GiveBig for Camp Fire!

I joined Camp Fire in 2nd grade in 1972 as a Bluebird in Seattle-King County Council (the predecessor to Central Puget Sound). I moved away and back again, but was always in a Camp Fire group. It was an important part of my formative years and I loved everything about being in a group and going to camp. My camp was Camp Kirby in Bow, WA while I was living on Whidbey Island in Jr-Sr High School. My Grandma Lucy was a Camp Fire Girl in 1920, my mom was also in Camp Fire, and later, my nephews were in a group together in this Council as well.

I was away from Camp Fire for a number of years but had long been wishing I could be involved in Camp Fire again. I didn’t have any kids, and I worked full time, which didn’t fit with my memory of how things went with Camp Fire, but early in 2007 I had pulled out a box of things that never got sewn onto my Camp Fire gown, and I got nostalgic, reading old books and looking at my stuff. One day Michael said to me “Why don’t you just start a group”? So, on April 23, 2007, I gave the Camp Fire office a call and I told them about how I had loved Camp Fire, and that I was certain that it had helped me to be the person I am today. My values match the Camp Fire Law – Seek Beauty, Give Service, Pursue Knowledge, Be Trustworthy, Hold Onto Health, Glorify Work, Be Happy. To my surprise and pleasure, it was not a problem that I was not a mom, or that I worked. We could meet whenever worked, and there were people clamoring for a leader. We arranged for me to come in for training and further discussion, and the next day after work, when I knocked on the door, Janelle welcomed me with open arms and said “Welcome Home”. It has been my home ever since, and I am passionate about helping the organization and the kids I meet through it to thrive and grow.

I started a group with a couple of families who had some kids looking for a leader who really wanted to be in Camp Fire. We started meeting over the summer between 1st and 2nd grade and met every week to get a good start. The Shining Stars was our chosen name and though the membership fluctuated, I had the most amazing young ladies as group members. We met all the way through high school, and beyond. We added a couple of younger members when the original girls were in high school and I worked with them all through their graduation. We sold loads of candy, earned a million emblems and beads, and had endless fun. But more importantly, we created a place for all of them to succeed at their own level, and a safe place for them to make their way through their teenage years, which these days is quite a struggle. I know that my co-leaders and I made a huge difference for the kids we worked with.

Since I started my group in 2007, I have volunteered for just about any opportunity available, whether with Day Camp, Camp Sealth, Group Program and Adult Weekend Events, helping other group programs teens with their WoHeLo projects or Senior Projects, at events, etc. Helping is when I am happiest. Covid made things a challenge, and I was struggling to figure out how to start a new group, but then, last year during the candy sale I talked with a friend and Camp Fire parent about whether his kids were selling. It turned out they had lost their leader, who moved away. I asked if I could possibly help out and get them together again? We’d been friends for years. Within a week the two remaining girls and their two dads and I were sitting at a table planning our new adventures. The Flickers have been meeting nearly weekly for about a year now and it has been fantastic! They are dedicated and so much fun. We sold enough candy for them to earn their way to a week of Horse Camp at Camp Sealth, we have just completed a huge service project, and they helped plan and lead activities at the recent You and Me Camp Weekend. We’re working on several Torch Bearers and Outdoor Progression emblems, along with the usual Discovery curriculum. Meeting weekly (their choice) allows us a lot of activities. I am looking forward to helping them through high school and beyond!

I am passionate about Camp Fire. I am honored that my family members have strongly supported my volunteer efforts with Camp Fire over the years with both their time and money and that they donate every year in my honor. At Camp Fire we work to support all young people to find their voice and their spark. One of my favorite Camp Fire slogans from a few years ago is “Ignite Change”. Inspiration and growth can start at a young age, and it expands as youth work their way through our curriculum. I am confident that we save lives and provide a safe place for young people to make their way through adolescence and young adulthood. 

Please help me support this organization and make a gift today!