Pictured left to right: Bob Donley, MCU Executive VP; Crystal Donley; Alana Holyfield, VJGC Development Assistant; Ed Collins, VJGC Assistant Camp Director; Jack Braswell, Jr., President/CEO of MCU; and John Loftin, MCU Board Chairman.
November 9, 2004, Randleman, NC - Victory Junction Gang Camp’s Sports & Recreation department was blessed with an incredible facility. Everything a camper may want was there – a full-court basketball court with adjustable goals, a soft playing surface that prevents injury, foosball, billiards, and a top-flight lounge area. Everything, that is, except for a volleyball/tennis court. The sleeves that were to hold such a net system remained empty. Until now.
Members Credit Union (Winston-Salem, NC) donated a volleyball net system to the Victory Junction Gang Camp today, allowing the camp to offer a wider variety of activities to their campers. The Victory Junction Gang Camp opened its doors in June to offer children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses the opportunity to have a true “camp experience” and leave their illnesses behind for the week that they are there.
“The volleyball net is something that just fell through the cracks,” Assistant Camp Director Ed Collins laughs. “We kept unpacking boxes and setting things up, but for some reason we just didn’t have a volleyball net system.”
The net’s absence struck Crystal Donley, wife of Members Credit Union Executive Vice President Bob Donley, during her first weekend as a volunteer at the camp.
“Here you have this state-of-the-art facility that children can do just about anything in,” Crystal Donley remarks. “I wanted to find a way to add volleyball, tennis, and badminton to that list.”
Members Credit Union came through, delivering a top-of-the-line, steel AAI Multi-Sport Net System that should last as long as the camp is around. Like credit unions across North and South Carolina have done since the Victory Junction Gang Camp was just an idea, Members Credit Union jumped at the opportunity to help.
“Our membership and employees have really gotten behind Victory Junction Gang Camp because we want to make a difference,” Members Credit Union President Jack Braswell explains. “Working together to allow these children to smile for a week and have the time of their lives is a no-brainer.”
Members Credit Union’s donation comes at the heels of the announcement that the Credit Unions of North and South Carolina, through the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, have increased their total VJGC pledge to a whopping $1.5 million – including two 2,300 square feet camper and counselor cabins and a shuttle bus for camper transport to and from the camp’s parking lot. Collectively, the credit unions of the Carolinas are the camp’s largest donors.
Collins says the court will be used in nearly eighty percent of all activities in the Sports & Recreation building.
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About Victory Junction Gang Camp
The Victory Junction Gang Camp is a non-profit camp that was set up to enrich the lives of children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses by creating camping experiences that are exciting, fun, physically safe and medically sound. Founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam, the camp opened in June 2004. All children who attend Victory Junction would not otherwise be able to attend camp because of their special needs. No child or family will have to pay to attend Victory Junction. The beautiful, natural setting for The Victory Junction Gang Camp is 72 acres of land surrounded by hardwood forest. The camp is located in Randleman, North Carolina, approximately 15 minutes outside of Greensboro. Nestled in the foothills of the Piedmont Triad, this site offers a rolling terrain with several creeks and woodland streams running through the property. www.victoryjunction.org.
