The Spark

The idea was born from real experience. Ashley Popple, a longtime YMCA member and the Board President, witnessed her sister struggle to find summer care for her daughter—a fifth-grader who is nonverbal and not potty-trained.

After being turned away from daycare, Ashley knew something had to change.

“My sister felt hopeless,” Ashley said. “There was no local place that welcomed her daughter. I knew the Y could be that place.”

She brought the idea to Program Director Micki Fisher, who had also seen the need grow. Families were traveling out of state just to find camps that could accommodate their children. That conversation turned into action.

Designed by Families, For Families

Micki began gathering feedback from local families, including those with firsthand experience in special needs care. One of the early contributors was Ashley Larson, whose fifth-grade son Easton uses a wheelchair.

The previous summer, Ashley had driven Easton to a weeklong adaptive sports camp in Iowa—an experience that changed his life. It was the first time Easton got to participate in activities with kids who moved and communicated like he did.

“He came back with this new level of confidence,” Ashley shared. “He realized he could do sports. He just needed the right setting, the right supports.”

Ashley and Micki met to talk through Easton’s camp experience, brainstorming ways to bring that same opportunity to Holdrege.

Camp at a Glance

Camp No Limits runs four sessions: June 12 and 26, July 10 and 24, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Families can register for individual days or the entire series.

The cost is $15 per day for YMCA members and $30 for non-members. Financial assistance is available through the Y.

Activities are both fun and fully adaptive:

• Archery in partnership with 4-H
• Pickleball with pool noodles and balloons
• Obstacle courses with sensory supports
• Board games, baking, swimming, and more

Quiet zones are available for children who need a sensory break. The staff has received training to support behavioral needs and promote inclusive interaction.

“This isn’t just about allowing special needs kids to join,” said Micki. “It’s about building something specifically for them—and celebrating what they bring to our Y.”

Confidence, Connection, and Community

Though Camp No Limits hasn’t officially kicked off yet, families like the Larsons already sense what kind of difference it could make.

Ashley Larson imagines how her son Easton will feel being fully included.

“He’s spent so much time watching his siblings play sports,” she said. “Now he gets to do the activities. To be part of the team. I think it’s going to change the way he sees himself—and the way others see him too.”

As a parent and volunteer, Ashley is looking forward to the shared joy and personal growth the camp will offer.

“These kids have so much to give. They’re resilient and joyful,” she said. “I think everyone—kids, families, volunteers—will walk away better for having been part of it.”

A Bigger Vision

This summer is just the beginning. Micki and her team hope to expand Camp No Limits in the future—adding more sessions, incorporating adaptive elements into after-school programs, and potentially creating a year-round club model for youth with different abilities.

“We’re still learning,” Micki said. “But we’re committed to growing this with the families who need it most.”

The camp is already serving as a model for how the YMCA can live out its mission to be the hub of the community, especially for those often left out of traditional programming.

A Summer That Matters

Whether a child attends one session or all four, Camp No Limits is more than a summer program—it’s a declaration of belonging.

To register or learn more, visit ymcaoftheprairie.org, call 308-995-4050, or stop by the front desk at the Holdrege YMCA.

This summer, at the Holdrege Y, there truly are no limits—only possibilities.