CAMP FIRE USA CELEBRATES 95 YEARS OF BUILDING CARING, CONFIDENT YOUTH AND FUTURE LEADERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 7, 2005 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Vanessa E. Adams
Communications Manager
Telephone: 816 756 1950, ext. 206
E-mail: vanessa.adams@campfireusa.org

CAMP FIRE USA CELEBRATES 95 YEARS OF BUILDING CARING, CONFIDENT YOUTH AND FUTURE LEADERS

(Kansas City, Mo.) – March 17 marks Camp Fire USA's 95th year of providing America's youth and families with fun, exciting and asset-building programs. Camp Fire USA continues to build upon its rich history of building leadership skills in youth.

Camp Fire USA was founded in New England in 1910 by Luther Gulick, M.D., and his wife, Charlotte Gulick, as the first nonsectarian interracial organization for girls in the United States. Dr. Gulick chose the name "Camp Fire" because campfires were the origin of the first communities and domestic life. Once people learned to make and control fire, they could develop and nurture a sense of community.

Faithful to its roots, Camp Fire USA became truly inclusive by expanding membership to boys in 1975. In the mid-90s, Camp Fire implemented an inclusiveness policy to officially outline its stance on diversity, and in 1999 the following core value was adopted: "We are inclusive, welcoming children, youth and adults regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or other aspect of diversity."

More recently, Camp Fire USA expanded to help develop families and communities through its Community Family Club program. This program brings families together several times a month to share dinner, take field trips, complete service projects and participate in age-appropriate educational and developmental activities. By helping establish important adult support systems and networks, Community Family Clubs create closer, stronger communities and facilitate family togetherness.

Today, Camp Fire USA is a recognized leader in quality youth development and after-school programming. Throughout America, nearly 750,000 youth of all ages participate in small group-mentoring programs, service learning experiences, self-reliance courses and camping and environmental education programs with Camp Fire USA. All of Camp Fire USA's programs and activities are built upon the national organization's foundation of seeking to improve those conditions in society that affect youth; they are grounded in research and based on real outcomes. The organization's mission statement describes the outcomes of the Camp Fire experience: "Camp Fire USA builds caring, confidant youth and future leaders."

"This month, Camp Fire USA councils, members and supporters across the country will reflect on the past 95 successful years of service," said Stewart J. Smith, CEO, Camp Fire USA. "We embrace a bright future which includes reaching out to even more young people and their families in the coming years."

Camp Fire USA's 95th birthday will be celebrated in a variety of ways in the hundreds of communities served by Camp Fire USA councils. To find out how local councils are celebrating, contact your nearest Camp Fire USA council.

To learn more about Camp Fire USA, visit All About Us.

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Camp Fire USA is one of the nation's leading not-for-profit youth development organizations, serving nearly three quarters of a million participants annually. Camp Fire, with national headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, since 1977, provides all-inclusive, coeducational programs in hundreds of communities across the United States. Camp Fire USA's mission is to build caring, confident youth and future leaders. By design, Camp Fire's programs, including small group experiences, after school programs, camping and environmental education, child care and service learning, build confidence in younger children and provide hands-on, youth-driven leadership experiences for older youth. For more information, visit www.campfireusa.org.