Roundup River Ranch Volunteer Spotlight

Meet Kathryn – one of our rockstar volunteers!

Returning volunteer, Kathryn Hulbert, is no stranger to SeriousFun Camps. Having served on seasonal staff and as a volunteer at many of our sister camps, she was excited but nervous to return to Roundup River Ranch for her second season as a volunteer, especially with camp being online.

Initially, she was worried about missing high fives, facial expressions, and that in-person bond with campers and her fellow volunteers. Her anxieties were instantly relieved upon logging on for volunteer orientation once she realized how much effort went into planning a weekend full of smiles, fun, and connection!

Kathryn works in the Child Life Department at St. Louis Children’s Hospital so she knows the importance of connection for children with serious illnesses and their families – especially now during a global pandemic that forces patients even further into isolation. She shared, “As someone who plans events and activities for children in the hospital, I know how hard it can be to pivot and change programming. The amount of care, diligence, detail, and creativity that went into planning Here We Go Online shows these kids that they are worth investing in and worth being celebrated.”

Kathryn said, “I was honestly blown away how the camp magic was still alive – even virtually!”

One of Kathryn’s favorite memories from the weekend was when a fellow volunteer shared her love of horses and took her WiFi router to her horse barn to show all the families how to care for horses. Kathryn said, it was just like we were back at camp at the Equestrian Barn.”

At the end of the session, Kathryn shared how each of her families reported feeling, “built up and connected with each other after relaxing together and bonding through shared experiences.”

Kathryn volunteers at Roundup River Ranch because camp makes her, “a better human and better at my job.” She explained, “When I’m at camp, I’m around excellence. I come back to work refreshed. It’s a good reminder to celebrate kids for being kids. I take the mentality that campers are number one and am reminded to treat all kids as number one. I am inspired by camp’s positive energy for the entire year!”

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