May 20, 2024
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Camp Fire Illinois Prairie has Crest Hill chapter, offering day camp in Bolingbrook

Camp Fire Illinois Prairie also offers the NASA Astro Camp Collaborative Partners Program.

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Camp Fire is a co-ed, multicultural organization with more than 50 chapters across the U.S. Camp Fire Illinois Prairie, the only council in Illinois, was registered in 1953. It has a year-old chapter in Crest Hill and Camp Kata Kani in Bolingbrook.

Camp Fire is a co-ed, multicultural organization with more than 50 chapters across the U.S. Camp Fire Illinois Prairie, the only council in Illinois, was registered in 1953. It has a year-old chapter in Crest Hill and Camp Kata Kani in Bolingbrook. (Photo courtesy of Camp Fire Illinois Prairie)

Hearing the words “Camp Fire” may conjure up images of backyard barbecues or s’mores.

Or “Camp Fire Girls,” which began in 1910, two years before the Girl Scouts started, might come to mind. Or maybe you’ll think of the Camp Fire Girls book series of the early 20th century.

But Camp Fire is also a multicultural organization with more than 50 chapters across the U.S. Camp Fire Illinois Prairie, the only council in Illinois, was registered in 1953 and has a year-old chapter in Crest Hill, according to Celia Chretien, volunteer board member.

Camp Fire Illinois Prairie also runs a day camp in Bolingbrook.

Camp Fire is the former Camp Fire Girls, which became co-ed in 1975. Camp Fire stresses outdoor learning experiences, teen service and leadership, according to the Camp Fire website.

Dues are $50 a year but people are welcome to visit a meeting without joining, Jen Johnson, leader of the Crest Hill Chapter, said.

“We even help with scholarships if that’s a financial burden for families,” Chretien said.

Camp Fire Illinois Prairie also owns Camp Kata Kani in Bolingbrook, which is located on seven acres of wooded land, making it a perfect location for youth to explore nature, Chretien said.

Camp Fire is a co-ed, multicultural organization with more than 50 chapters across the U.S. Camp Fire Illinois Prairie, the only council in Illinois, was registered in 1953. It has a year-old chapter in Crest Hill and Camp Kata Kani in Bolingbrook (pictured above).

Camp Fire is a co-ed, multicultural organization with more than 50 chapters across the U.S. Camp Fire Illinois Prairie, the only council in Illinois, was registered in 1953. It has a year-old chapter in Crest Hill and Camp Kata Kani in Bolingbrook (pictured above). (Photo courtesy of Camp Fire Illinois Prairie)

And Camp Fire Illinois Prairie is now taking applications for its summer day camp at Camp Kata Kani for kids ages 5 to 12. The camp features arts and crafts and nature-based activities, Chretien said.

Families can register their kids by the week, by the month or for the entire program, which runs from mid-June through mid-August, Chretien said.

Chretien, who’s volunteered for Camp Fire since 2019, encouraged people to check it out.

“Nature is important to kids,” Chretien said. “Nature provides an element of healthy living. It [even] prompts you to do a little exercise.”

Camp Fire Illinois Prairie also runs an after-school program at select Bolingbrook elementary schools through a grant from 21st Century Schools, according to Jim Blaney, director of community relations for Valley View CUSD 365U.

“The schools that do host the program have the program every day upon which we have school,” Blaney said in an email.

Camp Fire Illinois Prairie also offers the NASA Astro Camp Collaborative Partners Program, and Johnson facilitates that, too, she said.

Johnson said the program explores various STEM and science topics, such as astrophysics, planetary science and earth science.

“Within those themes are grade-level, special NASA-assigned program activities and science experiments and things like that,” Johnson said.

Johnson said her goal is to ensure kids of all backgrounds, ethnicities and income levels are exposed to STEM activities. To that end, Johnson is currently incorporating the program into some of the meetings and the after-school program at Valley View, she said.

She will also help facilitate the NASA Astro Camp portion of day camp this summer.

“So if you sign up for summer camp, you’ll get a day of NASA Astro Camp,” Johnson said.

Johnson said she also plans to host NASA Astro Camp events for the community during the 2022-23 school year.

Johnson said she started the Crest Hill Camp Fire chapter a year ago for two reasons. Johnson belonged to Camp Fire when she was 8 and enjoyed its programming. And her own children had participated in scouting programs but the fit wasn’t right for them, she said.

Although some believe Camp Fire is a form of scouting, Johnson said the programs have key differences. Camp Fire doesn’t have uniforms, merit badges or set skills kids must accomplish, she said.

Although Camp Fire does have provide guidebooks, Camp Fire emphasizes participants’ individuality so each can find interests that sets off their own “spark,” Johnson said.

Like scouting, Camp Fire emphasizes leadership, character building and learning skills kids can use their entire lives, Johnson said,

“However, Camp Fire is very much flexible,” Johnson said. “There’s more room for creativity than there is in scouts.”

The Crest Hill Camp Fire chapter currently has seven members, ages 5 through high school, Johnson said. Dues are $50 a year, but people are welcome to visit a meeting without joining.

For more information and to register for day camp, visit www.campfireusa-illinois.org, email info@campfireusa-illinois.org or call 630-629-5160.

For more information on the Crest Hill chapter of Camp Fire Illinois Prairie, text or call Jen Johnson at 815-200-9309 or email cresthill@campfireusa-illinois.org .