What makes someone absolutely incredible?
At Camp Fire, we have the privilege of working with youth and adults who inspire us every day with their passion, drive, abilities, resilience and love for our community. Each year, we recognize a handful of these individuals at our Absolutely Incredible Kid luncheon. First introduced in 2008 as a way to recognize the impact that Camp Fire programs, staff and participants have on our community, the luncheon has recognized numerous youth, adults and fellow organizations who are all examples of how Camp Fire can truly light the fire within. The theme of the event was superheroes, and a wonderful emcee, Deborah Ferguson, was there to remind everyone that they too can make an impact and be a superhero by supporting Camp Fire programs.
See the photos from the luncheon.
This year’s recipients were as incredible as ever:
ACH Child and Family Services, Ella C. McFadden Service to Youth Award:
The Ella C. McFadden Service to Youth Award was created to honor one of our community’s greatest philanthropists, Ella McFadden. It recognizes the accomplishments of organizations and individuals that serve youth and encourage others in the community to invest time and money to help improve the lives of young people. In 2014 ACH helped more than 16,000 children, youth and families through their prevention, treatment, safety and stability services.
This is a particularly special year for ACH as the organization marks its 100th anniversary, a significant milestone in their commitment to preventing child abuse, neglect and family separation and helping children overcome these tragedies when they do happen. Without help, the long-term impact of abuse on children can prevent them from living healthy, productive lives.
Retha Wilson, Absolutely Incredible Child Care Provider:
Retha has owned and operated Like My Own childcare center for 25 years. Her and her staff’s work at the center have impacted generations of families in the Morningside community in South Fort Worth. Retha joined the Camp Fire’s School Readiness program in 2013. Her passion for the children in her care ensured the success of her staff, who previously had received no formal training. Camp Fire provided resources for training and curriculum and after two years, her staff have implemented new classroom philosophies and techniques, including the Conscious Discipline curriculum. This, in turn, has increased student achievement scores both developmentally and academically.
She has since taken the classroom successes and extended learning opportunities beyond the classroom to the families. Many of the families she serves face significant financial challenges and most are single parents with multiple children in childcare. For them balancing work and family time was challenging enough, but Retha saw the opportunity to engage parents in their children’s learning and began to include them in the educational process. This commitment she has made to her families, staff and community has been truly remarkable. She now serves as a community resource for parents throughout the Morningside neighborhood.
Sam Teagarden, Absolutely Incredible Kid:
Sam’s family has a long history with Camp Fire Camp El Tesoro so is seems natural that he, too, would become an avid camper and lover of the outdoors. Sam’s parents took him to Fall Camping weekends at Camp El Tesoro when he was an infant, still in diapers and sleeping in a crib. It turns out that Sam is more than just a seven year old boy who loves camping, he’s a bit of philanthropist too. Sam decided to donate his own allowance to Camp El Tesoro so children who might not have the opportunity to attend camp could enjoy it as much as he did. This is a young man who truly embodies Camp Fire’s spirit of service to others and the community.
Watch Sam’s story in his Absolutely Incredible Kid video.
Desiree Sanchez, Absolutely Incredible Kid:
Desiree started attending Camp Fire Diamond Hill Station in 2007 at the age of eight. In addition to being a safe place for Desiree to go after school, Diamond Hill Station quickly became a second home and the people who cared for Desiree during those hours after school quickly became family. Camp Fire was able to provide Desiree and her mother, a single mother with three children, a Christmas full of presents and decorations. Desiree’s mother Alma remembers the generosity, “That Christmas, my children were able to be like any other child that day and I’ll never forget the joy in their eyes when they saw those presents.”
Desiree credits Diamond Hill Station for providing structure and guidance. She believes that attending Diamond Hill Station has made her more mature and outgoing. Today, Desiree is a junior in high school taking advanced placement classes, is on the National Honor Society and is on-track to attend college. To give back to her community, Desiree volunteers at Diamond Hill Station and helps mentor other children who are now sitting where she once sat. She believes it is important for children to know that they can be and do anything they want no matter where they come from or what their situation may be.
