By Laura Allen

Rowan County 4-H Agent

Does your child love horseback riding, archery, swimming, arts and crafts, rock/wall climbing, ropes courses, canoeing, nature exploration, campfires, games, slip n’ slides, making friends, having fun and more? If so, 4-H Camp is the place to be this summer.

Rowan County 4-H will be taking youth ages 8-14 (as of Jan. 1) to residential 4-H Camp on June 28-July 3 at Betsy-Jeff Penn camping facility in Reidsville. Betsy-Jeff Penn is a fully staffed camping facility and is accredited through the American Camp Association. This camp is open to current 4-H’ers and non-4-H’ers as well. For the best rate, you must register through Rowan County 4-H. 

Here are some camp details, provided by the Betsy-Jeff Penn website, bjpenn4h.org:
Campers are put into co-ed activity groups according to age and request and activity. 

Groups stay together throughout the day, participating in various camp activities and sharing meal times. Campers sleep in modern, two-story cabins with single-sex living quarters, multiple indoor showers, and restroom facilities.

Each cabin houses up to 26 participants with at three counselors per cabin to provide steady and safe supervision. Campers are required to bring their own sleeping bags or bed linens, as well as clothing and toiletries.

As for food, nutritious, balanced menus are served family-style; three times a day. Snacks and juice are served mid-mornings and evenings. And the camp store is also open in the afternoons for ice cream, soft drinks, snacks and souvenirs. All residential campers receive a free camp T-shirt and a camp store card.

Residential 4-H Camp costs $420. For current Rowan County 4-H’ers who have been active in 4-H for at least six months, Rowan County 4-H will cover $45 per camper; this makes the family cost $375. All other attendees who register with Rowan County 4-H must pay the entire cost of $420. If campers want to attend and do not go through the 4-H office and instead register directly with Betsy-Jeff Penn, it will cost $495.

Rowan County 4-H has applied for grants to help provide scholarships for youth to attend 4-H Camp. If these grants are awarded, scholarship applications will then become available. Rowan County 4-H is also accepting any local donations from businesses or individuals who would like to help offset the cost of 4-H Camp for attendees. 

If your child plans to attend 4-H Camp with Rowan County 4-H, a $150 non-refundable deposit is due to Rowan County Cooperative Extension by Wednesday, March 25. Checks should be made out to Rowan CES. This deposit must be turned in, along with a registration form that can be found at the Rowan County Cooperative Extension website or by using this link: 

https://rowan.ces.ncsu.edu/2019/02/rowan-county-4-h-attending-4-h-camp-july-7-12-2019/  

The remaining balance is due by Tuesday, June 2. A required camp meeting must be attended on Tuesday, June 2 at 6 p.m. at the Rowan County Extension Center for all those who are attending 4-H camp. This meeting is for the camp participant and at least one parent/guardian. Additional camping forms will need to be filled out, but will be sent to those who register by March 25. 

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact 4-H Agent Laura Allen at laura_allen@ncsu.edu or 704-216-8970. You can also come by Rowan County Cooperative Extension for more information.

Rowan County Cooperative Extension is located at 2727-A Old Concord Road Salisbury, NC 28146.