By VICTORIA PRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
Thirty volunteers from Moapa Valley travelled to a private ranch west of Las Vegas, called Tarino Ranch, to give their time at Camp-Mend-A-Heart on Wednesday, June 19. This camp gives children with serious heart conditions a chance to experience what being a healthy kid going to summer camp is like while providing a safe, medically supervised environment.
The Moapa Valley volunteers, also known as the “MV Force”, made up over half the volunteer group at the camp including counselors, activities people and breakers. The large group departed on Wednesday morning to help get the camp ready for the campers. They decorated the cabins and set up all the activity areas before the campers even began to arrive.
MV Force team “mom,” Natalie Jacobsmeyer has been volunteering for nine years now. She is the leader and organizer of the MV Force as well as being in charge of the craft tent.
“These kids come from difficult family situations and medical conditions that are just too much for them,” Jacobsmeyer said. “It’s awesome that they can come up here and be loved.”
There were five color groups for the campers ranging from seven-year-olds all the way to 17-year-olds. Alyson Evans was in charge of the kids that were in the middle, the green team, and Chase Kruse was in charge of the oldest group of campers which was the orange team. Every color group had MV Force counselors in them assisting. Some individual campers even had one-on-ones if they had a very serious condition and needed to be taken care of and watched over more intently.
Camp activities included canoeing, swimming, rock wall climbing, talent and dance show practicing and crafting.
In the craft tent was a group of wonderful women called the “mom squad.” They were made up of Moapa Valley residents Katie Rose, Teri Whitmore and Natalie Jacobsmeyer. Jacobsmeyer is known to all the campers as “Mamma J”. These women were not only responsible for the crafts but they also helped cheer up a few homesick campers.
All MV Force volunteers gave up their time and energy to ensure that campers were safe and had an enjoyable time. Each spent a minimum of 15 hours a day watching the youth and sharing in laughter and fun as memories were made
