Urban Camp Fire Youth Explore Camp Tanadoona
Annual Club-to-Camp field trips connect youth with nature
April 9, 2010
Armed with compasses and maps, a small group of kids pored over a scrap of paper, reading it aloud in near-unison. “I am a little cabin, not so very far from where you’re standing now. There’s a pretty constellation painted above my door. You’ll find your next clue snug inside me, where campers sleep in summertime,” they read. Looking at their maps, the youth jumped with excitement as they pointed at the group of cabins, then streaked off to the west to find their next clue.
In the cabin, the kids perched on bunks and looked around the space with interest. Benjamin Pedersen, the activity leader posed them a question: “This cabin is named after the constellation Leo,” he said. “Who knows what the constellation Leo looks like?”
“A lion!” the kids chorused back before reading their next clue and shooting out of the cabin to find “the big white house where a Minnesota governor used to live.”
Exploring Camp Tanadoona through this history-themed scavenger hunt is one of a number of fun camp activities that Camp Fire club members did as part of two Club to Camp field 
trips at the end of March.
“Club to Camp field trips give urban Camp Fire youth an opportunity to explore nature in a wilderness setting at Camp Tanadoona and to get a taste of summer camp,” said Suzi Flory, who helped to coordinate the field trips.
At Camp Tanadoona, youth painted postcards with dyes made from fruits and vegetables, learned about wolves, played animal-themed field games, roasted s’mores over the campfire and went on a scavenger hunt that took them on a tour of the camp while learning about some of Camp Tanadoona’s history.
“I liked the scavenger hunt best of all because we found lots of different things – the constellations that are on each of the cabins and a big white house,” said Ezekiel, a youth participant. “I came to camp because Camp Fire is fun, and camp is really big. If it’s bigger than Camp Fire club, then it will be even more fun.”
“With Club to Camp, youth have a wonderful time exploring Camp Tanadoona and spending a day immersed in camp programming in the rustic, natural space,” said Eva Cohen, Camp Fire’s AmeriCorps VISTA who was in charge of the event. “They learn new things, have fun, and enjoy a ‘wilderness experience’ that’s really different from a typical spring break day at home.”
For many of the urban youth who came to camp, this was their first exposure to camping and wilderness activities. “We went in cabins where people sleep, and it had stuff like sleeping bags and flashlights and a water bottle for camping,” said Sumeya, who was visiting Camp Tanadoona for the first time.
The Teens in Action Club to Camp program challenged older youth to learn camping skills as they set up tents and cooked their own lunch over a campfire. Teen participant Steven said, “We made banana boats, and it was great because we could sit around the campfire and talk." Banana boats are made by stuffing a banana with chocolate chips, marshmallows and other goodies, wrappig it in tinfoil and cooking it on the fire until the fillings have metled. "I got to cook over the fire, which I’ve never done before," Steven said." Banana boats was my favorite.”
Camp Fire’s site partners say they like that the Club to Camp field trips happen during spring break. The field trip gets youth out of the house and involved in activities. “Youth can explore their imaginations while taking a break from sitting around the house and ‘bored’ games,” said CommonBond’s Cathedral Hill Homes AmeriCorps VISTA, Brandon Boat.
The Club to Camp field trips also provide an opportunity for youth to get a taste of the camp experience and get excited about coming to summer camp at Camp Tanadoona. At the end of the day, all youth left with 
information about the summer camp programs and camperships, Camp Fire’s financial aid program to help low-income youth attend camp. “We want all youth, regardless of income level, to have the opportunity to enjoy summer camp, and the Club to Camp field trips are the first step toward making this opportunity available to the youth in our club programs,” said Cohen.
Many of the youth who came to Camp Tanadoona for the Club to Camp field trips were excited to come back to camp again, Cohen said, “Their eyes lit up when they heard about how they could come back as summer campers through camperships!”
