OUR MISSION
Mason City, IA
My Happy Place
My Happy Place is a 501(c)3 organization comprised of passionate volunteers whose intention is to create healing environments for individuals who are struggling with a serious health issue. A “healing environment” is often defined as one that has a nurturing and therapeutic effect. We simply call it, “my happy place”.
For the person on a serious health journey, a healing environment can help to lower stress and anxiety, reduce pain, accelerate recovery and promote a sense of well-being. My Happy Place does all that, and more. Often times, the news that the individual is going to have a “happy place” created for them, is the first good news they’ve received since their diagnosis. This gives them something to look forward to other than focusing on their illness.
We work closely with the recipient to design and personalize the selected space at their home that will provide the most benefit. We will create a place that embodies soothing colors, cleanliness, sounds, scents and visual stimuli. We use specially curated items that will provide comfort, resulting in a new space that will help to strengthen their ability to cope and recover.
What we offer is one part of the healing process, and we believe a very significant part. Our hope is that each time the recipient walks into their “happy place”, they are reminded they are not alone on their journey-they have the love and support of friends, family and their community.
Serving qualifying recipients in Mason City and a 30-mile radius.
My Happy Place – Mason City is a 501(c)3, making your donation 100% tax deductible
EIN: 46-2628458
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MEET RHONDA ROTTLER
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MEET CAYLEIGH PEPPER
Cayleigh is 14, from Northwood, IA. Her journey began in December of 2022 (age 13) when she began having issues with her shoulder. After months of PT and no improvement, we decided on x-rays. The x-rays showed our worst nightmare come to life. A mass in her shoulder. Things then moved so quickly. More x-rays, scans, tests anything you could imagine happened in a blink of an eye. Next thing we knew a port was put in and we were starting treatment…
MEET ALLISON CANNON
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Allison has dealt with serious illness most of her life. Diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at an early age and now fighting kidney failure, My Happy Place is going to give her a bedroom makeover. Your donation will enable us to do that for her!
MEET AXEL HELLER
Just days before Christmas, Axel’s parent’s received the devastating news that their son had been diagnosed with ganglioneuroblastoma. Your donation will allow us to create a magical bedroom for this sweet, nearly 3-year-old.
MEET OZRAEL “OZ” GUERRERO
Creating a welcoming bedroom/playroom are for little Oz to enjoy throughout his unexpected cancer journey is the first order of business as My Happy Place kicks off a new year. Read Oz’s story below
MEET ROB JOHNSON
Rob’s daughters reached out to My Happy Place, hoping to create a cozy, uplifting living area for their father, diagnosed with heart failure. Your donation can help us accomplish that. Read Rob’s Story Below:
MEET CADEN WOLTJER
I’m Caden Woltjer and I’m 12 years old. I live in Marble Rock with my parents, Bev & John Duncomb, 2 older brothers and 2 older sisters. I’m an uncle to 4 nieces and love and enjoy my nieces very much. I’m a 6th grader at RRMR Schools in Rockford. I’m involved in 4H and really enjoy showing calves at the fair and just being at the fair with my friends. I’m an avid military buff as my brother, Wes, is a Marine, my grandpa was in the Air Force and my Uncle Gary in the Army. I enjoy watching football and am a huge Dallas Cowboy’s fan! … Continue Reading
MEET LEMAN NORTHWAY
I’m Leman and I live in Northwood, IA with my wife, Eve and our 12-year-old twin boys, Simon and Mason. I have lived a rather painful life. When I was in middle school, I started having awful hip pain. It was finally taken care of after my 3rd hip surgery more than 15 years later…
MEET SONYA KOCKLER
Feeling the extreme effects of the treatments she’s had to endure for brain/occular cancer, Sonya’s “happy place” is going to be a bedroom on the main floor, so she doesn’t have to go up a flight of stairs to her second story bedroom. Please donate, making the makeovers the gift they were intended to be.
MEET TANYA KAPLER
Tanya Kapler is a mother of 5, a woman of great faith, with the determination to fight her cancer head on. After Tanya’s initial diagnosis of cervical cancer, and then finally feeling like herself again after treatments, she was hit with the news the cancer had spread and was now stage 4. Please consider a donation to help us create a magical space for Tanya.
MEET ROURKE WACHOLZ
6-year-old Rourke is going into his 3rd year of chemo in the hopes of saying farewell to the High-Risk B-cell Acute lymphoblastic leukemia he was diagnosed with at the age of 4. When asked what one item Rourke was hoping to have in his new bedroom, he replied with a big grin “a LOFT BED”. Please consider a donation so Rourke gets that loft bed he so badly wants, in a bedroom totally designed with all his favorite things.
MEET CAROL OLINGER
Diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Carol Olinger’s life has never been the same. Carol’s life is a made up of chemo drips, cancer pills, a rest period in-between and then the cycle starts all over again. On top of that, she makes frequent trips to Mayo Clinic to have bone marrow biopsies. Please consider a donation so we can make over her bedroom, giving Carol a beautiful place to rest and recover in.
MEET KIM MOGK
Having been on the receiving end of cancer twice, Kim has fought back not only from what cancer dishes out, but she can hold her head high and proudly proclaim she overcame addiction and has been sober nearly 5 years now. Kim is a very humble, kind and loving mother/grandmother, and MHH is happy that we can offer her, a woman who wouldn’t buy for herself, a beautiful bedroom to rest and soak up the love that surrounds her.
MEET OUR BOARD
Lisa Tan
Executive Director / Co-Founder
Linda Miller
Treasurer
Leadership Committee
Anne Flagge
Secretary
Katie Klemesrud
Board Member
Jill Buckman
Board Member
Alanna Engels
Board Member
Courtney Baker
Board Member
Chris Nelson
Board Member
BEDROOM MAKEOVER’S
Liberty’s Bedroom Makeover
Ethan’s Bedroom Makeover
Brooklyn’s Bedroom Makeover
Featured Bedroom Makeover’s
MY HAPPY PLACE MASON CITY, IA SERVING A 30 MILE RADIUS
Do you know someone you would like to nominate for a bedroom makeover in our area? Please follow the link below and fill out the nomination form.
Thank you to our Partners
Businesses or individuals who provide support of MHP on a continual basis by the service they provide or the financial donation they extend throughout the year. Whether they donate, offer at cost, discount or provide a much needed service, we owe them our gratitude.
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