DIANE MAKAR MURPHY Place 93 candles on Camp Fire USA's cake

Camp Fire celebrated its 93rd birthday last month. Organizers are asking Camp Fire alumni to send a birthday card and be counted in preparation for a not-so-far-off centennial celebration. Goodness, it seems like only yesterday I was watching my sister pose in her Blue Bird uniform.
But the years have passed (Chris is a nurse at Cleveland Clinic now), and Camp Fire has evolved. The Blue Bird name has vanished along with the "Girl" behind Camp Fire's title, but the club remains committed to its founding philosophy.
"Our slogan since Day One has been to give service," said Barbara Smith, CEO, Camp Fire USA, Northeast Ohio Council.
Smith should know. She started with Camp Fire in the first grade, remaining in a troop until eighth grade. "I graduated from Mount Union in Alliance in 1977. By January '79, I became a leader," she said.
Believing in the mission
With her brother, Michael, in second grade, Smith re-entered Camp Fire so that he could have some of the same experiences she did. The cycle continued with Michael as he earned the WOHELLO (work, health and love) medal -- a prestigious award comparable to the Girl Scouts Gold Award or becoming an Eagle Scout -- by his junior year in high school.
"I was their leader for 10 years," Smith said. "It was fun."
For the last 11 years, Smith has been employed by Camp Fire USA. "I believe in its mission: building confidence in our youth and future leaders... Wherever there is a need, you just go in and make a difference," she said. "Our teens have and are doing this."
Recently, Camp Fire participants sent letters to veterans' hospitals over Valentine's Day. An annual project is making "Pillowcases for Love," which are provided to homeless children. These are stuffed with books, gloves, crayons and more.
"Some projects are traditional. But, in Camp Fire, it's very youth-oriented. The children help by brainstorming and planning so they can eventually come up with ideas themselves," she said.
Teens' concerns
Part of Smith's duties include advising teens in the Action Club for sixth- through 12th-graders. These groups pick a theme each two years. "This time, the issue is diversity; before that, it was teen violence," Smith said.
Teens in our area are "worried about homelessness, worried about kids in general," she said. "Schools and books for preschools is one project developed here. ... Children here are also worried about the environment; they built a dock at the Beight Farm and blazed a trail and dock at a pond by the old McGuffey site."
About 710,000 children are Camp Fire members across the United States with 7,158 of them in the North East Council. Camp Fire has club programs, school programs, environmental programs, and even preschool safety programs. When boys were welcomed to join in 1975, the name Blue Bird seemed a bit too feminine and Starflight became the name for younger members.
Seeking members, help
Most clubs meet weekly or biweekly for one to two hours. Each month is used to work toward an emblem, take a field trip and work on a service project. Camp Fire uses the terminology "Trails" for those projects.
"We have Trails of Outdoors, Trails of New Knowledge, Trails of Knowing Me and Trails of Creative Arts," Smith explained.
Camp Fire is looking for new members, but especially adults to help. In addition to opportunities for volunteer leaders, Smith said, they need people to deliver programs to schools, to man special events, to man booths at county fairs.
"We need people to volunteer two hours a year to two hours a week," she said.
Smith is particularly interested in hearing from alumni. "They can call or e-mail, whichever is easier," she said.
murphy@vindy.com
XTo contact Camp Fire, call Smith at (330) 533-4121 or toll free (888) 533-4426. She can also be e-mailed at cfsmith99@yahoo.com.