Nancy McCullers has devoted most of her career to people of varying needs. Through her work at the State Hospital, The Soldiers and Sailors Home, and Hillcroft Services, Nancy knows what it takes to serve others. When her granddaughter, Declynn, decided she wanted to serve at Victory Lane Camp with Nancy, it seemed like a natural fit for Nancy.

Nancy has known about Victory Lane Camp from the beginning. She attends the same church as VLC Founder Brett Fischer and his wife, Paige, getting involved with early prayer and donation efforts. But it wasn’t until two years ago that she attended her first camp.

“I had custody of my granddaughter Declynn for a year and a half. We did some of the things she wanted to do. And she wanted to go to camp. She has a lot of compassion for people with disabilities,” explained Nancy.

Their first year at camp, they stayed in a cabin and enjoyed the experience of having neighbors. They were paired with the Robinson Family, and Declynn played with Victory Kid Joey and had energy to keep up with him. In their second year, they were paired with the Morgans, and Declynn connected right away with Victory Kid Trevor. This connection has led to a lasting friendship, and this friendship has left an impact on Declynn and Nancy.

“We went to every event together, we ate together, and we became friends with them. We talk to them several times. They’re really nice people,” Nancy expressed.

Nancy remembers working with Trevor to help him overcome some of his fears. She explained, “He was scared to do some of the stuff. We got him to ride his bike. Soon, he was riding it everywhere. The TIMS (teens in mission) were helping to get Trevor more involved. They took him out kayaking. He was such a joy to watch. We had so much fun bonding with his family. We became like a family that week.”

Another aspect of camp that has been meaningful to Nancy and Declynn is the nightly campfires. “It’s really neat all the worship songs and skits. It’s really a bonding time. People connect during that time too.” Nancy enjoyed her time with Trevor during the campfires. “He would sing and participate. We loved going to campfires with him!”

“I can’t say enough good things about it. It wore me out, but I had a great time. It’s good for every family, helping families too. It’s for everybody and everyone benefits from it.” Nancy continued, “There’s a lot of times that Victory Families don’t get to go out and have fun like they do at camp. There, everybody is equal. It’s all kids and all moms and dads. There’s no labels. That’s what I like about it.”

Nancy especially sees the benefit of serving with grandchildren. She expressed, “I think you need to get right in there and serve with the person that you are teaching. You will lead your grandchildren by doing and show them what is to be ‘Doers of the Word!’’ And, she added, “you will make a lot of special memories that you can share for a long time.”