and one-off expenses, it is quite tempting to just not have health insurance at all! But what about if you have regular monthly health and medical expenses and you don’t have the time or the spoons to be constantly negotiating with medical facilities or pharmaceutical companies?! To carry insurance or not to carry? What an awful question to have to answer.

Just earlier this week I found myself making some very calculated decisions about emergency care for a family member who, after a couple days of coughing, sneezing, and a spike in temperature up to 102.9, suddenly awoke to coughing up blood. That last symptom is not something I was willing to take chances on, so here’s what we did: I told him to get dressed and wear layers because sometimes waiting rooms can be chilly, and to pack a bag with basics in case of an overnight stay in the hospital if the providers thought this was serious enough to admit him. I also threw chargers and an extra pair of clothes in my backpack and grabbed my toiletry bag just in case. We both did an online search for “nonprofit hospital near me,” because we know that nonprofit hospitals are much more likely to offer financial aid than for-profit hospitals.

Why not just go to an urgent care, you ask? I’ve seen it happen time and time again that someone is afraid to incur the bills of a hospital ER, so they go to an urgent care first, only to find that the particular urgent care that they chose does not have the diagnostic tools that they need for their particular predicament. So often they have to end up going to the hospital ER anyways, sometimes now also with an ambulance bill attached! So instead of just one bill for the ER, they now have a bill for the Urgent Care, a bill for an ambulance ride, AND a bill for the ER. Ouch!

We found a nonprofit hospital with okay reviews about an hour away, so we also grabbed snacks and drinks for the road. On the way there, we verbally reviewed symptoms and timeline (which we had also been taking notes on) as well as OTC medications that had been taken so far (which I also had pictures of), all as a rehearsal of sorts to communicate efficiently with staff when we arrived at the ER. Once we arrived, I listed the symptoms and timeline that we had rehearsed to the intake personnel, and we were fast tracked to a PA (Physician’s Assistant). Fun fact: Physician’s Assistants and Nurse Practitioners can diagnose and prescribe medications, similar to an MD (Medical Doctor). And here’s a personal trick I’ve been using for years that has really come in handy: the moment a medical provider started speaking with us, I recorded the audio using my phone. As someone with ADHD who also tends to process and store visual information much better than auditory information, this has been huge for me. It’s quicker than trying to manually take notes, and then sloppy handwriting or misplaced notebooks are never an issue when trying to reference what exactly those directions were regarding prescriptions, or follow ups, or what have you. There are plenty of free apps available for a variety of mobile devices that will record and store audio for you in a way that is easy and accessible! After discussing symptoms and timeline with the PA, she ordered 3 vials of blood to be taken, then some imaging. I happen to know that this family member has a tendency to faint after blood draws, so I requested a wheelchair and was told no problem by the phlebotomist. A few minutes later, a different individual came to escort him to imaging without a wheelchair, so I explained his situation again and insisted on a wheelchair, which is just a reminder to all of you at home to advocate for yourselves (or others) about your needs, and do not be afraid to stay firm and repeat yourself when necessary.

After a series of tests and imaging, turns out coughing up blood can actually be a symptom of… THE FLU. Who knew?! Apparently the particular strain of flu going around this area right now is especially awful (we’ll say!), even affecting folks who have gotten their latest flu shot! Remember, there are different strains out there… and just because you got immunized for some strains doesn’t mean that you will be immune to all of them. Even after a flu diagnosis, I’m still so glad we went. That particular symptom could have been so many things (for example, I’ve actually had a friend who contracted tuberculosis years ago… and that took about 6 months of bedrest to recover from). We found out what was going on and got the prescriptions necessary to take care of it, without having to worry about potentially exposing others to an UNKNOWN contagion.

Why share all these personal stories? Because we all learn from each other’s wisdom and experience. And, as my favorite Leonard Nimoy quote goes: “The miracle is this – the more we share, the more we have.” Many of us know all too well the struggles that come with trying to navigate the health and medical systems in this country. I ALSO know from experience that when we come together, we are stronger for it. And that’s what RESCU is doing– it’s using the experience and wisdom of our staff and volunteers to make sure that RESCU is Connecting our Community with the Power of Health. I hope you’ll join us, whether that looks like donating, volunteering, or even just sharing something that you learned here with someone else. There are so many ways to support the Health of the Company, so whatever that looks like for you- thank you!

Sincerely,

Magnolia Strange, President of the Board

This month we have just completed our massive multi day RESCU Annual Board Meeting and I’m feeling incredibly energized by everything we were able to accomplish at the meeting (workshopping and voting on a brand new Values Statement, a redone Ethics Statement, as well as some much needed Policies and Procedures) as well as some incredibly inspiring presentations of our various committees’ 1, 3, and 5 year Strategic Plans! 

This particular Board meeting is incredibly important not only because it is the longest (4 full days often accompanied by working long nights and early mornings to prep for what is to come the next day), but because it is the one time every year when we all get to be together in person, to hug each other in the flesh, to “share the same air,” as one of my dear mentors has said. Especially for those of us whose love language is “quality time” it is this week of in person togetherness that sets the tone of the coming year. 

Speaking of tone, I think that was my biggest take away from this year. Even with all that we prepared and accomplished, what struck me most was our tone with each other. Even when we found ourselves with not exactly the same opinions, the overall tone of our conversations was supportive, collaborative, loving, and generous. When conversations got heated, I could see people practicing what Cassie Townsend and I call “softening.” When we came up against problems that needed creative solutions, I could see people working together to “solve for yes,” as Myra Slaybaugh constantly reminds us to do. I’d like to share with you some of the closing remarks from our meeting that I delivered to the Board:

“It’s the mortar, not just the bricks, that makes a building robust.” If the building is RESCU Foundation and we are the bricks, then the mortar is our connections and relationships with each other. It’s our tone, kindnesses, patience, understanding, forgiveness, compassion, respect, and generosity. These are the qualities that hold us to one another. Without these, we are just a pile of rubble. Over 20 years ago, our Founders (and all those who have come before us), put in a LOT of labor to build the structure that we have today. Now we are part of that legacy of builders, and we get to construct our own additions as we see fit. The foundation is stable, and the bones of the structure are good. Let’s make sure that all of us here, the current stewards of this building, are doing our part constantly to maintain the integrity of this house. 

We accomplished some great things… And as we come back to the table to work with one another, it is my hope that in this house, before we speak, we let our words pass through three gates: At the first gate, ask yourself “Is it true?” At the second gate ask, “Is it necessary?” And at the third gate ask, “Is it kind?”

The truth is that all those in the Renaissance festival community nationwide are part of this house that our Founders have gifted to us. Thank you for your continued support of this amazing community resource. I am certain that if we continue to work together for the Health of the Company, then we will continue to expand our ability to Connect our Community with the Power of Health! 

Sincerely,

Magnolia Strange, President of the Board