Scott Balsley is a Shenandoah Valley native, having spent his entire life in Waynesboro and Augusta County. Despite a humble upbringing, he credits his mother for instilling the values of helping others and giving back. “Although we didn’t have much, she always made sure we helped others whenever we could, regardless of what we had,” Scott said.

His mother also taught him the importance of saving. When Scott was ten years old, he opened his first savings account, an experience he vividly recalls. “My grandfather, who worked at the DuPont plant for 40 years, took me to DCCU to open my account, and I’ve been banking with DCCU ever since,” Scott said.

After his mother remarried, Scott and his family moved to Augusta County. “I worked on a cattle farm with my stepfather, who helped me develop a strong work ethic,” Scott said. “After high school, I attended technical school for carpentry and right out of school I went to work, eventually starting my own construction company.”

Throughout his adult life, Scott has remained deeply engaged in the community, channeling the values of giving back and hard work that he learned during his childhood. For many years, he and his wife Cathy organized numerous fundraising events for Relay for Life. “We have always been active in the community, but we realized we could do even more,” Scott said. “That’s when we came up with the idea to open a camp to help children in our area.”

In 2012, Scott and Cathy’s vision came to life with the opening of Camp LIGHT, located on the 160-acre Creative Works Farm in Augusta County. The camp welcomed 23 campers during its first session, providing children with medical, physical, behavioral, and other special needs – as well as at-risk youth – the opportunity to attend at no cost. The camp offers activities such as archery, swimming, horseback riding, animal management, gardening, nature exploration, fishing, arts and crafts, outdoor sports, and more.

Camp LIGHT continues to grow and now hosts over 300 children each summer. This success is largely due to the generosity of volunteers and sponsors who help sustain the camp. DCCU has supported Camp LIGHT for over 10 years through sponsorship donations and volunteer efforts. “Our volunteers and sponsors are the heart of what makes camp possible,” said Scott. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do it. It is truly a blessing to have so many people that believe in our mission.”

Looking ahead, Scott is excited about the future of Camp LIGHT and the continued impact it will have on the children and families it serves. “We are currently fundraising to expand our programs to also offer an overnight camp experience, family respite weekends, and more,” said Scott. “The expansion would allow us to serve over 600 campers each year, helping them increase their independence and learn important life skills.”

“Camp LIGHT is a place where children, regardless of their abilities, can experience things they may not have the chance to otherwise,” Scott said. “Every child can be challenged and try something they’ve never done before. Seeing those smiles make all the hours of work worthwhile.”

The future is bright for Camp LIGHT and DCCU is proud to support an organization that is making such a positive difference in our community. Scott didn’t know at age 10 when he opened his first savings account that he would cross paths with DCCU again in this way, and we are so glad he did because we appreciate the opportunity to give back in such a meaningful way. To learn more about Camp LIGHT, visit creativeworksfarm.org.