Remembering Stefan (Dan) Dolea

On February 24th, 2020 Heart of Hope lost one of its long-time employees to a tragic motorized scooter accident not far from Camp of the Good Shepherd on the camp road.  We will be providing for Dan’s resting place and want to honor his service to Heart of Hope.  We know many volunteers will want to remember Dan warmly too.

Dan was one of Romania’s orphans.  He was abandoned in a maternity hospital at birth on December 11, 1975 and he was placed in the orphanage system.  He befriended a family in the small village of Boita, where his orphanage was.  Dan was able to help them with their animals and his love of animals began.  As an adult he helped with sheep, goats, and cows up the Camp road.  That is how we began to know Dan.  He would help out around camp and stay when staff would be away.  He proved trust-worthy and when the animals no longer needed tending, he came to work and live at Camp of the Good Shepherd in 2007.

With no family and no other home, Camp and its staff and volunteers became his family.  His first love of animals remained his passion and soon chickens, goats, rabbits, geese and pigs joined the camp cats and dogs.

Dan’s background gave him a unique understanding of the children and youth that attended Camp of the Good Shepherd.   He deeply appreciated the American and Romanian volunteers that would take their time to come to serve.  He took it upon himself to especially cater to the American volunteers.  He loved to cook for them on weekends and entertain them with his quirky sense of humor.  Dan was loved by many volunteers and his presence and warm smile will be deeply missed.