Our First Full Day!

Mother Nature had a little surprise for our campers when they woke up this morning at Betsy Jeff Penn, rain.  However, getting a little wet was going to stop anyone this morning.  Our campers awoke refreshed and raring to go...go to breakfast that is.  Biscuits, bacon, and eggs were on the menu along with some fresh fruit.  After plenty of nourishment it was time to clean up cabins.  For those of you at home, it may just seem like chores but for our campers it is a major competition.  You see each day when the campers head to morning activities the cabins are inspected.  The top three cleanest cabins get the coveted prizes of the golden faucet, silver toilet seat, and the bronze toothbrush.  The bragging rights to go along with each prize are also coveted so the campers work hard to make sure their cabins are ship shape.
  Campers who were going to get wet anyway didn't mind being out in the rain.  Our campers went swimming in the pool, hiking to the beaver pond, and took parts in arts and crafts.  The oldest campers, the adventurers and trekkers hit the lake to practice their canoeing skills.  Some campers got to go horse back riding and some hit the rec hall for games instead of the rock wall, because it was a little slippery.
  Before we knew it it was time for lunch.  Pizza, carrot sticks and celery were on the menu and if that wasn't your favorite there was always the salad bar.  The afternoon was filled with fun activities that included creek stomping, fishing, and ropes for our older campers. 
Of course a favorite for everyone is camp store.  Each camper can purchase a snack (ice cream, chips, or cookies) and a drink each day.  Can we just say everyone was happy with ice cream, lots of ice cream.  After spending a few minutes socializing it was time to head back out into the world.
  Once again dinner was upon us before we knew it.  Taco night went over really well.  You could fix your own hard shell or soft with black beans, corn, chips, cheese, beef, lettuce....let's just stop here and say it was so good.  If the smiles on these faces aren't enough to convince you of that please know dessert was homemade chocolate brownies.  YUM! 
Since the flag did not get raised in the rain, flag lowering did not involve a flag.  However at this time we did find out that Cabin Six won the golden faucet and they better be careful because other cabins are gunning for them now. 
  Tonights activity involved water sports for part of the group and the pioneer cabin for the rest.  At water sports there was a slip and slide, water games, the pool, and lake.   At the pioneer cabin the campers played games, worked on team building, and got to eat s'mores with marshmallows they roasted themselves.
If you are thinking this is a packed day you would be right.  Our campers headed back to their cabins for showers and headed to bed.  After all full day two has a lot more to offer and we need to get our beauty rest.   

More Than One 4-H Camp?

Day campers arrived at the office today to find out they were headed to another popular 4-H camp, Millstone.  Located in Ellerbee, Millstone is a rustic 4-H camp that offers all the traditional camp activities such as archery, canoeing, and swimming.  Also on the calendar for the week will be ropes courses, games, and arts and crafts.
Today Joanna Rogers, 4-H Expanded Foods and Nutrition Education Program Assistant took our youth to this day camp.  Once they got there they met youth from several other counties such as Hoke, Montgomery, and Anson.  They started by getting to know each
other in the Rec Hall before splitting up into their groups for the week.
Each group has their own counselor and some even have LIT's (Leaders in Training) to help out.
Today's schedule included, arts and crafts, team building, pool time, lunch, and OLS.  The campers got a chance to know each other, make new friends, and just plain have fun.  At one point the storm clouds kept some of the campers out of the pool, but you couldn't stop their spirit as they learned camp songs and sang them at the top of their lungs.
This group of campers is headed back tomorrow for another day of fun and adventure.

We Made It!

  It was an early morning as our campers loaded luggage and themselves on the bus and we headed to Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H Camp.  After picking up the group from Richmond County we headed straight to Asheboro, and enjoyed lunch at Golden Corral.  Everyone had real food first (some of us two, three, and possibly even four helpings) before getting some dessert.  By the time we got done our bellies were full and we were ready to get back on the bus and nap while we headed to camp.
  When we got to camp two counselor got on the bus and told us everything we needed to know.  Well at least for our first ten minutes.  We got our stuff unloaded and headed to the designated spots; boys to the arts and crafts area, girls the top of the steps.  Then we headed to the flag pole to grab our paperwork and went in the rec hall to find out where we would be staying for the next five days. 
  Our younger youth are in the Head and Heart groups, as they get older they were assigned to Hands, Health, Earth, or for the oldest Adventurer, Trekker.  Their cabin assignments correlate with their groups (with the exception that boys sleep on one side of the camp and girls on the other-during the day everything they do is coed).  Once we moved in we started cabin introductions and making new friends.  There was also a quick tour around camp so that we would have a better idea of everywhere we are headed.
  Before we knew it it was time for dinner.  We had a cookout with hotdogs, slaw, baked beans, potato chips, watermelon, and cookies.  We got to eat in the ball field and as we got done we played all sorts of games.  Some of us found friends we made on the bus and checked out their thoughts on their cabin and the upcoming weekly schedule.  Some of us just posed for photos, because it was just fun.

  We made the brief trek to the rec hall to learn about all the things we needed to know while at camp.  If there is bad weather or a fire there is a horn that sounds and if we hear it we know to head to the rec hall.  We met the entire camp staff, the agents, and well just about everyone we hadn't already met.  Then we all got up and danced.
  When dancing was over it was time to head to our first official camp fire.  We learned that if the head counselor Jimmy builds the fire he wants it as tall as he is and really really hot.  We sang songs, listened to stories and were entertained by the skits that the staff did.  Campfire was fun and not long enough.  Again before we knew it we were headed back to our cabins for the night to shower and climb into bed.  We need to get to sleep quick so we can see all the fun tomorrow has to offer.