Capital Campaign - Camp Fire Minnesota

Big News:

Phase 2 is complete, Community & Dining Center is open!

Thanks to the generous support of nearly 200 supporters, we are excited to announce that Phase 2 of our captial campaign has come to a successful close – raising $5 million to build a Community & Dining Center! Your investment in this campaign launches a new chapter for Camp Fire Minnesota – year-round, nature-based learning!

Our new Community & Dining Center helps reduce the summer camp waitlist and serve more schools through field trips year-round. Scroll through to see more.

Our new Community & Dining Center provides much needed indoor program space for summer and year-round learning.

The upper level provides a flexible space fit for dining and group gatherings.

The lower level provides additional program space with views of a natural setting out the windows.

Our brand-new teaching kitchen provides hands-on learning. Campers can prepare vegetables harvested from the garden & aquaponics system.

Youth and teens learn to care for and prepare foods from the garden during summer and fall camps.

Year-round, youth explore nature at Camp Fire - tapping Maple trees and tasting fresh maple syrup during sugar bush is a favorite!

Our property's unique natural habitats, such as the wetlands, offer youth fully immersive nature-based experiences.

Light a Spark, Leave a Legacy

Thank you for leaving a legacy that ignites sparks!

Meet our supporters

Master Plan

Camp Fire Minnesota’s master plan brings this vision to life. Through a series of phases, the capital campaign will transform the property, restoring outdated facilities like our dining hall and Bluebird Lodge as well as building brand new facilities like the Day Camp Village and Outdoor Living Classrooms. Learn about our successful Phase 1.

FAQs

Our Vision

Become a year-round destination for youth from all backgrounds to discover their sparks through nature, become stewards of the natural world and develop as leaders. And this building is key to expanding programs year-round.

Thank you for sharing and supporting this vision!

Phase 2 - Community & Dining Center

Community & Dining Center

This is an exciting time! Our programs are growing and expanding beyond the summer. Between growing waitlists for our rustic summer camp program and greater demand for environmental ed field trips throughout the school year, a new Community & Dining Center will provide the much-needed flexible indoor space to meet current demands and grow as a year-round destination.

Additionally, we hope the community sees our unique space as a resource for events and retreats – because we all need quality time in nature!

Thank you for ensuring this magical place offers generations of youth the chance to discover their spark – year-round.

Community & Dining Center building features

The new Community & Dining Center adds many new programming and rental features to help us grow

Flexible seating for up to 200 people

Teaching Kitchen for garden-to-table learning

Lower-level program space – perfect for rainy days and winter field trips

Large windows on north and south walls to maintain outdoors connection

Indoor Gas Fireplace

Complete AV systems on both levels

Commercial Kitchen

Outdoor Terrace in front of the building featuring wood fireplace preserved from old Dining Hall

Deck offers sensory-safe seating for campers during mealtime

All-gender restrooms and staff showers

Elevator

and much more…

Master Plan

Camp Fire Minnesota’s master plan brings this vision to life. Through a series of phases, the capital campaign will transform the property, restoring outdated facilities like our dining hall and Bluebird Lodge as well as building brand new facilities like the Day Camp Village and Outdoor Living Classrooms. Learn about our successful Phase 1.

About our property

Since 1924, Camp Fire Minnesota’s Excelsior property has been an important place for youth to unplug, learn skills and discover their spark. With 103 acres along Lake Minnewashta, this 103 acres is an outdoor escape just down the road providing outdoor experiences to youth of all backgrounds. While youth are spending more and more time on devices, we are engaging record numbers of youth in our year-round nature-based programs – and the need is greater. Cue the capital campaign!