When you’ve been a nonprofit for 25 years, a lot of people help carry the mission forward.
Today, we’re highlighting one of those families: the Heckman Family.
Their story with Colorado Youth Outdoors started in 2003, when Terry Heckman and his son Traver went through CORE at Mountain View High School. The next year, Terry’s daughter Shayne joined him for the program.
To this day, Shayne still has a ziplock bag of survival tools she built in that classroom—gloves, a sheet, flint—floating around in her hunting pack, just in case.
But what stuck with her most wasn’t the gear.
It was the time.
Terry owned an HVAC company and worked long hours. It wasn’t unusual for the kids to go days without really seeing him. But every Wednesday night during CORE, Shayne had her dad’s full attention—on the drive there, during class, and on the way home.
That time together changed everything.
“My brother and I wouldn’t be who we are today without CYO. We wouldn’t have the relationship with our dad without it. Family is everything to us.”
Since then, the Heckman’s have shown up—year after year—as volunteers and donors.
When CYO built Richardson Hall in 2012, Terry installed the HVAC system… with help from two volunteers: Traver and Shayne.
“It’s important to be selfless with your time,” Shayne says. “You might not see the impact right away—but who are you helping down the line because of what you did today?”
(For the record—thousands of participants have warmed up and cooled off in those classrooms since.)
The family has also supported every Maverick fundraiser since 2004. Sometimes in official roles, sometimes just jumping in wherever needed. These days, the next generation shows up too.
“Volunteering has become a teaching moment in our family. I’m showing my kids, my niece and nephew what hard work looks like—and what it means to have a servant’s heart.”
Shayne didn’t just volunteer—she helped shape CYO’s future.
After working on the HVAC project, she pitched a new fundraising idea to the board aimed at a younger audience.
The Scoot was born.
That first year featured live music from Sean Curtis, barbecue from Serious Texas BBQ, and an entrance through a giant (fake) barn wall. The goal was simple: break even.
Instead, over 100 guests raised $25,000.
Her pitch not only landed the Scoot, Shayne joined the CYO staff—wearing all sorts of hats: events, marketing, admin, invoicing, website management. What is now a four-person workload… was once hers alone.
In Fall 2025, her story came full circle.
She brought her son Xander, husband Josh, and stepson Max to CORE.
“When I think about CYO, I think about intentional time together. Relationships fall apart when there’s nothing in common. Learning together changes that. Working hard together changes that.”
At CORE, phones stayed in the car. Conversations came naturally.
And then there was the moment – for Shayne, this captures what CYO is all about:
“At the shooting station, Xander was up to shoot and it’s my job to hand him the shell. In that second of eye contact, he communicates: ‘Mom, I’ve got this.’ That moment put everything into perspective for me. I hope I see that look more and more as he grows.”
After more than two decades, Shayne’s message hasn’t changed.
“Back in 2004, I got that intentional time with my dad—and it made a huge difference in my life. These days, people say they’re busy… but how much time is spent on our phones?
We all need to be more intentional. I needed it when I was young. Now I try to give that to my boys—even if it’s just making dinner together.
Be unplugged. Be present. CYO helps families do that.”