[23492] in APO-L
[APO-L] Camp Fire USA - Absolutely Incredible Kid Day - March 20th
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (dave o'leary)
Sun Feb 2 22:19:52 2003
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 12:14:38 -0800
Reply-To: "dave o'leary" <doleary@JUNIPER.NET>
From: "dave o'leary" <doleary@JUNIPER.NET>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Thursday, March 20, 2003 is Absolutely Incredible Kid Day,
sponsored by Camp Fire, USA.
Alpha Phi Omega members and chapters have participated in this
event for at least the past several years, almost since its inception.
This project is an easy way to get started in working with your local
Camp Fire council, or just to help kids!
Camp Fire USA is one of the nation's leading not-for-profit youth
development organizations, serving 735,000 participants annually.
Camp Fire USA provides all-inclusive, coeducational programs in hundreds
of communities across the United States. Camp Fire USA's outcome-based
programs include youth leadership, self-reliance, after school groups,
camping and environmental education, and child care.
Camp Fire USA takes pride in its long-standing commitment to providing
fun programs and services to all children and families in America. We are
inclusive, open to every person in the communities we serve, welcoming
children, youth and adults regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic=
status,
disability, sexual orientation or other aspect of diversity. Camp Fire USA's
programs are designed and implemented to reduce gender-role, racial and
cultural stereotypes and to foster positive intercultural relationships.
Given these stated program goals of character and leadership development
in community service with an open and diverse membership, it really
makes sense for Alpha Phi Omega chapters to work with Camp Fire USA.
For information about Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, check this web page:
http://www.campfireusa.org/a_i_kid_day/mainpage.html
To find contact information for the Camp Fire council that provides service
in your local area, click on the US map on this page:
http://www.campfire.org/council_locator/
Note that not all places have an active council, but that should not prevent
you or your chapter from participating in Absolutely Incredible Kid Day.
It is straightforward to contribute to the project in several ways - just
see the list at the bottom of this message for some ideas, or check the
Camp Fire USA web site.
If you aren't able to do the project specifically on March 20, please feel=
=20
free
to pick an alternate day to conduct your project, ideally earlier in March.
Start planning now to include this project in your chapter's spring service
program.
Please contact me or your local Camp Fire council if you have questions
or if you are looking for suggestions beyond those outlined below.
Thanks!
Dave O'Leary
Chair, National Scouting &
Youth Service Committee
Alpha Phi Omega
National Service Fraternity
http://www.campfireusa.org/a_i_kid_day/getinvolved.html
Seven Easy ways to participate in Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
Everyone can do it! It's simple and free to get involved in Camp Fire USA=92=
s
Absolutely Incredible Kid Day=AE. Start making plans now to get your chapter
and college or university and community involved. Together we can make
a huge impact on the lives of youth.
Here are seven easy ways to make Thursday, March 20, 2003, a success
with any campus and community:
1. Take a 10-minute time out during a chapter or pledge meeting, encourage
participation in Camp Fire USA=92s Absolutely Incredible Kid Day=AE.
Set aside 10 minutes for everyone to write a letter to a child during the
meeting. You can write to a brother or sister or other relative, or
a neighbor, or a child that you met as part of a chapter service
project.
2. Spread the word. Encourage your members and the rest of your
campus to write letters to kids!
Place a notice or the Absolutely Incredible Kid Day=AE news release
in your chapter's February or March publications (including sending
it to your campus newspaper, perhaps in cooperation with the
local Camp Fire council), post it on bulletin boards and your web site,
or e-mail members with letter-writing tips and sample sentences.
There are tips for letter writing and sample sentences here:
http://www.campfireusa.org/a_i_kid_day/tips.html
3. Be creative! Brainstorm ways to make letter writing and letter receiving
exciting!
- Create a display or decorative =93mail box=94 to encourage participation.
- Put an absolutely incredible message for kids on cupcakes and deliver them
to a homeless shelter or children=92s hospital.
- Create an absolutely incredible message with sidewalk chalk. Have kids go
on a scavenger hunt to find their absolutely incredible letters.
- Create a giant letter and invite the community to sign it. Then,=
distribute
stationery to everyone who participates so that they can write personalized
letters to special children in their lives.
- make up a flyer with information about Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
and deliver them to faculty and staff mailboxes around your campus
4. Partner with a local Camp Fire USA council. Locate a council near you on
the Council Locator - http://www.campfireusa.org/council_locator/
They might need assistance in advertising Absolutely Incredible Kid
Day on your campus or in your community. They may have letters to
deliver to a hospital or shelter, and people who can spend time with
the children while delivering the letters.
5. Showcase letters. Collect letters prior to Absolutely Incredible Kid=
Day=AE.
On March 20, 2003, publish or create a unique office display with
selected letters written by members, pledges, or advisors to the
important children in their lives.
6. Adopt kids in need. Organize an internal letter-writing effort and=
deliver
letters to children in a shelter or at a local children's hospital. Need
help finding a group of kids that need letters? Contact your local
Camp Fire USA council or the local United Way. On March 20, deliver
the letters to children who may be strangers to you, but who will
benefit the most from an encouraging letter. Perhaps this can be
a start of a new ongoing service project for your chapter!
7. Order fun incentives. Display an Absolutely Incredible Kid Day=AE posters=
in
your chapter office and around campus, and supply fun pens and
stationery to members to encourage participation and stimulate
creativity. Specially designed posters, stationery, stickers, T-shirts,
mugs, and more specialty items are available from Camp Fire USA.
Merchandise for Absolutely Incredible Kid Day=AE 2003 is now available.
Order your materials today! (see the Camp Fire USA national web site.)
