July 31, 2025
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Camp MOSH lends helping hands around community

By Stephanie Markham
Aubrie Coughlan, 13, of Kankakee, mows the grass at a project site in Bourbonnais on July 22, 2025, during the 9th Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM parish. Coughlan, a soon-to-be 8th grader at Bishop McNamara, participated for the first time and said she found the work meaningful.

Aubrie Coughlan, 13, of Kankakee, mows the grass at a project site in Bourbonnais on July 22, 2025, during the 9th Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM parish. Coughlan, a soon-to-be 8th grader at Bishop McNamara, participated for the first time and said she found the work meaningful. (Tiffany Blanchette)

A series of blue yard signs has popped up around the community lately, but they’re not promoting any political party or cause; they’re highlighting the hard work of the dedicated volunteers at Camp MOSH.

At the sites of each project the camp tackled last week, a sign was placed which reads, “Another project blessed by Camp MOSH.”

Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp hosted by the Maternity BVM Church parish, got busy last week, helping those in need throughout the Kankakee County community.

MOSH stands for Maternity Outreach Service for Humanity, with youth and adults from the Maternity BVM community dedicating a week of summer to a variety of service projects.

This year marked the ninth Camp MOSH since the program began in 2009; it is typically held every other year.

It included 127 youth volunteers ages sixth grade and up and 100 adults taking on a list of 21 projects helping individual homeowners and nonprofits.

“What you put into it, you get far more out of it,” said Scott Bassett, lead project coordinator. “We are going out and we are serving others in the community that need help, and just the act of giving back and seeing the joy and appreciation in those people’s faces, that’s all you need to keep you going.”

Aubrie Coughlan, 13, of Kankakee, mows the grass at a project site in Bourbonnais on July 22, 2025, during the 9th Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM parish. Coughlan, a soon-to-be 8th grader at Bishop McNamara, participated for the first time and said she found the work meaningful.

A sign which reads, “Another project blessed by Camp MOSH,” is placed in the yard of a project site in Bourbonnais on July 22, 2025, during Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM Church parish. The volunteer-based operation got busy last week helping those in need around the Kankakee County community. (Tiffany Blanchette)

This year’s work was dedicated in memory of Dale Van Kuren, a parishioner and volunteer who died in May after a battle with ALS.

Due to the high heat index last Wednesday and Thursday, outdoor work was limited toward the end of the week.

But the fun and fellowship continued, with St. George Parish and St. John Paul II Parish opening their doors for Camp MOSH volunteers during the daytime.

Volunteers got to enjoy activities like an escape room, trivia and a basketball game.

Dinner was provided by donations from Maternity BVM parishioners and local restaurants.

Amanda Fierce, Maternity BVM Youth Minister, said that parishioners helped raise more than $20,000 for the service projects.

In addition, the adult volunteers are passionate about working with the youth.

“People like seeing that the kids are doing something other than being on their phones,” Fierce said.

Marianne Heinzl, 78-year-old parishioner and former Camp MOSH volunteer, was one of the recipients of the camp’s help this year.

“I didn’t realize at the time how much it meant to people who needed it,” she said.

Marianne Heinzl, 78, of Bourbonnais, shares how meaningful it is to receive help from the volunteers of Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM parish, on July 22, 2025. “I’m so grateful, and it’s really the mission in the community, and it’s God’s work in the community through people’s hands," said Heinzl, a Maternity BVM parishioner of 35 years and former Camp MOSH volunteer.

Marianne Heinzl, 78, of Bourbonnais, shares how meaningful it is to receive help from the volunteers of Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM parish, on July 22, 2025. “I’m so grateful, and it’s really the mission in the community, and it’s God’s work in the community through people’s hands," said Heinzl, a Maternity BVM parishioner of 35 years and former Camp MOSH volunteer. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Volunteers helped with pulling weeds, mowing and planting, power washing the driveway, cleaning moss off the shed and washing the over 30 windows at Heinzl’s Bourbonnais home, where she lives with her daughter.

“They’ve been miracle workers,” she said.

Heinzl has lived in the home since 1977 and has been a parishioner at Maternity BVM for 35 years.

She’s been an Eucharistic minister and sung in the choir for the church.

“Maternity is family,” she said. “It’s a very embracing, supportive family.”

Since Heinzl’s husband died a few years ago, it’s been more difficult to keep up with home projects.

“My husband was able to keep up with the property much better than I can, and I’m not a spring chicken anymore,” she said.

A registered nurse and former substitute teacher, Heinzl was part of the last graduating class of St. Patrick Central in 1964 before it became Bishop McNamara.

She said she enjoyed seeing the group of young people not only learning new skills, but also picking up on what it means to have a work ethic.

“It is so worthwhile,” Heinzl said. “I’m so grateful, and it’s really the mission in the community, and it’s God’s work in the community through people’s hands.”

Amelia Nugent, 13, left, of Manteno, pulls weeds alongside fellow youth volunteer Ella Absher, 13 of Bourbonnais, at a project site in Bourbonnais on July 22, 2025, during the 9th Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM parish.

Amelia Nugent, 13, left, of Manteno, pulls weeds alongside fellow youth volunteer Ella Absher, 13 of Bourbonnais, at a project site in Bourbonnais on July 22, 2025, during the 9th Camp MOSH, a week-long volunteer service camp from Maternity BVM parish. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Amelia Nugent, of Manteno, an eighth grader at Bishop McNamara, helped with the yard work at Heinzl’s home.

While she admits it was hard work, Nugent said it was a good feeling to see the results of their labor.

“It’s nice to help others,” Nugent said. “I know that’s what God would want everyone to do – be there for others no matter what state they’re in, no matter what’s going on in their life, no matter what their house looks like, no matter what they have, don’t have. Everybody deserves help.”