Camp Fire USA: Midlands Council

An Extraordinary Volunteer

mzych — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:29:52 +0000

Camp Fire is proud to announce that Beau Bonness is our Volunteer of the Summer! With day-long programs featuring academics and exciting field trips, volunteers are crucial to Camp Fire’s continued success in building caring, confident youth and future leaders.

Bonness is a college student who answered our call for volunteers this summer with enthusiasm and spent many hot days with Camp Fire kids playing outside. He says that the idea of becoming a volunteer was rooted in experiences he has had with positive role models in his own life and that the Camp Fire kids he worked with were awesome. “Their joy and interest in everything around them seems infinite, and was quite contagious.”

Below are Beau’s thoughts about the importance of Camp Fire in providing positive adult role models for our kids.

What are You Studying?
I am currently enrolled at Brandeis University pursuing an undergraduate degree in Economics and a minor in Film.

Why Camp Fire?
The idea of becoming a volunteer was rooted in experiences during my childhood. Some of the people with major influences in my life as a kid were high school and college-aged nannies and camp counselors. in hindsight, it’s remarkable how much I looked up to them and often tried to emulate things they did. Hindsight made me realize not only how important those people were to me, but how much responsibility people in their position have. To be honest, it can make you contemplate your own readiness to take on such a role. Fortunately, the enthusiasm and kindheartedness of the people welcoming me to be a part of Camp Fire USA immediately erased any doubt. It was a no-brainer to join a group like that!

What Kept You Coming Back in 105 Degree Heat?
The kids are awesome! For any college-aged person, it can be difficult to juggle all of life’s demands, but the kids at Camp Fire remind you the moment you show up why prioritizing that time is always as beneficial for you as it is for them. Their joy and interest in everything around them seems infinite, and it was quite contagious. But if I have to narrow down my favorite part to one thing? Outside play time!

What Would You Say to Others Thinking About Volunteering with Camp Fire?
I would remind them that they can now be the role models they themselves looked up to as a kid, and probably have a ton of fun doing it.

Big Red for Camp Fire

mzych — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:47:41 +0000

September 10, 2010
5:30pm
Holiday Inn Central

Tickets
$150 Patron ($110 tax-deductible)
$100 Individual ($60 tax-deductible)

Honorary Chairs – Ellen & Stavely Wright
Event Chairs – Brenda Christensen & Candace Daly

Sponsorships are available at the Quarterback, Running Back and Line Backer levels. Contact Cindy at bleif@cox.net for more information.

Click here to watch highlights from last year’s Big Red Tailgate!

Oral Auction Items

Three Bedroom/2 bath condo in Ft. Meyers, Florida for 1 week
Pool Party in the beautiful backyard of Susie & Jeff Zindel
Four tickets to see Carrie Underwood in concert at the Qwest Center – October 17, 2010
Four tickets 48 yard line/3 rows up to St. Louis Rams vs. San Diego Chargers – October 17, 2010
Dinner for 10 catered by Jeff Snow and a case of wine to enjoy
Plus many more!

Tee Off Against Child Abuse

mzych — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:37:04 +0000

The 22nd Annual Tee Off Against Child Abuse is right around the corner, but there is still time to register your foursome for the August 16th charity golf classic held at Field Club of Omaha. Sponsored by the Exchange Club of Omaha, proceeds from the TOACA benefit local nonprofit organizations that are committed to preventing child abuse.

Camp Fire is proud to partner with the Exchange Club of Omaha to offer Prevention Education to our communities children, parents and teachers. For more information, download the TOACA 2010 Brochure or visit www.exchangeclubofomaha.org.

Learning Community Grant Recipient

mzych — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:23:29 +0000

Camp Fire is a proud recipient of two grants from the Learning Community to expand summer programs at our Gomez-Heritage and Liberty Elementary sites which will allow Camp Fire to serve additional kids at these locations throughout the summer. Though summer programs include exciting educational field trips, Camp Fire kids spend their days tackling academics through reading clubs, math enrichment and science projects to improve scores math and reading scores while receiving healthy meals and snacks to keep them nourished.

Pinot, Pigs & Poets

mzych — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:00:21 +0000

Bob Mosby pours a glass of the vintner competition winner, Benovia 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

With more than 250 wine lovers in attendance, the inaugural Pinot, Pigs & Poets event raised $25,000 to help feed Camp Fire kids every day of the week. Held at Happy Hollow Club, guests enjoyed a Hog Heaven-inspired cuisine created by eight local chefs while sampling 35 exquisite Pinot Noirs and listening to three nationally acclaimed slam poets.

Camp Fire would like to thank event chairs Jack & Terri McDonnell, Jody & Gayle Carstens, and Cindy & Brian Leiferman for their countless hours in championing Pinot, Pigs & Poets to benefit our kids.

Save the date for June 10, 2011 at Happy Hollow Club for new delectable dishes and mouth-watering Pinot Noirs.

Many Thanks to Our Generous Donors
Bergstrom Wine
Bethel Heights Vineyard
Benovia Winery
Calera
Domaine Serene
Hendry
Hirsch Vineyards
King Estate
Kistler Vineyards
Loring Wine Company
MacRostie
Melville Winery
Monkey Business
Paul Hobbs
Penner-Ash Wine Cellars
Rex Hill
Rochioli
Saintsbury
Williams Selyem
Witness Tree
Woodenhead Vintners

Thank You to the Participating Chefs and Restaurants for Your Generosity in Preparing Hog Heaven Cuisine:
Boiler Room Restaurant
Dante’s Pizzeria
Gusto Cuban Cafe
Happy Hollow Club
Mahogany Prime Steakhouse
Ryan’s Bistro
Stokes
Taxi’s
Twisted Fork

Special Thanks to Our Slam Poets
Matt Mason
Big Poppa E
Maxwell Kessler

Another Successful School Year

mzych — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:48:37 +0000

As the spring semester comes to an end, Camp Fire’s Teen Advisory Board (TAB) welcomed more than 300 children and families to celebrate another successful school year with a Family Community Night Carnival at our headquarters on 26th & St. Mary’s Avenue. TAB members spent months planning the celebration that included a soccer shoot, pie throw, football toss, hula hoops, sack races and more! Camp Fire kids earned tickets for their participation in the events and were able to redeem them for over a thousand prizes. After having dinner, 20 kids were recognized by the agency as Absolutely Incredible kids and will be eligible to receive a scholarship next fall to cover their program fees.

Thank you to the Camp Fire staff and kids for another great school year of building caring, confident youth and future leaders!

Message from Our Executive Director

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:45:09 +0000

Camp Fire continues to serve the children of the Greater Omaha community who need us most. And we serve these children when they are most vulnerable: out-of-school time. This is after school and on the days when school is not in session. Times when children are most at risk, home alone with little to eat and little to positively occupy their moments. This is often not because someone doesn’t care about them. It’s because this tough, tough economy has been hardest of all on the Camp Fire kids’ families – facilitating that a single, or both parents need to work when they can find work to provide as best they can.

Camp Fire is this community’s way of partnering with parents, children, schools and neighborhoods to raise confident, caring youth and future leaders – no matter what the circumstances or odds. We appreciate – more than words can express – your constant support and dedication to Camp Fire, and invite you to be a frequent visitor to see the difference your contributions make every day in the lives of our kids.

Please take a look at what is happening at Camp Fire. And, as always, thank you for your continued support!

Warm Regards,

- Penny Parker

Garage Sale a Success

mzych — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:29:39 +0000

A heartfelt thank you to the many volunteers and donors that made Camp Fire’s first ever Community Garage Sale a raving success. In just three short days, shoppers helped Camp Fire raise nearly $3,000 to support programs that focus on academics, youth development, food and family. After the sale, Camp Fire families were able to shop for free and collected everything from housewares to children’s clothing to furniture!

Author Luncheon a Success

mzych — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:30:32 +0000

Many thanks to the Camp Fire Guild and Kiewit Corporation for featuring Peg Tyre at the 2010 Author Luncheon and raising more than $50,000 for Camp Fire’s programs. More than 400 supporters listened as Tyre discussed the biggest issues facing boys and what society can do to help.

Let’s All Go to the Movies!

mzych — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:11:01 +0000

With the arrival of the new CineDine in our neighborhood, Camp Fire is excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Marcus Theatres Fundraising Project. This partnership allows you to purchase discounted movie tickets from Camp Fire to benefit the kids served in our programs. With different packages to choose from (including gift certificates), you can purchase movie tickets from Camp Fire for just $8 or $6 each with no expiration and a free popcorn and 15% of your purchase will come back to Camp Fire!

For more information or to order your tickets, contact Cindy Leiferman at bleif@cox.net.