Funding supports camp research for expansion in South County and growing character strengths of ‘curiosity, confidence, and compassion’ within Camp Fire’s programs.

Kids playing with cups in a stream

BEND, Ore. Feb. 5, 2026 – Camp Fire Central Oregon is excited to announce that it has been selected as a grantee in the American Camp Association’s Character at Camp Grant Program, a competitive national initiative supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. The program is designed to strengthen character development in camp settings and highlight camps as impactful environments for youth growth.

Through the Character at Camp initiative, the American Camp Association partners with camps across the country to intentionally support the development of key character strengths in children and young people. As a grantee, Camp Fire will use the almost $50,000 in funds to further enhance its commitment to creating meaningful experiences that promote belonging, leadership, and personal growth for campers and staff.

More specifically, the Character at Camp grant will support initiatives to understand community needs and explore the possibilities for a sustainable, community-driven expansion of Camp Fire’s SummerKids Day Camp to a satellite site in rural La Pine, Ore., offering youth in this area opportunities to build curiosity, confidence, and compassion. 

The grant will also provide staff capacity to formalize and articulate how Camp Fire’s current practices build character, conduct a feasibility study for the new site, and build the relationships, systems, and shared understanding needed for long-term success. By combining community engagement, internal reflection, and strategic analysis, Camp Fire will work to ensure that character development remains at the core of decision-making as this nonprofit youth development organization explores new growth in this Central Oregon community.

“All of us at Camp Fire Central Oregon are beyond thrilled to have applied for this highly competitive grant and been selected because of our commitment to character development and youth growth,” says Kecia Kubota, Camp Fire Central Oregon’s executive director. “We’ve been so grateful to have brought our Camp Fire Afterschool program into South County at the request of the community, and now that we have this grant, we can explore the possibility of bringing to La Pine yet another one of our time-tested, beloved programs: SummerKids day camp.”

The Character at Camp initiative recognizes camps as uniquely positioned to foster positive youth development by providing:

• Research-informed character development programs
• Inclusive communities that foster a sense of belonging
• Opportunities to grow character strengths
• Access to character development programs
• Meaningful service to communities and the environment
• Experiences that support leadership development and personal growth 

As explained by Camp Fire Central Oregon Program Director Morgan Schaening, “In applying for this grant, our staff focused on three ‘Character Strengths’ that we wanted to prioritize, not just for this potential program expansion in South County, but to introduce across all of our programming. The strengths we selected to develop in our youth — and our staff — include curiosity, confidence and compassion. We believe these character traits represent the foundation of thriving for youth, and they align with Camp Fire Central Oregon’s mission to connect young people to the outdoors, to others, and to themselves.”

By participating in the Character at Camp program, Camp Fire Central Oregon joins a national network of camps working with the American Camp Association to advance best practices in character development and share what makes camp a powerful setting for youth learning and growth.

For more information about Camp Fire Central Oregon, visit campfireco.org. To learn more about the Character at Camp initiative, visit ACAcamps.org. 

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INTERVIEW CONTACTS:

Kecia Kubota (she/her), Executive Director | Camp Fire Central Oregon
info@campfireco.org; (541) 205-9146

Morgan Schaening (he/his), Program Director | Camp Fire Central Oregon
morgan@campfireco.org; (541) 224-7661

GENERAL MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Katie Roberts (she/her), Communications & Outreach Manager, Camp Fire Central Oregon: katie@campfireco.org; (541) 362-1862

About Camp Fire Central Oregon

Founded in 1910, Camp Fire is a national organization that actively engages youth and teens in building essential skills for life. Camp Fire Central Oregon has been a local leader in youth development since 1916. The organization provides out-of-school time, teen service and leadership, camp and environmental programs. Young people want to shape the world. Camp Fire provides the opportunity to help them find their spark, lift their voice, and discover who they are.

About American Camp Association  
The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national organization serving the more than 20,000 year-round and summer camps in the United States who annually serve 26 million campers. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education, and professional development, and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience. ACA accreditation provides public evidence of a camp's voluntary commitment to the health, safety, risk management, and overall well-being of campers and staff. For more information, visit ACAcamps.org.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.