“This was not an easy decision. It was very hard to get to this place,” said Barbara Dubovich, CEO of the Alaska Council.
Camp Fire has served Fairbanks since the 1960s, and parents have come to count on it for affordable, quality after-school child care and summer camp programs.
“I don’t really know what I’m going to do now,” Amy Rath said.
Her daughter has attended both the after-school program and the summer camp for several years, and she had planned to enroll her son once he started kindergarten this fall.
“This is a really well-trained staff. I’ve had some bad experiences with day care in Fairbanks, but these guys are great. This program was the thing for after-school child care,” Rath said.
Dubovich said several factors contributed to the closure.
“We have about 80 to 90 kids enrolled. It used to be 250 to 300 kids. Also, the economic climate being what it is, we have lost some corporate and private donors,” Dubovich said.
The Camp Fire Alaska Council cut costs to try to keep the Fairbanks programs open, she said.
“We instituted a salary freeze. We reduced two positions in the Fairbanks office. Management took a salary reduction. We stopped all out-of-state travel and limited in-state travel. We tried everything we could,” Dubovich said.
Local businesswoman and philanthropist Jeri Wigdahl confirmed the cuts.
“Barbara has been losing sleep over this for quite a while. Not only is she concerned about the kids, she’s concerned about her staff who will be out of a job,” she said.
Wigdahl was about to join the organization as a state board member because she believes in the organization.
“They provided a safe haven for kids, a quiet place. It was good for kids, especially the latch-key kids. And the counselors really cared about them,” she said.
The Fairbanks office has one full-time and four part-time employees, though that number swells in the summer with the addition of camp staff. The summer camp program will run until its regularly scheduled end date of July 30.
“Once that happens, we will not be resuming operations in the fall,” Dubovich said. The organization is trying to get out the word now so families have several months to find alternative child care options. In the meantime, she and her staff are reaching out to the community for help.
“In the last several days, we’ve had several conversations with Open Arms. We’re exploring the possibility of them picking kids up at their schools and caring for them at the Open Arms building, or perhaps at University Park school because that school had the most kids enrolled in the after-school program. We’re hopeful that we can hand these programs over to qualified providers,” Dubovich said.
Open Arms Lutheran Child Development center is a faith-based day care center operated by Zion Lutheran Church.
In addition to the University Park Elementary School program, Camp Fire operates after-school child care at Joy and Nordale elementary schools.
It also operates community centers at Birch Park and Spruce Park public housing projects in conjunction with the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. The two programs likely will continue because they are funded differently and are mainly run by AHFC.
Camp Fire also has youth programs in 19 rural Alaska communities and in Anchorage. Those programs will continue.
Contact News-Miner intern Dadie Chomicz at 459-7575.
Daybreak - ex wife ex(liberal) wife. She made twice the money I did and had the kids a quarter of the time, put the wind between her legs and sent her asss packing. I did pay her ransom money. Way easier than arguing with a idiot. Once I agreed to that and the judge told her she was gonna loose visitation for dragging me to court again, for no reason, I never had another problem with her. Funny how that works, but worth every dollar. She gave them everything she could think of cable TV, bots in their rooms, bikes, clothes, anything money could buy and they never liked going back there. Why? Cause she never gave them her time. Happy is not a problem, everyone loves me and could not be more happy, well maybe if they Impeached Obozo! Times have changed and thats part of the problem, some of you folks don't see, you know the trees are in the way, cut them down so we can see the forest. Times changed and people quit taking care of their kids and pawning that off on someone else. Once in a while not a bad thing, exposure to right and wrong helps them learn the difference. Priority is the kids, then go do whatever you like. Cause when your old, they won't be fighting over your stuff and ushering you into the grave, they will be there for you, just like you were for them. That devotion you showed them, that sacrifice you made all those years, they will understand and if they have kids, then they will really get it. When they are all growed up, they will be there for you.
ickn:
A program I need could be cut next? Cut them all. That is the point, we don't need them, it teaches people to be dependent instead of independent or self reliant. If you teach your kids that dependence is alright, then they can't be free, they get dependent on everything and need help with everything. Next its drug dependence and a excuse to amount to nothing, becaaaaaussse its a disease, HA ! Put the bottle down and never take another drink, its not a disease its a excuse. Mind over matter, self control, thats what you need to teach them. Oh, well, maybe in the next life.........
selfpropelled:
Sounds like you have some real anger issues from all your devotion?? Go ahead punch another wall, crack another cold one, you deserve it.
If your child is injured home alone, your not doing your job man. Its your job to be there and raise your kids, if you do a good job, she will know enough or have commen sense enough to not get hurt so bad. Friend of mine got a call one day at work, teenage son had broke both legs in a dirtbike wreck and to come to hospital, they said all his son kept saying was don't call my dad, wasn't to concerned both legs were broke, just didn't want his dad to know he wrecked the bike he bought him. Nows he's 12 years in the National Guard and in Seminary College, married several years and expecting first one, debt free, great guy, (WHEN YOU HAD KIDS, THAT BECAME YOUR MAIN JOB)get it, take a breathe, it will sink in, if you let it. Reprogram what you've been told - For instance, they often call them car accidents, no thats wrong, its (car wreck) see the difference? Its not a accident when its caused by some idiot, who should not have license to begin with, or the DUI guy with 6 priors, thats a car wreck. What causes most (car wrecks)? Loose nuts behind the wheel... Its no (accident) they are there, cause anyone can get a license, the state and DMV just want the fees. For instance if you can't read english, you can have a interpritor there with you, so how does DMV know that person is not just giving them the answers? and if they can't read, should they have a license? Are the street signs in english? Like the one they drove through that reads (STOP)? P.S. I do have every right to voice my opinion and do so without hesitation, just like you. Politically correct is a form of mental disorder. I call them, like I see them. Offend people? Couldn't care less. Cruel no, not a bit, help people do just about anything. I have a lot of fun intimidating the rif raff, crack heads and hoodlums, you know those baggy pants, I am the guy who pulls them down around their ankles in the store, its fun. Offer pliers to the girl with the nose piercing, leaking puss in the Mcdonalds, Hey I have some pliers and can get that booger out of your nose for you. When I see them running across the street holding their pants and trip and fall, I am the guy who turns around and goes back, askes are you alright? and then tells them, boy your a dumb sht! A good waitress gets a great tip, a bad one gets nothing. DUI ? One call thats all and then follow them till the police get there. Broke down no problem. In the ditch and drunk, let me help you out, 911 here they come. Kids throwing a fit in the store, let me give you some free advice. Ain't life and computers great?
Hey all, Now here's a idea! and its Free!! All volunteer Camp fires program !!!!!!! Lets see if you can round up enough support, go door to door with fliers and maybe some nice, kind, old, young, freedom loving folks with some free time can come and watch the kids. Sounds like something people would be willing to do and just think how much knowledge for instance the elders have, they could be teaching these kids all kind of things for FREE. Sewing, modeling, hey maybe some retired gold miner would volunteer once a week and teach gold panning. Just think they could learn a whole lot more than, under water basket weaving, and lots of people like to teach for free, cause the future is the youth.
HMMMM Grey matter at work, what a wonderful thought. See if you can elect someone to the White house next time that has some !!!!!!!!! He should of tendered his resignation and handed it to the General, instead of the other way around. You know the guy who shut down offshore drilling and then gave 2 Billion of our tax dollars to Brazil to drill offshore in water 3 times deeper than the leaking BP rig. Kind of makes you wonder don't it?
1) the price of oil jumped from 20-30 dollars to 148 and settled back to 77 in recent years. The price jump caused fuel to go from $1.25 to $4.50 and has settled to $3.02 as of today.
The "rich" who donated have seen thier dollar's purchasing power, just like mine, drop at lest 50% because of inflation.
2) The program competes with "free" government day care.
---
The other day I was solicited to donate to a charitable program. I looked the person in the eye and said: I already gave my share of 4 trillion dollars.
There is a cause and effect relationship between taxes, inflation and the amount of money have to support worthy causes.
Wait and see what happens when your are stuck with a 20% tax on your "carbon foot" print to save the planet from CO2 (aka you GVEA and oil heating bill) this will dry up still more donated money.
As people are faced with heat, eat or donate.
;((((
-- gvuye
As for Camp Fire - great program. Times have changed and a two parent family is the norm. Quality child care is hard to find and it just became harder.
Makes me go Hmmmmmmmmm...
This is about CampFire programs that people have depended on for years. It is very sad to see numbers decline in programs that promote strong values, independance and continues to teach beyond the realm of the three R's.
I wish I had the money to give a grant to programs like this to continue. I can only say good bye and THANK YOU for the years of service to everyone who worked, supported and used the Camp Fire programs.
A program you need could be cut next!
Help support all Non Profit programs in our community! It's were we live!
If you had said those words to my face I would punch you right where those words just came from. Who are you to tell me that I have not adequately provided for my family! I, as well as my wife, have worked hard to get where we are to provide a loving, supportive home for our kids. And we have done so without any handouts, not that we did not go through some tough times.
Programs that I PAY for and not handed out to me, including child care, show that I care about my kids and there well being. My child will not be a target for stupid comments from people because she was in an accident at home and seriously injured while being left alone after school without supervision as a latch key kid all because I chose not to come home from work when she got out of school.
I PAY for that service (as well as other hard working right and left winged people in our community) because I love and care for my children. And my oldest child is putting herself through college, paying for her own transportation, because of the teachings, involvement, and support my wife and I have shown her for the past 19 years. And guess what!! She also when to after school care that I PAYED for.
You have chosen to raise your child in your way and I am glad they turned out to be self sufficient and will hopefully will pass that on to their kids. They are, I am sure, happy for the love and support you showed them raising them in your way, but you do not have the right to tell me I am not a good enough parent because I chose to have someone else "raise" my child for a few hours a day while I maintained employment to better our own lives.
Thank you to all the staff at CampFire USA for EVERYTHING!
A Very THANKFUL MOM and SON
Please tell me that with all of your responsible child raising methods, you actually had someone more intelligent than you teach your kids proper grammer???
Like your family and many others, we chop wood, cook from scratch, sheetrock and fix broken things. But we're not self-sufficient. No one is. We all depend on others. Your example of a broken toe is interesting. I wonder how your fix-it skills would deal with multiple sclerosis, preeclampsia, leukemia, ulcerative colitis, Down's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, a congenital heart defect, Alzheimers, bacterial meningitis, Type I diabetes...well, you get the idea. Others' skills and talents may be different from yours. The physician, teacher or artist is no less self-sufficent than you are.
I would applaud your efforts to educate your children, but from your posts I suspect that it was long on practical skills and short on ethics and morality, philosophy, history, art and music. You know, some of the things that make us human.
I am affected by the Campfire program leaving, since this would have been our child's first year with them, once school started. Since we only need care for "after school", it really does create some issues for us. Fortunately Hamilton Acres School is close to Nordale, and if they have enough inquiries about after-school-care, they may also be able to take kids to/from Nordale and Ladd. I was really hoping that during the two hours after school, that our first-grader would be able to just stay at the school. Unfortunately this just isn't a possibility anymore.
When our oldest was in child-care, there were at least a half-dozen places in town that took kids to/from school. Now they're almost non-existent.
And yes, I've considered being a stay-at-home mom, or getting a different job where I don't make nearly as much money, nor have great health insurance, life insurance, etc. but contrary to "concerned's" comments below, you can't just put a band aid on cancer, asthma, broken bones, etc.
concernedak - not everyone wants to live the way that you do. I sure hope that your independent children do well in college because this society does expect people to work for a living. You must own your property outright to make ends meet while living in this fashion. While I admire your autonomous approach to life, it is important to find value in others, even if they do things differently than you do. I hope you remembered to teach your children that as well.
I agree it is very important to raise your own children. My husband worked while I stayed home the first five years and worked part time for the following three for our daughter. We made a lot of sacrifices to provide our child with that start and she has blossomed as a result. I also understand the necessity of providing her a stable home, one that I can pass on to her when the time is right. In order to do that, I must work and pay bills.
Ask yourself, you are sitting at a PC and ranting about the modern world, do you like that PC? Do you like the electricity that powers it? Do you buy your food from the store or live entirely on subsistence? You enjoy the paper; your kids are in college . . . . If people did not work then these things would not be there for your enjoyment and use.
Please consider that other’s way of life contributes to your own. There are many ways to live; no one way is right for all.
Camp Fire is a great program it's a shame that it can't make ends meet and has to shut down. Fairbanks continues to have large losses.
Have a nice meager existence.
You said, "They can plumb, wire, sheetrock, paint and face whatever the left throws their way." What the heck does that even mean? The left what? Did your kids learn arrogance and judgment from you too? I sure hope not. :-)