Sabine 4-H'ers attend Camp Grant Walker

Sixty-five 4-H campers from Sabine Parish gathered at the 4-H Office on Monday, July 5 to board the buses for a week-long vacation at Camp Grant Walker. Sabine Parish camped with six other parishes, including St. Charles, Jefferson Davis, Acadia, West Baton Rouge, Lafourche, and LaSalle parishes, and made friendships with campers from all over the state.

Campers chose a track on Monday evening that specialized in a certain area of fun and learning. Each morning campers participated in one of the following different track times.

All the world was a stage at the “4-H Theatre-in-the-Woods” where 4-H’ers explored the basics of theatre, learned to use movement, voice, and improvisation to create believable characters, make silent films, commercials, and so much more in the dramatic arts track. From fierce stage combat to soulful soliloquies, this track had it all.

Campers had some fun with science, engineering and technology. The SET track explored the exciting worlds of chemistry, computers, construction, digital photography, rockets and much more. Students had fun concocting crazy chemistry experiments that go pop, fizz and even boom.

Some 4-H’ers explored the great outdoors as they participated in the Outdoor Adventures track at camp. Students were able to participate in a large variety of hands-on activities to learn the proper techniques to shoot a bow; use ATV safety such as, proper gear and ATV riding; campers found their way by learning to use a compass and even caught a fish in the new pond.

This summer, the wetlands track consisted of three days of “getting down and dirty” as they explored all things wetlands. Campers were introduced to what wetlands are, what they do, and why Louisiana needs them so badly. Campers also had the opportunity to help save wetlands by participating in a restoration project.

Never has learning about nutrition been more exciting. Campers in this track got to experience lots of hands-on activities and even made some great things to take home. This was a fun way to learn about eating healthy, getting up and moving, setting healthy goals and working as a team to meet them. They also participated in a lot of great activities, learning new strategies, working in teams and learning new things to do to improve the way we eat and are physically active.

After the morning track times, students rotated through recreation activities such as swimming, volleyball/softball, arts and crafts, tubing, archery, bicycling, line dancing, indoor games, and personal safety. Nighttime activities included swimming, arts and crafts, a movie, and of course, the dance.

Tuesday afternoon was pretty eventful when students got to see a gymnastics and martial arts program. The instructors taught students to make good choices, to choose their friends carefully, and to stay drug-free as they flew through the air.

As 4-H Camp came to an end on Thursday night, the 4-H Camp sign was lit while campers reflected on the great time they had all week during the evening Vespers program. Camp was sunshine and smiles, with a few raindrops, all week long.

Thanks so much to the adults who volunteered to attend camp as chaperones: Dodie Hadnot, Sarah Jones, and Pam Pearce; and Junior Counselors included Sarah Leitz, Joshua Maxie, and Lincoln Pearce. The adults and counselors made sure that Sabine campers felt right at home.