By Jacob Spilker, Director of Development
This summer, we’re inviting you to be part of something big—a day of generosity and impact that helps make camp possible and keeps our sacred spaces ready for the next generation.
On June 12, Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries will host our annual Giving Day with a bold goal of raising $100,000 in just 24 hours. Every gift made that day will make a double impact:
– 50% will provide Camperships so that every camper has the chance to experience the joy of camp, no matter their financial situation.
– 50% will support the renovation of the shower house at The Springs, giving new life to one of the most-used and well-loved spaces at Carol Joy Holling Camp.
It’s a day built on the belief that when we come together, even for just one day, we can make a difference that lasts well beyond the summer. Because, camp changes lives.
You know first-hand the impact of camp. It’s where faith comes alive, strangers become lifelong friends, confidence grows, and campers encounter God’s love in real, tangible ways. But none of that happens without you.
When you give on June 12, you’re helping ensure that more campers can gather around the campfire, splash into the pool, hike the trails, belt out silly songs, and maybe even get a little too competitive at Gaga Ball. You’re opening the door for a camper to step into an experience that could change their life.
And while camp is filled with mountaintop moments, we also know the in-between spaces matter, the places where campers catch their breath, swap stories, and scrub off the day’s adventure. That’s why your gift will also help us care for one of those very important spots: the shower house at The Springs.
This project comes at the perfect time. We’ve recently updated the cabins at The Springs to make them more camper-friendly, adding air conditioning and changing rooms to ensure comfort and hospitality. Now, it’s the shower house’s turn for a little love. After years of faithful service (and who knows how many shampoo bottles), it’s ready for a refresh—and together, we can make sure this space is just as welcoming and ready as the rest of camp. “One of my favorite parts of working at The Springs was the beautiful connections to our baptismal identity,” Erin Coleman Branchaud, Summer Staff alumnus stated. “The Jerusalem cross at the center; the cabins named for each continent; the literal springs of water. Life at the springs is centered on Christ, extending out to the whole world, and literally grounded in the element of water that washes us in God’s grace. Renovating the showers will only strengthen this beautiful embodied baptismal experience! As campers and staff wash themselves each day in updated showers, they will be bathed in the same waters by which God saves them! Showered—literally!—with mercy and grace that is new every morning.”
Giving Day is for everyone. Whether you’re a Summer Ministry Team alum, camper parent, lifelong supporter, or someone who simply knows the power of camp—you are part of this community, and your gift matters.
Every donation, no matter the amount, helps us reach our $100,000 goal and ensures that NLOM continues to be a place where faith is nurtured, joy is shared, and lives are transformed.
Alumni Challenge: Name the Shower House
To make the day even more fun, we’re inviting our Summer Ministry Team alumni to join in a friendly challenge. The decade of SMT alumni with the most donors on Giving Day will earn the right to name the renovated shower house at The Springs!
Will the ‘90s bring the heat? Will the 2010s rally the crew? Bragging rights—and the name on the building—are on the line.
How You Can Be Part of It:
• Save the date: June 12, 2025
• Join us with a gift of any size; every dollar helps us reach our goal. Give online at NLOM.org/give or mail a check to 27416 Ranch Road, Ashland, NE 68003 with “Giving Day” and your decade in the memo.
• Invite your friends and family, as well as the Summer Ministry Team members you served with to give, too.
• Use the Alumni Facebook page to share your story as we head into the summer season.
Together, let’s make June 12 a day to remember—one filled with generosity, community, and the spark that keeps faith alive.
