This past spring, Camp Fire Illinois Prairie’s Camp Kata Kani in Bolingbrook celebrated 60 years of serving local Camp Fire youth and now plans to expand are in the works.
The site of the council’s popular summer day camp, Kata Kani has been a local area destination for Camp Fire youth since before Bolingbrook was incorporated as a village. Now the council is upgrading the existing camp building and facilities as it plans to expand the programs it offers at Kata Kani, creating a site for Camp Fire’s educational programs and youth clubs.
“We have always had a strong presence in Bolingbrook primarily through our summer day camp,” said CEO Jennifer Fair Margraf. Using the camp as a program and club site, we will soon be able to bring our unique programming to even more Will County youth.”
In its first step, the camp building’s roof was replaced in November, and plans are in place to upgrade bathrooms and other interior facilities in spring 2017. These repairs and upgrades have been made possible in part by a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Will County, supplemented by the council’s own funds.
The Camp Fire mission is to help young people find their spark—the passion, values and sense of self-worth that will enable them to become confident adults and contributing members of their communities. Camp Fire programs provide a nurturing, constructive and fun environment for youth to discover their sparks and adopt a growth mindset. They learn to chart their own course towards healthy habits, leadership, and a connection to nature.
Non-discriminatory since its founding, Camp Fire helps youth discover what exceptional people they and those around them are, whatever their race, color, gender or religion.
Camp Fire began as Camp Fire Girls in New England in 1910, and established its first council in Northern Illinois in 1912. It evolved into Camp Fire Boys and Girls in 1975 and later to Camp Fire when it began to include the families of the youth it served.
Camp Fire Illinois Prairie has served boys and girls in the five counties of Northern Illinois surrounding Chicago, from Bolingbrook to Arlington Heights and from Oak Park to Elgin and Aurora.
For more information about Camp Fire programs and volunteer opportunities, contact Jennifer Fair Margraf, CEO at 630-629-5160, e-mail her at executive@campfireusa-illinois.org or visit www.campfireusa-illinois.org.