Camp Fire Alaska history

Joan Hurst was born March 15, 1927 and grew up in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1959, the first official Camp Fire council began operating as The Chugach Council of Anchorage, serving 350 girls through Camp Fire clubs.

Camp Fire started Camp Yalani at King’s Lake Camp in Wasilla in 1960 and offered two one-week sessions for girls each summer.

Joan Hurst, the Alaska Council’s first executive director, arrived in 1962.

In 1963, Joan Hurst moved to Alaska to serve as the first employee of the Alaska Camp Fire council.

Following the earthquake in 1964, Camp Fire Alaska received national support from Camp Fire’s friendship fund.

In 1966, Camp Kushtaka (Camp K) opened after many volunteer hours spent securing land permits, constructing buildings and clearing land.

Camp Fire Alaska’s Community Centers Program was started in 1978 by a team of social work students in the Fairview and Mountain View neighborhoods in Anchorage.

In 1997, Camp Fire founded Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®—a national initiative to encourage the young people in our lives.

In 2002, Camp Fire Alaska began a process of redeveloping Camp K on Kenai Lake, raising $3.25 million to cover the cost of building new infrastructure including cabins with running water and flush toilets.

When Joan passed on October 27, 2003, Alaskans lost a first rate entrepreneur, mentor and friend to three generations of Alaskan youth and their parents.

In 2010, Camp Fire celebrated its 100th birthday.

In 2019, Camp Fire Alaska launched a new Fire Tenders Society for major donors who have given $100K or more in their lifetime of giving.