Camp Fire USA Heart of Oklahoma Council Gives CC Riders 11 Days To Raise $71,844.33 Or They Will Sell Horses
**Passionate America Exclusive**
***updates at the bottom
In March of 2007 I posted 3 stories about the troubles with Camp Fire USA and their Heart of Oklahoma Council. This was such a big story here in Oklahoma that the local media attended the meeting and The Oklahoman ran a front page story about Camp Fire.
- Camp Fire USA’s Heart of Oklahoma Council Exploiting Children?
- Major Media To Attend Camp Fire USA’s Heart of Oklahoma Council Meeting
- Camp Fire Kids Protest Camp Cimarron’s Closing
Now the Executive Committee of the Camp Fire USA Heart of Oklahoma Council is sending letters to the instructors of the CC Riders (Camp Cimarron’s horse riding group) expecting them to pay $71,844.43 by September 4th, 2007 (5 days from now) or they recommend that the horses be sold by September 15th. I attended the last HOC board meeting where the board voted to continue down the CC Riders program. The vote was 9 for keeping the program to 6 against.
On August 7, 2007 the Executive Board Of Directors (against the vote of the Heart Of Oklahoma Council) recommended that the CC Riders program not be continued. Below is a pictures of the Executive Committee Minutes from their meeting on August 7, 2007 where they discussed closing down the program.
click to enlarge
One of the interesting things of note about this is that it directly goes against the vote of the board, when they voted to continue the CC Riders program.
On August 24th, 2007 the new active Executive Director Kim Kamp Leslie (per the request of out going Interim Executive Director Phyllis Morris) sent a letter to the instructors of the CC Riders program telling them:
You have the option of paying the $71,844.43 in full by Tuesday, September 4th, or you may pay $35,922.22 by September 4th and the remaining $35,922.21 on or before January 2,2008.
Feel free to contact either Phyllis [Morris] or me should you have any questions. I look forward to meeting you and working with you to benefit Camp Fire USA - Heart of Oklahoma Council.
Very truly yours,
Kim Kamp Leslie
Executive Directorcc: Ms. Edna Stinnett
Ms. Phyllis Morris
* I have copies of this letter if anyone in the media would like to examine them.
Below is a picture of a segment of this letter.
click to enlarge
Tonight (August 30, 2007 from 5pm-7pm) we will be attending the reception for the new Executive Director, Kim Kamp Leslie, to protest the eminent sale of the horses and the letter that was sent requesting that the CC Riders (mostly made up of teenagers) must raise $71,844.43 to continue the CC Riders program after the board voted to continue the program.
We have contact the media and they showed interest in this story, will probably attend, would like to see the documents we have, and would like to speak to us and the board about this story. For media inquiries please send me an email via my contact page and I would be happy to discuss this outrageous story with you.
Update: Here are some of the pictures from the protest, Camp Fire USA CC Riders Kids Protest Pictures.
Update #2: For some reason my own response (#8) to a comment left by some guy named Stan is not displaying correctly in the comments section. Below I have reposted Stan’s comment and my response.
#7 Stan
I don’t want it emailed to me. I just wondered if you would give your readers the whole story or just parts. “however I will not reveal my source because some of the people on this board like to call people that are exposing their dirty little plans and make veiled threats.” So by posting other people’s names, you’re encouraging those supporting your ideas/plans to make threats? I need you to clarify that for me… By the way, why haven’t you used this site to help raise the money for the camp? All I’ve seen is your plea to get to some gathering (which people seem to be helping out) and for your readers to support your site by “buying you a beer”. Again, just curious….
My Response
#8 Wild Bill
Stan since you seem to know the whole story (or the parts of the story that Camp Fire USA HOC Executive Committee wants the public to know) why don’t you enlighten us. We could use another whitewashing of the facts. (I’m sure you don’t need a copy of the letter emailed to you, I’ll bet you have a copy in your hands or on your desk.) I am not encouraging anyone to make threats.
And, “why haven’t you used this site to help raise the money for the camp?”
- What camp? They closed Camp Cimarron.
- Ever heard of the candy sale? We did help raise money and HOC closed the camp anyways, the Executive Committee wants to sell the horses, Kim Kamp Leslie, Edna Stinnett, and Phyllis Morris sent a letter to the CC Riders instructors trying to extort (in my opinion) $71,844.43 from the horse riding program. If you think we want one more dollar going to these same group of people that have closed the camp and are planning to sell the horses you are insane. Some of these people are responsible for the problems Camp Fire Oklahoma is having now.
- Major changes will have to happen within the HOC before I ever raise another dime for their organization. While we were standing outside the gate protesting several people stopped and offered to give money to save the horse, but we told them to keep their money because it is my belief that some people on the board have plans to sell Camp Cimarron and they have to get rid of the horses before they can do that.
- I was at the meeting where the board voted to keep the CC Rider program and then a few days later, Kim Kamp Leslie, Edna Stinnett, and Phyllis Morris sent a letter to the CC Riders instructors telling them they needed to raise $71,844.43 in 11 days. Are they insane?
- Several members of the board (in my opinion) are corrupt and don’t give a crap about anything other than saving their own behinds. There is no way I would recommend anyone give $1 to Camp Fire USA HOC at this time until they clean up their act and start working in the best interest of Camp Fire USA members.
- There are some fine members of the HOC board and even they had not seen the letter sent to the CC Riders.
- This is my personal website. I accept donation from readers to me. If I thought for one minute that Camp Fire USA HOC would spend that money wisely to help save programs and Camp Cimarron, I would donate some of the money I raise to Oklahoma Camp Fire. Camp Fire should have no issue with someone trying to raise money through donations, (and you Stan should not have a problem with me asking for donation or if I want to ask for donations to buy me a beer.) The reception we protested at was serving wine and cheese (and younger members where not allowed to attend) even though the by-laws of Camp Fire say that no alcohol should be on Camp Fire property.
Stan feel free to tell everyone who you really are. I look forward to meeting you at one of the next HOC meetings.
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Regina
It is very sad that it has come to this, but the Executive Committee which consist of the leadership of this board, obviously have their own agenda. I have personally spoken with six board members who said that they knew nothing about this prior to the CC Rider parents calling them and this is not how they voted. The fact that the Executive Committee and the new Executive Director are acting outside the approval of the board is very concerning.
August 30th, 2007 at 6:20 pmRosemary
I have a recommendation. Cut out the Board of Directors! They do nothing but take peoples’ taxes to ruin their lives. They do not serve the people, therefore I declare, “They are all FIRED.” That should save a pretty penny. Disgusting…
August 30th, 2007 at 6:48 pmStan
Just out of curiosity, what does the rest of the letter say? And how did you happen to get a copy of it?
August 31st, 2007 at 10:34 pmWild Bill
Stan, I can email you the rest of the letter if you would like. I’ll need an email address. And I got a copy of the letter from what journalists like to call a source. If my source would like to reveal who they are they can do that, however I will not reveal my source because some of the people on this board like to call people that are exposing their dirty little plans and make veiled threats.
September 1st, 2007 at 11:02 amStan
I don’t want it emailed to me. I just wondered if you would give your readers the whole story on here or just parts.
September 1st, 2007 at 3:37 pmBy the way, why haven’t you used this site to raise money for the camp? All I’ve seen is your plea to get to some gathering (which people were more than willing to help out) and to support your site through “buying you a beer”? Again, just curious…
Stan
I don’t want it emailed to me. I just wondered if you would give your readers the whole story or just parts.
“however I will not reveal my source because some of the people on this board like to call people that are exposing their dirty little plans and make veiled threats.” So by posting other people’s names, you’re encouraging those supporting your ideas/plans to make threats? I need you to clarify that for me…
By the way, why haven’t you used this site to help raise the money for the camp? All I’ve seen is your plea to get to some gathering (which people seem to be helping out) and for your readers to support your site by “buying you a beer”. Again, just curious….
September 1st, 2007 at 3:44 pmWild Bill
Stan since you seem to know the whole story (or the parts of the story that Camp Fire USA HOC Executive Committee wants the public to know) why don’t you enlighten us. We could use another whitewashing of the facts. (I’m sure you don’t need a copy of the letter emailed to you, I’ll bet you have a copy in your hands or on your desk.) I am not encouraging anyone to make threats.
And, “why haven’t you used this site to help raise the money for the camp?”
1. What camp? They closed Camp Cimarron. http://www.passionateamerica.com/camp-fire-kids-protest-camp-cimarrons-closing/
2. Ever heard of the candy sale? We did help raise money and HOC closed the camp anyways, the Executive Committee wants to sell the horses, Kim Kamp Leslie, Edna Stinnett, and Phyllis Morris sent a letter to the CC Riders instructors trying to extort (in my opinion) $71,844.43 from the horse riding program. If you think we want one more dollar going to these same group of people that have closed the camp and are planning to sell the horses you are insane. Some of these people are responsible for the problems Camp Fire Oklahoma is having now.
3. Major changes will have to happen within the HOC before I ever raise another dime for their organization. While we were standing outside the gate protesting several people stopped and offered to give money to save the horse, but we told them to keep their money because it is my belief that some people on the board have plans to sell Cam Cimarron and they have to get rid of the horses before they can do that.
4. I was at the meeting where the board voted to keep the CC Rider program and then a few days later, Kim Kamp Leslie, Edna Stinnett, and Phyllis Morris sent a letter to the CC Riders instructors telling them they needed to raise $71,844.43 in 11 days. Are they insane?
5. Several members of the board (in my opinion) are corrupt and don’t give a crap about anything other than saving their own behinds. There is no way I would recommend anyone give $1 to Camp Fire USA HOC at this time until they clean up their act and start working in the best interest of Camp Fire USA members.
6. There are some fine members of the HOC board and even they had not seen the letter sent to the CC Riders.
7. This is my personal website. I accept donation from readers to me. If I thought for one minute that Camp Fire USA HOC would spend that money wisely to help save programs and Camp Cimarron, I would donate some of the money I raise to Oklahoma Camp Fire. Camp Fire (and you Stan should not have a problem with me asking for donation or if I want to ask for donations to buy me a beer. The reception we protested at was serving wine and cheese (and younger members where not allowed to attend) even though the by-laws of Camp Fire say that no alcohol should be on Camp Fire property.
Stan feel free to tell everyone who you really are. I looking forward to meeting you at one of the next HOC meetings.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:48 pmDebbie
Stan, The HOC Board of Directors has specifically stated they will not accept donations made for Camp Cimarron. They want them to be made to the council in general, to be used as needed. Many people are not happy with that. They’d like to support the camp and would like to designate their money for Cimarron. If the BOD truly plans to re-open Cimarron then they should be happy to take specific donations for the camp. And why would you care where the copy of the letter was obtained. The pertinent information was included in the message. I’m hoping and praying for some major changes in the councils BOD this fall. Is it to much to wish for the current executive committee to leave the board?
September 2nd, 2007 at 5:58 pmRegina
Just FYI,
Not only will they not accept donations made for Camp Cimarron, they have had donations made for Cimarron they were earmarked for a specific project that they accepted before “closing” the camp. The one I’m thinking of is the $1000 given to replace the doors at the Canodge. I know the doors were never replaced. I’m wondering if they returned the $1000?
As for the “closing” of the camp, at the last BOD meeting the board, under the recomendation of the executive committee, voted on closing Camp Cimarron ‘indefinitly’. The vote was tied. What this means for Camp Cimarron I don’t know. The parent handbook still says that candy money goes to camp improvements, but I have seen the budget and no candy money was credited to either camp this year.
September 3rd, 2007 at 10:41 pmFiar
Proving once again that the government is nothing but a legal organized crime syndicate.
September 4th, 2007 at 9:16 am