History of
the Lone Star Council
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A Brief History
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Founded in 1910 as the Camp Fire Girls, the organization became
coeducational in 1975 and changed its name to the Camp Fire Boys & Girls. In
August of 2001, the organization changed its name to Camp Fire USA in an effort
to communicate the organization�s relevance and its diversity.
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Since 1913, Camp Fire USA Lone Star Council has served the
children of Dallas. Now serving over 5,000 youth and their families each year,
Camp Fire USA programs directly reach the following counties: Dallas, Collin,
Ellis, Kaufman and Rockwall Counties, and parts of Denton (Flower Mound,
Lewisville and The Colony).
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Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, Camp Fire USA is a 501
(c) (3) non-profit organization funded by generous individuals, local
businesses, corporations, foundations and the United Way.
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Camp Fire USA Lone Star Council achieves its mission of �building
caring, confident youth and future leaders� through informal, educational
programs that utilize national curricula and the Search Institute�s research
on Developmental Assets.
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Since May 8, 1939, Camp Fire USA has provided children and their
families with the opportunity to receive an outdoor education at the 65-acre
camping facility, Camp Ellowi (in the Cedar Hill area of Dallas County).
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In 1977, the council started Central Dallas Day Camp for children
from low-income families in collaboration with the Junior League of Dallas.
The camp became Chi Omega Day Camp in 1999, when an endowment was funded
by Chi Omega Christmas event.
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In 1986, the council began its KIDTALK program. Since then, it has
responded to well over 150,000 calls from children who are home alone and need a
kind, caring friend to speak to.
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In 1986, the council started The Lake Highlands After-school
Program in collaboration with Lake Highlands United Methodist Church and the
Dallas Park and Recreation Department. This was the council�s first venture
into providing inexpensive, licensed child care for school children, including
field trips, sports, and arts and crafts, with some scholarships available.
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In 1987, the council opened the Hillburn Hills Afterschool
Program, a free after-school and summer drop-in center for over 300 latchkey
children from low-income families. Named the 361st Point of Light by
President Bush in 1991, this program became the foundation for the Kids Club
program (which currently operates almost thirty sites based on the model started
at Hillburn Hills).
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In 1990, the council began a �Teens in Action� program called
the SAFUR Challenge, which helped at-risk youth avoid gang and drug involvement
by teaching community responsibility, leadership and basic life skills in a
small, co-ed group setting.
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In 1991, the Alternative Education After-school Program began
service at the Hillburn Hills Community Center. This program provides tutorial
assistance, remedial education and individual and family peer counseling for 10
to 17 year olds referred by the Dallas County Juvenile Probation Department.
Named �best program of its kind� in 1998 by the county juvenile
department.
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The council joined the Richardson ISD Extended Day Program in
1994. The program offers enrichment programs for children attending RISD
schools, in collaboration with the Girl Scouts, YWCA, and the Richardson Youth
Services Council.
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In 1994, �A Gift of Giving� service learning projects began
for grades K-6. These programs teach community service and volunteerism as ways
for children to give back to their community.
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In 1998, the United Way requested the expansion of the Kids Club
program (which then served 7 sites). The council had 16 sites running by the
time that the United Way had requested 14 sites.
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In 2001, the council approved a new Strategic Plan that calls for
the concentration of resources on the Kids Club after-school program, as well as
plans for the redevelopment of Camp Ellowi to support the needs of children from
low-income families.
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In 2001, the Kids Club program was named �the official provider
of after school care� for the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas. That
same year, the program also began collaborations with the Dallas Housing
Authority in the service of several extremely low-income apartment communities.
The program has since grown to serve almost thirty communities throughout
Dallas.
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In 2001, the council received a $350,000/year award from the 21st
Century Community Learning Center contract. This contract
enables the council to provide after school programs to youth in ten
schools from the Dallas Independent School District
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In 2002, the council received a $340,000/year award from the Work
Source for Dallas County to start a Teens in Action program that provides youth
with career skills and job opportunities through an adaptation of Camp Fire USA�s
traditional curriculum. The success of this program’s first year allowed
the council to increase second-year funding to $726,081
Copyright � 2006 Camp
Fire USA Lone Star Council 4411 Skillman St. Dallas, Texas 75206
Telephone: 214.824.1122
| Fax: 214.824.1148 | E-mail:
[email protected]
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