WoHeLo!
Welcome to the website of the "Together We Build" campaign to support the Iowana Council of Camp Fire and our beloved Camp Hitaga.
THANK YOU! To all our donors so far.
Click here for a comprehensive TWB Donor Recognition List.
Recent News
3/16/12 TWB Update #21 The Spring "Torch" is in the Mail!
Included are messages from new Camp Director Mike Rule and from Hitaga Alumna/current Community Family Club volunteer Joan Miller Minney, announcement of our 6th annual Golf Outing and April 27-29 Alumni Work Weekend, news of new Board Members and Summer Camp 2012 programs and themes. The Torch has a new look this quarter, as Program Development Director Nancy Olinger has become editor of the Torch as well as the Twig.
View, print &/or download it now via www.iowanacampfire.org/News.html
3/15/12 TWB Update #20 - Ramping up for Summer 2012
The Summer Camp 2012 schedule has been posted online and announced to returning campers, current club members, and families who have attended Halloween Trails or other events at Hitaga during the past year -- and we have already started receiving registrations. Earn Your Way To Camp candy sale is also under way, and cases of chocolate bars are flying out of the office! Read about the enticing new weekly themes and other aspects of the plan for Hitaga's Summer 2012 program at www.camphitaga.org/Camp_Sessions.html
2/13/12 TWB Update #19 - A new Camp Director for Hitaga!
1/18/12 TWB Update # 18 - The Winter 2011-12 Torch is in the Mail!
12/10/11 TWB Update #17 - Great News!
1) We're now advertising for a new, full-time, year-round Camp Director.
See the full position description at www.camphitaga.org/Camp_Director.html
2) We've hired a new Program Development Director with great experience to build in-town Camp Fire programs that will pay for themselves and to coordinate marketing efforts. She starts January 3. Read more in the Winter TORCH, coming out in January.
3) The Zach Johnson Foundation "Kids on Course" program has committed to funding Camp Fire Community Family Clubs as part of their pilot project in two Cedar Rapids schools.
11/19/11 The Oct/Nov TWIG is now available online - including reports and photos from our busy October at Camp, news of a new Camp Fire Club, First Thanksgiving Facts & Fun and a calendar looking into 2012. Look for a true TWB Update later this month - there is some exciting news coming... we just need to verify when it can be made public!
10/20/11 TWB Update #16 - October is "Fall Frenzy" at Hitaga!
This month has seen non-stop programs at Hitaga - Mom & Me Overnight Oct 1-2, Horse of the Americas Annual Meeting Oct 7-9 (complete with trail rides, clinics, a show, lunch stand run by Hitaga volunteers and Dinner presented by the Hitaga Archery Club) and Dad & Me Overnight Oct 15-16. This weekend will be set-up for our annual outreach / fundraising Halloween Trails event, with the Trails open Oct 28 & 29 and clean up on Sun Oct 30. In the midst of all this, we also produced and mailed the Fall TORCH, including Amy's front page article about how we're "On the Trail Back", an In Memorium for Hitaga Alum and TWB donor Verona Buchele, thoughts from outgoing Camp Director Suz Welch, and a column from Tipton Alum Kris Clark.
9/20/11 TWB Update #15 - Fall Focus on Camp Fire programs in town
As the school year starts, the Iowana Council has been presenting Camp Fire information at local schools - last week including Pierce, Kenwood, Garfield and Wright in Cedar Rapids. Next week, the Iowa City Discovery Club will be marching in the City High Homecoming Parade as another way to build awareness of Camp Fire. See an overview of all the different long- and short-term programs Camp Fire now offers for youth and adults, as well as a review of summer camp - with photos - and announcements of Hitaga's October events in the August/September TWIG newsletter for our youth members and campers.
8/20/11 TWB Update #14 - Hitaga's Hills are alive - serving user groups!
The six weeks of Hitaga's Summer 2011 Resident Camp concluded with July, but Hitaga remains a busy place this August. As day campers, enjoyed several camp activities the week of August 1, but canoeing took center stage! Most recently, children attending Matthew 25, a newly formed group to assist Cedar Rapids families affected by the 2008 flood, visited Hitaga for a day of archery, hiking, challenge course, and making s'mores. In addition to your direct TWB donations, your help in connecting more user groups like these to Hitaga can increase awareness of Hitaga, the number of youth experiencing our programs, and our bottom line!
7/20/11 TWB Update #13 - Summer Camp & Social Media
Alumni remember all the good times we had at camp - and the challenges. Summer 2011, as always, has been full of both. New this year has been the use of social media to let parents know how camp staff are meeting the challenges presented by recent storms and heat wave - for example, this Facebook post today:
"Campers and staff are spending a lot of time in the pool to keep cool. We swim right before going to bed which allows the kids and staff to go to bed with wet hair. Thanks to Justice Electric we have night lights and can swim after dark! Water bottles are with every person all day with lots of breaks in the activities to drink water. So far no one is sick from the heat and all activities have continued. We remind the kids it is Survivor Week and we are survivors! So far so good!"
To stay up to date with Hitaga happenings, "Like" our Facebook Page!
6/30/11 TWB Update #12 - The Reunion was Great!
Last weekend about 70 former Hitaga staff and devoted campers -- many of whom who are also TWB donors -- gathered at Camp Hitaga to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of its opening in 1931. We rekindled memories, renewed friendships, and saw how great camp looks these days! Thanks so much to Sue "Stick" Braun for coordinating the whole wonderful event and to Joyce Moore for planning the Council Fire to include many others as well. Find links to reunion photos, videos, etc. at: www.camphitaga.org/Alumni.html
Read more about the reunion and much more, including the annual Golf Outing, and thank yous to recent donors in the Summer 2011 Torch
6/4/11 TWB Update #11 - June/July TWIG is in the mail!
In this issue - The first note from our new Executive Director * Meet the Summer 2011 Staff * 80th Anniversary Facts & Fun * Fun & Accomplishments during Spring Events at Hitaga * Club News * Thanks to Recent Donors * and a with list of simple items folks could donate to help camp. View, print or download the June/July 2011 TWIG.
5/20/11 TWB Update #10 - Gearing up for Summer Camp
Thanks to the generosity of our friends and Alumni, Camp Hitaga's 80th Anniversary Summer Camp 2011 will be under way in less than one month! And alumni are looking forward to their Reunion in just over a month. Many volunteers have helped continue upgrading facilities during Work Days and Day of Caring, youth and Alumni have enjoyed the first Open House and Family Fun Day and we're looking forward to another on Sunday (the 22nd). Over 100 registions for individual resident camp sessions have already been received - and many more youth will attend as part of their church, school or day care group that has included Camp Hitaga in their organization's programming. June 6-9 Camp Hitaga is sponsoring the movie "Yogi Bear" - free for youth at Collins Road Theater in Cedar Rapids - and we'll be there promoting camp too! Plus - thanks to the increased marketing budget "Together We Build" donors have provided, TV and Radio ads are now running - you can check them out at www.camphitaga.org (down the left column).
4/23/11 TWB Update #9 - Expanding our Circle
As publicity for summer camp at Hitaga builds toward its peak - with bookmarks out to the schools, May's Open House and Family Fun Days being advertised on community calendars, preparations underway for TV and radio ads, and research being completed on billboards and theater PSAs, we are also sending an updated appeal letter to nearly 300 Friends whose names and addresses we have verified since the original mailing last fall.
To read the new letter's description of our progress, click here.
3/17/11 TWB Update #8 - is in the *new* Torch
Thanks to the now over $110,000 cash so far recieved, we have increased our PR, Marketing and Communications in a number of ways. One of them is resuming publication of "The Torch" -- Camp Fire USA Iowana Council's newsletter for alumni, donors, and other adult friends. See the re-inaugural issue, including more on TWB progress, at: www.box.net/shared/pqhqpfr9m1
2/17/11 The February/March "Twig" is in the mail!
See it online at www.box.net/shared/7tfon76t9z
"The Twig" is our bi-monthly newsletter written with current youth members, recent campers and active volunteers in mind. It focuses on upcoming events and youth activities.
2/16/11 TWB Update #7 - Looking forward...
The $85,000 in cash / $170,000 in cash plus pledges we have so far received are being put to good use! We look forward to uur new E.D.--Hitaga Alum Amy Russell Geiger--joining us in June. 40,000 full-color summer camp promotional bookmarks will be distributed through schools, libraries, etc. We look forward to your help in bundling and delivering them - email info@camphitaga.org to volunteer. "The Torch" quarterly for alumni and donors will resume publication in March - we look forward to your suggestions & submissions to make it truly YOURS! And it would be great if we could meet our $250,000 goal a year early - by the end of 2011! Full-page update at: www.box.net/shared/7x8fpb85xb
2/10/11 Meet our new Executive Director:
We are very pleased to announce... Amy Russell Geiger! Her Camp Fire experience includes notonly years as a camper and counselor at Camp Hitaga (Netahi ’78) and as a Camp Fire club member through Horizon Club, but also three years as Executive Director of Camp Fire USA Northern Colorado Council. Amy has worked for the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation (where she doubled the size of the endowment), and is currently with the Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation. For a video of "Together We Build" campaign committee chair Mary Taylor describing the selection process and Amy's credentials, go to: www.youtube.com/user/HitagaAlumni?feature=mhum#p/c/1/-33WKPut4ag
For a video of Amy's comments at the Annual Council Meeting tonight, go to: www.youtube.com/user/HitagaAlumni?feature=mhum#p/c/2/uh0rz5yvabg
1/15/11 TWB Update #6 - Wow!
Thanks to an amazingly generous late-December donation from Diane Kinkead Harms (Netahi ’68) and her husband Steve Harms plus very generous donations from 25 others, the total raised between our launch in September 2010 and the end of the year exceeded $165,000 in cash and pledges.
Of the over $80,000 in cash received during 2010 we set aside approximately:
$12,000 to increase PR and Marketing for summer camp, club, and council programs
$24,000 to hire a professional Executive Director - with a $50,000 pledge for 2011 from Winifred Murray Kelley also for that use. We have already received nearly 20 applications.
$44,000 for ongoing operating expenses and capital improvements. We are looking into establishing a Board Restricted Account to ensure thoughtful use of those Funds.
We plan to resume publication of "The Torch" - a quarterly newsletter for donors and alumni - in March of 2011. View, print, or download this 3-page update, including the complete 2010 Year End Donor Recognition List, at www.box.net/shared/unbjm9l854
12/16/10 TWB Update #5 - E.D. Job Opening is Posted!
The job announcement for a new, professional, Executive Director has now been posted. If you know anyone appropriate, please encourage her or him to review the job description and qualifications at www.box.net/shared/orhgj1shya, and apply by January 15. We would like to raise another $30,000 cash by the end of March to ensure that funds are available to continue advance preparations for the 2011 camping season, meet operational expenses through the beginning of June, and begin planning new Camp Fire programs for the 2011-2012 school year. Visit our "Donate" page now to join the nearly 100 current donors and ensure that the Camp Fire and Camp Hitaga tradition carries on!
This update is part of the Dec-Jan issue of the Iowana Council's newsletter, "The TWIG":
Donor Recognition List on page 2 at www.box.net/shared/fp89cd3kfq
Full-page prose update on page 9 at www.box.net/shared/bh38lgt2er
12/04/10 - TWB Update #4 - We're Over $100,000!
The “Together We Build” campaign has now passed the $100,000 mark!
As of Thursday, December 2, we had received 85 donations worth a total of over $24,500. 30 donors have also made commitments spanning the next two years, which brings the total amount received and pledged to over $105,000 - 42% of our goal of $250,000 by the end of 2012. $50,000 of the amount pledged for 2011 has been designated by the donor to secure a new Executive Director’s salary. Consistent broad-based support will continue to be crucial as we move forward.
View, print, or download the full-page update at www.box.net/shared/trjl640txv
11/16/10 - TWB Update # 3- It's Official!
Thanks to the early and generous contributions of Hitaga alumni and other friends of Camp Fire, the Board of Directors no longer sees any reason to consider merger, and has voted that the Iowana Council will continue as an independent Camp Fire Council. With that decision, we can officially begin planning for Summer Camp 2011 at Hitaga – and for Hitaga’s 80th Anniversary celebration. We have also expanded and diversified our Board of Directors, and are renewing our committees - from Camp and Club Program to Finance, PR & Marketing and Technology. Your support remains vital to building the programs of Camp Hitaga and the Iowana Council so they may continue to provide future generations with the same enriching experiences that enhanced our lives.
View, print, or download the full-page update at www.box.net/shared/ue0vn9dh93
See committee opportunities for you at www.box.net/shared/i7e9y2sl2v
11/01/10 - TWB Update #2 - Thank You Win!
The “Together We Build” campaign is very pleased to announce that Winifred Murray Kelley, a Cedar Rapids native who was a camper the very first week of the very first year that Hitaga was open, has made a Rainbow level commitment for December 2010 and an even more generous commitment for 2011, dedicated to funding the salary of a new Executive Director. In addition to that pledge, we have now received over 65 donations worth a total of over $12,500. From that amount we have set aside over $1800 to increase marketing for summer camp, club, and council programs, over $3500 toward hiring a professional Executive Director and almost $7000 for ongoing operating expenses and capital improvements.
View, print, or download the full-page update at www.box.net/shared/r70zzrpd2j
10/16/10 - "Together We Build" Update #1
Thanks to a previous pledge of $10,000 being met early, donations to "Together We Build" can now be put almost entirely toward building for the future. So far, we have received 31 donations worth a total of over $ 4,500.
View, print, or download the full-page update at www.box.net/shared/36ksd0c9oj
10/5/10 - Harcopy Mailing sent
We have now communicated the "Together We Build" message and plan not only to our "online alumni" via their Yahoo Group, Facebook Group and regular email, but also via hardcopy letters to both alumni and friends of Camp Hitaga and the Iowana Council.
See, print or download the alumni hardcopy mailing at www.box.net/shared/1yjztevgog
For just the donor reply form (to mail with a check) go to www.box.net/shared/mzr9t4vxgp
9/25/10 - Links added to Contact page
There are a growing number of Hitaga and Council related social media sites - on Facebook, Flikr, YouTube, etc. Make our Contacts page your portal to renewed connections!
9/18/10 - New Website Launch
On 9/18/2010, we launched this new website to become the home for our developing campaign to ensure the future of Camp Hitaga and the Iowana Council.