Mississippi secretary of state shuts down cancer charity

The Secretary of State's Office is shutting down a cancer charity on the Coast.

A news release from Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said his office has ordered Ocean Springs-based MS Gulf Coast Bluebird Cancer Retreat to stop soliciting donations. He said his office found several violations of state law, including failing to provide exam records and failing to notify Hosemann's office of changes in the organization.

"According to the documents filed with the Secretary of State's office, MS Gulf Coast Bluebird is an adult cancer camp; however, its expenses include personal expenses, auto expenses, food purchases which appeared to be personal, personal clothing and cash withdrawals with no documentation which violates (state law)," the release from Hosemann said. "Additionally, MS Gulf Coast Bluebird failed to produce any records showing that it conducted any board meetings in 2014 and also failed to produce a copy of an agreement outlining the terms and services for which it owed any payment to Gloria Skillestad, executive director of MS Gulf Coast Bluebird."

It said that was a violation of state law also. Hosemann's office said it also was imposing a $2,000 administrative penalty on the charity.

Skillestad said she hasn't worked for the charity for over a year and "I don't even think it exists."

She would not talk about the reasons she left.

There is a Facebook group for Camp Bluebird. Its last post, inviting people to a potluck, was March 4. The person who made that post did not answer the phone.

The last Camp Bluebird filing with Hosemann's office lists total revenue of $16,848 and total expenses of $10,510, which included $8,184 in program expenses and $2,326 in administrative expenses. That was for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2013.

The phone number for the charity listed with the secretary of state was not in service and the website listed was not available.

This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Mississippi secretary of state shuts down cancer charity ."