Fifty Years, Countless Lives
For half a century, Youth Challenge has empowered young people with physical disabilities through partnerships with teen volunteers. As YC commemorates this milestone, four alumni share how YC shaped their lives.
Christine Wyler treasures the memories and friendships she formed as a participant at Youth Challenge, including skiing with Mary Sue, being with friends, traveling to Canandaigua, and bonding with the volunteers. “YC shaped me into the woman I am today,” she says. A Kent State graduate in Family and Human Services, she continues to give back by speaking at YC volunteer trainings. “Youth Challenge will always have a special place in my heart.
Mike Rupp spent more than a decade with Youth Challenge from 1976 to 1991 as a participant, volunteer, and board member. He especially cherishes the joy on participants’ faces as they try new activities and achieve what once seemed impossible. Now back in Ohio after time in Florida, Mike remains deeply connected to community life through active involvement in several Deaf groups. His lifelong dedication to inclusion and advocacy is rooted in the encouragement and possibility he first experienced at YC.
For Chas Grossman, now CEO of National Safety Apparel, volunteering at YC during his pre-teen and teen years was transformational. He spent seven years as a teen volunteer and later served five years on the board. Chas remembers not just his favorite programs, like swimming and track & field, but the people, the Toomeys, Courtney O., Brad Z., Mike R., Christine W., and more. “Helping YC participants and seeing their determination really toughened me up,” he reflects. It also gave him early lessons in responsibility, care, and empathy, skills he later carried into parenthood and leadership.
Nancy (Carlin) Hammond volunteered with YC in the early 1980s and describes the experience as a true blessing. She loved the energy of program days that included bowling, sledding, horseback riding, park adventures, and “goofing off with the kids.” YC instilled patience, gratitude, and resilience. Her YC experience ultimately led her to a career in nursing, burn care, pediatric ICU work, and later ASL interpreting. Decades later, she thinks of YC often and joins virtual alumni game nights when she can.
In 2026, Youth Challenge celebrates all those who have built, supported, and carried forward this extraordinary mission.
Program Fun in the 1980s (Top to Bottom): Christine Wyler enjoys an activity at a “Camp Champ” program; Mike Rupp and friends warm up at Race Day; Chas Grossman and Paula Bull hit the rink at USA Skates; Nancy Hammond, center, joins other participants and volunteers at a parade.
