Smoke Signal March April 2015
In This Issue
Come to Camp Fire Summer Camp 2015!
News
Searching for summer camps? Register for Camp Fire Summer Camp 2015 before March 31 to waive the initial $25.00 registration fee. Now at two locations in North and Central Austin, this urban nature day camp engages in kids in outdoor and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-based activities and field trips, all while enjoying the local sites and wildlife that Central Texas has to offer. The camps run from June 8 through August 21 on a weekly basis, and are offered for kids ages 5-12 years old. Activities revolve around local wildlife, hiking, swimming, paddling, fire safety, tent set-up, geocaching, and more! Help your kids find their sparks, learn new skills, and have fun this summer by giving them the gift of the Camp Fire experience.
Camp Fire Summer Camp 2015 Calendar
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Our Community Promise to Children Luncheon Camplify Austin! Camp Fire National Conference Clean Creek Camp
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Outdoors Camp Fire Summer Day Camp Spring Break Camp! MLK Holiday Day Camp Never Give a Cat a Spoon Winter Backpacking Fun Backpacking Trip Schedule 2015
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Clubs Family Nature Clubs Boggy Creek Cleanup Hospice Austin Food Drive
Visit our web page at www.camp-fire.org/programs/ camps/summer-camp/ to learn more and sign up today. Scroll to page 4 for a description of weekly Summer Camp topics and for information about our upcoming Spring Break Camp.
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After School Camp Fire and Samsung Sparks!
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Our Community Friends of Camp Fire Web and Email
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Calendar March 5-6 March 14-20 March 16-20 March 17 March 19 April 10-12 April 18-19
Camplify Austin! Spring Break Backpacking Trip Spring Break Day Camp Camp Fire's 104th Birthday Absolutely Incredible Kid Day Enchanted Rock Backpacking Pedernales Falls Backpacking
Looking Ahead: June 30-July 6 Summer Backpacking Trip
For late-breaking calendar items and updates, watch the Camp Fire email listserv and our Facebook page. Email
[email protected] to join the yahoogroups listserv. See page 10 for web and Facebook links.
Camp Fire Central Texas | P. O. Box 303040 | Austin, TX 78703 Telephone: (512) 349-2111 | www.camp-fire.org |
[email protected]
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Our Community Promise to Children Award Luncheon Celebrates Gigi Edwards Bryant's Youth Advocacy On February 4, over 200 guests attended our sold-out Camp Fire Promise to Children Award Luncheon--an incredible day honoring Gigi Edwards Bryant for her service to children in the greater Austin area. Hosted at the beautiful downtown Radisson, guests dined in a beautiful ballroom overlooking the Ann W. Richards’ Bridge. Camp Fire Central Texas thanks guests Carter Smith, CEO of Texas Parks and Wildlife and 2014 honoree; Cathy Tisdale, CEO of Camp Fire USA; and Texas Children in Nature Coordinator and long-time Camp Fire volunteer Jennifer Bristol for making the event one-of-a-kind with their presentations. Through the generosity of the attendees and donors who invested in our children’s well-being, we met our financial goals for the event— support that will be used to extend our reach, deepen the quality of experience for children, and keep Camp Fire Central Texas strong. The thoughtful gifts from all of our Camp Fire friends make it possible for Camp Fire Central Texas to fulfill its Promise to Children.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Director Carter Smith and 2015 Promise to Children Award honoree Gigi Edwards Bryant.
With special thanks to our Board Member Denise Meikel and videographer Chris York of Village House Films, we are proud to offer the opportunity to view the video played at the event, publicly available for the first time. Families and educators came together to celebrate Camp Fire Central Texas’ impact on their lives, resulting in the moving testimonials that illustrated why Camp Fire’s programming works. Watch the video at http://tinyurl.com/lx9ceak. Camp Fire Central Texas Executive Director Rebecca Benz and Camp Fire USA CEO Cathy Tisdale ⇒
Amplify Austin is an annual 24-hour period of giving to nonprofits in Austin that maintain and improve its communities in extraordinary ways. Powered by the nonprofit I Live Here I Give Here, Amplify Austin provides the opportunity to give back through a fun, convenient platform. This is Camp Fire’s third year participating in Amplify ATX, and our goal is $5,000. We ask you to give to Camp Fire Central Texas this March 5-6 because we want to extend our outreach to as many families in the Central Texas area as we can touch through our inclusive, high-quality Summer, Afterschool, Day Camp, and outdoor programs. Visit our page at https://amplifyatx.ilivehereigivehere.org/CampFire/overview to read about our impact on the greater area, view testimonial videos, and schedule a donation today! Any amount enables us to help more children find their spark, discover who they are, and thrive.
Help us Camplify Austin!
A donation to Camp Fire helps us develop a community of young environmental stewards who will grow up to be leaders in their classrooms, families, and communities at large. People fund people. Make it personal, make it fun! Amplify ATX is a social event and a great opportunity to spread the word about Camp Fire’s impact nationwide. This year we have some awesome prizes to give away including gift certificates to: Birds Barbershop, Hopdoddy's Burger Bar, Amy's Ice Cream, Alamo Drafthouse, Round Rock Express, Waterloo Ice House, Thundercloud Subs, Trudy's Tex Mex, and other Austin faves!
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Our Community Camp Fire Central Texas Represented at National Conference in Kansas City On February 20 and 21, Camp Fire’s National Headquarters hosted a conference in Kansas City to bolster networking and professional development opportunities among the many councils across the country. The conference, which was titled Connect 4, included as presenters Kent Pekel, CEO of the Search Institute, and Joe Beasley, Senior Program Associate of Technical Assistance and Coaching Support Services at the Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality. Of course, our National CEO Cathy Tisdale also spoke, and reaffirmed Camp Fire’s core mission of strengthening families and communities through dynamic outdoor and educational programs.
Camp Fire Central Texas Program Director Eric Imhof facilitated the Thrive workshop.
In addition to these presentations, representatives from various councils also facilitated workshops and panels. As our representative from the Central Texas Council at the conference, I was glad to facilitate such a workshop on the Thrive methodology for youth development. I led a group of other council members, program directors, and National staff in a session about how to apply Thrive concepts not only to our youth programs but also to our office culture, to staff trainings, and most importantly, to our council’s identity.
While at the conference I met many other people who, like us, are out there every day doing their best to help youth, families, communities, and ecosystems. It was truly inspiring to take stock of just how many lives Camp Fire has touched across the nation. Hopefully one day we can host such a conference here in Austin! —Eric Imhof, Program Director
FREE Family Clean Creek Camp Camp Fire members, join your Camp Fire kids outdoors this summer for 3-4 days of outdoor adventure at Clean Creek Camp. We'll explore in and around Austin's creeks and aquifer. Groups with adult leaders are welcome! Ages: 9-14 (children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian) Watershed Camp: June 8-11, Watershed & Aquifer Camp: July 14-16 9:00a.m.-noon each camp day For more information visit www.austintexas.gov/CleanCreekCamp or call 512-974-3540
—Susan Wall, M.Ed. Conservation Program Coordinator, Youth Education City of Austin, Watershed Protection Department Note: Susan Wall not only runs awesome youth environmental workshops for the City of Austin, she is also a current Camp Fire parent! —Ed.
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Outdoors Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.—Rachel Carson
Registration for Camp Fire Summer Camp Now Open
Ten weeks of summer day camp with Camp Fire Now at two locations! Central Austin 1605 E. 38th St.
New North Austin 12062 North Lamar Blvd.
Tuition: $275.00 per week. Registration: One-time registration fee of $25.00 Early Bird Special: Register by March 31 and the $25.00 registration fee is waived. www.camp-fire.org/programs/camps/summer-camp/ Summertime adventures await! Explore, learn and grow in Camp Fire Summer Camp. Austin’s premier urban nature and science camp sparks curiosity and inspires learning in kids ages 5-12 years old. Each week features a nature or science theme in addition to fieldtrips, swimming, hiking, games, experiments, crafts, and other fun-filled activities.
Dates and Themes : June 8-12: Urban Wildlife. Have you ever wondered how wild animals can live in our city? Come and find out about raccoons, foxes, possums, and many other critters we share our neighborhoods with. June 15-19: Technology in Nature. Use technology to have a great time in the outdoors through Geocaching, nature photography, mapping and more! June 22-26: Nature Speaks. Do you know how to call wild turkeys or make our creek frogs croak? Come and learn all about communication in nature. June 29-July 3: Outdoor Skills. Learn skills for being outdoors by putting up tents, cooking outdoors, fishing, fire safety and Leave No Trace. July 13-17: Science, Naturally! Dinosaurs, plants and rocks all in one week? Each day learn about one of the fascinating branches of Natural Science such as Paleontology, Botany, and Geology. July 20-24: Urban Wildlife. Have you ever wondered how wild animals can live in our city? Come and find out about raccoons, foxes, possums, and many other critters we share our neighborhoods with.
http://m-y-d-s.com/
July 27-August 1: Technology in Nature. Use technology to have a great time in the outdoors through Geocaching, nature photography, mapping and more! August 3-7: Nature Speaks. Do you know how to call wild turkeys or make our creek frogs croak? Come and learn all about communication in nature. August 10-14: Outdoor Skills. Learn skills for being outdoors by putting up tents, cooking outdoors, fishing, fire safety and Leave No Trace. August 17-21: Science, Naturally! Dinosaurs, plants and rocks all in one week? Each day learn about one of the fascinating branches of Natural Science such as Paleontology, Botany, and Geology. Don't want to wait for summer for Camp Fire Camp fun?
Come to Spring Break Camp! Join us over Spring Break for fun at Austin's premier urban nature and science camp for kids! Explore, learn and grow through fieldtrips, hiking, games, experiments, crafts, and other fun-filled activities. Monday-Friday, March 16-20 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 1605 E. 38th 1/2 St., Austin $250.00 for the week. Register at www.camp-fire.org/programs/day-camp/
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Outdoors On January 19, Camp Fire Day Camp kids explored the Greenbelt, tested out Samsung tablet games, and crafted their own lunar craters with flour and marbles. Day Camp gets kids outdoors to explore the local beauty Central Texas has to offer, as well as engages them in fun, informative STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities. Take a look at upcoming camps offered on AISD student holidays and register today! Campers learn about environmental stewardship, go on field trips, and do experiential, outdoor-skill building activities.
Day Camp Adventures
Register today for our spring break camp by visiting http://www.camp-fire.org/programs/day-camp/
WoHeLo! is the Camp Fire Watchword. WoHeLo! means Work + Health + Love
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Outdoors Never Give a Cat a Spoon: Turning 10 at Enchanted Rock with Camp Fire By Wren Gillfillan, 10
Backpacking: On the Trail with Camp Fire
Enchanted Rock was freezing. Saturday morning we awoke to icicles hanging off of our tents. All night it had iced. It didn't rain it didn't snow it iced. We were the only people in the park. The park rangers couldn't even get there because the roads were iced over. I guess we were the only ones tough/crazy enough to be out in that weather. Despite the weather the trip was pretty fun. Saturday night we all went down to the car camping sites. I brought a jello no-bake to celebrate my 10th birthday and we all ate and thawed our freezing fingers and toes by the fire. Unfortunately my sock was a little too close to the fire and a hole was burned through the the middle. While we were there we met two cats who we soon named Dinner and Tuxedo. After dinner we I set out my spoon for "Dinner" to lick. When I returned to collect my spoon it was gone. Dinner had stolen my spoon. My theory is that he brought it back it to the mama kitty waiting in the den, who the group decided to name Bob. Moral: never give a cat a spoon.
Abby and Wren atop Enchanted Rock. Happy Birthday Wren!
It was cold but everyone did a great job and had a good time! —Abby Gillfillan, Wren's mom and Enchanted Rock Volunteer Trip Leader
Our intrepid group, out for a good time. Winter morning mist, Moss Lake, Enchanted Rock
Winter: A Great Time for Texas Backpacking Why go outside when it's so cold? Because it's fun! And it makes all us warm-climate Texans feel brave! The January Enchanted Rock trip was the coldest. Fortunately the ice only appeared and melted while our group was camping—no ice on the roads Friday or Sunday. The following week another group went to Pedernales Falls State Park where we found a new route through the forest to Wolf Ridge, basked at Jones Spring, and learned about different backpacking stoves. Then two big groups went to Lost Maples State Natural Area on successive weekends in February, for 9 miles of backpacking uphill and down, through Mystic Canyon and across the high ridges. For our annual Lost Maples Service Projects we cleared brush encroaching on the trail, and cut invasive sycamore seedlings along the Sabinal River. The February trips were just chilly enough to make us bring our warm sleeping bags, good (Continued on page 7)
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Outdoors (Continued from page 6)
practice for the mountains. In camp we had time to learn some practical knot tying. If you don't have one of those special plastic adjusters on your shelter cords, do you know how to make a strong, adjustable tightener knot instead? Camp Fire backpackers do! Next up, we have a group of 12 going out to Guadalupe Mountains National Park in west Texas for Spring Break. Look for our adventures in the May June 2015 Smoke Signal. —Mina Loomis, Volunteer Backpacking Coordinator and Trip Leader Filtering water at the natural spring on the West Trail, Lost Maples.
January at Pedernales Falls—golden grass in the river bottomland.
A relaxing lunch by the Pond at Lost Maples.
Camp Fire Backpacking Trip Schedule, Spring-Summer 2015 March 14-20: Spring Break Trip, Guadalupe Mountains National Park April 10-12 Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Skills: Fire, Outdoor Safety April 18-19: Pedernales Falls State Park. Skills: Stoves and Meals. June 30-July 6: Pecos Wilderness, New Mexico. Beginner-friendly Mountain Trip. Fall trips will be scheduled in August. Look for the next Backpacking Orientation in September!
Want to get started with Camp Fire Backpacking? Youth 6th grade age and older may participate without a parent. Interested younger youth are welcome with a parent. The next scheduled Orientation, required before your first trip, will be in September 2015 Additional Orientations may be arranged as needed.
The Camp Fire Central Texas Backpacking Program Offers Youth: Time to explore in natural settings Direct experience with problem solving Outdoor skills development and practice Self-reliance and cooperation Healthful physical exercise Wholesome friendships Nature awareness and appreciation Leadership opportunities
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Clubs Camp Fire Family Nature Club Open for New Members Give your family the gift of quality experiences in nature by registering for Camp Fire Family Nature Club. Learn more about nature, acquire skills, meet new people, and have fun outside in a low-stress, enjoyable environment with a trained Camp Fire field leader. In addition, we also teach how to practice Leave No Trace principles and give back to the community through service projects. Camp Fire Family Nature Club excursions are great for both beginners and experienced nature fanatics. For excursion dates and details, visit the Camp Fire Family Nature Club page at www.camp-fire.org/programs/family-nature-clubs/
Camp Fire Family Nature Club Cleans Boggy Creek Park On January 17, Camp Fire Family Nature Club’s annual MLK Day of Service park clean-up brought Camp Fire staff, families, and AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers together to help dispose of garbage along Boggy Creek. Camp Fire Family Nature Club not only promotes outdoor fun, but also promotes environmental stewardship through service learning projects in accordance with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics program. By utilizing the principle of “Dispose of Waste Properly," families learned the consequences of improperly disposing waste and the importance of maintaining and improving their communities. In partnership with Keep Austin Beautiful, bags upon bags of trash littering the road and creek were gathered that morning, thereby preventing waste from polluting the watershed that inevitably makes its way into the Colorado River and the Gulf of Mexico. Interested in registering for upcoming outings? Visit the Camp Fire Family Nature Club page at www.campfire.org/programs/family-nature-clubs/ to view more details and register today!
Camp Fire Youth Collect Food for Hospice Austin Camp Fire delivered roughly $500 worth of food and cash donations to the Hospice Austin food pantry on Saturday, February 7. The kids got to learn about Hospice services to the terminally ill and their families, and how our donations will be used. Donations like ours make a big difference to Hospice Austin, which is the only non-profit hospice organization in this area. Originally created by Camp Fire youth, this annual food drive for Hospice Austin has been a Camp Fire Central Texas tradition for over 15 years. You are invited to participate next year. Watch for information in next winter's Smoke Signal.
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After School Samsung Partnership Enriches Afterschool Learning Camp Fire has partnered with Samsung to offer students in grades K-8 the opportunity to explore STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts on Samsung tablets, utilizing “Building Blocks," an innovative program developed by Scholastic that will help our Camp Fire kids thrive. Initiated in January 2015, this fun, forward method of learning has managed to make the tablet games hands-on and effective. Camp Fire National Headquarters has provided seven councils the opportunity to implement the tablet-based curriculum into their afterschool programs, with more than 700 students participating. The “Building Blocks” program not only gives Camp Fire kids insight into STEM curriculum and careers such as design and engineering, but also enables them to experience a program customized to integrate Camp Fire’s Thrive framework. Camp Fire CEO Cathy Tisdale commented, “This work will focus on reaching disadvantaged youth initially, a group who will benefit from learning about careers and concepts in the afterschool arena in addition to what they learn in school. Through our work in afterschool programs around the country, we know our Camp Fire-trained, caring adult leaders help youth identify their sparks (their inner passions and skills) and provide youth with a support system to succeed. We can’t thank Samsung enough for their generosity and support.”
Samsung tablets all charged up and ready for Camp Fire kids!
Spark Shields Camp Fire encourages kids to find their sparks, whatever they may be: soccer, dancing, reading, swimming, and beyond. Our programs help them to develop the confidence and curiosity to discover who they are and where there passions lie in order to thrive personally and academically.
⇐ First graders' Spark Shields
Amplify Today! Schedule your tax-deductible donation to Camp Fire Central Texas and be a part of the $7 Million in giving for this year's Amplify Austin Day! A $500 donation will contribute to doubling the Camp Fire
Summer Camp program. A $250 donation supports the Summer Camp Scholarship Fund. A $100 donation supports low-income kids participating in Day Camp. A $50 donation supports curriculum and service-learning projects. A $25 donation supports our outdoor activity clubs.
Thank you for providing the opportunity for children to find their spark, lift their voice, and discover who they are. If you are reading this after the March 5-6 Amplify Austin event, you can still support Camp Fire! We have a nice Donate link on our web site.
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Our Community Friends of Camp Fire Camp Fire Central Texas is continuing to build its giving programs, and invites you to participate. “Friends of Camp Fire” is our program for contributing and helping Camp Fire programs grow in number and quality so kids and their families can enjoy Camp Fire’s terrific activities. Camp Fire Central Texas deeply appreciates every donor at every level.
Friends of Camp Fire Charitable Contribution Form Camp Fire Circle: a multiple-year giving circle providing long-term support. Call the Office for more information. Camp Fire Friends: one-year gifts of $200 or more: ___$500 ___$350 ___$200 Camp Fire Pals: One-time gifts up to $199: ___$100 ___$50 Name:_________________________________________________________________ Please print your name as you would like it to appear in the Annual Report and other recognition. Mailing address: ________________________________________________________ Phone number:__________________________________________________________ Email address:__________________________________________________________ Please make checks payable to Camp Fire. Return completed form to: Camp Fire Central Texas, PO Box 303040, Austin, TX 78703. For additional information, call the Camp Fire Office at 512-349-2111 or email
[email protected]
Remember Camp Fire when you participate in your employer’s annual giving campaign. Share your Camp Fire enthusiasm with your co-workers! Camp Fire Central Texas is a member of Local Independent Charities, a workplace-giving umbrella.
Publisher’s Box The Smoke Signal is published by Camp Fire Central Texas, P.O. Box 303040, Austin, TX 78703. Editor: Mina Loomis Contributors: Rebecca Benz Abby Gillfillan Wren Gillfillan Eric Imhof Mina Loomis
Talena Ramnath Alicia Santiago Cathy Tisdale Susan Wall Diana Wheeler
Please send submissions to:
[email protected] May June 2015 Due by April 15, 2015.
Board of Directors 2014-2015 Cindy Loeffler, President | Diana Wheeler, Vice-President | Chris Crowley, Vice-President | Michael Simmons, Secretary | Denise Meikel, Treasurer |Carah-Beth Bass, Andrew Gates, Alicia Groos, Brian Leto, Thomas Nilles, Katie Pariseau, Margaret Stambaugh, Evan Welsh, Directors Executive Director Rebecca Benz
Camp Fire Central Texas web address: www.camp-fire.org. Find out about program details, donate to support our programs, volunteer, download forms , and read previous issues of the Smoke Signal. Follow (and "Like") us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CampFireCentralTexas .
Our Promise Young people want to shape the world. Camp Fire provides the opportunity to find their spark, lift their voice, and discover who they are. In Camp Fire, it begins now. Light the fire within.