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Campfire Heart of Iowa seeks licensure for new year-round after-school program at Camp Canaweta
Summary
Owen Ballard, executive director of Campfire Heart of Iowa, told the Story County Board of Supervisors the organization is pursuing HHS licensure for a new year‑round after‑school program at Camp Canaweta and is making facility upgrades to support expanded use.
Owen Ballard, executive director of Campfire Heart of Iowa, told the Story County Board of Supervisors on July 22 that Campfire is pursuing licensure from Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services to accept child care assistance and expand a new year‑round after‑school program at Camp Canaweta in Ames. Ballard said the agency expects an HHS visit later this week as a first step toward licensure.
Ballard said the organization runs multiple youth programs at Camp Canaweta, including summer day camps for children entering kindergarten through fifth grade and a separate program for middle‑school youth. He told supervisors the programs are outdoor‑based and include literacy, STEM and social‑emotional learning components intended to reduce summer learning loss.
The new after‑school program, Ballard said, operates Monday through Friday during the school year and provides daily transportation from Ames elementary schools to Camp Canaweta. Ballard said the program ran throughout the 2024–25 school year, and that licensure would allow Campfire to accept child care assistance funds for families that qualify.
Ballard also reported that Campfire has expanded single‑day “school day off” camps to additional school districts in the area, adding dates tied to Ballard and Gilbert school district calendars that do not align with the Ames Community School District.
On facilities, Ballard said some cabins at Camp Canaweta were built for seasonal use and lack features needed for year‑round programs; Campfire is installing heating, air conditioning and new flooring as funds allow. He said indoor square footage constrains licensed capacity and that facility improvements are being made incrementally to increase year‑round capacity.
Board members thanked Ballard and one supervisor noted personal ties and positive outcomes from former campers who remain connected to the program. Ballard said charitable grants, corporate partners and United Way donations support Campfire scholarships and financial assistance so families do not pay the full cost of programs.
