Courtesy of Camp Fire USA

Camp fires will be crackling across the country this weekend as Camp Fire USA celebrates its 100th birthday on Saturday, July 31.

“Wow, what a century!” exclaims Hailee N., 9, a Camp Fire member in Okmulgee, Okla. “Camping, fishing, cooking, swimming, sleepovers, making friends, learning new things…”

Camp Fire USA gives kids an opportunity to learn and grow together. The group focuses on topics such as exploring and preserving nature and doing community service.

The group was founded in 1910. Luther and Charlotte Gulick wanted to start a group open to all girls in the United States. Luther Gulick chose the name “Camp Fire” because campfires were the center of early community life. “At the time, it was unusual for girls to plan, make decisions, and be outdoors,” says Connie Coutellier, the director of training for Camp Fire USA. In its 100 years, about 40 million kids have been a part of Camp Fire USA.

Originally called the Camp Fire Girls, the group expanded in 1975 to include boys. “We need to be friends and be able to work together,” says Coutellier of the decision made 35 years ago. Colin H., 9, thinks that was a great moment in Camp Fire’s history. “If they didn’t have boys today, I’d be completely bored,” says the Seattle-based Camp Fire boy, whose group has been busy this year learning skills ranging from making pizza to surviving in the wilderness.

“How you get water is by eating plants,” Colin notes.

Courtesy of Camp Fire Minnesota

Give Service
In both 1910 and 2010, the goal of the group has remained the same, says Coutellier: “To help children learn to plan and carry out activities important to them.” The motto of Camp Fire is “give service.”

Over the years, Camp Fire members have given many different kinds of service. For example, they’ve protected wildflowers, built birdhouses, raised money for the Red Cross and the Statue of Liberty restoration, and, in 1971, helped with the clean-up of an oil spill. When 840,000 gallons of oil spilled into San Francisco Bay, Camp Fire members helped clean sea birds with mineral oil and corn meal.

Laura Rouser, 18, of Tulsa, Okla., has spent the past four years in Camp Fire working on projects meaningful to her, such as starting a Camp Fire group at a local elementary school. Upon completing her service, Rouser earned the highest honor that a Camp Fire member can receive: the Wohelo Award. Wohelo is a term coined by founder Charlotte Gulick, formed by the letters in work, health, and love.

Camp Fire, says Rouser, “is a great experience where you can learn not only outdoor skills, but important life skills, like getting along. It makes you more confident.”
 

Courtesy of Camp Fire Minnesota

Time to Celebrate
Camp Fire members are looking forward to celebrating the group’s 100 years of rich traditions. “I’m going to a cabin and making a camp fire for Camp Fire,” says Fiona H., 12, of Seattle. “It’s near Mt. Rainier. There’s a huge river next to it,” adds Fiona’s brother, Colin. “You hear the crackling and the rushing of the river!” Colin and his Camp Fire group made fire starters out of cardboard egg cartons, pine needles, cotton, and melted wax. The Seattle group will be using these to ignite their celebratory fire.

While Laura Rouser will be celebrating the centennial by singing and making s’mores around a campfire this weekend, she says she’ll have something bigger on her mind. “It’s really the traditions,” she says. “Camp fire has a lot of traditions, some 100 years old, some new. [The centennial celebration] really gives new importance to those traditions that I love."

For more information, visit Camp Fire USA online.

Courtesy of Camp Fire Minnesota

Think About It!

What makes a celebration special?