Camp Fire USA

''For the rock band, see Campfire Girls (band).

Camp Fire USA is a nationwide youth organization which began on March 17, 1910 as Camp Fire Girls. The organization has been co-ed since 1975 and has youth from pre-kindergarten through age 21. For a time it was known as just Camp Fire and then as Camp Fire Boys and Girls as more boys joined the organization.

History

The organizational history and the story of the origins of Camp Fire are complex, but the short version would be that Camp Fire Girls was founded in 1910 by some of the same people who founded Boy Scouts of America. Luther Gulick and his wife Charlotte Vetter Gulick are credited as "official founders" of Camp Fire Girls.

In 1913, the "Blue Bird" program was introduced for younger girls and offered exploration of ideas and creative play built around family and community life. In 1989 the "Blue Bird" level became the "Starflight" level and served both boys and girls.

Program

The group's motto is "Give Service." The watchword is "WoHeLo," a word created from the first two letters of the words "work, health, love." The traditional symbol is two crossed logs and a three-tipped flame; the current symbol has been modernized and stylized, but the flame remains. The colors are red, white, and blue. The mascot is a bluebird, a bird that is red, white, and blue, sings beautifully, and loves wide-open spaces.

The program levels are STARflight, Adventure, Discovery, and Horizon. STAR is an acronym for "Service To Another Rewards."

Youth are able to earn "honor beads" and award emblems. There are five kinds of honor beads: round red beads for sports & games and science; three-sided flag-blue beads for citizenship; brown, ridged cylinder beads for outdoor craft; four-sided green beads for creative arts; angulared yellow egg-shaped beads for business and home. Once the participant has earned ten of one type of bead, they are awarded a larger one of the same type to represent the ten smaller ones on award vests.

The highest youth award is the "WoHeLo." A youth may apply for the award after completing (1) four major, specified, long-term projects, AND (2) two self-selected projects dealing with problems related to young children, senior citizens, the environment, or the like. For each of the two problems, the youth's project must involve leading, teaching, serving, and speaking out.

Beginning in 6th grade (about 12 years old), Camp Fire youth are eligible to make and wear ceremonial gowns/tunics that are worn at Camp Fire ceremonials. The gowns/tunics are made of cloth resembling deer skin. A gown/tunic is decorated with honor beads, earned emblems, and other personal items the youth chooses. Usually the youth's symbolgram is used on the gown/tunic. The symbolgram is a symbol created by the youth to represent him/herself.

Camp Fire Law

The Camp Fire Law is :

Worship God.

Seek beauty.

Give service.

Pursue knowledge.

Be trustworthy.

Hold on to health.

Glorify work.

Be happy.

Camp Fire today

In the aftermath of the controversy surrounding the Boy Scouts' exclusion of openly gay persons, some pointed to Camp Fire USA as an alternative for those who disagree with the Boy Scouts' position. The organization's website specifically states that:

In Camp Fire USA, everyone is welcome, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or other aspect of diversity.

External links

Official website
Historical origins of Camp Fire by Alice Marie Beard