who we are
Camp Fire has been an innovative leader in youth development for 110 years!
You might remember us as Camp Fire Girls or Camp Fire USA, which were key parts of our organizational journey. What’s kept us thriving? Our commitment to diversity and inclusion from the very beginning; incorporating youth voice into all we do; our intentional effort to reflect, evolve, and use cutting-edge research to best meet the needs of today’s families; and remarkable people like you!
We got our start as Camp Fire Girls in 1910, founded by Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick and his wife, Charlotte Vetter Gulick. They believed girls deserved the outdoor learning experiences that boys had and wanted to help “guide young people on their journey to self-discovery.”
While Camp Fire was America’s first multiracial, multicultural, and nonsectarian organization for girls, we became co-ed in 1975. Since then, ALL youth are welcome at Camp Fire.
Now, Camp Fire has 54 chapters or “councils” across the country, with far more than camp programs. But no matter the program or location across the country, the Camp Fire experience remains the same: We focus on teaching youth the life skills they need to succeed and thrive, NOW.
heart of oklahoma COUNCIL
Lighting a fire in the heartland!
The Heart of Oklahoma council was established in 1929. Nestled right inside the OKC metro, our beautiful 33-acre campground has been home to Camp DaKaNi since 1956 and hosts a variety of other outdoor educational programs for youth of all ages and backgrounds.
We are Oklahoma's champion for youth development, now serving over 5,000 local kids each year through an inclusive, values-based approach designed to nurture self-respect, acceptance, collaboration and leadership skills.
