By Laura Allen

Rowan County 4-H agent

Does your child love swimming, arts and crafts, horseback riding, archery, rock or 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 youths 8 to 14 (as of Jan. 1) to Residential 4-H Camp on July 7-12 at the Betsy-Jeff Penn camping facility in Reidsville.

Betsy-Jeff Penn is a fully staffed camping facility and is accredited through the American Camp Association. The camp is open to current 4-H’ers and others 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. Activity groups stay together throughout the day, participating in 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 as many as 26 participants with 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. Balanced menus are served family-style three times a day. Snacks and juice are served midmornings and evenings. 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 4-H will cover $120 per camper, making the family cost $300.

All others 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, the cost is $495.

If your child plans to attend 4-H camp with Rowan County 4-H, a $150 nonrefundable deposit is due to Rowan County Cooperative Extension by March 29.

Checks should be made out to Rowan CES.

The 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 June 4.

A camp meeting must be attended at 6:30 p.m. June 4 at the Rowan County Extension Center. The meeting is for the camper and at least one parent or guardian.

Additional camping forms must be filled out but will be sent to those who register by March 29.

If you have any questions or need more information, 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 at 2727-A Old Concord Road.