History
 
Camp Fire USA

Camp Fire USA is a century-old, time-tested, formative youth offering which continues to be a worthy investment, building caring, confident youth and future leaders.  Founded in 1910 Camp Fire Girls was socially innovative for its time.  It was the first interracial, nonsectarian, organization for girls in the United States.  In the early 1900’s Charlotte Vetter Gulick, an inspirational, mothering spirit (and wife of Luther Halsey Gulick, M.D.) coined the watchword from the first two letters of Work, Health, and Love.  “In constructive work lay the roots of true service to humanity.  Health is fundamental.  Love is our highest law.”[1] Since that beginning, society has vastly changed as the world has done somersaults.  Through it all Camp Fire has had to prove itself:  A litany of organizational restructures, a century of impassioned leaders, volumes of curriculum, and decades of mission driven, outcome specific programs.   Now nearly 100 years later history has proven the work of Camp Fire true.  The present proves it still relevant – even dire – and it is the ongoing work of councils peppered across the country, including Camp Fire USA Central Alabama Council.  Learn more

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Central Alabama Council Fast Facts:

  • Founded in 1959
  • Serves approximately 13,000 of Alabama's children and youth each year. 
  • Programs offer positive, life enhancing experiences and the opportunity to learn and grow in a small group environment. 
  • Roughly 60% of the children and youth are served through Camp Fire programs taken into school classrooms.
  • The remaining 40% are served at Camp Fire West and Camp Fletcher through Childcare, Camping and Leadership Programs.
  • The majority population served is primarily low-middle income, under-served, families the majority of which cannot afford extra-curricular activities, enrichment opportunities, or a week of camp.
  • Current program fees are discounted well below costs, made possible only by significant United Way funds as well as corporate sponsorships, grants, foundation gifts and fundraising.
The Central Alabama Council's programs include: Camp Fletcher, Camp Fire Club, Camp Fire West After-School Care and Summer Day Camp, Service Learning, Career Prep, Character Development, Links-Up Mentoring and Self - Reliance.

 

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