4-H Back to School Fun Day

Before everyone gets up early Monday morning to head back to school, Robeson County 4-H wanted to give our members one last blast as a proper send off. We packed more fun into four hours then anyone has ever experienced before. From making stepping stones and sculptures to signature crayons and snack cookbooks everyone walked away with something new and fun to share with their families at home. We also had incredible snacks and the best game of bingo ever. When everyone left they had a back back filled with schools supplies and games to help them make friends on their first day. Not to mention a t-shirt to let everyone know they are a proud 4-H member.
We hope our 4-H members have a great first day of school and incredible school year. Click here to check out all of our Back to School Fun and please contact our 4-H staff at (910) 671-3276 or our web site to check out all the opportunities we offer during the school year.

Cloverbuds Keep Us Going

They cooked, they cleaned, and they had a blast during our 4-H Cloverbud Day Camp. It was five days of fun, learning, and bathroom breaks as our five to eight year olds took over the O. P. Owens Agriculture Center and turned it into their camping and educational center. Each morning they worked on project books, played games that gave them a little exercise, and worked on a variety of 4-H projects, such as insects, vermicomposting, and learning the 4-H pledge.

After a snack break everyone had a chance to attend Tooth School with Christy Strickland, our Family and Consumer Science Agent. They learned why it is important to take care of their teeth and the best foods to eat for their teeth and overall health. The youth also had a chance to get cooking in the kitchen making healthy, fun snacks that they ate each afternoon.

After lunch a variety of people came by for stories and fun. Stacie Kinlaw from Exploration Station stopped by to tell stories, sing, and color fun projects. Tanya Underwood with Robeson County Partnership for Children stopped by and helped the youth learn how to accept responsibility by creating and caring for pet rocks (and even made everyone a balloon animal too). Margaret Crites and Jessica Drake with The Rape Crisis Center took an hour to share their favorite childhood stories and song with the cloverbuds. Some of our 4-H volunteers and youth stopped by to share their favorite activities with the youth. Bobby Rogers created a small everything box for the youth to make and got on the floor with them to help them hammer everything together. Megan Hurst and her mother Jane, stopped by and showed the youth how to create a bunch of different origami projects, including a horse, of course (Jane is one of the organizational leaders for our Horsin' Around 4-H Horse club). Howard Wallace, our area Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent, worked with the youth on their fruit, vegetable, and plant knowledge teaching them how to create grow cards, and a hamburger plant.

We also took off on a special trip to the Robeson County Planetarium. The youth learned about Mars and robots on Mars. Their favorite part, was seeing the night sky and learning about the upcoming meteor shower and how they might be able to view it from their homes.

A special thank you to all our partners, volunteers, and parents who supported this program. Just click here to view the fun our cloverbuds had thanks to your help and support. We are looking forward to sharing this experience with five to eight years old again next year. If you have suggestions or ideas on how to make it better, please let us know. If you would like to work with the future of 4-H or our youth, please contact us at the 4-H office at (910) 671-3276.

We're Back!

The mood all over the camp was somber Friday morning as campers got up and finished packing before going to breakfast. Everyone was tired, sad to leave their friends, but so happy to have had this experience. Before we left the counselors gave each camper an award, some were for archery, or swimming, others for being inquisitive. We even had a few campers of the week. Then a great slide show, recapping our week's fun, was played for everyone to enjoy. Then it was time to say thank you and goodbye before boarding the buses and heading home.
Thank you to the friends and family members who have been checking the photos. It came to my attention that it was taking a lot of time to load photos from the link so I have gone ahead and separated the photos from Sunday to Tuesday and then Wednesday thru Friday. Since these are two different links it should be faster to upload and view. We hope you enjoy the photos and please share them with your campers.
Now that I have had a little time to catch some sleep, I need to say thank you as well. First of all to the camp staff, thank you for all your patience, knowledge, and guidance with our youth. As always you did a spectacular job in every aspect. To Myra and Vicki, our Robeson County volunteers, thank you does not cover it. You walked on to the buses and kept control, tried everything there was to try at camp, and even took a hike in the woods, and loved every moment, and still want to go back next year for another adventure. You kept us on our toes, laughing, and enjoying. To Chris and Julia it is now a tradition that we all camp together and I can't imagine camp without your enthusiasm and humor. To my fellow 4-H agents, Lauren and Michelle, I know this is our job, but weeks like this have made it my pleasure.
Most importantly, thank you to the parents, campers and sponsors. Without all of you this week would not have been possible. We hope you will consider camping with us again and sharing your camp comments either on the blog or via e-mail or phone because we would love to hear what you have to say. Thank you again for this year.

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Packing it in.

Unfortunately all our fun had to start winding down at some point and after another action packed day, tonight's festivities were the perfect way to start saying good-bye.

After another full day of traditional camp activities like swimming, archery and canoeing as well as some non-traditional activities like GPS challenge, repelling, and corn husking, our campers were ready for the big evening finale.
After dinner we held our traditional Thursday night dance. While some enjoyed the toe tapping music, others took advantage of the night to play a few games with their newfound friends. Everyone had the chance to enjoy snow cones made by the L.I.T.'s (Leaders In Training) and cool off from the heat generated by all the fast paced songs.

After the dance we had our final campfire complete with a fireworks display. What a better way to end a terrific week. The campers headed back to their cabins to pack and exchange addresses and phone numbers. While the volunteers and staff took a few minutes to recap the week's funniest moments (sorry we can't repeat it because what happens at camp stays at camp), which I am sure campers will repeat the moment we arrive home on Friday.

Just a quick note to all the parents, family members and friends who have been checking our blog, photo web site, and sending e-mails to our campers, thank you. Not only for sending your child on this wonderful adventure but for supporting them through encouraging words and laughter as you watched the shenanigans so far away from home. We hope everyone feels like this was a wonderful experience and we hope your camper will consider coming back with us next year. Keep an eye on our blog because we will let you know as soon as we have dates and prices for 2009.

All our campers are sound asleep right now. In the morning we will pack up and head home. Tune in again tomorrow for our last 2008 4-H camp update, and all the updates of future 4-H programs.