We love trying new things at Camp Fire Alaska! That goes for all of our programs. This year, our Rural Alaska Program team traveled to a few communities before summer programming to connect with community members about what’s to come this summer and to organize community events.

Stop One: Tununak

The journey to Tununak started with a canceled flight, but our team made it to the community in time for the event. The team met with the principal and were able to discus logistics before the event began. About 30-35 people showed up to participate, and the kids had a blast, especially playing limbo and also taking part in the Native Youth Olympic games we organized. Although the food we pre-shipped did not arrive in time, the team took matters into their own hands by buying ingredients and snacks at the store in town. Despite the unexpected challenges, the team was able to pull off a successful event.

Stop Two: Chefornak

After returning to Bethel, the team then traveled to Chefornak. This was the first time our organization had ever been invited into this community, and the team was excited to connect with the community members and Tribal Council. We got there a day early and stayed the night, giving us time to meet with the Tribal Council’s office and our community contact. The event in Chefornak was a great success with about 50 people in attendance, mostly kids. The Native Youth Olympics were a huge hit again and our Rural team was able to make some wonderful memories.

This being the first year the program has organized these events, we had spent months planning the details with our sponsor, Association of Village Council Presidents, who made it possible to offer these events to all community members at no cost. Being present in these communities prior to summer also gave us a chance to answer any questions about our programming and what we do as an organization. This summer, we get to visit both of these communities again for 3 weeks, as well as in other communities throughout Alaska. We can’t wait!