transforming lives with harrington for hope

Living life “Beyond the Burns,” that’s the mindset of Mitch Harrington as he makes an effort to take a situation of horror and turn it into an outlook of hope and healing.  

Harrington, a lieutenant with the Cookeville Police Department, holds a special place in his heart for burn survivors, especially those who are children.   

In 2016, Harrington found himself fighting for his life after entering a burning home in an effort to save the lives of others. After an unexpected explosion in the home and being pulled from the blazing inferno by fellow police officers, the lieutenant spent one month at the Vanderbilt Burn Center in Nashville being treated for his injuries.     

It was there that Harrington learned of Camp Hope and met Rebekah Lemley, a burn center nurse who also served as the camp’s director. She noted that the biggest struggle as camp director was funding. Harrington vowed that he would make it a priority to help fund the camp. At it's inaugural event in 2018, Harrington For Hope raised more than $14,000 for the camp the following year. Each year since, the support for Harrington for Hope has continued to grow.     

It was also in 2019, just prior to camp, that Lemley unexpectedly passed away at the age of 35. Harrington knew that this only created more need to sustain the camp and the healing of its campers.     

“Rebekah Lemley was a role model like no other I have ever met. The selfless time and effort she put into this camp touched everyone that knew her. The impact Rebekah has had, in her role as a burn unit nurse, as Camp Hope director, and the countless other causes she was involved in during her short time on this earth, is inspiring,” said Harrington.      

In honor of Rebekah, in 2021 Harrington For Hope presented one deserving camper with the first Harrington for Hope Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 and a new tradition was born. In 2022, Harrington For Hope was able to award not only one, but two deserving campers with $1,000 scholarship each and because of the generosity of the Harrington For Hope community, the scholarship amount increased to $1,500 in 2023. This gift is presented to the camper who, during camp, demonstrates the best attitude, willingness to help others, desire to participate in camp activities, demonstrates excellent leadership, spirit, and a willingness to be a lifelong ambassador for Camp Hope.

In 2023, Harrington For Hope also launched the Family Assistance Program - a program created to meet the direct needs of families whose child is staying in the Burn Unit.

“Harrington For Hope is my way of giving back, a way to say thank you to all of those who helped and prayed for me after the fire, and to pay it forward for these kids,” added Harrington. “It is emotionally healing for me as well, to have an impact in providing a fun experience, free of judgment, where everyone has scars, and these kids can just be kids. As a counselor at Camp Hope, I get to see first hand how this experience changes these children in a positive way in just a short period of time”.