My Nonprofit Reviews

I have been volunteering in support of Knights of Heroes (KOH) since 2013. What amazes me the most about this organization is the transformation that takes place in these young men and women, who are healing from unexpected emotional trauma. As kids, they often start their first (KOH) camp with thick emotional and social walls built miles high and lists of on-going challenges associated with loss of a parent. Being surrounded by peers who have experienced similar loss and coached and mentored by positive, strong volunteers quickly breaks these walls down. Subsequent KOH camps and engagements have proven to help pave the way for long-term healing and growth. Thank You to the donors, leadership team, and volunteers who make KOH such a success!

This is my seventh year volunteering as a mentor for young men in the Knights of Heroes’ first-through-third-year program. Every year, I am incredibly amazed at how impactful this program is on the development of our country’s next generation of citizens, husbands, fathers, and leaders.

This year, one of my team’s second-year mentees spent 45 minutes sobbing while stuck on a challenging spot during a difficult [and scary for anybody] rock climb. Although I had been pushing him and knew he could make it to the goal he had set (the top), I finally asked him if he wanted to come down and he replied “yes.” After lowering him via a rope to my level, the mentee started to sob even more and tried to blame me for letting him come down. I explained to him: this was his second year at the camp, he had grown in year since he had last been at camp, he knew he was again going to be challenged with a rock climb this year, and it was time for him to take ownership of his own performance and decisions. After 10 minutes of calming down and reflection, the mentee came back over to me and said he wanted to go back up. And, oh how he climbed!

As a side note, I cannot say enough good things about the Foundation's leadership team and culture of professionalism. Despite facing seemingly insurmountable challenges in 2020, the leadership team and staff has effectively adhered to rapidly-changing federal and state guidance, planned and prepared for a variety of abnormal contingencies, and mitigated numerous higher-than-normal health- and safety-related risks.

Every year I am more and more amazed with the evolution of this camp and how it positively shapes so many young men and women. It is very clear Steve, Eric, Kerri, the Board of Directors, and many volunteers are committed to growing and improving the camp's infrastructure and number of opportunities for children to experience exciting (and many times scary:) challenges in a safe environment. Over the past seven years, I have seen boys who could barely look you in the eye, shake your hand, make small talk, or face any challenge without a "melt down," mature into confident and responsible young men who are well on their way to being future leaders of character in their families and communities.

Words cannot describe how important this program is to growing and developing young men of character who have the confidence to face their fears in a world filled with significant and diverse social challenges. When, at the end of a camp week, you firmly shake hands and converse with a confident and smiling boy who only days before would look at the ground, not engage any of his peers, and mentally refuse to engage any fears; you know you are a part of something special.

This was my first year. I could never have understood the true impacts of warfare on military families without having been part of this incredible program. Some of my one-on-one conversations during the week were more intense than I could have ever imagined - it is clearly evident these boys are dealing with traumatic and unexpected experiences that may take many years to get over. Our charge was not to replace their fathers but rather to challenge these kids, listen, and to exemplify strength of character. My family is dedicated to helping these children in their journeys to adulthood and becoming productive members of society.

More Feedback