Celebrating the Heart of Camp Catch-Up: A Night Honoring Volunteers

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

^{Photo: Camp Catch-Up Director Mona Tarin received a heartfelt gift from staff members (Linda Preston, Gil Green III, and Dakota Reiman) who were once campers themselves. Their bond runs deep—and now, as volunteers, they’re giving back to the camp that gave them so much.}

You could feel the love in the room as past campers, staff, and long-time volunteers came together to celebrate a shared mission—Camp Catch-Up.

Mona Tarin, Camp Catch-Up Director, expressed gratitude by saying, “Camp Catch-Up can do what it does because of our incredible supporters, volunteers, and staff. They go the extra mile for these kids, not for any other reason than to make this a memorable experience for these campers.”

Emceed by Sarah Mitchell, Child Welfare Community Organizer at Nebraska Appleseed and long-time Camp Catch-Up volunteer, the evening was filled with gratitude, inspiration, and heartfelt moments that highlighted the powerful connections formed at Camp Catch-Up.

Stories that Inspire

^{Gil Green III traveled across the state to share how Camp Catch-Up—and the volunteers who supported him—left a lasting impact on his life.}

One of the night’s most moving moments came from Gil Green III, a former camper and long-time supporter, who shared his personal story about Camp Catch-Up’s impact on his life. He spoke about how camp staff kept him on a positive path. Reflecting on his experience, Gil shared, “These campers don’t need people with perfect lives. They need a foundation that is real, that doesn’t make them feel anxious or insecure. Most of us (campers) are inherently insecure due to the nature of our situation. We are coming from trauma. Camp Catch-Up gives us an opportunity to be something else.”

Gil’s words served as a reminder of the significance of volunteer efforts. Camp Catch-Up isn’t just about summer fun—it’s about changing lives, breaking cycles, and giving kids a sense of hope.

Honoring Dedication

The celebration honored long-time volunteers whose dedication shaped Camp Catch-Up, and continues to do so. Special recognition was given to Jessica Hilderbrand, Alana Pearson, Cindy Reed, Schalisha Walker, and Aaron Weaver—who have volunteered for over 20 years!

Others honored included Heather Brannan, Madi Davis, Shanice Gauff, Fatuma Hassan, Jaymie Hilliard, Jordan Jordensen, Shayla Johnson, Sarah Mitchell, Caleb Peterson, Maggie Peterson, Linda Preston, Yanira Rodriguez, Amanda Stocking, Mona Tarin, and Megan Unwin who have volunteered many years to Camp.

^{Jaimee Hillard receives a heartfelt thank you from Mona for her efforts in making the Winter Carnival truly unforgettable.}

More recent supporters and staff members included Cole Coffey, Jessie Coffey, Paige Davis, Katelyn Elliott, Matthew Flyr Colby Gauff, Gil Green III, Daniel Grosvenor, George Haws, Sara Kolala, Tyler Meinert, Mariana Muñoz de Schell, Elpidia Novoa, Aubriana O’Connor, Quentin O’Connor, Kayla Peterson, Ella Pinkelman, Preston Pinelman, Sheena Riedy, Dakota Reiman, Skylar Reiman, Jacquelyn Salas, Mel Schwensen, Julia Stephenson, Adrianna Tarin, Penny Trueblood, Lisa Varney, Nathan Wegner, Brenda Weyers, Sophia Yelkin, and Katie Zabel.

Tarin expresses heartfelt gratitude to every volunteer and supporter who has been part of the journey over the past two decades, from camp friends and dedicated volunteers to the staff at Nebraska Children and Families. Their generosity of time and resources has been instrumental in shaping the camp into what it is today.

A prestigious “heart award” was given to Jessie Coffey, Aubriana O’Connor, Quentin O’Connor, and Jaimee Hillard, whose enthusiasm and love for the camp community shone throughout the recent Camp Catch-Up Winter Celebration.

Special recognition to all campers who have returned as camp staff. “Often, they return as camp staff as a way to give back. They want to ‘pay forward’ the experience that they had at camp,” Tarin shares. “Camp is home to them and they want to ensure that other kids get to experience the same thing they did when they were kids.”

Tarin also wants to express gratitude to the numerous individuals who have generously shared their gifts and talents. Their invaluable contributions have greatly supported Camp Catch-Up and its mission throughout the years, even if not each one has been individually named.

Community Engagement and Partnership

In addition to honoring individual volunteers, the event celebrated the vital role of community partnerships in expanding the impact of Camp Catch-Up. Numerous organizations and individuals generously support Camp Catch-Up, and several were recognized during the recent Winter Celebration:

Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition provided crucial transportation for children to and from camp, with special thanks to Teresa Bernal for transporting youth from the Santee Reservation.
Traffic Stop of Lexington, Nebraska, contributed generously to the winter event gift exchange, enhancing the festive spirit.
Nebraska CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) have played a pivotal role in raising awareness and supporting Camp Catch-Up. Barb Shoemaker, a dedicated CASA worker from Douglas County, deserves special recognition for her longstanding commitment to the camp, including recruiting and transporting campers over many years.

The Power of a Volunteer

As the evening concluded, Gil’s words left a lasting impact:

“I truly believe we are the people for these kids. We are the people they can come to. If you know about Camp, you know. And it’s a result of the love from the incredible staff and volunteers.”

The work done at Camp Catch-Up matters. Volunteers are not just mentors; they are role models, support systems, and, for many campers, family. Their commitment ensures that every child who steps into Camp Catch-Up knows they are valued, seen, and worthy of great things.

Stepping Up for Camp Catch-Up

Camp Catch-Up is currently looking for staff members for this summer. If you’re ready to make a difference and be a part of this incredible community, consider joining. As Gil so passionately said, “It’s an opportunity to be bigger than yourself. Be better than you are. Simply step up for these kids.”

There are many ways to show your support for Camp Catch-Up.

Since 2003, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation has provided this no-cost camp opportunity to siblings separated by foster care placements. Camp Catch-Up is part of the Connected Youth Initiative (CYI), which supports young people impacted by foster care, child welfare, human trafficking, juvenile justice, probation, and homelessness, while fostering leadership and advocacy among young adults.

Join us in making a difference—be a part of Camp Catch-Up today!