Elizabeth Nixon Wins State FFA Public Speaking Contest

CONGRATULATIONS to Elizabeth Nixon of Rapidan who won the Virginia FFA Public Speaking contest in Blacksburg this week.  Elizabeth’s speech, delivered in Burruss Hall at Virginia Tech, earned her a trip to the national contest in Indianapolis, IN, this fall.  We are so proud of you!  It was also nice that the livestock judging team was in town for their contest and they were able to watch the competition, too.  Way to go, Elizabeth!  (Elizabeth serves as President of the Livestock Club and was tapped as a 4-H All Star this month.)

The DANCE is in full swing!

What a great day to be at 4-H Camp!

Today is the perfect day at 4-H camp. It's was cool and sunny this morning and classes were in full swing. The horse basic class rode horses today. Rocketry started shooting off their rockets and the kids in canoeing are super anxious about the "flip" tomorrow. Last night we had Minute to Win It, you should have seen the kids doing those crazy games. This year our lunches are featuring local produce. Today we had the biggest blackberries I have ever seen. Looks like a great afternoon for swim and rec. Our lodges will be filled with excitement because tonight is "the dance". Our last night of campfire will help campers create memories that will last a lifetime! 444444….HHHHH!

What a Day!

Just as we broke for afternoon activities, some unwelcome visitors rolled into camp. Storm clouds! The first group at swimming was able to get wet in the pool, but that's about it! The storm was fast-moving, and we all took shelter, but swimming was not to be in the schedule for today. Campers received an extra hour of free time in the dorms and had a chance to get to know their new friends better.

Tonight's evening program more than made up for the loss this afternoon. Minute to Win It games were a HIT and got many, many campers involved in tasks such as stacking seven cupcakes on their forehead, resting dice on a popsicle stick held in their mouth, and knocking empty cans off a table by shooting rubber bands. Our adult volunteers served as game hosts and did a fantastic job of motivating the crowds. It's been hard to concentrate on this post because there is so much enthusiasm and cheering going on!!!

The Great Bears put together a memorable campfire experience last night and the teens had a funny house-building skit. The pack cheers have been a real hoot - especially that of the owls (pun intended) - and we're looking forward to another great event tonight.

The Sun is Shining and Fun is Everywhere!

Tuesday has started out great! The sun is shining and the heat is rising. WATER and sunscreen will be a priority today. Maybe Captain Health will visit us a lunch for an H2O reminder!! Campers are in classes and busy learning new things. Check out this photo from the Day Spa classes and their homemade pore cleaning strips.

Another Great Day of Camp Comes to an End!

The sun came out and the fun did too!!. Campers enjoyed time in the pool and on the rec fields this afternoon. After dinner, everyone headed out to the 4-H Camp Carnival! Teens and staff manned the booths and campers tried their luck at the duck pond, quarter drop, dunk booth and more. The day ended with another great campfire.

Day is Done, Gone the Sun...

The misty skies of this morning are long gone, but so is the afternoon sun for that matter. We had two great hours of swimming and recreation this afternoon, plus one of the best lunches the 4-H Center has served! Grilled chicken breast pita pockets with lettuce and tomato, herb-roasted potatoes, and fresh cherries! The Center is participating in a fresh local foods program and our campers are the ones who benefit.

Tonight's special program was a carnival, and it would have given a commercial outfit a run for its money! Lil K (Madison Extension Agent Kelly Mallory) planned a series of more than 20 carnival booths with many games and prizes. Putting a 4-H camp spin on popular games, we saw push-light bean bag tosses to mimic darts, a reverse dunk tank in which counselors received good soakings, ping pong toss to win Swedish fish instead of live goldfish, and a snack walk instead of a traditional cake walk. Other booths gave tickets as prizes, and those tickets could be turned in for a chance on bigger prizes. Brandon won $25 cold, hard cash, Hunter chose movie tickets, Josh earned a McDonalds gift card, and Zach chose to put a pie in the face of a staff member of his choosing tomorrow night. Laurel will be treated to a delivered dinner from town!

The teen counselors did an outstanding job of leading campfire, with fun, energetic songs, a wild and crazy them-thar story, and a visit from Captain Health in his stunning red cape as he reminded campers to wear sunscreen everyday and be safe around the pool. The campers pass along the message that they love you and miss you, but we are all having a great time and enjoying a great camp!

4-H Campers Have Class!

It's a "classy" bunch here at the Center. Here are some glimpses of what's been happening this morning. The woodworkers have sanded all their wooden pieces and will be ready to start building tomorrow. Day Spa participants made stress-relieving balloons and created skits about proper stress management. The cheerleaders had a cardio workout before learning their routines, and GPS students are learning to map waypoints and use their receivers.
In T-shirt art, they prepared for next week by making Independence Day celebration shirts. Throwing skills and the rules of the game were on the agenda for Ultimate Frisbee and basketball players worked hard, but fought somewhat of a losing battle due to basketballs that wouldn't hold air very long - we're working on that! Young fishermen and women had good luck (or should we say, skill) with catches, and the knitting group got started with their stitches.
The weather's cool, the skies are overcast, but the 4-H spirit is raging! We're having fun...hope you are, too! E-mails are pouring in - literally - but please remember to keep them positive and upbeat so our campers feel encouraged to be here!

A Little Rain Doesn't Dampen Our 4-H Spirit

So the rain did come, but we had a great time anyways. The campers had time for some free swim, and after a popcorn snack, they headed back to change. Great Bears Dimples and Bigfoot led a rousing campfire ceremony, including a new 4-H Camp song: Yo' Mama Don't Wear No Socks. Be sure to ask about this one when your campers return home. Check out this photo for a glimpse of the fun we are having!

Camp 2011

Camp 2011 is in full swing!  We had a great dinner of chicken tenders, mashed taters, fruit & cookies.    Campers are in the midst of swim test and eagerly waiting for the pool party.  The skies are a little cloudy but that won’t dampen their spirit.  Looking forward to a great campfire!

District 4-H Dairy Judging Contest - July 1

The 2011 Northern District 4-H Dairy Judging Contest will be held on Friday, July 1st in Augusta County. The contest will be hosted by Heiz Acres and Janney Holsteins. Check-in will begin at 9:00 AM at Heiz Acres and the contest will start at 9:30 AM. The contest is expected to conclude at 1:30 PM.

Teams will consist of three or four members. When four members are entered, the three members with the highest individual scores will be used for the team score. All contestants will judge two classes of Brown Swiss at Heiz Acres and four classes at Janney Holsteins. Divisions are available for juniors and seniors. Participants should bring their own lunch. Drinks and ice cream will be provided. To register please send an email to dwinston@vt.edu by noon on Thursday, June 30. There will be no registration fee.

Dairy Club Announces Pretty Animal Contest Theme

The Dairy Club sponsors the annual Pretty Animal Contest at the Orange County Fair, and they recently announced this year’s theme. 

“Country Living”

Consider this when planning your costume for the event.  Good luck!

URGENT! Host Families Needed for Final 4 Exchangees

Four international 4-H delegates to Virginia still need host families this summer – can you help???  We still have four delegates left who need placement -- two males and two females.

·         Raphael (male, age 18) from Austria needs two host famlies:  June 26 to July 17; and then July 7 to Aug. 7.

·         Pirmin (male, age 24) from Switzerland needs two host families:  June 26 to July 17; and July 17 to Aug. 7.

·         Kristina (female, age 19) from Austria needs one family:  July 31 to Aug. 19.

·         Neele (female, age 19) from Germany needs one family:  Oct. 23 to Nov. 13.

As you can see, time is of the essence, especially since the two boys are ARRIVING IN ONLY 2 WEEKS!  If you can host a delegate, or you know of someone who might be interested, please contact Virginia IFYE Coordinator Dottie Nelson at 276-617-1065 or e-mail dottieifyeyahoo.com.  All of these delegates speak wonderful English and are looking forward to learning about the American way of life and truly being a family member.

June Hoof Mates Meeting Cancelled

Due to the extensive activities surrounding this time of year when school lets out, the Hoof Mates meeting scheduled for June 8^th has been cancelled.  Enjoy an extra night with your family!

Community Service Opportunity: Dash for Trash

Dash for Trash is back again this year.  Have fun and help clean up the Town of Orange, and win cash prizes of up to $200 for your 4-H club!  The event will take place Saturday, June 18, and is sponsored by the Orange Downtown Alliance (click for more info).  Everything will be provided:  gloves, vests, bags, water, and even breakfast for all participants!  Please call 672-2540 or 672-0790 to register a team.  Last year participants collected nearly five pick-up loads of trash. 

Record Book Workshops Scheduled to Help Members Complete Required Books

Don’t forget that 4-H project animal record books must be up-to-date in order to show at the Orange County Fair, or at the time of state show entry for members with horse projects.  Record book workshops have been scheduled for Friday, June 17, from 9-10 a.m. and Tuesday, June 21, from 4-5 p.m. at the Extension office.  Please call the office to pre-register; these workshops are open to any 4-H’ers and/or parents and will provide time to work on record books, ask questions, etc.  Please take advantage of these opportunities to get help with your record book. 

Orange 4-H Program Featured on the County Schools' Website

Orange 4-H’s Kindergarten Dairy Day for Orange Elementary is featured on the Orange County Public Schools’ website today.  Visit www.ocss-va.org to learn about the trip and see Orange 4-H’er and Virginia Dairy Duchess Molly Elgin with Kindergarten students.