Stephanie Collis wasn’t sure about bringing her two daughters to Victory Lane 10 years ago. As a single mom who isn’t naturally social, she resisted any situation where she would be in close contact with people she didn’t know.

“In an effort to provide enriching experiences for my kids, I choose to be a little uncomfortable at times,” Stephanie shared.

She decided to push past her comfort zone to help her 8- and 9-year-old daughters develop a heart for serving others. This was a value that her own parents instilled in her by living out their lives in service to their family, church, and community. Reflecting back, she’s glad she brought her girls to serve as a partner Family at a Victory Lane summer camp session.

“Once involved, you meet all sorts of people with all sorts of personalities and realize that there’s a spot for everyone!  We are all unique and have something to offer,” she noted. “We grew up camping, so I love that part the most. I love the campfires!”

Stephanie’s dedication to developing a heart for service in her daughters has inspired both of them to pursue a career in serving others. Her now 19-year-old daughter Elliot is in her first year of college, studying elementary education. Erin, 17, is exploring occupational therapy schools for her next step.

“My children love their Victory Lane Partner Family experiences! They have clearly been impacted in their choices of careers,” Stephanie expressed.

“The thing I’ve been most grateful for (and we’ve spoken about as a family) is the ability to easily incorporate our experiences in our daily life.  We each have had opportunities to step out of a typical societal norm of ‘ignoring’ people with special needs to actually focusing on and ‘seeing’ each person instead.”

Stephanie’s decision to bring her children to serve at a Victory Lane summer camp session was challenging as a single mother, but she knew that life is too hard to navigate in isolation.

She concludes: “Life is easier in community. I had to help my kids understand that we had to do our best with where we were – but also to understand that even though things would never be ideal, we could always figure out a way to make it better — together!”

If you are looking for a meaningful service opportunity for your family, consider becoming a Partner Family at a Victory Lane summer camp session. Learn more at victorylanecamp.org/serve.