Collin Wente loves Power Rangers. So after the Victory Lane Camp crew welcomed his family to Cornerstone Campground, Konrad Clemens engaged Collin in a conversation about Power Rangers. Konrad was serving at VLC along with the rest of the Clemens family. Questions and conversation quickly evolved into a group of kids playing Power Rangers together. It was a moment that was precious to Collin’s mom, Breezy, who often sees her son struggle with social situations due to his autism.

Having been to a camp in Kentucky a few summers ago, the Wentes were glad to find a closer location to make connections. They heard about what Victory Lane Camp had to offer them from their friends, the Careys, who attended camp last summer. Breezy was intrigued by the ongoing community aspect of VLC. “The thing that really got me was the fact that VLC continues relationship afterwards. There are activities throughout the year. That’s what grabbed me,” she shared.

It didn’t take long for the Wentes to find connection and community. It was also the first camp experience for their serving family, the Clemens. “I loved being associated with a family, having a specific role, finding fellowship and building community,” expressed Kristina Clemens.

Kristina and Scott Clemens found Victory Lane Camp as a great opportunity for their whole family to get involved. They were looking for a way for their kids to practice serving others and hoped to enlarge their boundaries while building relationships with children who have disabilities.

New relationships started forming at camp between the Clemens kids— Konrad, Reagan, and Makenzie—and the Wente kids, Dylan and Collin. This friendship continued to develop over the next few days at camp. The families both saw and appreciated how much the kids were enjoying their time together. Breezy appreciated “seeing Collin be able to connect with Konrad and not having to be with him all of the time. It was really neat to see him being able to do stuff with him and connect and have fun.”

Breezy shared that both of her sons tend to be “homebodies.” But she watched them step out of their shells and have fun at camp. “In every day, you get stuck in a whirlwind and don’t realize how much they can do on their own, and they don’t even realize it. When you’re put in that type of situation, you are opened up to what could be if you pushed a little more and allowed them to be more independent and responsible for themselves. One thing I noticed with Collin is that he really is socially becoming so much more open.”

Both Dylan and Collin expressed that they loved camp and had a good time. Collin especially, “loved the pool and had fun with Konrad,” he said.

Throughout their time at camp, both families moved past comfort zones, formed new friendships, and grew in positive experiences… and it all started with a group of Power Rangers.