Camo Kids does ONE simple thing!

We donate a unique college "game day" experience to athletic events for the children of our military called away to active duty.

By providing an opportunity for the children of our heroes to visit a college campus and interact with administrators, coaches and athletes, we hope to lift up their spirits at a time when they need it most and inspire them academically and athletically.

All participants receive game tickets, backpacks, food, t-shirts and wristbands all FREE of charge.

Camouflage Kids is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving military families of all ranks and branches throughout the United States.

Funding for the organization is provided through the generous contributions of corporations, organizations and individuals.

Camo Kids Goes Back "HOME" To The Air Force Academy!

Camouflage Kids had a GREAT event on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at the U.S. Force Academy for their men's basketball game vs. Wyoming.....topped off with an exciting victory for the Falcons!

Five years ago, Camouflage Kids originated at the Air Force Academy in partnership with Fort Carson....what started as 4 tickets at one school has now expanded to many colleges throughout the United States and impacted thousands of military children and families.

Many thanks to Coach Jeff Reynolds, the Air Force basketball team and athletic department personnel for a memorable day for the families from the Colorado Springs area military installations.

The picture below is of Rygar Schyberg, who brought a Hug-A-Hero doll to the game with the image of his father, 1st Lt. Hal Schyberg, who is OUR hero currently serving in Afghanistan.

A GREAT Day At The U.S. Naval Academy!

Billy Lange, head basketball coach at the U.S. Naval Academy, hosted Camouflage Kids on Saturday, January 16, 2010 for their basketball game vs. Lafayette. It was a great day for almost 300 military families. For those of you who have never visited one of our service academies - please do - as you will experience a special feeling when you see the young men and women who are the future leaders of the United States.

There is no better example of this than David Robinson, Naval Academy graduate, NBA champion and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Through his commitment to academics and our youth, David founded The Carver Academy in San Antonio, Texas which has become a model for elementary schools around the globe.   

Arizona's Two Most Famous Residents Host Camo Kids!

On January 10, 2010, Camouflage Kids kicked off 2010 with it's first event at Arizona State University for their men's basketball game vs. Washington State. Greeting our great turnout of military families were Arizona's two most famous residents - the Phoenix Suns' "Gorilla" and Arizona State mascot "Sparky".  

 Pictures of this event can be found by clicking the "photos" tab located at the top of the site and scrolling down to the Washington State @ Arizona State basketball game gallery.

                                               

 "Crean & Crimson" - Tom Crean Fundraiser For Camouflage Kids

For more information on Dean Loucks, please visit www. http://www.deanloucksart.com

2009 "Operation Hardwood" USO Tour To Iraq

In August Jeff Nix , President of Camouflage Kids, participated in Operation Hardwood VI: Hoops for Troops, a USO-sponsored trip that lets current and former coaches bring a slice of home -- in this case, college basketball -- to some of our soldiers stationed at COB (Command Operating Base) Speicher in Tikrit, Iraq (hometown of Saddam Hussein).

This year's coaches making the trip with Coach Nix were Brian Gregory (Dayton), Jim Crews (West Point), Mike Gillian (Longwood), ESPN analyst

Steve Lavin (former UCLA coach), Mark Gottfried (former Alabama coach), Dennis Wolfe (former Boston University coach) and ESPN analyst Fran

Fraschilla (former St. John’s & New Mexico coach).

Although most of us already knew each other, we bunked together for seven days without the comforts of home, and shared experiences of a lifetime.

Click on the “Photos” link above and scroll down to “2009 Operation Hardwood USO Tour to Iraq”  to see the photos of the trip.  

Jeff Nix with Major General Robert Caslen (Commander of Multinational Division-North, Multinational Forces) in Iraq.  

Jeff Nix with Brigadier General Robert Brown (Deputy Commanding General - Support)

West Point Honors Camouflage Kids! 

On Saturday, September 12, 2009 during the Duke at Army football game, the United States Military Academy along with the NCAA honored Camouflage Kids for their work with the children of our military. A check presentation was held on the field during the second quarter of the game as the NCAA contributed a $500 grant to assist our continued efforts to help OUR kids enjoy a college athletic event during the 2009-10 academic school year.

Jeff Nix (right) with Bob Beretta - Army's Senior Associate Athletic Director (left) and

A MEMORABLE FUNDRAISING EVENT!

On September 9, 2008, Camouflage Kids held it’s annual fundraising event with our special guests (Coach Bob Knight & The VanHolstyn Family) along with many other college coaches and friends.

Jeff Nix, President of Camouflage Kids, visited Iraq in June 2008 on a USO Tour and had the opportunity to meet and visit with one of our hero soldiers, Michael VanHolstyn from Grand Rapids, Michigan. The VanHolstyn family was invited to the event and a memorable evening turned out for all. 

Dear Jeff,

It was AWESOME!   What an evening and what a unique event with such a special cause!   We went last night knowing no-one and having no idea what to expect. How could we have guessed it would be such a special memory, never to be forgotten....both for our son Mike in Iraq and for the rest of our family? Certainly he has never "celebrated" a birthday quite like this one.

That was such a wonderful thing you did for us to be able to connect us to our son "LIVE" from Iraq on his 21st birthday! He too was so surprised at the chain of events and relayed to us how he was awoken at about 1:00 a.m. and told to get dressed and clean his rifle and be ready to be whisked off to someplace unknown for a "special detail". He certainly didn't expect to be hearing Happy Birthday sung to him by a couple hundred or more Americans. And then he even got to talk to his family for 45 minutes!! It really was special.

THANK-YOU so very much for doing that. I know there was a lot of "behind-the-scenes" work involved on your part to make it all turn out so perfect. So heart-warming for the mother missing her boy in the service.

We all had a very enjoyable evening and were quite impressed by the attention to so much detail to make the evening one-of-a-kind. I can understand how this will get bigger every year. Word spreads. It's all for a worthy cause too...The Camouflage Kids....giving the event a special momentum of it's own. It's the kind of thing people feel good about helping out with and participating in, further launching the organization into the limelight. Which in turn sheds light on these soldiers of ours setting aside their careers, leaving their families behind, and putting their lives on the line for the rest of us in the comfortable settings of home.

It truly was a memorable and touching evening and the only regret I have is that we missed some of the special introductions and speeches and honors given during the time we were happily engaged in conversation with our son. But I saw a few different ones wiping their eyes and knew that hearts were touched and a little spark was ignited to do something for these kids of our military serving at home and abroad.

I could go on and on but once again, let me just say a special thank-you to you and the many others that must have had a hand in making the fundraising event such a success this year. We were so happy to be given the honor of an invitation besides being given such an unexpected surprise.

Please relay a special thanks to Ray Stults and Lana Davis for opening their home like they did. And also I think it was your wife that was SO accommodating and friendly and so busy doing a lot of little extras for everyone. A special thanks to her too.

                 With much appreciation,

The VanHolstyn Family