Do you remember back when you when to 4-H camp?
As a girl, you struggled to put three changes of clothes and shoes per day, a hair dryer, hair curler and all aspects of make-up into one small bag.
As a boy, you only took one change of clothes per day, one pair of shoes and definitely not enough underwear to last a week.
Well, the years have passed, but the times have not. On June 13, 90 fifth- and sixth-graders from Bryan County packed up their bags and boarded buses headed for Eatonton – home of Rock Eagle 4-H Camp – for a full week of fun.
Quite a few of our campers were going away from home, as well as mom and dad, for a week for the first time in their lives. And a few did experience the pangs of homesickness, but not for long.
Camp counselors kept the 4-H’ers hopping with classes and activities, such as sailing, canoeing, arts and crafts, cooking, archery, conservation, high ropes, swimming, putt-putt and more. Campers spent time hiking nature trails, learning about southeastern Native American history, water sliding and making new friends.
Bryan County 4-H’ers joined 800 other students from across the state for the week of camp. Campers were divided into three tribes that competed during the week to win the coveted Tribal Shield that Friday morning. Each tribe had its own colors, symbols, counselors and cabin areas. Bryan County was in the Shawnee Tribe but unfortunately did not bring the Tribal Shield home.
Bryan County 4-H’ers who braved the heat and endured the week of camp included: Megan Addington, Alexandria Allbritton, Sarah Anderson, Jacques Arlow, Victoria Baker, Tamara Barnard, Vivi Bayens, Chyenne Bell, Shannon Berry, Kaytlynn Bibb, Aysia Blackman, Madison Blanton, Cassidy Bradshaw, DeSeana Brockington, Makaylah Brown, Baylee Bunton, Cayleigh Burgdorf, Sophie Burgess, Bray Butler and Darcy Button.
Also, Laine Christian, Kinsley Clements, Leslie Cloy, Jordan Cook, Nick Cooper, Trinity Curry, Sydney DeLong, Christopher Denton, Robert Denton, Sarah Depenhart, Krista DuBose, P.J. Fisher, Jaqueline Foley, Mackenzie Frei, Kelly Futch, Zaurya Gant, Briyanna Gardner, Sara Kate Garrett, Alyssa Gholston, Lanie Gibson, Bailey Gillespie, Mackenzie Gilliland and William Graham.
Also, Haleigh Hamilton, Cailin Hammond, Lizzie Harris, Hunter Haynes, Jameson Hearn, Jessica Hodge, Anastasia Holmes, Logan Huggins, Emma Hyer, Bridget Hylemon, Madison Kirkland, Madison Kornegay, Nathan Lewis, Hailey Martin, Madeline Martinson, Robert Michael, Camden Mulkey, Jena Murph, Madison Myrick, Cecilia Newsome and Madison Owenby.
And Kaitlyn Page, Janalin Parsons, Keira Petermann, Mathew Poythress, Rachel Quayle, Hailey Rey, Abbie Roy, Christina Rymer, Ben Sarver, Tristen Schwind, Jacey Shanholtzer, Will Shuman, Stacie Souls, Zachary Stender, Gavin Swiney, Alyssa Talley, William Taylor, Zachery Turner, Shawn Warren, Xavier Warren, Summer Whitsell, Jalynn Williams, David Williamson, Jared Windsor, Nathan Woods and Hayley Wrenn.
Attending with the campers was Shanna Davis, Bryan County Extension coordinator and 4-H agent; Don Gardner, Bryan County Extension agent; Becky Stewart, program assistant; Beverly Morris, volunteer; Barbara DuBose, secretary; and teen leaders Zachary Stewart, Gabby Moore, Josh Neagley, Dustyn Stewart, Helena Parsons, Lindsey Stewart and Allison Waters.
Georgia 4-H is a program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension System.
For more information about Bryan County 4-H, please call 653-2231.