By Dani Hatfield, Director of Marketing
“Do you see me?” It’s a simple question. But for many young people, it carries a deeper meaning: Do I belong? Am I enough?
Natalie Delaney—or “Nat” as she’s known at camp—graduated in May from Millard South High School. Like many youth today, she is deeply involved in academics, activities, and leadership. And she knows firsthand the pressure to keep up.
“In the school year, I can kind of feel like what I’m doing isn’t enough,” she admitted. “There’s academic pressure… and socially, you care a lot about what other people think.”
But at camp, it’s different.
“At camp there’s no expectations. The only expectations are just to have fun,” she said. “Once you realize that, you can just be yourself. It’s a really amazing feeling.”
While she’s been attending Carol Joy Holling Camp since middle school, this realization came into focus during her Leadership Camp experience.
“At the beginning of the week, I was a little scared,” she shared. “But by the middle of the week, I was like, ‘Wait, I can just be me.’ And that’s when I realized that this is where I’m meant to be.”
That moment stayed with her.
“Camp did help me realize that I was enough,” Natalie said. “And that tremendously helped my life.”
She carried that confidence back into her day-to-day life.
“When I realized I was enough, I made so many more friendships and connections,” she realized. “It wasn’t just, ‘We should be friends because we’re in the same club.’ It was, ‘We should be friends because we both want to be kind… and build real connections.’”
At camp, those connections form quickly, but deeply. “You actually want to get to know people,” Natalie said. “People don’t just share what they do, they share who they are. And that’s where you build real connections.”
Now a member of the Summer Ministry Team, Natalie is a leader who helps create that same environment for others.
“When a camper wants to sit next to you, it shows how much they trust you,” she said. “Sometimes they just want to be around someone who makes them feel safe.”
She sees the impact firsthand. “When a camper truly feels seen, they open up more,” she noted. “By the end of the week, they’re sharing who they really are.”
For Natalie, it’s the small moments that matter most.
“It’s the small things,” she said. “Just being nice to people, smiling, opening a door…that’s what really shows God’s love.”
And at camp, those small things add up to something life-impacting.
“Camp is probably the best thing I have ever done in my life,” she declared. “It encouraged me to be my true self.”
That’s why making camp accessible is so important to her.
“Camperships help make sure camp is possible for any child,” Natalie said. “And when anyone can go to camp, it shows them they are able to receive God’s love.”
Because at its core, camp is about belonging.
“Knowing that God sees you makes such a big difference in your life,” she said.
And for Natalie, being seen has changed everything.
“Camp just brings me so much joy,” she emphasized. “And when my life has been changed for the better, I can help change other people’s lives for the better.” – Natalie
Today, Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries continues the decades-old promise that no camper will be turned away for financial reasons. Camperships—scholarships that cover part or all of the camp fee—are available to anyone who needs them.
Whether you come to Carol Joy Holling Camp or Sullivan Hills Camp, come as you are, build real connections, and discover the joy of belonging. We can’t wait to see you at camp!
