Members of the YJB Chapter of Camping4Girls National TTT Society posed for a photo before the annual omelet breakfast at the Yale Fourth of July. They are, from the left: Luann Waldo, Pat Young, Lana Laabs, Kelly Mleynek, Deb Louk, Amber Lopez, the late Barb Kastner, Rita Meinecke, Carla Hilgenberg, Heather Beaudet, Rose Kastner, Amy Stepanek and LeeAnn Pittman. Additional members include Betty Cooper, Laurie Carnahan, Kaitlin Dahl, Kyla Nicholas and Amanda Waltz.
Special to the Times Vedette
Members of the YJB Chapter GF of the National TTT Society (now Camping4Girls) will send two Panorama Elementary fourth-grade girls to the Des Moines Y-camp in Boone in August. The camp’s core values include care, responsibility, respect and honesty while building onto the life goal “Do all the Good You Can.”
The YJB chapter has been sponsoring girls for camp since 1984. Members raise funds to provide everything the campers need to experience a week in the outdoors. In addition to camp fees and transportation, the organization provides clothes, shoes, camping gear, toiletries and more.
The chapter’s commitment doesn’t end there. The ladies follow the campers through their school years until their high school graduation. Each camper who graduates from Panorama High School is eligible to receive an educational gift to assist them in furthering their education.
An overview of the camp’s functioning and the various activities the girls participate in during the week include archery, horseback riding, ziplining, canoeing, rock wall climbing, talent shows, crafting and team building activities that all contribute to the girls’ positive experiences. A week of camp activities and new friendships help the girls build leadership skills, positive decision-making skills and expand their experiences with new friends and positive life skills.
Last year, the National TTT Society revealed an updated brand identity and alias: Camping4Girls. The organization has been a volunteer-led 501(c)3 membership group, offering life-changing summer camp experiences for fourth grade girls nationwide. The updated name and visual identity are part of a strategic effort to increase awareness and understanding of the organization’s mission to empower girls through positive camping experiences and mentorship.
The YJB Chapter has been in existence since 1983. To date, the club has sent 74 girls from the YJB area to camp for a week during the summer with two more selected for 2026. It typically costs the club about $1,500 per girl. Their camping experiences have made a major impact on the lives of the girls who are now grown women, some with their own daughters.
Heather Copeland recalled her experiences as a TTT camper sponsored by an Ankeny TTT chapter in 1992.
“Although life was different back then, I am grateful for those memories and am so lucky my girls get to share them with me. I’m proud we have two generations of girls learning how to be free, strong and independent ladies.
“Camp helped me find my voice. I was always too shy and didn’t want a fight, having a lot of brothers and sisters. It was just easier to stay out of the way,” explained Copeland. “I was a great swimmer, but I was missing out because I was letting my fear get in the way. I needed to swim out to the ropes. That’s where my friends were. But the movie‘Jaws’ was all I could think of. It took me four days but I made it to the ropes.
“Even to this day when I get into a situation, I still remember the ropes. It was a struggle, but I made it. I was so happy –– and my friends were, too,” shared Copeland. “I have had to tell that story to my own children. We get in our heads and unfortunately, we hinder ourselves. We have to decide, ‘Do we want to be with our friends at that rope in the deep end, or in the shallows watching everyone else have fun?’ I’d rather have fun.
“Now, I am a mother of three. I’m blessed enough that my daughters get to have a childhood memory like I do,” Copeland explained. “It may not be the same camp, but the girls are able to share a core memory.
“I manage a store and make jewelry as well. To all future campers: enjoy it,” advises Copeland. “Make memories. The world moves so very fast. Make the most of it. These memories will last a lifetime.”
To provide the funds to purchase the supplies for the campers, the ladies make and serve omelets. Their big fundraiser is held the morning of the Yale Fourth of July celebration when they serve made-to-order omelets with muffins and drinks from 8-10 a.m. in the Yale Community Building. The ladies are also available to make omelets as fundraisers for other organizations or for the public at birthday or graduation parties.