Local 4-H news for the week of June 25

By Kevin Tatum 

CLOVERLEAF 4-H CAMP

The week of June 4-8, 43 Cloverleaf 4-H members, teen leaders, and adult chaperones traveled to Jekyll Island, Georgia, to spend the week at Camp Jekyll for Cloverleaf 4-H Camp. The week was filled with new adventures for campers like canoeing, seining in the ocean, walking in the marsh, riding bicycles around the island, and for some, their first time spending four nights away from their parents.

The daytime schedules usually included morning workshops, such as bicycle ride, marsh walk, seining, maritime forest exploration, herpetology, and canoeing. Afternoons could be swimming in the ocean, exploring the Millionaire's Village, driftwood beach, or Jekyll shops, and spending the afternoon at Summer Waves Water Park. Evenings included activities like recreation including basketball, volleyball, corn hole, dancing, and much more, or taking a walk on the beach for a time of reflection, or maybe enjoying the camp counselors putting on a variety show.

Cabin 4 girls were recognized twice for having the cleanest cabin.

All in all, we had a great week, met some wonderful 4-H members and leaders from all across the state, and had a lot of fun doing it.

We would like to thank the local businesses, civic clubs, and individuals who supported the 4‑H Camp Scholarship Program this year. Your contributions of over $4,000 helped sixteen students have the opportunity to experience a week of camp, either at Camp Jekyll, Fortson 4-H Center or at Rock Eagle. Your contributions are greatly appreciated by the 4-H members, their parents, and our staff. Donors include Ameris Bank, Colony Bank, Douglas Kiwanis Club, Douglas Lions Club, Douglas National Bank, Douglas Rotary Club, First National Bank of Coffee County, the Great Promise Partnership Grant.

STATE 4-H COUNCIL

This past weekend, Coffee County had eleven 4-H members attend the Georgia 4‑H State Council meeting at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. At the weekend conference, 4-H members could participate in workshops, compete in the Georgia 4-H Iron Clover competition, 17-year-olds and older could participate in the annual 4-H Citizenship Ceremony, enjoy the entertainment of Georgia 4-H Clovers and Co., and have fun at the Saturday night dance. In addition to all of this, the 4-H members elected the 2018-2019 Georgia 4-H State Board of Directors.

4-H members who attended the conference included Ashton Ates, Savannah Cothern, Amelia Crockett, Bethany Grace Land, Alexandra Rivero, Willie Spence, Justin Strickland, Olivia Thomas, Sariah Wells, Micheal Woods, and Evie Woodward. They were chaperoned by AmeriCorps Member Mrs. Chalanda Woods.

Before the event started on Friday, Savannah Cothern and Abby Hamilton competed in the cooking contest for State 4-H Congress (which is the end of July). Since the event location for State Congress does not have kitchen facilities like Rock Eagle, the cooking projects are held before the start of State Council each year at Rock Eagle. Both of these young ladies are competing in the Dairy Foods project.

We also have Anna Grace Grantham selected for an interview in the Georgia 4-H Dean's Award competition in the Communication and the Arts project area. She submitted a cumulative portfolio on her 4-H career in May and was selected as six candidates for an interview.

We would also like to congratulate Evie Woodward for her role in serving on the State 4-H Board of Directors. Evie was elected at last year's State Council, inducted at State Congress, and will serve through the close of this year's State Congress.

If you have questions about the Coffee County 4-H Club program or questions around the farm or home, please feel free to contact the Coffee County Extension office at (912) 384-1402. Remember, we are YOUR local connection to the University of Georgia.

(L-R): Top row: 4-H members explore driftwood beach at Jekyll Island during 4-H camp., Reese Weathers holds a blue crab that the 4-H members caught in the seining class at 4-H camp.; Bottom row: 4-H members learn about reptiles in the herpetology class at Tidelands Nature Center on Jekyll Island., 4-H members climb the big tree in the maritime forest at Camp Jekyll.

(L-R): Top row: Part of the yellow crew take part in the tug of war contest at Wednesday evening’s games at 4-H camp., 4-H members learn to sein in the edge of the ocean during one of their workshops at camp.; Bottom row: 4-H members learn about the Georgia marshland during a walk in the marsh at 4-H camp. Free mud baths available., Each color crew built a sand sculptor using their camp counselor as the base during Tuesday evenings events at 4-H camp.

(L-R): IT’S SWIM TIME AT 4-H CAMP!  4-H members love their time swimming in the ocean., 4-H members were able to canoe at the Tidelands Nature Center during one of their morning workshops. Part of Georgia 4-H’s outdoor classroom., One of 4-H camp’s workshop was a bicycle ride around the trails of Jekyll Island. This was a new experience for some of these 4-H members.