"There's nothing to do around here," complained 13-year-old Harriet Brehm in 1939.

Harriet's brother and other boys in Winfield, Illinois, had fun in a boys club begun by a Wheaton College student named Joe Coughlin. So Harriet asked "Uncle" Joe for a girls club. Slightly overwhelmed, Joe hesitated until presented with a petition signed by a number of young girls.

God's Answer. Joe put a plea for help in the college newspaper. Freshman Betty Whitaker had been praying that the Lord would show her a way to minister to young girls. When she saw the notice in the paper, she knew it was God's answer to her prayers. Betty and several other students developed a club called Girls Guild. In 1941, the name changed to Pioneer Girls, a theme of pioneering and adventure was adopted. Camp Cherith also began - the summer camping ministry of Pioneer Clubs. Soon clubs were started for other age-groups. Pioneer Girls spread throughout the United States and Canada.


Boys Clubs. In 1981, boys clubs began, and the name changed to Pioneer Clubs. Today there are clubs for boys and girls in five age-groups, from two through middle school. Pioneer Clubs has provided exciting, Bible-based experience for thousands of young people through the many years.
 

Pioneer Clubs’ mission is to serve God by providing the most effective and educationally sound programs to help children follow Christ in every aspect of life.