On December 11th, the Camp ASCCA staff had the privilege of attending the annual Easterseals Alabama Awards Luncheon. During the event, Gold Awards, Service Awards, Special Recognition Awards, and Business Awards were presented. This year, we were honored to nominate and present awards to four Camp ASCCA affiliates.
The Gold Awards are given to volunteers who have made significant contributions to Easterseals for at least five years. We were honored to nominate and present Marshall Griffin with the prestigious Gold Award. Marshall’s volunteer journey began in 2008 when he joined the Camp ASCCA Board of Directors, although his generosity toward the community began even earlier with Alabama Power Company. He has held numerous leadership roles in local economic development and various civic organizations in the Alexander City and Tallapoosa areas, with Camp ASCCA consistently at the top of his list. During his term as Camp ASCCA Board Chair from 2016 to 2018, he helped establish the Annual ASCCApalooza music festival, now known as the ASCCA Concert Series. Marshall continues to support Camp ASCCA by participating in special events and regularly visiting the campers and staff each year.
Amber Cotney, our Program Director, was presented with the Staff Award. Amber’s dedication to serving children and adults with disabilities began in the summer of 2000 when she volunteered at Camp ASCCA as a 15-year-old. Over the years, she worked in various roles, including counselor, program staff member, unit leader, and head counselor during her final summer of college. Amber was hired as our Outdoor Adventure Director in 2009 and was promoted to Program Director in 2016. Her commitment to our campers with disabilities, their families, and our staff is immeasurable. Amber is an invaluable trainer, bringing her wealth of experience to our team. Above all, she excels in building strong relationships with our campers, their families, staff, and user groups. She knows each camper by name and is deeply invested in their success.
Camp ASCCA had the honor of presenting two Business Awards this year, which were given to Mark McClurg of Little Italy Pizzeria in Auburn, Alabama, and Jody Hodnett of Frogeye Farms in Daviston, Alabama. Both of these businesses have been longstanding supporters of Camp ASCCA, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued involvement. Their dedication means so much to us, and they are truly deserving of this recognition.
Mark’s connection to Camp ASCCA began through his wife, who was once a summer nurse on staff. He would visit and bring pizzas during Sports Camp week. One day, he thought it would be fun to host a pizza-making class for the campers, and they ended up loving it! Since 2015, Mark has returned every summer, bringing pizza for pizza nights and leading pizza-making sessions. This year, Mark and his staff went above and beyond, visiting every summer camp session. They were incredibly patient and encouraging, ensuring that each camper felt included and successful throughout the entire process. The campers absolutely loved the experience.
Jody, his wife, and his family are vital donors to Camp ASCCA. They own Frogeye Farm, a small farm that breeds and sells miniature cattle and show pigs. Each summer, Jody loads up a herd of animals and brings them to Camp ASCCA’s demonstration farm. The ‘demo farm’ is a highlight of the camp’s daily activities, and the campers eagerly look forward to interacting with the animals. Over the years, Jody has generously loaned a variety of animals to ASCCA, including mini cows, donkeys, rabbits, pigs, sheep, chickens, and numerous goats. In addition to donating the animals, Jody also donates his time to prepare them for camp each summer, bringing hay and specialty food for the animals each week. We are deeply grateful to Jody and his family for their ongoing generosity and for recognizing the impact of interactive animal activities on people with disabilities, supporting the Camp ASCCA mission.
Congratulations to all who were nominated and presented with awards!
Located in Alabama on Lake Martin, Camp ASCCA offers campers a wide variety of traditional recreational and educational activities with a unique design for accessibility.
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