Registration ongoing for Trimble 4-H campers, counselors

Registration for the 2024 Trimble County 4-H Camp is now open for campers, counselors in training (CIT), teen leaders, and adult leaders. All are encouraged to apply and be part of this week-long camp adventure.

The camp will be held from July 29 through Aug. 2 at the Lake Cumberland 4-H Center in Nancy, Kentucky. Everyone must report to the Trimble County Board Office on July 29 by 7 a.m., with departure at 8 a.m. there. On Aug. 2, everyone will return to the school board office at approximately 4:30 p.m.

This camp is for children ages nine through 14. Campers will also be asked for input to choose any of the eight staff-led classes and the seven extra county-led classes before camp begins. They are instructed to rank each class with a number of 1-16; One will be their absolute favorite and 16 will be their least favorite class.

According to Ralph Hance, the 4-H youth development agent, this will be the second year that students will be able to pick their classes. They will receive a copy of the class sign ups when they become registered for the camp.

“Before camp, we’ll break them down into classes,” Hance said. “There’s four classes a day. Specific classes can only hold so many people based on the instructors.” The campers will be taking these same four classes on the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of their week long camp.

“We set up our schedule so jam-packed that we don’t have a lot of downtime where kids are gonna want to sit and play video games or watch tv and different stuff,” Hance said.

A few new additions to camp this year will be a shotgun class and shooting sports. This will be the first time this has been done at the 4-H Camp. Campers will be able to shoot 12 to 20 gauge shotguns and all materials will be provided.

These classes will start at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and will end at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. The campers will then be involved in group activities that will be separated into two groups. After dinner, they’ll then participate in group activities, such as field games or a talent show. The evening will end at the Shelter House with group dancing, skits, and more activities before bedtime.

“Our motto is … camp is for the camper. We want to make sure the campers have a fun time and a safe learning experience … that they can experience a little bit about everything 4-H and get to do as much as we can,” Hance said.

Camp cost is $150. Details are in the February newsletter, the office’s Facebook page, or on the Trimble Extension Office’s website. According to Hance, applications can be filled out in person or online.

When clicking the RSVP form, applicants will also have to make a $25 non-refundable deposit by the time of reservation either in person at the office or by PayPal. Reservations are due July 8 if by check and July 15 if by cash. Parents can also sign up for a $50 scholarship which are available for those who request financial assistance. These scholarships are limited to one per family.

Once this form has been filled out, the camper and their parents will receive an information packet for parents and the sign up class for campers. All rules and regulations are in the informational packet, such as what to bring and what isn’t allowed.

At the 4-H Camp, there are three different types of camp counselors. The first is the counselors in training (CIT) that are 14-15 years old. Campers are given this option to be put in a leadership role if they no longer wish to be a camper. However, although they are given a counselor role, they will be tasked with helping the teen leaders.

“We can’t give them full responsibilities, as to take the kids and travel and do this. But we can give them certain responsibilities underneath the teen leadership guidance and the adults,” Hance said. “And to help organize the kids, get them up in the mornings, help to learn how to pick up after themselves and clean up their own areas, and different things that some of the kids never experienced.”

The second kind of camp counselors are the teen leaders, who are ages 16-17. “They are kind of given a little more responsibility over helping the kids get up on time, helping them get to and from classes, making sure that everyone is there in their groups and no one gets lost,” Hance said.

According to Hance, all CIT and teen leaders have to register every year for a counselor position. The application is on the office’s website and is due by the end of March. All first time CIT or teen leaders also have to be interviewed by Hance at the beginning of April.

The third kind of counselors is the adult leaders, age 18 and older, and they must clear a national Child Abuse/Neglect (CAN) background check and complete the volunteer application process online or available for pick up in person at the office.

They will then go before the Youth Protection Committee to be approved as a volunteer. The adults will be responsible for the teen leaders, just as the teen leaders are responsible for the CITs.

The adult and teen leaders must undergo 24 hours of training before going to the camp including different age stages, learning developments, how to handle homesickness, how to discipline and more.

“We encourage all our volunteers to never be alone with a child for their protection and the child’s as well,” Hance said. “We always try to make sure everyone is in groups of three or more just for protection for everyone to make sure nothing happens.”

For this year, all camp counselors will be required to be part of an overnight training at the camp in early July. “We’ll go down to camp and spend the weekend in between camping groups and do some on camp training,” Hance said.

One of Hance’s goals for this year is to beat their all time record in 2019 of having 152 campers attend. He is hoping for another record breaking year, shooting for 175 in attendance.