Robeson County 4-H

Our last day at camp is always bittersweet. As one camper said to me this morning, "I have mixed feelings. I miss my family and will be glad to see them but I have so many friends here and I have so much fun, I don't want to go. I wish there was a way to have it all." Knowing we can't have it all our campers got up this morning, packed up, cleaned the cabins and headed to breakfast. After bacon egg and cheese English muffins and hash browns everyone headed to the Rec Hall for a fashion show, awards, and the slide show. The fashion show is a compilation of items that are in the lost and found. If it is yours you hope you claim it before Damien puts it on to model it. Then it was time for each group; Head, Heart, Hands, Health, Earth, Sun, Adventurers, and Trekkers, to take the stage. Each set of counselors gave an award to each camper and L.I.T that fit their specific personality or skills. Awards included the "Mouth of the South", "Yes, I'll Try I...

Our last full day of camp started with new adventures. We awoke to our usual schedule of chores, breakfast and flag raising before hitting the trail. Some of us hit the rock wall while older campers headed up to the ropes course. Of course there was archery, swimming, and horses built into the schedule because that seems to be every one's favorite. Of course we went canoeing and even got to pick our most favorite of activities to do during the day. By camp store the Trekkers had returned. Our $15 in the camp store went to food, stuffed animals, water bottles, and other sundries. We spent it all on the last day and cleaned some shelves for them. Of course the real talk of the day was the evening activity. Girls and boys were talking about who should ask who, and who did ask who, and who said yes, and who said no to invitations to the dance. It was all the talk at camp. Of course our personal D. J. Damien cranked the dance tunes for those in the Rec. Hall. If dancing wasn't your ...

For those of you at home who are keeping track Wednesday marks day four away from home . It also means we need to hurry up and do all the activities we need to do before it is time to go home on Friday. So you will understand why our day is so jammed packed with fun. Let's start with our two oldest groups the Adventurers and Trekkers. The Adventurers had spent Tuesday night at the outpost sleeping in tents. They cooked meals over a campfire and had the opportunity to learn how to use gps technology during the day as well as doing crafts. This group came back in time for the talent show because they had participants in the show. Our Trekkers left after breakfast to do some canoeing and then make their way to Pilot Mountain tomorrow where they will do some climbing. Back at camp our younger campers were doing more traditional things. For example there was some creek stomping going on as campers learned about bugs and fossils today. They also got to play all sorts of games like kick...

By Tuesday we had the schedule figured out , the camp figured out, the system in place and everyone relaxed and just started having a really good time. After waking up, doing chores (yes each cabin assigns chores and our campers do them bright and early in the morning), and eating breakfast the fun seriously began. For our younger youth the traditional activities like archery, swimming, canoeing, and crafts took place before lunch. Not mention a really wicked game of kickball. For our older youth there were horses and for the adventurers there was team courses and ground inititives (also known as the high ropes) as they prepared for their camp out. Of course the Trekkers were in the lake practicing canoe skills which they will need on their trip coming up later in the week. After a lunch of meatball subs, salad, and mozzarella cheese sticks we headed back out. Our younger youth checked out the horses and finished their rotation on the other traditional activities while the Trekkers hi...

Who knew that so much fun and excitement could be packed into one day? We started very early at 7:30 am with our first breakfast. There are actually so many campers that we take shifts when we eat. After the first breakfast everyone comes together for flag raising at 8:15 and then second breakfast is at 8:20 am. When you are not eating you are in the cabins cleaning, hoping that your cabin will be so clean that the cabin inspectors will grace you with the golden faucet award or the silver toilet seat (for second runner up). After cabin clean up it is time to hit the trail as we start our activities. Morning activities were based on age and group. For example the Head group worked on crafts for the first hour of the day while Heart and Hands went to the pool. Some were canoeing, horseback riding, or learning how to shoot arrows with a bow also known as archery. During the day they switched activities so everyone will get a chance to do everything. Lunch time was welcome as our hungry ...

It is that time of year again. The time when youth get excited to leave mom and dad, and let's face it mom and dad get a little camp sick. That's right today is the first day of our 4-H week long overnight camping adventure at Betsy Jeff Penn (BJP) 4-H Educational Center in Reidsville, NC. The day started early for our families and volunteers. 8:30 am we opened the doors for registration and the they came flooding in. We got everyone registered, paperwork finished, medicines collected and then sat down for camp talk. While parents waited they viewed a PowerPoint presentation that we made to introduce families to the camp experience. Then we introduced the staff that helped check them in and the wonderful volunteers and Leaders in Training (L.I.T.s) that were going with us. After a few brief questions and letting all our youth know there were no T.V.s or video games for the next week (which did cause some commotion), we boarded the buses and headed west. Our first ...

Tuesday morning of 4-H Congress started very early for those in Raleigh and at home. Thanks to Joyce Peay, organizational leader of the Voices in Praise 4-H Club and Penny McCartney our 4-H Secretary we were able to get a load of people to Raleigh for competition on the state level. Making the 6 am trip were; Jamal Bennett, Michicko Hill, Jaylyn McNair, Jeshaiah Moore, Camry Ocean, and Tyron Powell. Not to mention the cheering section that came with them. Congress delegates who were competing that day included; Shawndora McNair and Shabreya Vample. We all met at Athens Drive High School for the big event. Everyone fanned out and piled into rooms to cheer on our Robeson County competitors. Jaylyn McNair, his father and Aunt were at McKimmon Center with the other outdoor cooking competitors. Jaylyn was competing in beef cookery, making his famous burgers. Back at the High School Shawndora McNair was the first one to compete in Health and Fitness with her presentation on Asthm...

Our first day at State 4-H Congress started with lights, music and incredible accolades. We left Robeson County early in the morning to head to Raleigh. After going through a rather painless check in process for our delegation of 10 we headed to cook out for lunch. Then the fun began as we came back to Bragaw Residence Hall on the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Campus to find our rooms and unload the van and trailer. After getting it all unloaded (trust me that took us awhile) we headed to park the trailer for the week and then back to McKimmon for the start of Congress. In the meantime Penny McCartney left Robeson County with Frankie Farbotko, the coach of our first ever 4-H Poultry Judging Team, and the members of the team. The team is made up of the winners from the 4-H Poultry Judging Competition at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair in 2010. Team members included Katy Patterson, Dustin Nance, Rosie Diaz, and Jackie Cuneo. Two are from Lumberton High School an...

As many of you know we just finished celebrating our 4-H Centennial. With 100 years behind us it is important to reflect were we have been so we know where we are going. Many people think 4-H is about cows and cooking and sure enough when we began it was all about agriculture, boys corn clubs and girls canning clubs. To learn more about how 4-H began and where are roots started click here to watch a brief video about the history of 4-H. As I mentioned 4-H began in North Carolina more than 100 years ago. We have a strong 4-H past and present to learn more about the power of 4-H in North Carolina click here to watch a brief video about 4-H in North Carolina. With all this talk about centennial celebrations you might be wondering when Robeson County celebrates their centennial . As it so happens Robeson County had one of the first organized 4-H programs in the state of North Carolina. Just three years after the program started, Robeson County started an organized youth program...

Extension has partnered with the Robesonian to publish a news article each week. This week I had the opportunity to write about something timely. What could be more timely than our Summer Camp opportunities and what they mean to youth? Below is the article that was printed in Wednesday's Robesonian. You may click here to go to the online version of the story or read below. " Have you ever felt like you are stepping into an oven when you walk outside? With days that reach into the triple digits, I find myself reflecting on my youth when I thought things were cooler. However, after a recent discussion with friends, I have found things probably weren’t cooler; I was having so much fun outside I really didn’t feel the heat. That leads me to think about how I spent my summers as a child. My main activity that I looked forward to from year to year was summer camp. Now many of you who know me may not believe this, but my parents sent me to overnight camp wit...

The following message was sent by National 4-H and we wanted to share it with you. Please be advised to play you must be 18 years old or over. "Want the chance to win tickets to the 2011 Major League Baseball World Series and help 4-H win $25,000? You have a chance to do both just by visiting the State Farm Go To Bat website ! For the second year in a row, State Farm has selected National 4-H Council as one of the organizations to be a part of their Go To Bat program with Major League Baseball (MLB). The promotion started July 11th and will continue through the rest of the regular MLB season (September 28). Follow the instructions on the Go To Bat site which include playing a virtual home run derby and for every home run you hit, it counts as a point (entry) for you and 4-H. The charity (team) with the best collective batting average wins a weekly prize of $18,000 for the charity. Additionally, if your team wins, you are entered into a weekly drawing to win a trip ...

Sitting down in any formal setting can be nerve wracking and when you are trying to make a good impression but not sure what utensil to eat with what do you do? Pick up your cell phone and call a friend for help? Send a text message or a quick plea for advice to Facebook friends? Having a quick shot of self confidence can help you land that perfect job, or college placement. That is exactly what Christy Strickland, Family Consumer Science (FCS) Extension Agent and Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent with the Robeson County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service tried to do for almost 40 youth and adults taking part in the Upward Bound Program (UBP) at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP) tonight. Youth learned the basics of handshakes and introductions, on-line and cell phone manners, the art of the conversation, and how to set a table. With each lesson came time for hands on practice and critique. The most important les...

Robeson County made the trip to the big horse show this year for the first time in more than a decade. Boy oh boy did our members make a show! The State 4-H Horse Show takes place in Raleigh at the Horse complex. On Wednesday Megan Butler, of the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club, took the trip and competed in several events. This is the first state show for Megan and for the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club. She had more than 23 competitors in her division. Megan competed in Junior Barrel Race, Junior Texas Barrels, Flag Race, Pole Bending, Stake Race. All of these are speed competitions. In the flag competition Megan placed 10th which is a wonderful accomplishment. On Sunday Chasity McClay, who is also a member of the St. Paul's 4-H pony club competed in Dressage on Sunday morning. In Chasity's first time in the ring at the state show she competed in USDF Intro A and B. Both categories are part of dressage. Dressage is a competitive path and destination training category t...