Camp Approaches

As I told mom, I have been taking pictures and contemplating a blog entry in my mind for months now, I just haven't gotten around to doing it. So now, on the night before camp begins, I decided to throw something out to you all before I drop from sight for the next ten weeks.

It's been a busy spring here in Abingdon and at the 4-H Center. Since March, we have had three Elderhostels, one week of State Staff Training, one week of staff training, one board meeting, one Serve-Safe class for foodservice workers from the area, a teen and adult volunteer training weekend, three groups of foster kids on the ropes course and, starting tomorrow, camp!

In early March, we hosted 18 hammered and lap dulcimer players from as far away as California and as close as North Carolina. It's a program we do every year, and this year we had several repeat customers. Apparently, most Elderhostel sites don't get many repeats....we do. It seems the hostile elders like our approach of quality over quantity, the individual family atmosphere we achieve with our smaller groups.

A few weeks later, we had another Elderhostel, this time working with the local Hysterical Society to put together tours and lectures on the history of the area. We visited the Museum of the Middle Appalachians in Saltiville, several restored historical homes in Abingdon, and had an interesting tour of the oldest cemetary in town. It's actually two cemetaries...one for the whites, and one for slaves across the road. We took a walking tour of downtown Abingdon, stopping behind the Cave House to see the cave that Daniel Boone supposedly named the town after, when it was known as Cave Hills. One of the more interesting activities was afternoon tea served up by the Daughters of the American Revolution - Blacks Fort Chapter. The ladies came in full period garb and in character, serving tea while telling stories. Sam and I had a laugh at our handling of the delicate china...I took pictures, but they're not on this computer, so I'll have to share them some other time.

About three weeks ago my camp staff and I drove to Holiday Lake 4-H Center in Appomatox for the annual State Staff Training event. The other five 4-H Center Program Directors and I had begun putting the event together several months prior at a three day retreat. It's a great event, camp staff from all over the state teaching each other new songs, new games, learning to teach classes...in short, a nerd-fest for "camp people". Everyone's a type-A and loves attention, a rowdy group.

Nate, PD at Holiday Lake, and I pose for a picture. Nate was in the Peace Corps in Bolivia.








Leading a group in a team building exercise.









Southwest leads all the other 4-H Center Staffs in a song before lunch.








Yes, we stil square dance at camp. Well, at State Staff anyway. Thing 1 & Thing 2 are on my staff.









Southwest leads a flag raising ceremony on the last morning.










Everyone's favorite (former) teen counselor, Megan Stephens, makes an appearance.





One or two familiar faces for Andrew. Bob Meadows, Associate Director of Virginia 4-H in the blue shirt, and Barry Garst (reddish shirt, no book), my boss, next to Bob. Andrew remembers Bucket and Bubbly Bob fondly, I'm sure...




With that, I'll close this post. I'll do another one on the last Elderhostel.