Join us as we celebrate Camp Fire's Centennial with a traditional Council Fire at Camp
Tanadoona.
Saturday, July
31 2 PM - 4
PMCamp
Tanadoona map.
Family Fun Day
All are welcome to Camp Fire's 3rd annual Family Fun Day at Camp Tanadoona! Activities include a pancake breakfast, camp activities and a silent auction.
Saturday, August 14
9 AM - noon
Camp Tanadoona
map.
$5 tickets sold at the door - kids ages 4 and under are free!
Volunteers Needed!
If you're interested in helping out during Family Fun Day, contact us at 612-285-6203.
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Camp Fire USA Minnesota Council recently released a new video in honor of Camp Fire's 100 year anniversary.
Hear stories from our youth, alumni and friends about how Camp Fire shaped them.
Watch the video.
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Be an "angel" and donate to our wish list! A sample of items needed for our club and camp programs: Flash drives
Life jackets*
Everyday Mathematics for grades pre-K - 6 (several
copies)
Canoe and Kayak paddles
Visit
our website
for the complete wish list of items Camp Fire needs.
To donate: contact Jessica at jessicaa@campfireusa-mn.org or 612-285-6203.
*For reasons of safety and sanitation, we can only accept
starred items that are new and unused. |
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Camp Tanadoona Hosts PricewaterhouseCoopers' Community Service Day
 For the second year in a row, staff and partners from PricewaterhouseCoopers Minneapolis office spent a day volunteering at Camp Tanadoona. The day of community service brought more
than 150 people out to Camp Tanadoona, including 20 Camp Fire
youth who participated in the community service day alongside PwC staff. In addition to donating all of the materials and tools
needed for the service projects, PwC donated 12 camp scholarships toward Camp Fire's campership fund. PwC's camp scholarships will allow youth to participate in summer camp at Camp Tanadoona who otherwise could not afford to attend.
PwC Volunteers, Camp Fire Youth and Staff, and United Way Volunteers Join Forces
 Working in teams, adults and youth worked together on projects across camp, improving the usability and sustainability of Camp Tanadoona.
Projects such as planting
flowers and improving landscaping around camp will help prevent erosion and add
plant-related
programming. Volunteers also removed invasive plant species from around camp in order to keep our forests healthy.
Coming just
days before the start of summer camp, PwC's projects have a positive impact on campers' experience:
- New gardens provide an outdoor
classroom for
youth to learn about plants and healthy eating.
- Trail clearing makes
more of
the camp accessible for nature hikes and outdoor discovery.
- New storage
boxes and hooks in the day camp area will provide day campers a "home
base"
from which to experience their camp adventures.
- New gravel and wood chips in high traffic areas improve camper safety and durability.
- Cleaned, improved cabin give campers a great overnight experience.
Camp Fire Youth Practice Sustainability with PwC Mentors PwC volunteers also shared with Camp Fire
youth the importance of sustainability as they worked together on building blue
bird houses and planting flowers around camp. The youth were members of Camp
Fire clubs at Lincoln Place,
Calibre Ridge and Yorkdale Townhomes. The youth participants enjoyed giving back to their community and
spending a day at camp.
View pictures of the community service day.
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Youth Workers Learn Side by Side at Summer Youth Institute
On June 16, over 200 youth workers gathered at Metro State
University for a day of
learning and networking. Co-hosted by East Side Network Café and Leap Forward
Collaborative for Youth, the second
annual Summer Youth Institute brought together youth workers from over 40 youth
programs across Saint Paul.
 Youth Development Experts Share Best Practices
Throughout
the Institute, participants had the opportunity to interact with one another,
sharing their challenges and successes. Workshops contained valuable
information for youth workers new to the field, including sessions on summer
health and safety, best practices for engaging youth, and creating a positive program
environment for youth. The day also included specialized tracks for more
experienced youth workers, such as tips for preventing "burn-out" and program
planning strategies. Four Camp Fire staff members were selected as trainers, sharing
segments of the new Camp
Fire staff training and
orientation with other organizations.
Institute planners listened to youth workers' needs to
ensure training material was relevant. Participants responded enthusiastically. Laura Selin, Youth Program Coordinator for Women's Initiative for Self Empowerment, Inc. said, "Attending the Summer Youth Institute was a great experience for my staff and me. There were trainings catered to my role [as a supervisor]. My staff, who are newer to the field of youth work, had a great introduction in how to be effective, structured, inclusive, and safe."
Collaborative Approach Allows for Resource-Sharing, Significant Impact
East Side Network Café Coordinator, Lou
Bender, says the impact of the Summer Youth Institute is
vast, "We estimate that over 7,000 youth will be served by those who attended
the day of training. By working together
and sharing resources, we are able to make a significant difference for youth
in Saint Paul."
"Camp
Fire is proud to
coordinate East Side Network Cafe and have the chance to work with such
tremendous collaborative partners on the Summer Youth Institute," Camp Fire CEO
Marnie Wells said.
Special thanks to Metro State
University for donating
training space, to the many trainers who contributed their time and expertise,
and to Summer Youth Institute co-host Leap Forward Collaborative for Youth. Funding
for the Summer Youth Institute was generously provided by
The McKnight
Foundation.
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A Festive 4th of July Celebration
Camp Fire marches in Chanhassen parade
 Joining 5,000 Chanhassen community members, Camp Fire
participated in Chanhassen's annual 4th of July Celebration. Camp Fire
staff, Camp Tanadoona counselors, and camp youth and
their families had a blast marching in the City's July 4th parade. Parade
attendees enjoyed joining in with camp counselors as they sang camp songs.
"We are proud to be a part of the Chanhassen community," said
CEO Marnie Wells. "Marching in the July 4th parade is a great
opportunity to celebrate with our neighbors."
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As Budget Year Closes, You Can Give Youth the Chance to Grow, Learn and Be Healthy
Did you know?
- Youth spend over 50% of their waking hours
outside of school
- The hours directly after school, between 3:00
and 6:00 PM, present the most risk for youth
-
Youth ages 8-18 spend an average of 6.5 hours a
day with electronic media
-
Childhood obesity affects 1 in 5 children in the United States
 Camp
Fire makes a difference for youth
Accessible after school programs
We offer clubs after school in locations
where youth live and play, such as churches, community centers and affordable housing
complexes. Our staff get to know each child and inspire them to be
their very best.
Connecting with nature, the world
Our summer camp program at Camp Tanadoona
connects youth with nature and broadens their view of the world. Our camp
counselors come from around the globe, exposing campers to different cultures
and traditions.
Building healthy youth
Camp
Fire youth learn how to
make healthy choices. Our "Hold on to Health" curriculum teaches club youth to
eat healthy foods and be active. Summer camp engages youth in fun and healthy
activities in the outdoors.
Fostering youth engagement
Club youth learn how to give back to their
community. Through service-learning projects, youth learn about issues in their
backyard and take action to create solutions.
Make a year-end gift
Camp
Fire's budget year ends
August 31. Will you make a contribution in support of our work with youth?
When
you donate to Camp
Fire, you give youth
the chance to grow, learn and be healthy.
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Best Regards,
Marnie K. Wells, Chief Executive Officer
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