Using the Event Program to Share Your Traditions

Bringing donors into the traditions of your organization makes them feel a deeper connection to your work. And putting those you do the work for in the room with donors also lets them see your work in action.

Camp Fire Columbia worked this year to make their student voices present in as many aspects of their program as possible. Camp Fire encompasses summer sessions at Camp Namanu as well as school-based programming during the year locally. Students came together and brainstormed elements of the event, they DESIGNED THE EVENT ARTWORK, they told their stories.

Having student voices woven throughout gave a diversity of personalities but also really showed the room their mission of supporting student leadership and expression. They utilized a student emcee and shared stories of students and what Camp Fire has empowered them to do.

The organization’s VIDEO was framed by the idea of “I am Camp Fire” and showed a full range of voices and experiences that exemplified that. It also gave the guests in the room a chance to travel into the forest of Camp itself and Camp Fire’s school programs. This is access that donors don’t have in other ways and the video allowed them to see, hear and feel the importance that Camp Fire has for students and the leadership, voice and empowerment that they have because of their time with the organization.

They also brought guests into the experience of Camp. Dinner was served family style as this is how they share meals every day at Camp. They served everyone in the room the traditional Dream Cake like they do at Camp. Dream Cake is pretty simple—it’s vanilla cake with sprinkles and a candle. But what Dream Cake represents is important. It represents a sense of place and safety, growth and friendship. It gives campers the opportunity to make a wish for nature and the beautiful places at Camp Namanu that they love. They then sang their traditional song, “One Little Candle.”

What was great was that these moments not only showed the deep connection that these students have to one another as a result of Camp Fire. It also brought the room into the experience with them, literally asking them to sit at their table and experience the love that they feel for this organization.

photos by Andie Petkus