Full Circle: From Camp to Track and Back Again

The first time Gavin Grubbs drove through the tunnel at Victory Junction, he was struck by the Camp’s energy. “I just remember that feeling of pure joy,” he said. At nine years old, he had no idea Camp would shape his future.

His mother, Mindy, remembers it too. “When we drove through that tunnel, I wish I could bottle that emotion, so I could explain it, because there are no words to explain that emotional feeling. It’s a thankfulness, a gratefulness, a sadness at the same time that you have to do something like this. It is, somebody loves your kid enough to do this?” she recalled.

Growing up, Gavin was a NASCAR fan through and through. At just three years old, he could name every driver, their number, and even their home state. So, it’s no surprise Victory Junction quickly felt like a second home for Gavin, who attended summer camps from 2011 to 2016.

Beyond the colorful racing-themed buildings, Gavin discovered belonging and empowerment. Mindy says the first time she came to pick him up, “he was glad to see us, but he was so happy to introduce all the people that he had met to us. Look at all these friends that are like me, or that see me for me, not this wheelchair. So that’s pretty monumental.”

Watch Gavin’s full circle story

In 2015, Camp selected Gavin as a guest reporter at Martinsville Speedway. Trackside with a microphone, he discovered something new: a love for sports media.

“I felt naturally good at doing that,” Gavin said. “So, when I was in high school looking at college majors, I settled on creative media production with a sports media emphasis.”

Today, Gavin works at a radio station, runs a YouTube channel, and contributes to Victory Junction’s marketing and communications team. This summer, he joined the team trackside to interview NASCAR drivers for Checkered Flag Chats, a video series about Camp that’s featured on Victory Junction’s YouTube channel.

He credits Camp for laying the foundation. “Victory Junction has not only given me confidence and happiness as a kid, but purpose as an adult,” he said.

Mindy agrees. “Victory Junction definitely empowered Gavin to be able to be independent, to be confident, to feel comfortable in his skin, which is big,” she said.

For Gavin, what began as a childhood camp experience has turned into a full circle story. “I want to thank everybody who has done anything to help Camp, whether that be coming here as a volunteer, being on our staff, or being part of our family of donors. I want to encourage you to keep that relationship strong because of how many people, myself included, Victory Junction has impacted,” he said.

At Victory Junction Campers discover inner strengths that fuel their journeys far beyond Camp. To learn more about becoming a camper, visit www.VictoryJunction.org/CamperZone.

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