Author: Brandon Darst
Planning Unit: Madison County CES
Major Program: Camping
Plan of Work: Fostering Healthy Communities and Families
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
This year Madison County 4-H was blessed to be able to camp at full capacity. After not camping in 2020 due to COVID, then 1/2 capacity in 2021, we were concerned if we would be able to camp with the numbers we used to have over the years. We knew it was going to be a rebuilding year so we prepared for the worst but worked hard to be able to fill up the camp. Historically, Madison County has been able to camp by ourselves because we can fill it so that was our goal. And the Madison County CES, was hoping for the task. The whole office had a hand in helping get prepared for camp. We had a 3rd largest camping size for our county!! Our Ag agent attended and loved it; our FCS agent attended and loved it, and our Hort agent came down to help. Great team effort. Usually when we write Success Stories, we talked about numbers and the larger picture. For me personally, this year’s camp meant a whole lot more for me. Over the years my job has taking me away from my growing family. It seemed like I waited forever for my own children to join me in 4-H activities. I couldn’t wait to share my love of camp with them. So now all three children can join me. My oldest two love it!! They can’t wait to attend every summer. However, my youngest and my biggest critic did not love the idea of 4-H Camp. She came the year it rained so much, then we didn’t camp in 2020, and 2021 it was a full camp so her view of camp was skewed. This year she put up a big fight. She was adamant she was not going; but I made her. She was not happy about. Despite her efforts to sabotage me making her go to camp, she couldn’t resist the pull of the Clover! At camp, I watched this girl lead camp chants, battle in the GAGA Pit, win sack races, and even Sallying right down that Alley. She absolutely had a blast. I never once said, “I told you so” but I just let her soak up those memories of 2022 4-H Camp. This is a huge win for me!! My biggest marketing scheme for camp is that all three of my children go and their friends go. It’s also a win because 4-H Camp meant so much to me as a child so I’m so blessed to have a career to pass that legacy down to my own children. Her text message to me announcing she will be coming back to camp says it all.
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